I had seen her before, but hadn’t approached her. But today, I needed to make conversation. She appeared like she didn’t want to be there. I’d been watching her for a while now, had her under surveillance, and she’d never used that cell she was clutching in her hand. She was probably the last person who would use a cell, ever.

Standing outside looking in, I contemplated not going in. I knew the moment I did, it would change the course of our paths. One would affect the other, and I just wasn’t sure how large of an effect it would have on me.

Walking in and pulling the seat out at her table, it took her a moment to realize I was there. She looked up at me then averted her eyes straight away. Was she shy? Everything I had learned and picked up from her had not led me to believe she was shy at all.

“Are you waiting for someone?”

She looked again, her eyes skimming me fast before she looked back down, avoiding me.

She answered with a timid, “Yes,” and that’s all that left her lips. I couldn’t stop staring at her mouth, it was so sensual. Her lips were full, and the things I wanted to do with them I couldn’t say out loud or else she would be scared off. Or would she? I waited for her to look up, but she didn’t. So, I asked another question, wondering if she would talk more. Open up. If I could scare her.

“Tell me something… why here?”

She contemplated my words. I wanted to reach across the table, take her by her hair, drag her to my car and fuck her. Instead, I sat with my hands crossed in front of me, where I could see them, where I could trust them.

“She prefers me to be social.” Attitude pulled from her lips at that moment. She didn’t like people that were more than obvious. I got that.

“You aren’t social?”

Her eyes locked on mine now, those crystal green orbs holding me captive. Did she not know her beauty? It was quite deadly to be close to her.

“I don’t like people.”

Same, same, was all my mind thought as those words left her mouth.

“Yet, here you sit, talking to me… a person…” She was indulging me. I wondered if she were doing so because she believed she’d never see me again. I wanted to laugh at that thought because she would, she just wouldn’t realize why she was seeing me again. She wouldn’t be able to connect the dots because they were too hard to connect.

She told me she planned to never see me again and that was the only reason she was indulging in our conversation. I wanted to laugh at her. We were only just starting, we weren’t over, not yet anyway.

She looked down at her cell after telling me how boring her life was. I noticed the doctor come in, I knew it was time to move without being seen by either. What a waste of a year that would be if I were caught, but I’m not someone who gets caught.

I’m the silent but deadly killer.

Yes. Killer.

It was my first choice when I rebelled from my father. It was why I love fitness so much. I’d mixed with the wrong people at the wrong time. Those people who had offered me large amounts of money for something I was good at—killing.

Who knew? My brother sure as shit knew, that’s for sure. He used it as his leverage, blackmailed me into doing some of his dirty work, so he would keep my secret from our father. Our father was a straight shooter. He had no regard for bullshit. Having a son that had taken the lives of others would have been unacceptable for a son who now owned and ran most of his companies.

Clauses… they are bitches, and he snuck them in wherever he could, even on his own child.

My hands hadn’t choked the life out of someone for years. Instead, they had stayed to themselves, and if I needed something done, I had people who would do it for me. This, though, wasn’t a contract to kill. He blackmailed me to watch Milanka, to scare her.

I’d been watching and studying Milanka for over a year. She was nothing like any other girl I knew. She noticed when men stared at her and did not act shy for the attention. She either wanted it most of the time and took it in her hands, or she walked away without a single thought of that person. There was never an in-between. It was always one or the other with Milanka, and I liked that about her. How she could use what she had with no games or strings attached. She was like a beautiful conundrum.

“Where is she?” Derrick’s voice was annoying as it came through the phone while I stood outside watching her talk to her doctor.

“Coffee.”

Derrick went to say something else, but I didn’t listen as I watched. Milanka didn’t want to be there, but she respected her doctor. She’d tried to smile a few times, but it failed on her lips.

“Get it done, now.”

I hung up on him, not bothering to reply.

Would it be easier to just kill him?

We weren’t close, never had been. But Derrick was, after all, my brother, who was obsessed and sick in love with this woman who either had no idea or didn’t care. I needed to know which it was.

Walking away, my car door opened and a woman slid in who was possibly worse than I was. Harlin was not someone to play with or fuck with. Maybe I should let her play with Derrick, I’m sure we would all love that, especially her. She was cleaning out her nails in the car with a knife, one side of her arm was covered in ink, and her nose ring glittered when the sun hit it.

“Harlin… to what do I owe this pleasure?”

Her lips were bright red as she smiled at me, still with the knife in her hand.

“I need some money…” She was straight to the point, never sugarcoating anything, never needed to. Pulling out my cell, I got ready to transfer the funds to her—that was before she spoke.

“Who’s the brunette?” Hard eyes fell on her, and she smiled, almost laughed. And I forgot for a second how good Harlin was, how she always picked up on everything.

“How much?”

“Two-hundred thousand.”

“Done. Now leave.” Leaning over, she kissed my cheek, leaving her mark there before she pulled away, opening the door and climbing out. Before she shut it, she leaned back in.

“I’d be careful. I saw the way you watch her. Don’t want to catch feelings, Connick. That could be bad.” Slamming the door shut with a smile, I watched as she walked away with her high heels clicking on the pavement as she went.

Harlin did my dirty work. She carried out whatever I told her to do but only to an extent. She’d taken over my dirty work years and years ago. And she’d been a loyal ally since I took over everything my father owned. Though, she was not someone I wanted to cross, either. Her temper was bad, but her strike was even worse. So, neutral was what we were. And when she wanted money I was more than happy to give it to her, because I knew she would pay me back one way or another.

Her car pulled away, and I took one last look at Milanka, who was sitting in the same spot, her hands were in her lap, moving and crunching her knuckles. Her hands were always moving. It was a tell with her, and I quite liked knowing it, even if Derrick was the one to tell me about it.

* * *

“When you visit her work, I suggest you change.” Cherry’s voice came from behind me as she entered my office.

Sitting in the seat available, the one she usually sat in, I tucked my cell into my jacket pocket. “Why should I change?”

She eyed me up and down, then raised an eyebrow. “For one… it’s basically a redneck pub, not a high-end New York pub. Second… you want to appeal to her, not frighten her with your money. Third… you need to tell me the real reason I’m watching a brunette. Have you fucked her and she’s gotten you hooked?” Her right eyebrow stayed raised as she watched me and waited for my answer.

“Cherry…” Her eyes widened at my use of her name. “Stop asking and do what I pay you to do.”

She saluted me then gave me the finger as she laughed and walked out the door.

Opening the closet in my office, I found a decent set of clothes that wasn’t a suit, changed and walked out to Cherry who whistled and threw me a black hat.

Looking at it, she told me, “You’re too intense. Don’t frighten her, so just wear the hat.”

“I’m not going tonight,” I told her placing the hat on my head, she eyed me suspiciously.

“She may not see you tonight, but very soon she will.” Cherry turned away and all her words were right. I couldn’t see her just yet, I had to give her time to breathe. She was a woman that needed time to breathe, so tonight I was just going to look. Because that was what I was good at, watching.

Every night.

Like a fool that couldn’t seem to get enough, yet I had no idea why. She was intriguing, beautiful, there was no denying that. And complicated, that was what Milanka was most of all. You could tell by the way she carried herself, and if you watched long enough you could see it in her eyes.

Every shift, I would be somewhere, I guess in the same way Derrick was. I didn’t stay for long, being there for her end of shifts after I finished work. I was telling myself it was to make sure Milanka got home alright, yet I knew that was a lie.

What fucked up minds we had.

What a fucked up world we lived in.

What fucking kryptonite she was…

* * *

I planned to see her face to face tonight. No more drive-bys as she finished work, tonight I was going to go in. I was going to let her see me. Dressing in the outfit Cherry suggested, I was glad she did when I walked in. This wasn’t my usual crowd, it was lower class. More laid back, mine are all suits and business talk. This wasn’t anything like that.

Spotting her straight away was the easiest part because she stood out like no other woman had stood out before. It was like she had an invisible chain I couldn’t recognize, pulling me in without my consent. Looking away, I wanted to see the people who recognized her, who actually saw her. People appreciated the way she looked, they were drawn to her, but none saw her the way she was meant to be seen.

Slow.

Taken in.

Like a fine wine.

That was when you could really value the beauty in her.

Milanka looked me over, the surprise was written on her face. Just as I turned so our eyes could meet, she spun around and walked to the next available table. A man walked up to her and when her eyes landed on him and a name fell from his lips, her whole body locked tight.

It was all going exactly as I had planned.

He talked to her as if he wanted to see her again. Maybe he does? But I won’t allow that. He was a pawn in my game, and games I liked to play well—I’m an expert.

I walked up behind Milanka when his hand touched her. Her eyes widened, and a part of me wanted to leave it, to see what she would actually do. I was not quite sure how to read her yet, but I had this feeling that she could handle herself. She must be able to handle herself considering how she was raised. Then I wondered if it was all an act—to show a helpless woman, yet she was anything but.

Standing directly behind her, the dickhead’s eyes landed directly on me, and he knew it was time to stop and walk away. That was what he was being paid for. Before she got a chance to see me, I left and headed straight outside for her car.

Standing out there for a few hours, I contemplated the right way to go about this. At the moment she opened her mouth, when she was standing in front of me, I knew I was about to give her what she wanted. I knew I was about to fuck her, and I was about to brand her.

What I didn’t realize at the time was just how addictive she was.