This was no dream; he did not want to believe it even when he touched her satin-soft skin. She spoke of the past with a deep agony and perilous rage; one he did not know she was capable of. She was most definitely not the Harlequin that he remembered, not his little pet any more. It was almost a shame, he almost wanted to pout. But instead, this new little spitfire that stood before him excited him. He loved challenges, he loved taming the wild ones. They had become his favorite in her absence. Oh how disgusted she would be to know what he had been up to the last decade.

She once liked his nickname for her but her reaction was no surprise, he chuckles softly as he recoils from her. Dropping his foot, he collects his height and listens to her poisonous notes. There was habit that taunted him to correct her tone but he refrains, even when he now towered her. Instead, he does not look away; allowing her to release an anger that only showed evidence of attachment. She was seething, bubbling to the brim with that roaring hate that he knew had existed from the beginning - only watered by what he had done and the years since she had last seen his face.

He could only remain calm.

Even through the insults that challenged his control.

"Never really looked good in a cowboy hat." He mused softly as she continues, every breath it seems like she is that much closer to exploding. He welcomed it, almost anticipated some sort of physical confliction. She had clearly misunderstood him, his explanation of luring his sister away from New York and from Harley herself. "I was talking about Risque." he says softly even though he knew she didn't give a damn. What she really wanted was an apology, she wanted to know that he actually cared for her. That his attempt was not out of fear for him but fear for her. Her and her life; the one he stripped her of. Had she forgotten that this was the man that killed her very parents? The man that her brother wanted dead?

How could she expect anything less from such a monster?

How could she love him like she did?

And could be apologize?

He had more than enough time to wonder all of this when it never triggered curiosity before. But her rage was adored, despite in his inability to be nothing but cold here and now - just as he had been for hundreds and hundreds of years. Harlequin had a chance to awaken the humanity within this beast years ago but perhaps it was another reason that Amor left without a trace. He was frightened of the little hellion that he had to look down on. "Accuse me of what you will but I had no clue that Ryker wanted you." His eyes grow cold then, daring her to question his own attachment to her.

He growled at the mere thought of that piece of shit touching her, his whole face growing dark and unforgiving. "He made it very clear that he just wanted the glory of all my hard work, not my heart." He freezes then, his eyes flickeirng between hers - his own expression evident of the unease that it brought to admit this. Much like a doe caught in the headlights, and yet only for a moment. Thunder rolls in the distance as the clouds collect above; symbolic for the storm that rages within both of them. Harlequin finally finishes her attempts to hurt him like he had her, though he doubt it possible.

It is with an inquiry that leaves them in a possible conversation and it only concretes his suspitions. She may hate him but she loved him, she still stood before him and she thirst for justification for his actions. He wanted to be the Romeo she needed him to be but he was nothing than the Goblin King. He was the villain, not the hero. "Does it seem like it?" He raises a brow, his eyes sullen; revealing the havoc that wrecked upon his heart and soul in her absence. He didn't blame her to question him, he had never been the romantic type. More like possessive and selfish.

But the madman had loved her all the same.
Or at least, she had all that there was to him.
Even if he was but a fiend with a blackened heart.
He was nearly begging her to see it with the heavy expression in his blue eyes.

Finally, he breaks out and his deep voice is but a growl of his own. "Fuck sake's Harley, I fueded with my sister over you. I was so frightened of losing you that I kept you from all eyes. I couldn't risk it, I didn't know who to trust. I have lost just as much as you have but the worst pain I felt was when Risque nearly killed you." His eyes were flickering between hers, his own rage bubbling up to the surface. The savage within him wonders how she could dare question what he felt for her, it was obvious in his stare.

"Did he touch you? Hurt you?" he couldn't help it.

It disgusted him.