Disclaimer: I do not own and am not, in any way, affiliated with the Dark Knight franchise.
"She was struggling, as she always had struggled, not to hide what she could do but to hide what she couldn't do."
― Bernhard Schlink, The Reader
Chapter One
A loud thump echoed through the concrete walled training room as Audrey fell backward onto the mat. She lay there, sweaty and out of breath, and tried to figure out exactly where she had just gone wrong.
"Again!" Barsad called from somewhere outside of her line of vision. No, not again, you slave driver. Her entire being was a symphony of aches that culminated themselves into a pathetic groan.
"Can we take a five-minute break first?"
"Get up, Audrey." There was no sympathy in his tone. In fact, she thought she might have detected a hint of annoyance. That was fine, she was pretty annoyed herself.
A figure appeared in front of her, hands on hips, studying her with interest. "Come on," the woman said, extending her hand. Audrey grasped it and stood, trying to ignore her body's protests. "Really, Barsad, maybe we should give it a rest for the day. I mean, look at the poor thing." The woman's voice was all plummy accent and there was a barbed quality in her sympathetic tone that made Audrey grit her teeth.
It was a tactic that Tara often employed to get under Audrey's skin. Unfortunately, it almost always worked and this time was no exception. "I just need five minutes."
Barsad rolled his eyes. "Fine."
Audrey stalked to the side of the room where her bag was. She snatched her water bottle out of it and took a long drink. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Barsad lean against the wall next to her, arms crossed in front of his chest. "You know, it wouldn't kill you to ease up on me just a little." Her voice was low to prevent anyone from overhearing as the training room was exceptionally crowded that afternoon.
"Just like it wouldn't kill you to pay attention to what Tara's doing. She's managed to get you with that leg sweep three bloody times today."
"Oh, sorry. Am I embarrassing you?" she snapped. Barsad's face darkened, a muscle twitching in his clenched jaw. She knew she had gone too far, but couldn't help the smug smile the feeling elicited. He did not take his burning gaze off of her as he bellowed, "Break's over. Again!"
It was another hour, and several more fails on Audrey's part, before a disgusted Barsad declared the practice over.
Tara dropped in a sitting position on the mat beside where Audrey was laying and gave her shoulder a gentle pat. "Cheer up! That was an improvement over the last time," she offered, much more pleasant now that they were done. "Your offense is good, it's your defense that needs a bit more building up. And you've got to stop letting me bait you like that. I can tell when you're focusing on that, your concentration is rubbish. You've got to get out of your head."
Lithe and perpetually tanned with dark hair and light brown eyes, Tara was as beautiful as she was lethal. She had agreed to help Audrey twice a week with her defensive physical combat training. This had been the compromise between Audrey and Barsad after she had put her foot down on learning how to shoot. Tara had initially taken the task on as a favor to Barsad but had, for some inexplicable reason, taken a liking to Audrey.
Audrey sighed, her gaze following Barsad as he spoke at length to someone she didn't recognize and then left the room without once looking back at her. A knot was forming in the pit of her stomach. "Get my head in the game. Got it."
"Come on," Tara said, prodding her. "I've got a protein bar in my bag for you and then you can be on your way. You might do yourself a favor and have a soak tonight." Audrey rolled over and pushed herself up, wincing as she did so. "I'd recommend Epsom salts."
They parted ways on the main floor of the compound with Tara reminding her that next week they would be working on the punching bag; a welcome respite from grappling.
Barsad would, she knew, be waiting in their bedroom. It was technically hers, but he rarely spent time anywhere else. The chances that he was still fuming from earlier were highly likely and she wasn't sure she was ready to deal with that yet. Instead of trudging up the steps to the hallway of rooms, she decided to wander around.
The compound was fairly unfamiliar to her and exploring had become one of the easiest ways for her to calm down. She liked the hustle and bustle in the halls; there was anonymity in the constant flux of coming and going. People never bothered to talk much. Like Barsad, they were mostly the strong, silent, murdering type.
Barsad, Barsad, Barsad.
Everything seemed to circle back to him.
Since moving in, several weeks ago, things between them had grown increasingly tense. Back in his element, and surrounded by his peers, he had reverted to the Barsad of old: distant and ready to bark orders. Even in private he was less of his charming, teasing self. Last week she'd decided enough was enough and it had escalated into one of the nastiest arguments they'd ever had. At first, she had managed to be rational, trying to coax whatever was bothering him out. It had ended with her shouting that he was obviously ashamed of her and suggested that maybe he would be better off sleeping in his own room.
He had.
They had made up the next day, but that initial fight had served as a catalyst, setting off a series of smaller ones, and Audrey found she was gradually losing patience with him and his attitude.
She stopped walking when she reached a set of sliding glass doors. Outside was a courtyard with tables and chairs set up amongst a beautifully kept garden. It was also devoid of people. Perfect. She dropped her gym bag on the ground and curled up in one of the chairs before taking her book out of one of the pockets. One of the perks of being in such a colossal place was that it also boasted a huge library that rarely saw any action. With one hand, she yanked out her elastic band and shook her hair loose, turning her face up so the sun could warm it before she began the process of losing herself in Macbeth. She had been on a Shakespeare kick lately and had already gone through several of the tragedies as they were Barsad's favorites.
Stop thinking about him.
"What a nerd!" a bubbly voice taunted, cutting through her concentration. Audrey's head snapped up and she saw Adam cutting across the enclosure with two cups of coffee. He deposited one in front of her and dropped into the chair across from her. The sun gleamed off of his blonde hair making him look almost angelic.
"Says the guy who carries two coffees with him at all times? Do you always assume you're going to run into secluded, coffee-less women or what?" She took a tentative sip. Warm and black, just how she liked it. "Thank you, by the way."
He leaned forward, flashing her a boyish grin. "At the risk of sounding like a creep- I saw you when I was in the kitchen. Anyway, what's up?"
After her meeting with Bane, Audrey had tracked Adam down and demanded to know who the hell he really was. He was employed by the League, had actually been returning from a mission, and the whole married business man front was simply that. Every so often she ran into him and he was one of the only people, aside from Tara, who seemed sincerely friendly.
Audrey shifted in her chair, drawing her feet out from under her, and grimacing as she did so. She cursed herself for sitting in one position so long. "Other than the fact that I feel like one gigantic, aching body part? Great."
"Tara kicked your ass again, I take it?"
"Royally. I feel bad- I spent so much time laying on the mat today I feel like I should buy it dinner or something."
Adam threw back his head, his laugh hearty and earnest. It was so ridiculous that Audrey couldn't help giggling a little herself and, like that, the last remnants of her bad mood dissipated. "I'm sure the mat would appreciate it. Hey, if you want help with that, I'm not, like, the best or anything, but I could give you some pointers."
"Are you serious? At this point, I'll take all the help I can get. I don't know if you've heard, but," she lowered her voice conspiratorially and leaned in for dramatic effect. "I'm awful."
This sent him into another gale of laughter. "Consider it done. Maybe in a couple of days, when you're not so sore-" His voice and eyes drifted off, looking behind her. Audrey turned in her chair to see Barsad standing in the doorway. Hmph. He nodded at them in greeting which Adam returned.
Her eyes met his and he moved his chin, inviting her inside.
She picked up her bag and stood, giving Adam an apologetic smile. "Thank you, again, for the coffee."
"Any time," he said, waving her away. When he smiled back it did not quite reach his eyes.
As soon as she passed the threshold, he closed the door and guided her into an empty corridor. She folded her arms and stared at him. "What do you want, Barsad?"
In lieu of, or perhaps as, an answer, he took her face between his hands and kissed her. One hand dropped to her waist, pulling her body to his. In spite of her best efforts to try to stay mad, she melted against him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She ran a hand along the back of his neck, catching his short hair between her fingers and giving it a firm pull. The other, she dragged down his back, raking her fingernails along the fabric of his shirt.
It was the move that always sent him over the edge.
He swept away the curtain of hair around her neck, alternating between kissing and nipping at the smooth, soft skin there. Heat shot through her body, driving out any rational thoughts she might have been having. Her voice was low and urgent in his ear as she whispered his name. A guttural groan escaped his lips as he pushed her against the wall. His fingers sank deeper into the flesh of her hips before sliding expertly up her shirt.
They remembered themselves and where they were.
Slowly, Audrey opened her eyes. Barsad rested his forehead against hers, staring down at her. "I'm sorry." He wrapped a lock of her chestnut hair around one of his fingers and gave it a gentle tug, thumb caressing the line of her jaw. "Really. I was a total wanker earlier. And, for the last time, you daft cow, you're not an embarrassment. Well, to anyone but yourself, anyway."
She glared at him but gave his lips a quick peck. "Apology accepted." She laced her fingers with his, peeling herself off of the wall. "I've spent a lot of time figuring it out and I know how you can make it up to me," she proposed with an air of wickedness.
"Have you now?"
"Oh, yes. I think it may even be mutually beneficial. We've got a lot to work through. Could take hours."
He cleared his throat. "Sounds like hard, dirty work but I think I can comply with your terms." There was the Barsad she knew and loved. She turned away, smirking, and led him back into the main hall. They made it to the staircase before he asked, "So, what did Adam have to say?" The dismissive way he used the other man's name caused her to roll her eyes heavenward.
"Mmm. You know, Shakespeare had something to say about that. I believe it was 'beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.'"
He steered her into a room, just off of the stairwell, and closed the door behind him. In the center of the room was a table, which he lifted her onto mumbling, "I love it when you quote Shakespeare," before kissing her again.
This one was unhurried, almost punishingly so. Desire reared its head again, her body tingling with eagerness. She tried wrapping her legs around his middle only to have them pushed back down. Confused, she placed her hands on his chest, making a noise of protest when he wrapped his fingers around her wrists and held them firmly at her sides. She squirmed, wanting to touch him, to be closer. He broke away, the stubble on his chin brushing her cheek. "The more you fight it, the worse it'll be," he whispered in a husky voice. She whimpered.
This was his favorite game, and he was good at it.
His nose grazed her lower jaw as he planted a series of kisses along her throat before working his way around her face. By the time his lips found hers again, she was nearly vibrating with pent up anticipation.
When he drew back, he lowered his head a little, an eyebrow raised as if to say Me? Jealous?
Her voice, when she found it again, was thick. "The gentleman doth protest too much, methinks. But maybe you should show me one more time. Just in case."
He chuckled. "Greedy. And, for the record, I'm not jealous. I don't trust him, is all."
"Wow- you, not trusting somebody," she scoffed. "That's so hard to believe."
"I trust you," he said evenly.
"I trust you too. AndIloveyou." It came out fast and jumbled. That was not a phrase either of them used often and she was still not entirely comfortable saying it out loud.
He put a finger to his ear, head cocked. "Sorry, didn't catch that last bit. What was that?"
"Ugh," she whined, coloring slightly. "I. Love. You. Did you catch it that time?"
"Loud and clear." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I love you too. However, I do believe I have still have some atoning to do."
"Oh, you're going to have to work twice as hard now if you have any hope of ever getting back in my good graces."
They looked like a pair of guilty teenagers as they snuck back into the hall, racing to see who could get to their room first.
A/N: Hello, everyone! Consider this a... teaser chapter of sorts. The story is well under way, but I wanted to give you guys your first taste at what's to come. I can't wait for you all to see what's in store for these two.