Three-Fourteen

Niki Smith's gaze fell upon the swaggering backside of one of Viki's younger brothers, the twin called Todd. Blinking rapidly, she searched the room to get a feel for her place and how she had come to arrive there. She stood in Llanfair's main living room .

She glanced at her watch. Three-fourteen in the afternoon. It was always three-fourteen. That meant seven minutes of freedom. Unfortunately, those seven minutes would be consumed by Llanview's resident lunatic.

" . . . and he's a leech, ya know? He's everywhere. I should have let those tattoo guys keep him. He's determined to suck me dry and make me miserable."

"Whoever do you mean dear?" Niki asked, though she in no way gave a damn. "Who is bothering you now?"

"Victor!" Todd fumed, stalking forward, his oversize hands swinging at his sides. "Haven't you heard a word I said? Can't you even bother to listen?"

"I could bother if you said anything of interest," she said pointedly. She knew it wasn't too much. Viki had often spoken to him in this manner. The giant putz seemed to like it.

"Well I at least expect you to be better at pretending to listen," he mumbled sheepishly. "You're not taking his side now, are you?"

"What would it matter, Todd? You and Victor are two sides of the same irrational coin. Were you aware of his visit this morning?"

"No, I was not aware."

"Well, now you are. He was here for the very same reason you are now. To whine about this ongoing silliness between the two of you. Will you tell me why you cannot seem to get along? For goodness sake, Todd, you saved his life just weeks ago and brought him back to his family. Why is it that the two of you continue this war?"

"Because he's a liar and a fake and a thief—"

"Get over it," she said quietly. She stalked around him, eyeing the bar. Oh boy, did she want some whiskey. Just a taste. The big doof could complain all he wanted while she got her drink on.

But she wasn't allowed to drink.

No. Viki wasn't allowed to drink. Niki Smith could do whatever the hell she damn well pleased.

It pleased Niki to do a great many things she probably shouldn't. In addition to excessive drinking, she liked dangerous men and the dangerous sex that came with them. Facing Viki's big dumb brother, her tongue flicked across her lips. Boy, how often had she imagined taking him for a long hard ride?

He had freak written all over him in neon green magic marker. Why else would that slutty blonde he kept marrying always run back despite his over-the-top batshit crazy insanity? It wasn't just the money. Blair could have married some grateful old millionaire who made demands only after his little blue pill kicked in.

Oh, wait. That thing with Asa hadn't worked out particularly well . . .

Niki recalled hitting on Todd years ago, just after his paternity was discovered. She'd wanted so badly to push her fingers through his long thick hair and ride him until his legs buckled.

Alas, it was not to be. Todd Manning may have been many things—rapist, matricidal sadist, and bad publisher among them—but even he was above incestuous bonding with his true mother figure. Or what he would have perceived to be incest.

His loss.

Next time she came out, she'd try her luck with Victor. Judging from the way he'd reacted to his mother Irene, Victor may not be as resistant to experimentation as his twin. Irene had taken so much pride in training her favorite son.

Niki's gaze settled on the clock above the fireplace. Three-eighteen.

She didn't have much time. Screw Miss Uptight Queen of the Manor. She needed a drink.

"Todd," she said, advancing on him. "You're being silly. How about you relax? Take a load off. Join big sis for a drink."

"Can't. I'm heading back to the office later." His brow furrowed. "You can't drink either. Or has something changed?"

She sidestepped him and moved to the bar where she stopped, her gaze resting on the demon whiskey calling her name. She peeked at her watch. Three-nineteen. Two minutes.

"Then leave," she gritted out, her patience worn thin. "I've grown tired of your bull—" She caught herself. "I've grown quite tired of your pettiness. Whatever remains to be said should be directed at Victor."

"Oh yeah? Well I'm tired of you not listening to me when I have a problem and I need your help and you're the only person whose advice I trust—when you're not acting weird—and why are you acting so weird?" He rambled, sounding like a child. "Why the hell are you being so—"

Niki felt Todd's hand surround hers just as she touched the whiskey decanter.

"Todd," she gasped. "What on earth . . . "

"Let her out," he demanded quietly, his vise-like grip torturing the bones in her hand. "Let my sister out."

"Or what? If I don't let her out, what will you do?"

"You don't want to piss me off, Niki. You wouldn't like me pissed off."

"Who the hell are you? The Incredible Hulk?" She pulled her hand free and faced him. "Go to hell. You can't control me, ya sick freak. I come and go as I please!"

But that was a lie and she knew it. Even as she said the words, the digital clock on Viki's desk flipped.

3:21 PM.

Niki slipped away, grinning broadly as Viki's kid brother grabbed her shoulders and mouthed threats she scarcely heard. Slipping into a dreamless slumber, she would remember today's events only vaguely, just as she remembered everything else.

Yet Niki didn't worry. Tomorrow was another day. She would come out to play as she'd been doing for months now.

At precisely three-fourteen.

The End