Chapter Text
Her hand rested in the fine table, the long, perfectly painted purple nails glimmering in the light of the little lamp as she thumped delicately on the ebony, waiting.
The door opened and a man stepped in. He stepped in. She felt the room change, almost as if all sanity suddenly ran away through the closest little crack and only fear and madness lingered. She shuddered lightly enough for him not to notice, and stood up.
"Ah, love, so glad you could make it." the characteristic maniacal grin appearing in his face as he walked towards her. He held out a hand, and she felt her guts boil. She loathed him so she would have ripped his throat off right there and then, had they not been in his estate and her life too in jeopardy. She knew the game all too well, and would play it right.
She forced herself to smile and shook his hand "Glad you called" she replied "it's been ages."
"So cold." he pulled her close, still holding her hand and putting his free arm around her waist "Didn't you miss me?" he pouted.
"Oh, you have no idea" she said, her smile warm and wide. He leaned closer and brushed his lips with hers. She could feel bile burning in the back of her throat but didn't move. He made no attempt to deepen the kiss, and simply lingered there a couple seconds before pulling back.
"Okay, let's get to business, shall we?" he said, letting go of her and gesturing to the couch she'd been sitting on. She nodded and sat down with her legs crossed, hands folded with fingers intertwined and resting on her knee. He sat beside her, placing his arm in the back of the couch around her shoulders but not touching her.
"So, I have a job for you"
"I figured." she smirked. He handed her an envelope. "The target's archive." she made no attempt to take it.
"Love the detail, darling, but you know how I work."
He frowned "I think you'll find this one interesting." he said "Love, please?"
She sighed "Since you insist..." She took the envelope and stood up. She had no bag and was still wearing her coat so she simply walked out of the room. Just as she was leaving the building (she knew he'd be watching from the window) she cried "But I'll still do it my way, we clear on that?"
"Fine, fine, do your thing. But I do expect results... and soon." he answered from the window. She chuckled.
"We'll see." she mumbled to herself, a genuine smile lighting her face. She opened the envelope and pulled out the pages.
"My my.... Interesting indeed"