━━ CHAPTER TWENTY / the lock-up

Despite the mess that was Ronny's day, she slept peacefully through the night and the nightmares were at bay for the time being. But she was awoken - rather rudely - by her phone ringing. She rolled over in her bed and reached out to take it off charge. She forced her eyes open and saw it was Steven ringing. Her body jolted awake and she pressed it to her ear.

"Steven? What's wrong?" Ronny's accent slipped into place with ease as she shuffled off the bed. Her jaw ached from the bruises but she tried to ignore it.

"I think I'm going mad, proper mad," He said and Ronny's eyebrows pulled together, "I swear to you, I was attacked last night by a jackal, an Egyptian jackal in the Museum, and I just got fired from my job for property damage and I should be arrested but I don't remember doing any of it. But the security cameras showed it was me but I don't remember any of it. None of it makes any sense and I don't think I'm right... in the head." His words were quick and he stumbled over his words as he seemed to be pacing. Ronny could hear the shuffling movement.

"Where are you, Steven?" Ronny asked as she walked over to her dresser. She pulled off her pyjamas and placed him on speaker as she opened her dresser, taking out a set of clothes for the day. She knocked her bandage in the process and hissed but tried to ignore the shot of pain.

"I'm at my flat and I found your jeans with blood on them and your socks. And your joggers are gone and I don't understand," His words were spilling out and Ronny squeezed her eyes shut in annoyance, "And there's two plates out. Were you here last night? Did you come over? Did something happen to you?" He asked frantically. Ronny pulled a fresh set of pants on and glanced over at the clock. Why hadn't Marc cleared up after you both?

"I need you to calm down, okay?" She asked as she pulled a new shirt over her head. She tied her hair up into a loose ponytail and grabbed her concealer and foundation, "I'm going to come over but I just need you to calm down." Her words were gentle as she began to try and conceal the bruises. She didn't have enough time to do a proper job but she tried her best. He didn't need to be any more worried for her.

"How can I calm down when you're lying to me!" His outburst made Ronny wince over the phone. She gave up on the make-up and grabbed her phone, turning the speaker off. She pressed it against her ear as she slipped her sneakers on.

"I'm not lying to you. I was with you last night. We had dinner together, okay? So, please, just calm down," Ronny pleaded as she opened her apartment door. She locked it behind her and rushed down the stairs out onto the street. She left her house just as the bus pulled in and she got onboard, using her pass and sat towards the back.

"Why don't I remember us being together? What were you doing here? Is this your blood?" He was freaking out and Ronny needed Marc to take over. She needed Marc to fix this and she needed this panic to be over. She couldn't say anything, Marc's threat looming over her head. A kiss wouldn't change what he had threatened. He was serious about protecting Steven.

"We just had dinner, Steven, and kissed, that's it. Nothing bad happened," She promised as she stared out of the window. Steven didn't seem to believe her and the ten minute journey was constant bickering before she pulled up outside his apartment. She rushed up to the door and pressed the buzzer to be allowed in. He let her in and she rushed to the elevator.

"Just wait, we can talk about this," Ronny said as the elevator doors closed. Her stomach lurched as she travelled up before she stepped out and hung up the phone. She rushed up to his door and knocked, the door pulling open. Ronny looked awful but she didn't care. She pulled Steven into a hug and held him tightly.

"I don't know what's going on, darling. I don't understand," His voice sounded so broken. Ronny held him tightly, letting her fingers gently stroke through his hair before she pulled back. She stepped inside the apartment and he closed the door behind them. The apartment didn't look much different than it did last night except it was brightened a little by the sun.

The blood that had collected underneath her sneakers had been left to stain the wooden floor by the door and the two empty plates sat in the sink. Her jeans discarded next to the table - exactly where Marc had placed them. He should have cleaned up after himself but of course, he hadn't. She pushed her fingers through her hair and looked back at Steven.

"I was with you last night, okay? We were just here and yes I was bleeding but it wasn't anything bad. I don't know how the blood got everywhere but it was just a small cut on my hand. I don't know how it got all over my jeans. I took my joggers because the blood was making me uncomfortable. Nothing bad happened," Ronny tried to explain and Steven stared at her jeans on the floor before he looked back at her.

"The jeans are cut," He spluttered and Ronny pushed her fingers through her hair. This was too much. Marc had told her to lie for him and she couldn't do this. Then Steven's head seemed to snap to the fish tank and Steven's eyebrows furrowed in anger.

"I don't know how that happened. We just had dinner," Ronny kept her voice level and calm but Steven seemed to grow increasingly panicked. He put his hands over his ears and Ronny felt like screaming.

"Shut up! Shut up!" Steven shouted. His voice directed at the fish tank but Ronny stepped back, confused. 

"Steven, what's going on? Please tell me. I was here with you last night. We were together. I promise. Please," Ronny said softly as she stepped closer, reaching out for his hands.

But then Steven turned on her violently, "Stop lying to me! Stop it! Stop!" Steven's voice sounded broken, desperate as he collapsed to the floor. Ronny didn't know what was going on. She could only assume that Marc was communicating with him in some way and it was making everything worse. She looked around the room before spotting the key to Marc's unit on the side.

"Steven, you're not mad and I can prove it," Ronny said quickly as she grabbed the key from the side. He looked up at her and she let out a soft breath, "I was with Marc last night. I was with you but you were Marc and I can prove to you he's real. Just come with me, please." Steven stared at her and his heart seemed to break at her words. She knew this was a mistake. Marc would hate her for it but she couldn't watch Steven fall apart and hiding it from him was too difficult. She lied to him at every turn and it hurt.

-

Steven had been quiet as Ronny took him to the branch of units where Marc's was kept. They walked up to the man at the desk and he recognised Steven quickly - remarking that he never forgot a face. Ronny didn't care about that and they both headed to the unit, Ronny leading the way. It was only a few days ago that she had been here.

Everything was quiet, far too calm for her liking and it gave her anxiety. Marc surely hated her and Steven was confused, sure he was going mad. This was the only way that she could think to fix the mistakes she had made. It was wrong to hide Marc from Steven. He had to know.

Ronny pulled the unit open and Steven stepped inside, looking around in slight confusion. He furrowed his eyebrows as his eyes skimmed over the guns and the cot in the corner. Ronny stood at the door and watched him, waiting for some sort of reaction. He walked over to the gym bag on the side and began to search through. His face went through every emotion before he turned on Ronny, his eyes full of confusion.

"You knew about this? This illegal shit?" He asked, the volume of his voice rising as she stood at the door. Ronny nodded as she watched his face morph from confusion to anger, frustration. Then heartbreak.

"I knew because I'm part of it." Ronny dropped the British accent and Steven's face fell to a whole new level of heartbreak. She swallowed the lump in her throat and glanced down at the floor before she looked at him again.

"You've been lying to me?" Ronny nodded, biting the inside of her cheek. She couldn't lie to him about this, not anymore. Marc had asked her but she couldn't. Steven deserved to know everything and she was going to tell him even if Marc tried to kill her for it.

"The relationship I have with Marc is complicated but we were rivals of sorts. I came to the Museum to try and get close to him. I didn't intentionally lie about this, not at first. But then he told me t-" She began, trying to explain but Steven cut her off. He threw Marc's passport to the floor and pointed accusingly at her.

"I thought I was going bonkers but you were just using me to get to the little American man inside my head?" Steven accused, his voice echoing around the room. She winced at the volume. Steven never raised his voice. Ronny shook her head as she pushed her fingers through her hair. She stepped forward but Steven turned away from her.

"Steven, I care about you. Steven," She tried to get his attention but he wasn't listening. Ronny felt like breaking down as she reached out to gently touch his shoulder. He recoiled and stepped back. The anger and - almost - disgust on his face.

"I really thought you were interested in me. I'm thick, I'm a complete idiot." Steven said as he met her gaze again. Ronny tried to step closer but he put his hand out, stopping her. It was the most forceful she had ever seen Steven but she wasn't surprised. She had completely betrayed his trust, "Why were you bleeding last night?" he asked.

"Harrow attacked me. He wanted something from me, something I don't have. I went to you because I feel safe with you. I wasn't trying to lie. I wanted you." That was a lie. Ronny wanted them both but the guilt was crushing and she wanted to do anything just for him to care about her again. It was selfish and cruel but she couldn't lose someone again. Not now.

"I want you to leave." Steven's voice was cold and even. Ronny stared at him. She then stepped back and left the unit. She should have expected that. She should have known. As she walked away, she watched as the lights began to flicker. She could vaguely hear the sound of Steven's voice. He seemed angry and frustrated and Ronny knew it was her fault.

She got out of the building and went home. It was only there where she let herself breakdown. She was trying to do the right thing after lying and it came right back at her. Her body curled up on the sofa as she hugged tightly to her pillow. It felt ridiculous to be sobbing over something that was entirely her fault but she had waited so long to let herself be vulnerable and the relationship where she had finally allowed herself to be open crumbled. It hurt to watch it crumble.

Her tears smeared her make-up and she removed it completely before she picked up the remote and turned on the TV. She put on a documentary and curled up on the sofa. She wasn't sure how long she had been there before there was a thump against the door. Then more incessant knocks and she clambered off the sofa, pulling the door open.

On the other side was Layla El-Faouly. The gym bag in her right hand and a motorcycle helmet in the other.

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NOTE 
into the moonknight plot we go!! i hope you enjoyed? <3