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The cold click of the handcuffs was like music to her ears.
"Got you," Edith crooned, linking the other end of the cuffs to her own wrist. She stepped out of the shadows, pulling her prey with her.
It had taken her years. Edith had tracked every case, every fine art piece Aveline had stolen. Followed some halfway around the world on the black markets just to search for clues. She had spent hours comparing brands and colors of lipstick, trying to match the one that Aveline used on her calling card – a fancy calligraphy “A” on linen parchment with a kiss in the lower right-hand corner. But it had all been worth it. She had caught Aveline Hughs. The Phantom Thief of New York.
Uncatchable some had called her. But they didn't have Edith's tenacity.
"So you have," Aveline purred, stepping closer.
Edith's world froze as Aveline invaded her space. She had always known that Aveline was attractive – how else would she have blended in so well with the high society fools she scammed so well? – but Edith had never felt like this. She felt giddy, wild, free.
Then Aveline kissed her. Edith felt weak in the knees as Aveline moved against her, pushing her back against the solid brick wall of the alleyway. Aveline's cuffed hand tangled with hers as their lips moved against each other. Every nerve in Edith's body felt like it was on fire. Aveline touched her, her free hand moving down Edith's body, stopping to hold her waist as they kissed.
Edith groaned as Aveline pulled back. She tried to follow as Aveline untangled their hands.
It was the sound of the opening of the cuffs that dragged her back to earth.
She tried to react, to grab Aveline before she could disappear, but Aveline was as slippery as a snake. Aveline clambered up a fire escape. Edith tried to follow but found she couldn't move with her wrist now cuffed to the stairwell.
"Sorry, love," Aveline drawled. She slipped the key to the cuffs into a pouch around her waist. "But you'll have to catch me later." She turned and ran up the fire escape.
"Oh, catch you I will," Edith growled, pulling a pin from her hair and setting to work on the lock. She couldn't help but smile, though; after all, the chase was half the fun.