09; without you, without restraint.
Without You, Without Restraint.
yellow light. (stoplight system.)
concerning: Roger Collins.
541 words; complete. original post date: 08-06-09.
Roger Collins needed a drink.
That in itself was nothing new; he might as well have staked a claim on the bottle of brandy and the snifters that went along with it as often as he frequented it. But tonight was different. He needed that drink - or drinks, as it was sure to become - more than he'd ever needed a drink in his life.
Tonight, he'd gotten the news that Victoria Winters was to marry Burke Devlin.
Victoria Winters. Vicki. David's governess. His Victoria - Roger shook his head, hands shaking as well as he poured the brandy into the glass. He was wrong to think that. He'd never done anything to warrant Vicki as his, but it didn't change the fact that he did think it. She lived in the Collins house, employed by the Collins family, of which he was a member of. Didn't that make her his in a technical way of thinking? Roger put the cap back on the bottle and thought about what Vicki herself would say to his thoughts. She'd probably scold him, snap, and call him misogynistic. That was one of the things that he liked about Victoria: when she snapped and her temper flared, it was foolish to try and calm her.
It was one of the things he'd have limited time to witness, as she was getting married.
To Burke Devlin.
Roger downed his drink in one gulp and reached to pour himself another.
He'd congratulated the couple cordially, but the atmosphere had gotten tense soon afterward and he hadn't been able to bear it. He expected that Elizabeth would come soon and scold him for not celebrating properly, but at this point he didn't care. "Angry" didn't begin to describe his reaction; "betrayed" hardly touched the surface, either. Just thinking about it made his blood boil and run cold at the same time.
He knew Devlin. Devlin wasn't a trustworthy man. He'd do absolutely anything to get what he wanted. What stipulations had he put on their marriage? That Victoria was never to associate with the Collins family again after the wedding? Roger wouldn't put it past him; he'd wanted to take everything from the family before, to destory them, why not start by infiltrating the house and having dallyances with their employees?
And the fact that she and the rest of the family were so supportive of the engagement when they knew how much hell Devlin had put them through. How could Victoria let this happen? Had she wanted it to happen? Roger squeezed the stem of his glass so tight that he thought it might break when he thought of her being so disloyal to the family - to him.
No.
Victoria wasn't like that.
He finished his second drink and paused before pouring another. Would he feel the same way about the situation if it wasn't Devlin? Roger shook his head; that part was unimportant. The only part that mattered was that it wasn't fair. He was acting childish but it wasn't fair. He didn't want Victoria to marry, to leave, and dammit, it wouldn't happen. He'd find a way. And then he'd have her all to himself again, just as it was supposed to be.
And Roger couldn't hide a smirk as he threw back his third drink.
yellow light. (stoplight system.)
concerning: Roger Collins.
541 words; complete. original post date: 08-06-09.
Roger Collins needed a drink.
That in itself was nothing new; he might as well have staked a claim on the bottle of brandy and the snifters that went along with it as often as he frequented it. But tonight was different. He needed that drink - or drinks, as it was sure to become - more than he'd ever needed a drink in his life.
Tonight, he'd gotten the news that Victoria Winters was to marry Burke Devlin.
Victoria Winters. Vicki. David's governess. His Victoria - Roger shook his head, hands shaking as well as he poured the brandy into the glass. He was wrong to think that. He'd never done anything to warrant Vicki as his, but it didn't change the fact that he did think it. She lived in the Collins house, employed by the Collins family, of which he was a member of. Didn't that make her his in a technical way of thinking? Roger put the cap back on the bottle and thought about what Vicki herself would say to his thoughts. She'd probably scold him, snap, and call him misogynistic. That was one of the things that he liked about Victoria: when she snapped and her temper flared, it was foolish to try and calm her.
It was one of the things he'd have limited time to witness, as she was getting married.
To Burke Devlin.
Roger downed his drink in one gulp and reached to pour himself another.
He'd congratulated the couple cordially, but the atmosphere had gotten tense soon afterward and he hadn't been able to bear it. He expected that Elizabeth would come soon and scold him for not celebrating properly, but at this point he didn't care. "Angry" didn't begin to describe his reaction; "betrayed" hardly touched the surface, either. Just thinking about it made his blood boil and run cold at the same time.
He knew Devlin. Devlin wasn't a trustworthy man. He'd do absolutely anything to get what he wanted. What stipulations had he put on their marriage? That Victoria was never to associate with the Collins family again after the wedding? Roger wouldn't put it past him; he'd wanted to take everything from the family before, to destory them, why not start by infiltrating the house and having dallyances with their employees?
And the fact that she and the rest of the family were so supportive of the engagement when they knew how much hell Devlin had put them through. How could Victoria let this happen? Had she wanted it to happen? Roger squeezed the stem of his glass so tight that he thought it might break when he thought of her being so disloyal to the family - to him.
No.
Victoria wasn't like that.
He finished his second drink and paused before pouring another. Would he feel the same way about the situation if it wasn't Devlin? Roger shook his head; that part was unimportant. The only part that mattered was that it wasn't fair. He was acting childish but it wasn't fair. He didn't want Victoria to marry, to leave, and dammit, it wouldn't happen. He'd find a way. And then he'd have her all to himself again, just as it was supposed to be.
And Roger couldn't hide a smirk as he threw back his third drink.