Pushing Boundaries

[CADENCE HIGGINS]

Robert's eyes looked hard into hers and for a moment she wondered what she'd done to offen him. They softened almost immediately though, and she sat patiently waiting for him to say something of an explanation. "They've long since passed. Now they just guard the cemetery.". She had known that but had forgotten. Cadence had once studied up on Robert, when she'd made the decision to go after him, but it had been some time and she often forgot some of the dirt she'd dug up considering the cahnge in her stance toward him. "I'm sorry." She offered politely, more or her faux pas than for his loss. "My father was head of the Council before me. Back when the Council was more discerning of who earned a seat there." she was surprised at how interested she was in his words and listened captively. "He's the reason I chose to become a politician. He and my mother groomed me for politics." It wasn't really surprising that his life had been steered in this direction for him. He seemed born for the position he'd held and she wouldn't be surprised if he held it again in the future.

Cadence didn't know if Robert planned to continue, but the food arriving made him stop talking about his personal life, something she got the feeling he was uncomfortable discussing. Even with her. It was nice to know he wasn't able to let go completely either. As soon as their waiter left, the pair dug into their food. The swordfish was delectable, and she quickly took a second bite, glad for something more to be in her stomach. "Did your parents encourage you to take the political track? Or was that your choice and yours alone?" Cadence paused and looked up at the man across from her. He'd asked a very loaded question, and yet he had no idea he'd done so. Cadence had two options; skirt around the truth and leave her answer subtle, or be brutally honest and anger the man across from her. After silently considering it for a moment she decided the latter option was in her best interest. It would leave no room for probing questions after and he'd asked a question with the interest of a real answer. If Robert was hell bent on knowing who he was courting, she would let him know.

"You're the reason I'm in politics." She informed him, putting her fork down and reaching for her wine. Her eyes never strayed from his. "My parents never encouaged me towards a path. They were surpised when I took up politics, but they never questioned it. When they learned I was working for you they never bothered to bring up your involvement in their sons life. To this day they have no idea I know about your history with Jude." She sipped her wine and then placed it back down on the table. "It's no secret now my original intentions. You've goverened my life. You're the reason I'm sitting here now. Had you succeeded in saving Jude there would be no guarantee I would exist. Had you never known Jude, I might not have gotten into politics to get closer to you. I would have had no interest in your political career or bringing it to an abrupt end." She plucked her fork up and poked at her fish again, unsure how he would react to her confession.

[ROBERT SNOW]

Robert watched Cadence as she hesitated to answer his question. Apparently her answer might be one he wouldn’t appreciate very much. “You’re the reason I’m in politics.” That was a surprising answer and his eyebrows raised, letting her know she had stunned him with that. “My parents never encouraged me towards a path. They were surprised when I took up politics, but they never questioned it. When they learned I was working for you they never bothered to bring up your involvement in their son’s life. To this day they have no idea I know about your history with Jude.” Now Robert’s brow lowered over his eyes, taking a sip of his wine. Obviously they didn’t blame him then if they had said nothing about his involvement with Jude. But then how did she find out? She was very resourceful, but he wanted to know who she’d spoken to. “It’s no secret now my original intentions. You’ve governed my life. You’re the reason I’m sitting here now. Had you succeeded in saving Jude there would be no guarantee I would exist. Had you never known Jude, I might not have gotten into politics to get closer to you. I would have had no interest in your political career or bringing it to an abrupt end.” He hadn’t thought of those things before. It made him nervous and curious and angry and even a little smug that he had dictated so much of her life. Even her birth could be attributed to him. He took a long drink of wine, having forgotten his food as he mulled over her confession. His presence was in every part of her life, but not really in the way he wanted to be.

When he looked up at her again, she was picking at her fish and he just considered her by the light of the candle on their table. He’d never had such an influence on anyone’s life before. Unfortunately, most of his influence on Cadence’s life was negative. She’d hated him so much that she did everything she could to bring him down. And now he was wining and dining her. Part of him was furious that her sole purpose in life had been to destroy him, finding it such a presumptuous goal that she could actually being him down. But she could…he’d played into her game and even though he knew what he was doing, sure he could undo whatever damage she did, he wondered now if he would be able to refute all of her claims. It made him bitter to know that she could make him a fool if she wanted to. She had quite literally waited all her life to do so. But who had given him away? Who had planted in her head that it was his fault Jude was dead? It was their fault she had started down her path as she did.

“How did you find out about Jude and I if not from your parents? What made you start digging?” His eyes darkened somewhat, leaning over the table slightly as his voice lowered. “And if given the chance, would you still try to destroy me?” The answer to that question actually gave him pause. He didn’t know if he wanted to know the truth. What was the point of doing all of this if she still wanted to destroy him? And what purpose could she have to do so anymore? It was suddenly clear to him how much power he had placed in her dainty little hands.

[CADENCE HIGGINS]

She had brought Robert to silence, which wasn't entirely surprising, but in some ways it was. She thought for sure he would have something to say, but it was clear he was mulling it all over. With nothing else to say herself she went back to her fish, picking her fork up and poking at the tender meat. She pushed a forkful in her mouth, chewing as it fell apart, the flavor wonderful. She was several bites in when Robert spoke again, her eyes moving up to meet his once more. “How did you find out about Jude and I if not from your parents? What made you start digging?” He looked almost upset, his eyes dark and storming as he leaned in to ask the question. What did it matter how she found out? She had. “And if given the chance, would you still try to destroy me?” Her brow raised. Was that a serious question?

Cadence sat and watched Robert silently for a moment, considering his questions. She found it best to hesitate with him sometimes, thinking long and hard before opening her mouth. She wasn't interested in provoking him to the point where her hide would be the one to suffer, but she didn't like catering to his need to know everything either. She reached for her wine and took a sip, swishing around the liquid before swallowing it and offering a reply. "I watched you fall from greatness and stood by your side, quite literally, while you recovered. I was there through your quick journey back up the political food chain. If my intention was to knock you off your high horse, I wouldn't have bothered with you at all and would have likely tried to keep you down instead of build you back up." She informed him, her own eyes hard now. Was he really so insecure when it came to her?

"And what does it matter how I learned of you and Jude?" She asked, her voice more nonchalant now. She was curious as to why he seemed so interested, and not necessarily in a good way. "Does it bother you? It brought me to your feet and you haven't had any real complaints about that yet." Now she was taunting him slightly, a flirty edge to her voice. She didn't bother trying to hide the meaning behind her words; Robert had been more than happy to have his way with her since practically the beginning of their relationship.

[ROBERT SNOW]

Robert was used to Cadence taking a long time to answer him, but the wait at this moment was almost more than he could bear. He wanted answers and he wanted them now. “I watched you fall from greatness and stood by your side, quite literally while you recovered. I was there through your quick journey back up the political food chain. If my intention was to knock you off your high horse, I wouldn’t have bothered with you at all and would have likely tried to keep you down instead of build you back up.” It was a valid point, one he’d thought on many times since he had woke from his coma, but somehow he still felt unsure about it. Could she be trying to lull him into a false sense of security in terms of her loyalty? Was it a genuine gesture, helping him back up? Hearing it now from her lips eased those insecurities slightly, but not entirely. Robert was a hopelessly suspicious man, yet it spared him the pain of losing someone again. Yes, even Robert Snow was capable of feeling pain.

“And what does it matter how I learned of you and Jude?” His brow lowered, not liking her nonchalant tone. It was a serious question and one that he wanted answered. Robert didn’t ask questions he didn’t expect answers to. “Does it bother you? It brought me to your feet and you have had any real complaints about that yet.” She was being flirty, but it only made his mood darker. Her taunting was going to get her into trouble if she wasn’t careful. “Of course I’m grateful it brought you to my doorstep. You’ve been an integral part of my success and I don’t believe anyone could have done better at being my assistant. That being said, the source of your information does bother me. I’m sure many people believe I was the one to push Jude off that cliff—it wasn’t exactly a secret when it happened. My father made sure my involvement stayed out of the public story, however. There were rumors of my involvement, but eventually they were regarded as just that—rumors. If someone told you otherwise, then they must have been someone more closely involved with quashing those rumors. I would like to know who it was.” His eyes showed how serious he was about finding the answer to his question. It wasn’t as though he would seek out the source and kill him or her, he just wanted to know so he could tell them to keep their mouth shut in the future. The damage was done, but that didn’t mean he would let it slide.

Cadence must have sensed this because she remained silent for a long moment, picking at her food. He gave a heavy sigh before downing a large gulp of wine and turning back to his own food. “So be it. You may keep your secret for as long as you wish.” That didn’t mean he wouldn’t sexually torture it out of her later and his voice implied he might just do that. Robert was not a patient man. Just the thought of using every sexual weapon at his disposal to find his answer cooled his anger and heated his lust. A small, dangerous smile came to his lips as he dug back into his dinner. “I hope you’re enjoying your meal.” The way he said it suggested it would be the last simple pleasure she would have that evening.

[CADENCE HIGGINS]

“Of course I’m grateful it brought you to my doorstep. You’ve been an integral part of my success and I don’t believe anyone could have done better at being my assistant. That being said, the source of your information does bother me." Her brow cocked slightly as he spoke. Would he really be bothered by her source of information? "I’m sure many people believe I was the one to push Jude off that cliff—it wasn’t exactly a secret when it happened. My father made sure my involvement stayed out of the public story, however. There were rumors of my involvement, but eventually they were regarded as just that—rumors. If someone told you otherwise, then they must have been someone more closely involved with quashing those rumors. I would like to know who it was.” Cadence was offended by what he said, to say the least. Did he really think someone walked up to her and told her he'd pushed Jude off a cliff? Her lips pursed gently and she scowled ever so slightly in his direction. He wanted names. He wanted her to sell someone out because of his own insecurity about his involvement in Jude's death, but little did he know the clues she received were from Jude himself. In a manner of speaking.

The girl remained silent, picking at her food and ignoring his question. It would agitate him, but at the moment she wasn't entirely sure she cared. Her own frustration and stubbornness outweighed her desire to please him, and the more he probed, the more she felt like this "date" was a waste of time. What was he honestly expecting from her? “So be it. You may keep your secret for as long as you wish.” Something in his tone irked her and she knew he intended to pry the information free at one point or another, but she would be damned to let it go now just to appease him. Her head was bent low, but her eyes moved darkly to his, watching the dangerous smile creep over his face. “I hope you’re enjoying your meal.” And it was in that moment that she knew she was in trouble. The way he spoke his words were almost a threat. Maybe not to the common person walking by, but Cadence knew Robert well. She knew his mannerisms, the edges of his voice, the simple looks he gave. She knew him better than most, and she knew he wasn't happy with her at that moment. Her reluctance to give him what he wanted would end in her giving him other things he wanted instead. Her stomach squirmed and she wasn't sure if it was uneasiness or excitement, or perhaps a little of both. He'd proved recently that he could easily hurt her, and would if he deemed it necessary.

"Yes, thank you." She shot back, her tone conveying more confidence than she felt at the moment. Her eyes never left his as she reached for her wine and drank from it, not wanting to show weakness. She wouldn't allow Robert to know he could get to her, though there were small signs that of course he had. Her movements were more tense, and it was clear she was a little more anxious now. "Do we have plans after supper as well?" She asked, genuinely curious if he intended to eat and be done with their little date, or if he planned to take her elsewhere though a part of her had a feeling his intention was to bring her home where he would insist she let him in. He'd already mentioned he expected as much, but how long did she have? "A moonlit walk on the beach?" Her tone was coy as she took another bite of her supper, hardly caring that their evening was ruined anymore. She might as well dig her hole deeper, there was no way she could climb out now.

[ROBERT SNOW]

“Yes, thank you.” Though Cadence sounded confident, Robert could see from her tense, anxious movements that she was uncertain. A lesser man might not have noticed these nuances in her motions, but Robert new the willowy woman across from him quite well. His wicked smirk grew, pleased to take another bite of his exceptional meal. He was under her skin once again. “Do we have plans after supper as well?” Well, Robert certainly had plans. He was already thinking of the ways he would torture her with pleasure when he had her laid out on a bed; whether it was his bed or hers was yet to be decided. “A moonlit walk on the beach?” Maybe the comment was meant to provoke him further, but he only smiled wider. “If you wish. Do you enjoy moonlit walks on the beach? It’s been quite some time since I’ve done that. The last time I ended up with a bit of sand in a most uncomfortable place.” He had to smile more at the memory; the way his lover had screamed out into the night like no one else in the world existed more than made up for his discomfort. Thinking of Cadence doing the same made his groin twitch excitedly. Of course, that kind of public sex wasn’t an option for them. They were far too well-known to risk it.

“I had plans for us after dinner, but they involve a bed. If you would like to do something else first, I wouldn’t be opposed. Is there anything you would be interested in doing?” The enigmatic woman took her time considering and he worked on his dinner in the meantime. Before long their meals were finished with small talk thrown in as a side and the waiter was handing him a check. He slipped a card into the little leather booklet and the waiter gladly took it and returned in a flash. Once Robert had written down a generous tip and signed in his neat, spidery hand, he poured out the rest of the wine for him and Cadence to share. His eyes fell on the woman across from him once more, sure enough now to more directly request access to the one place of hers that he’d not been in.

“As I mentioned before, your home remains a mystery to me. You’ve been in mine several times, but never returned the favor. It makes me curious to see how you live.” His eyes were gleaming with a hint of mischief and a dare for her to deny him. If she refused him, he wouldn’t actually be angry, but it certainly wouldn’t be the last time he asked for access to her home. It was one of the last great mysteries of Cadence. What was her personal style like? What personal effects did she keep in her home? She often dressed to please him and it was never casual attire, so he had no real sense of what she actually liked. He found that odd and fascinating all at once and he hoped she would give him a chance to see more of who she really was. So much of what he knew of her was simply to please him. He wanted to remedy that. “Will you give me a tour of your home this evening?”

[CADENCE HIGGINS]

"If you wish. Do you enjoy moonlit walks on the beach?". Cadence had never taken one with a man. She'd walked along the beach alone plenty in the past, though. She would imagine doing it with Robert would be awkward though, and she raised a brow, chewing her supper. "It's been quite some time since I've done that. The last time I ended up with a bit of sand in a most uncomfortable place." the man smiled and Cadence frowned slightly at his subtlty. She knew where he meant, and what he'd likely be doing to have sand end up there. "I'd prefer to go home sandless." Sh told him honestly. Cadence wasn't interested in cleaning sand from herself any time soon. "I had plans for us after dinner, but they involve a bed. If you would like to do something else first, I wouldn't be opposed.". Though she made no outward sign of it, her stomach clenched tight, and she reached for her wine. It wasn't anything she didn't already know, though. "Is there anything you would be interested in doing?" the woman wished she had a solid answer, but she of course did not. "Nothing comes to mind." She said softly after a long pause, feeling foolish. What sorts of thongs would she do with Robert? Get a drink? It would only encourage more talking, something she still wasn't interested in with him. A show would be nice but a show needed more planning. It looked as though a bed was in her near future, which managed to make her lose her appetite some.

Cadence answered Roberts questions as he attempted small talk over the remainder of their supper. She drak heartily, knowing she would need more when they got to their next destination. She wasn't feeling quite as brave as she wanted to, Roberts constant firm hand having forced her to take a more genuine submissive role in their relationship instead of the mock one she began with. Robert paid the bill and Cadence declined having the rest of her meal packed up, polishing off her wine only to have Robert pour the last bit into her glass. His eyes pierced hers and she watchedback cautiously, unsure what he was thinking. "As I mentioned before, your home remains a mystery to me. You've been in mine several times, but never returned the favor. It makes me curious to see how you live.". His eyes were trmy and mischievous, an she knew he was daring her to deny him, something she wanted to do. "Will you give me a tour of your home this evening?"

Cadence grabbd her glass, drinking deeply from it. He knew she didn't want him in her home, but she knew if she denied him he would ask again, probably as he walked her to her door. Just the thought irritated her. No one said no to Robert, and if they did he always managed to get whatever he was after anyway. She had no choice in the matter. Robert would enter her home. It didn't necessarily mean tonight, but now that he had set his mind to it, he would make i happen. Precocious bastard. "It would be my honor." Her tone made it clear she wasn't pleased or honored at the idea but she would go along with it because she had no choice but to respect his wishes. The woman drained her glass again thinking about how many bottles of wine she had at home. More than enough.. "Perhaps you would be kind enough to bring another bottle of wine." She suggested, her own little way of being spiteful, not that buying a bottle of wine could hurt his deep pockets. "Shall we?"

[ROBERT SNOW]

As always, Robert waited for Cadence’s answer. She always left him waiting when it came to the important questions. It was highly likely she wanted him as far away from her home as possible, preferring to keep their relationship in a delusional world where she thought she kept her work life from her personal life. Her apartment, her home, was the one place she probably felt she could be her truest self—she had to put on a different face when it came to Robert. He was aware of that and he wasn’t entirely happy about it. Now that he knew he dictated so much of her life, he wanted to have his fingers in all of it, like a boy needing to dip his finger into every cupcake to make sure he’s tried a little bit of each. He made no apology for his greed and he wouldn’t stop pursuing until he had sated it. “It would be my honor.” His grin was wide and hungry giving him an almost wolf-like appearance in the candlelight. Cadence had made the wise choice, knowing his insistence would only grow as time went. Perhaps he wouldn’t be as cruel as he had originally intended, if only to show his appreciation for her obedience. All the same, he could tell she wasn’t happy about the arrangement or even honored as she’d stated; he doubted that would change.

“Perhaps you would be kind enough to bring another bottle of wine. Shall we?” That would require a small stop around the corner at the Cellar, but he didn’t mind. At least there he was familiar with their selection and knew where to find a good bottle of wine. Robert stood from the table, sliding his coat over his shoulders before he came around and helped Cadence into hers. He walked with his hand on the small of her back and escorted her out of the restaurant while texting his driver to pull the car up. He nodded at the farewells they received when leaving the restaurant, and as always, David’s timing was impeccable. The car slid up to the curb just as they walked out of the doors. Robert opened Cadence’s door for her and offered a hand to help her in if she needed it. Probably out of spite, she didn’t take a hold of his hand, which only made Robert smirk. He had won access to her apartment and she was allowed to be bitter about it—it didn’t change the fact that they were headed there now.

He climbed into the car and ordered David to take them over to the Cellar. “Is there any particular wine you would like?” he asked Cadence. With her answer in his mind, he exited the car once David had come to a stop before the store. He didn’t help Cadence out because there was no need for her to come in when he was just getting a bottle of wine. The purchase took about seven minutes and when he was back in the car he directed David to Cadence’s building. He looked over at the beauty sitting beside him, observing her stoic face. It suddenly occurred to him that she must have had relationships with other men too. How many other men? What were they like? She’d probably broken them off…or was Robert the only man she’d stuck with for any extended amount of time? Was that possible? He was tempted to ask but he wasn’t sure he would like the answer. It shouldn’t matter how many men she’d had or if she had cared for any of them—she was his now. Wasn’t that all that mattered? Still, thinking that she might have cared for anyone else gave him a strange lump in his throat. No, he didn’t think he was prepared to ask those questions because he wasn’t prepared for the answer.

It took about fifteen minutes for them to reach her apartment, small talk passing between them about others on the Council, rising stars and so forth and Peter’s views on interspecies relationships, while Billie Holiday crooned in the background. When they pulled up to her building, he could see the shades of apprehension showing on her pretty, youthful face. It only satisfied him more. “David, you may return to the house. I’ll call you when you should come get me.” “Yes, sir.” He climbed out with a smile at Cadence and then walked around to her door, opening it for her as he always did and offered his arm for her to take when she was standing beside him. “Shall we?” He was smug in echoing her words from the restaurant, a taunting smile on his handsome face.

[CADENCE HIGGINS]

Robert rose and slid his coat on before coming to her and helping her do the same. She allowed him to slip her coat over her shoulders and she fastend it before he led her by the small of her back out the restaurant. The car was waiting as the exited and she had a feeling he'd been messaging the driver a moment ago when he'd had his phone in hand. Cadence was quiet as Robert opened hr door, and she ignored his extended hand meant for assistance. She didn't need his assistance as willing as he was to push it on her. The man came and sat at her side and Cadence paid him little mind as she looked out the window. She had her reservations about what was about to happen, not at all comfortable with Robert intruding in the one place she'd managed to bar him from.

"Is there any particular wine you would like?" He asked as the car pulled up at the liquor store. "Cabernet Sauvignon." She answered softly and then he was gone. The girl sat quietly, waiting patiently for her date to return. Robert took a few minutes but finally returned, brown paper bag in hand. Once back in the car, he instructed his driver to hr home and then made brief small talk with her. She answered politely, but her heart wasn't in the conversation. She had never been so apprehensive about someone coming to her home before. It was aways clean and was decorated nicely, but somehow the thought of Robert being among all her things felt wrong. He was such a dominating presence, and she couldn't help but feel as though he would taint her living space somehow.

The car pulled to a slow stop and Cadence waited for Roberts instruction. He told the drver to leave, which meant he intended to spend enough time in her home that it wuldn't be worth the man waiting. Her stomach clenched though she didn't show her apprehension. Robert got out and then came to her door, opening it and offering his arm. She couldn't refuse him, so after she climbed out she slid her arm through his. "Shall we?" he asked smugly and she was immediately annoyed. He knew how uncomfortable this made her and he was gloating in his own obnoxious victory. "If you insist." Came her own soft reply.

Robert led her into the building and they made their way to the elevator. She pressed the button and the silver doors opened immediately for them. Together they stepped in and Cadence let her finger press the button for her floor. Her eyes moved over him as they rose in silence, and the look he offered in return was nothing short of smoldering. He was pleased to be getting his way, pleased that she hadn't put up as much of a fight as she might have months before. The elevator slowed before she was ready for it to and the doors slid open. "This way." She said softly, leading Robert to her door. She did her best to seem calm and collected as she walked down the hall, finally stopping in front of a door. She fished her keys from her clutch and opened the door.

Cadence stepped in, switching the light on. The condo was a strange mixture of modern and antique. Very little of the furniture actually matched in style, but they flowed perfectly together. Everything was white, or a slight off white, some of the older pieces paint cracking and showing the dark wood beneath. There were pictures hung of birds and birch trees, most without color. Despite the whiteness, there were briliant splashes of color, mostly in plum and mustard, but some teal and olive poked out here and there. A plush, plum rug line the floor beneath the modern white leather couch, deep yellow and plum pillows lining the sides and back. The curtains had an intricate design in purple, yellow and green, and partially hid a large window with a ledge lined with a white cushion for one to sit on. Blow the window ledge wer cubby holes that werelined with books, and nearby was a few bookcases that held both books and knick knacks. There were candles splattered around adding more color as well as bird figurines. Over the fireplace, which the couch faced, hung a flat screen television. On either side of the couch was a plush white chair with deep brown legs, and beside each one was a small dark wood table with lamps that resembled trees. The shades were white with green speckles for leaves. There were pictures on both tables, one of Jude, the other of her parents. She had and old chandalier over the couch, but the lights in the rest of the room were embedded in he ceiling. The kitchen was off to the side and was more modern than the rest of hr home, though it followed a similar color pattern. Everything was clean and orderly, as Cadence hired someone to keep it so.

She slid her coat off and hung it in the closet near the entrance. "Can i hang your coat?" She asked out of politeness and took Robert's coat as he handed it to her. She hung it alongside hers and watched him step into her home. "I'll get glasses for the wine." She offered, not wanting to watch him inspect her living space. She walked past him and turned into the open kichen, still visible to him. Her eyes moved over, watching him examine and wondering what he was thinking, and what he would do next.

[ROBERT SNOW]

“If you insist.” Robert did. He escorted Cadence into her building and made directly for the elevators. She hit the button and he was surprised that the metal doors immediately slid open for them. When they were inside she hit the button again and his eyes trailed down to the beautiful blonde beside him. He wanted to slam her against one of the walls and kiss her and touch her until they reached her floor, but seeing the security camera in the corner stopped him for now. Instead he simply studied Cadence, completely satisfied that he had gotten his way. It didn’t take long for her eyes to start roaming over him as well, which only spurred his lust further. He was about to ignore the cameras and pull her into a kiss anyway when the elevator stopped and the doors slid open. “This way.” Robert followed, the wine clutched in one hand as he considered all of the things he could do to her.

Inside, Robert devoured everything in sight in her apartment. The tasteful mixture of colors on white were accentuated by modern and antique designs. Though a lot of the styles didn’t really match, it all flowed together perfectly. Many of the decorative accents were trees and birds, something he hadn’t quite expected of Cadence but felt suited her well. If Robert had to peg Cadence as any type of animal, he would peg her for a bird. They were quick, graceful, elegant creatures, light and delicate. The furniture looked comfortable and the fireplace was inviting in front of the couch, the TV mounted above the mantle. Below the window there were several shelves of books and bird figurines and the more he studied the apartment, the more he felt this was very much a reflection of Cadence. The style made a statement that you were welcome to enjoy the space, but never to forget who it belonged to. Even Robert felt slightly out of place, but that wouldn’t stop him from enjoying his time there. Cadence moved to a closet and when the door opened, he looked over, watching as she slid her coat off and hung it up. “Can I hang your coat?” He gave her a small smile, setting the bottle of wine on a nearby table. “Yes, thank you.” He slid the coat off his broad shoulders before moving further into the apartment, noting how clean everything was. “I’ll get glasses for the wine.” He watched her go, grabbing the bottle as he glanced at her modern kitchen. When he turned back into the living room, he truly began to inspect things.

Had she bought all of the figurines herself? Or were they things she’d inherited? He noted how old some of them looked, but not cheesy. Perhaps he could give her one as a gift. It was a thought and it would please him to see something he’d given her out in her apartment. He looked up at the chandelier, turning away from the fireplace and towards the couch. It was very classy, tarnished, but in a way that only added to the flow of modern and antique in her home. He placed the bottle of wine on the coffee table, and as he did so, his eyes fell on two side table with pictures rested on them. The first he saw was obviously her parents, and he moved forward to inspect it more closely. They were gray and wrinkled now, but still the handsome couple he remembered. There was something sad about their faces, though, and Robert was well aware of why that was. When he looked at the other picture, he stopped cold, his heart skipping a beat. He swallowed hard before he moved closer, picking up the elegant frame in his hands. It was Jude. Over the years the exact features of his face had faded, leaving only his eyes and the color of his hair vivid in Robert’s memory. Looking at the picture now, he was seeing Jude again exactly as he had been—carelessly handsome with an almost impudent smile. He suddenly remembered his laugh, hearty and bold. Robert’s brow furrowed as the guilt of losing him crashed over him. It was no wonder Robert never kept any photos of the man.

He was suddenly aware of Cadence standing nearby and he looked at her almost in surprise like he’d forgotten where he was. She was holding the two glasses she had promised and he took one more look at the picture in his hands before placing it back on the table. “It’s strange…I’d almost forgotten what he looked like.” He needed some wine. “Do you have a corkscrew I could use?” he asked politely, looking back at his date. He didn’t want her to know how rattled he was by Jude’s photo.

[CADENCE HIGGINS]

Cadence did her best not to inspect Robert from the kitchen, but it was difficult. She didn't want to see him observe her home, but she couldn't stand not keeping a close eye on him. He was absorbing everything and she wished he wouldn't, wished he'd showed no interest in seeing her home at all. Her throat tightened when she saw him eyeing the picture of her parents, suddenly feeling the urge to move those personal photographs out of his vision. It was only a matter of time before he saw Jude's picture on the other table, and she felt overly protective of those tiny personal touches in her home. Cadence set the wine glasses on the counter and then went digging for her wine key in one of her drawers. Her delicate fingers twisted around it in no time and she was soon leaving the kitchen to return to her bosses side.

Robert had Jude's picture in his hand and Cadence suddenly felt overwhelmed with agitation. It had been ingrained in her mind for decades that Robert was responsible for his death despite his innocence, and the simple act of him staring fondly into her brothers youthful face seemed to stir angry feelings in her stomach. When he finally took note of her, there was a strangely surprised look on his face, as though he didn't expect her to find him with the picture in his hand. Robert obediently put the picture back in its place. “It’s strange…I’d almost forgotten what he looked like.” The comment only bristled her feathers further. “Do you have a corkscrew I could use?” Cadence put the glasses down and handed him the wine key that had been tucked away in her palm.

She was silent for a moment, trying to let the annoyance slither away on its own while Robert worked on the wine bottle. He easily popped the cork, filling the glasses with the deep red wine. "Consider yourself lucky you had the opportunity to know what he looked like at all." She found herself saying bitterly, the statement having been flitting through her mind, though she hadn't meant to say it. "Some of us never met him at all." She reminded, picking her wine glass up. "Let alone had the ability to forget him." She drank deeply from her glass, her jade eyes flashing angrily as they stayed fixed on Robert. She took a seat on the couch, ripping her gaze from him and slipping her glass into her lap as she crossed her legs. "So is it what you expected?" She asked, the bitterness still tainting her voice slightly. "My home?"

[ROBERT SNOW]

Robert took the wine key Cadence handed him and picked up the bottle, setting to work uncorking it. It didn’t take long for him to pop the cork out and he placed the cork and wine key on the table before lifting a glass. He filled it with blood red wine before placing it back on the table and picking up the other glass. “Consider yourself lucky you had the opportunity to know what he looked like at all.” Her bitter tone made his eyes look up at her from beneath his heavy brow, his eyebrows arching curiously as he did so. Was she really upset? “Some of us never met him at all. Let alone had the ability to forget him.” He placed the wine bottle down and gave her a troubled look. She was taking his statement the wrong way it seemed. Her eyes that looked so much like her brother’s flashed angrily at him and he felt the need to apologize for once. Robert hadn’t meant to upset her…She took a seat on the couch and crossed her long legs and he moved to sit beside her. At least one of them looked like they belonged in their surroundings.

“So is it what you expected? My home?” She still sounded bitter and he leaned back on her couch, studying her as he drank deeply from his glass. “To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I find that’s it’s very you and very tasteful. I like the mixture of modern and classic. It’s inviting but never lets you forget who this place belongs to.” He gave a small smirk before lifting his glass to his lips again. “Like I said, it’s very you.” Another sip of wine and he lowered the glass to his lap, his brow furrowing as he looked at her. “I apologize if what I said about Jude came off the wrong way. I didn’t mean to offend you. It’s just been a very long time since I’d seen his face.” His words were meant to be pacifying, but he wasn’t entirely sure if that helped or not. He looked away from her and toward the fireplace, reflecting on the photo of the young man he’d once known. “I sincerely wish you had known him. I might have forgotten the details of his face, but I never forgot his character.” With another deep drink, he resolved to change the subject.

He looked back at her and could see she was agitated. His own eyes took on the same look, frowning slightly at her. Sitting forward some, he leaned slightly on his thighs, giving her a searching and a slightly irritated look. “Why are you so upset with me, Cadence? I’m trying to express genuine interest in you and your life away from me and it seems to only be making you angry. Would you rather I continue to see you as nothing more than an assistant and sex object? Because you would be the first woman I’ve ever known to want that.” Honestly, Robert was getting fed up with Cadence’s surliness tonight and he was ready to put a stop to it. He didn’t like to feel like a fool and yet that’s what she was doing every time she shot him down. It was exhausting.

[CADENCE HIGGINS]

"To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect. I find that it's very you and very tasteful. I like the mixture of modern and classic. It's inviting but never lets you forget who this place belongs to." Cadence wasn't sure how to take what he said. She didn't really want his approval, but she supposed she liked having it. "Like I said, it's very you." She supposed the way he described her home was how one might describe her and she bowed her head slightly, looking into her glass before taking a deep sip from it, wishing she could get drunk from it, but knowing it would take far more than that glass.

"I apologize if what I said about Jude came off the wrong way.". Cade looked up, surprised at his apology. Robert wasn't on to apologize, even if he was wrong. "I didn't mean to offend you. It's just been a very long time since I'd seen his face.". She watched him cautously, staying silent as he looked away, reflecting. "I sincerely wish you had known him. I might have forgotten the details of his face, but I never forgot his character.". Talking about her brother made her uneasy. It had been a relatively taboo subject at home. Her parents spoke of Jude, but the conversation always dampened the mood, and over the years he was brought up less and less. Her eyes fell to her lap again as silence took over, unsure what to say or do with this man sitting in her home like this, annoyed that he had known Jude when she had not.

Robert caught her eye when he leaned forward, frowning at her. She met his gaze, glowering in return at the look he offered her. "Why are you so upset with me, Cadence? I'm trying to express genuine interest in you and your life away from me and it seems to only be making you angry. Would you rather I continue to see you as nothing more than an assistant and sex object?". She gulped, part of her wanting just that. Cadence didn't know how to get close to people and didn't know how to take Robert, a man known for keeping his distance, invading her personal space. "Because you would be the first woman I've ever known to want that." the statement was arrogant, but she knew it to be true. How many women would kill for Robert to show interest in them? Power, money, looks.. he was something to b desired even if he was known to have a cruel streak.

"I don't know what I want." It came out an annoyed growl and she brought the wine to her lips, showing more emotion than she cared to. She drained the glass and brought her fingers to her lips, covering them slightly as her eyes moved to his. She could see he was getting fed up, but that hardly concerned her. "You knew I didn't want you here." She started, her fingers falling to her lap. "The one place that's mine, but you pushed and here you are. You know I can't deny you anymore than anyone else can." She chewed gently on her bottom lip, spinning the glass in her hand and showing her anxiety. "And then you talk so freely of Jude.." her brows furrowed, keeping her eyes from his again. "I've spent a lifetime despising you because of him, warranted or not it's not easy to simply forget those harsh feelings. I no longer try to betray you, but talking about him still unnerves me. Especially with you." Her eyes peaked at him, a defensive hardness there, though it was clear he'd gotten to her just as she had to him. "There are times I would much rather be your assistant fuck toy. It's far less complicated than all this." She said honestly, her voice bordering on cold. With a lightly wavering sigh she reached her glass out towards Robert. "Would you top me off, please?"

[ROBERT SNOW]

“I don’t know what I want.” It was a surprisingly honest answer and Robert continued to stare hard at Cadence, but maybe with a hint of surprise. She took a large gulp of her wine and he sipped at his, but his eyes never left hers. He wanted more of an answer than that and his eyes demanded that of her. “You knew I didn’t want you here. The one place that’s mine, but you pushed and here you are. You know I can’t deny you anymore than anyone else can.” It was rare for Cadence to show emotion, but the way she spun her glass in her hand showed her agitation. Robert’s own irritation died down somewhat to hear she was as powerless against him as anyone else. In some ways she was even more helpless because he knew how to manipulate her to get what he wanted—at least sexually. “And then you talk so freely of Jude…I’ve spent a lifetime despising you because of him, warranted or not. It’s not easy to simply forget those harsh feelings. I no longer try to betray you, but talking about him still unnerves me. Especially with you.” His brow lowered over his piercing eyes, defensive at her reluctance to speak about her brother. “There are times I would much rather be your assistant fuck toy. It’s far less complicated than all this.” There she was—the only woman he’d ever known to prefer him seeing her as simply a sexual plaything. It only made him more determined to see her as more; not to bug her, but because she deserved it. Her reluctance showed she actually had something between her ears and wasn’t simply after him for power and money. Of course he’d known that about her, but this only confirmed it.

With a wavering sigh, she held her glass out and he gave it a perplexed look. “Would you top me off, please?” He took the glass from her hand, but he had no intention of refilling it. Instead he placed it on the coffee table and then turned quickly back to her face, reaching out and pulling her face to his. The wine glass in his hand blindly found its way to the table as well while his lips devoured hers. His kiss was hard and deep, his fingers curling back into her hair and keeping her close. If she was trying to protest, he was ignoring it to enjoy the feel of their mouths working against each other. His tongue brushed along hers ravenously, his other hand finding its way to her knee. When he pulled back, his teeth caught her bottom lip, tugging it like a piece of fruit as he moved further from her. He released it and it sprung back into place as his icy blue eyes opened to her cool green ones again. “Life is complicated, Cadence and you are far more complicated than I. You have the easier end of this deal.” His thumb slid roughly from her hair, over her jaw and his thumb stretched for her bottom lip to brush across it gently. Robert always fancied himself as mysterious and complicated until he met Cadence.

“I won’t talk about Jude with you so freely anymore, but you need to work harder to forget those nasty rumors that I killed him. I don’t care what anyone else thinks about it, just you. Anyone else could say I killed him, but I need you to acknowledge the truth. You’re the only one that matters.” The last sentence stumbled from his mouth before he could stop it and while it made him uneasy to admit her importance, he couldn’t deny it was truth. He couldn’t take those words back either, so he simply stared hard into her eyes, swallowing roughly. “Forget what you knew about me Cadence. I’ve taken a lot of brothers from a lot of sisters, but I didn’t take yours.” His eyes fell to her lips before lifting to her green hues again. “Maybe this is more complicated than you simply being my sexual plaything…” He leaned in to brush his lips across her jaw, not quite kissing the soft skin, but letting her feel his mouth and breath. “But you can’t take back what you’ve done to me…and I won’t stop until you feel the same.” His lips planted slow, seductive kisses down her neck, his hand on her leg creeping slowly under the skirt of her dress. Teeth scraped gently along her sensitive neck to tease the goosebumps on her skin. His mouth trailed back up her neck, teeth nipping at her jaw before his lips met hers again and he kissed her hard and slow. Robert wouldn’t be left out high and dry—he wouldn’t stand for that.

[CADENCE HIGGINS]

Cadence relaxed some when Robert took her glass, but when he placed it on the table she turned to him with a mildly annoyed look. What reason did he have to deny her more? The quick way he turned bacl to her, reaching for her face was answer enough. Before she could protest his mouth was hers in a devouring kiss that made her feel almost weak. There was a time this sort of affection had made her angry and her adrenaline would pump to he point where se could tear herself away if she desired to, but now.. now she needed it. She needed him, and she despised him for it. Despite how much she wanted it, Cadence initial reaction was to push him away. She was tese as his fingers curled into her hair, but she didn't resist. Cadence had rarely resisted him, even when she wanted to more than anything else. It didn't take long for the girl to cave, and when Robert's tongue stroked hers, she allowed herself to do the same in return. She had one hand pressing against his chest while the other curled into the couch below, keeping her upright while his free hand found her knee, gripping it firmly. She suddenly wished she'd insisted they go to his place instead. Cadence had never let a man come home with her with the intenion of taking her to bed. She didn't care for cleaning up after a man, especially in her personal space, and Robert wasn't really an acception.

When Robrt finally pulled back he tugged her bottom lip with him, which managed to heat her more. How had he managedto woo her so easily? She looked up into his cool, blue eyes, not daring to show she had backed down, though in a wa she already had. "Life is complicated, Cadence and you are far more complicated than I. You have the easier end of this deal." her brow furrowed lightly wondering what he meant by that. She felt his thumb glide over her jaw and against her parted lips, but her eyes never left his. "I won't talk about Jude with you so freely anymore, but you need to work harder to forget those nasty rumors that I killed him." now her brows furrowed again, this time at his insinuation that someone had told her that an she'd simply believed it blindly. Did he honestly think she was so naive? "I don't care what anyone else thinks about it, just you. Anyone else could say I killed him, but I need you to acknowledge the truth. You're the only one that matters." her gentle scowl wavered slightly at his words. Was she the only one that mattered? He had given her so much power in tha tiny satement, but she knew there was very little she could actually do with it, or wanted to. "Forget what you knew about me Cadence. I've taken a lot of brothers from a lot of sisters, but I didn't take yours. Maybe this is more complicated than you simply being my sexual plaything.." his face leaned closer and she held still, feeling his lips caressing her jaw. "But you can't take back what you've done to me...and I won't stop until you feel the same.". Her stomach twisted with the confession, but little did Robert know she already felt the same, she was simply too prideful to show it.

Robert's mouth delivered slow, seductive kisses down her neck while his hand crept slowly below the skirt of her dress. Chills ran up her body at his ability to be firm and gentle at the same time, touching her with a mixture of tender confidence that told her he wasn't going to stop, even if she fought him. His teeth scraped over her skin and she shuddered while he moved closer to his destination. Finally his mouth found hers and his kiss rendered her helpless. The hand on his chest curled in his shirt as he pushed her back into the arm of the couch, his hand sliding between her thighs and making her hot for more of his touch. She hated she was giving in, though. Hated how easily he'd conquered her. He was arrogant and foolish and Cadence found herself suddenly pushing hard at his chest, ripping his mouth from hers ashe was forced back a few inches. He looked annoyed and for the first time it made her flinch a little. Once he was off, her hand at his chest went limp and she swallowed hard, her eyes stuck on his.

Robert only waited a moment, obviously trying to figure out why she'd stopped him, but when she offered no insight he moved back over her, his mouth finding hers once more. She kissed him hard, her tongue twisting with his until her pride got the better of her once more, and again she shoved the man back, this time using more force and pushing herself up as well. In one fluid move she had climbed onto him, straddling his lap and looking down into his eyes. Her hands snaked up over his shoulders and her mouth came low towards his, but she didn't kiss him yet. "He had a journal." She said against his lips before pulling away to look into Robert's eyes. "His room became a shrine, one I wasn't supposed to disturb, but I did. His journal told me about you, and your friendship with him, what you both aspired to be.." she licked her lips, her brows furrowing. "He was your only true competition, and seeing how ruthless you were as an adult, it was easy to assume you would be responsble for taking him out. Especially before he could take you down in a political campaigne." She stared into his eyes, unsure how he would take her admission. "No one needed to tell me you were responsible. I'd connected the dots myself. The signs all pointed to you, Robert.." her voice was soft, almost apologetic in nature. "I needed someone to blame.." she all but whispered, almost bashful about it.