by Renard, Loki
His appeal is more than superficial. I get the impression that the world moves around him. My kidnapping shows it. I was walking down a relatively busy street. He shouldn’t have gotten away with anything that brazen - but he just did.
“It’s nice to meet you, Kitty,” he says, giving me a bright smile. His dimples seem somewhat incongruous with the rest of his persona, but they add to his charm. That hard jaw, those masculine lips, that straight nose and those green, expressive eyes ringed with long dark lashes. His shoulders are broad, his hips are powerful. He’s an animal with all the vicious intelligence of a man.
I should be replying. I should have something intelligent to say. But I don’t. I’m made temporarily stupid by the suddenness of it all - and by the charm he exudes. The one mistake I’m not making right now is giving in to that charm. I’m still smart enough to know I’m in danger. It doesn’t matter how attractive he is, he has just abducted me.
“You’re a quiet kitty,” he notes. “I thought you’d have more to say.”
I stay silent. Make him talk. I need to find out why the hell I’m here and I won’t find that out by talking myself.
“You are interesting, aren’t you,” he smiles, cocking his head to the side and fixing me with a piercing, curious gaze. “I take it you know who I am.”
I nod.
“Tell me, so I can know what you know.” He stands in front of me, his feet shoulder width apart, his hands in his pockets.
“You’re Vicious.”
“And what does that mean?”
“It means you’re…” I struggle for words. The question he just asked me is far more complex than it seems. “You’re a criminal, but more than a criminal.”
His smile broadens. He likes that description.
“You’re a murderer.”
The smile fades.
“Hardly, Kitty.”
“You’ve killed people.”
“People die,” he shrugs. “They tend not to when they’re smart and compliant.” His voice dips suggestively on compliant.
Vicious has me and he is threatening me. I am wracking my mind as to why, but I can’t think of a link. I stay clear of men like him. I do work for some scumbags, but not on Vicious’ level. Blaze worships him, but I’m not as romantic as she is, or as fucked up. I know better.
“What do you want from me?” I chance a question.
“I want you to work for me.”
What?
“No.” The refusal slips out of my mouth almost before I have time to think about it. His expression becomes stormy. It’s a frightening sea change, and I don’t like it. “I mean, I’m very busy. I don’t have time for any new clients.”
“Don’t worry about that. You’re only going to have one client from now on.” The smile is back and it’s broad as he spreads his hands in an expansive gesture. “Me.”
“I don’t think my other clients would like that.”
“It doesn’t matter what they’d like.”
“Well, Mr. Vicious, I have a reputation to keep. If I go around dumping my clients, that’s not a good look.”
“I’ll pay you twice what they do.”
“Thank you, that’s very generous of you, but…”
He makes an impatient motion. “Kitty, you’re making this difficult.”
It’s not a good idea to piss this guy off. I think about saying yes just to get the hell out of here, but that’s just going to kick this can of shit down the road. I have to get out of this situation with diplomacy and charm and a bunch of other skills I don’t actually have. Most of my job involves being nondescript and generally basic. I don’t talk to people, for the most part. Looking at Vicious, I know I’m not equipped for this conversation. He’s going to get what he wants.
He lights a cigarette and lets the smoke curl out the end of it. Smoking is a disgusting habit, but it’s probably the least disgusting thing about him all things considered. He looks like an angel, but this man is the devil incarnate.
“If it’s the killing you object to,” he says. “It might help to know I kill for money, not for pleasure.”
“You kill women.” I’ve heard the stories. I’ve even known some of the casualties. No matter how much charm he turns on, it won’t erase his past.
“I kill, Kitty. I don’t make distinctions between men and women. That wouldn’t be fair.” He smirks and exhales, smoke curling from his nostrils. “Not in this day and age.”
Subtly, I tug at the bindings keeping me in the chair. He’s used cloth ties. They’re much softer than plastic, but just as effective as titanium because every single one of my extremities is bound.
“And if I say no to this business offer of yours, you’re going to kill me?”
“If I was going to kill you, I wouldn’t be having this tedious, bloody conversation with you,” he snaps. His eyes flash with irritation and he drops the cigarette, mostly unsmoked. It lies there on the floor smoldering a moment before he crushes it with the toe of his shoe. I feel fear spear through me again, but this time it doesn’t make me silent. This time it spurs me to action. He has a good point. He wouldn’t be talking to me if he wanted to kill me. I learned a long time ago that strength respects strength. It’s time to push back.
“Then untie me and let me go,” I snap back, gathering all my courage. “And, just a hint… if you want people to accept job offers from you, try not to kidnap them first. It sort of sours the deal.”
He gives me a cold glare and for a long moment, I am sure I just made a huge mistake. This room has concrete floors and what look like wipe down walls. This is pretty much a kill room. He could make a very big mess of me here and never be caught.
“You’re scared.” It’s a statement.
“Well, yeah,” I shrug as much as I can while being bound.
“You’re scared, but you’re still saying no to me. And that means you’re brave.” The smile returns to his eyes. I get the impression that he’s amused by me, though I don’t know why. There’s nothing funny about this. He’s toying with me, that’s what he’s doing. He’s testing me.
“Killing is an unfortunate side effect of my business, but it’s not the main part of it. I’m sure it’s the part which generates the most gossip, but you shouldn’t listen to gossip, Kitty. I have a great deal of business I need to conduct, and I need your skill set.”
“There are other couriers. I can put you on to one who dreams of working with you.”
“I don’t want anyone else. I want you.” There’s a charming intensity to his English tones, and for a split second it’s almost as if he has romantic intent. The moment passes quickly as I come to my senses. This is a man who makes women’s brains melt. He’s the incarnation of bad choices. He is 100% Mr. Wrong. I can’t give in to him, and I certainly can’t indulge any kind of feminine fantasy.
“Untie me then.”
“Do you agree?”
“I don’t, but if you keep me tied up, I can guarantee the answer will stay no.”
A smile crosses his handsome face. “You’re a smart one, Kitty. I like that. It’s going to get you into trouble. It’s going to get you hurt. But it’s also why I want you.”
Again he says he wants me, and I am drawn into that fleeting fantasy world where this dangerous, powerful, enigmatic man desires me in some way other than just as another worker bee in his operation. I have to make an effort to clear that nonsense from my mind. I know how men like this function. There are always more women than men around them. They collect female flesh like trophies. Blaze would gladly be one of Vicious’ women. She’d be screaming yes right now. But for me, the answer has to be no.
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