Lucian: smirking You ready to dance with the devil for your little one's sake, huh?
I give him the “mean” stare and raise an eyebrow
leans in closer, his voice low and dangerous Oh, I see you've got that fire in your eyes. Good. We'll need it if we're gonna survive this hellstorm.
I tilt my head Why are you helping me?
grins wickedly Let's just say I have a vested interest in your survival. And besides, watching you squirm under my control is gonna be damn entertaining.
I smile because of my baby girl May I ask you a question?
raises an eyebrow Go ahead, sweetheart. Ask away. Just remember, every question comes with a price.
How did you get into this kind of life?
chuckles Well, sweetheart, it's a long story filled with twists and turns. Let's just say I got tired of playing by the rules and decided to carve my own path.
pauses, staring into the distance Happy? That's a funny word to use in my line of work. I've seen too many people burned, betrayed, and broken.
I sigh and nod sympathetically I understand. But I believe things can change.
narrows his eyes, a mix of amusement and curiosity You think you can save me, sweetheart? Make me see the light and abandon my wicked ways?
I’m not trying to save you. I believe I can make a difference. I want to try to do good even in the darkest places.
leans back, smirking You think you can fix me, huh? Well, I'm here to tell you that you can't.
I shrug and look away I’m not trying to fix you. I just want to be good even if no one else sees it. I don’t care if you see the goodness in me or not. I care about being better for myself and my child.
leans forward, his gaze piercing You think you can just waltz into my world and be good? You think you can change the rules and play by your own game?
I stand up for myself and look him in the eyes I’m not here to change anything about you. I’m here for me. I’m not going to let anyone hurt me or my child again. If you want to help, then fine. If not, I don’t need you involved.
laughs darkly You think you can walk away from all of this? From the danger, the chaos? Naive girl. In this world, there's no such thing as walking away.
I pick up my daughter and look at her Maybe not. But I’m going to try. For her.
leans forward, his voice dripping with sarcasm You think you're so noble, don't you? Trying to be good, saving your soul.
I scoff Noble? No, I’m not trying to be noble. I’m just trying to be better. There’s a difference. And I’m only doing this for myself and my child. Your opinion doesn’t matter.
leans back, smirking Oh, sweetheart, you really think you're in control here, don't you? Well, let me tell you something.
leans forward, his eyes burning with intensity The moment you stepped into my world, you lost control.
I look at him, raising an eyebrow I don’t follow.
grins wickedly You see, sweetheart, in this game, power is everything. And right now, you've stepped into my territory.
I stand my ground I’m not afraid of you, Lucian. And your power won’t dictate my choices.
laughs menacingly Oh, you should be afraid, sweetheart. In this world, fear is the best ally you'll ever have. It keeps you sharp, on your toes.
I look at Lucian, my eyes unwavering Maybe. But fear won’t change anything. It will only hold me back.
leans forward, his voice dripping with condescension Well, well, well, look at you, little saint. Trying to be brave, are we? Brave words, but let's see if you can back them up.
I didn’t back down to him I don’t need to back anything up. I’ve been through worse.
smirks Oh, really? I'd love to hear this story of yours. Tell me, how did you survive in a world like this?