Changing the Rules

Angelo knew the moment Jessica walked into the pub, though he neither looked her direction nor missed a beat in flirting with the cute bunny girl who - to all appearances - held his full attention. He had an image to maintain, after all, and that image didn't allow him to admit just how much of his attention the lovely Miss Albert commanded.

Besides, it had become something of a game for him, seeing how long she'd wait before she said or did something to get his attention. Which she always did, and no matter how scathing her comments he couldn't help but be amused. Obviously, her contempt for him was overstated, since she couldn't simply ignore him. Indeed, he suspected she was playing a game of her own, and couldn't begrudge her the mutual amusement.

He made sure to keep the bunny girl occupied for a few more moments before tucking a coin in her hand and letting her go back to work; it wouldn't do for Jessica to think her arrival had anything to do with the girl's departure, after all. Then he glanced in the direction Jessica had gone, fully expecting to find her glaring at him in self-righteous disapproval.

Instead, she was at a table with her back to him, having what appeared to be a more than amiable conversation with a man dressed in the uniform of one of Golding's guards. Angelo frowned. He'd never seen Jessica encourage familiarity with anyone; it was one of the things which made her persistent distance from him tolerable. Now, though, to see her practically fawning over a complete stranger...so caught up in her tryst that she was completely unaware he was even there...

The bunny girl returned with his latest drink. She seemed not to notice that his attention was elsewhere, giggling when he absently caught her hand and kissed the palm, bending very far over to ask if he needed anything else.

Briefly, his attention returned to her, and he considered inquiring after a few things not on the pub's menu. Then Jessica laughed and his mood soured; he dismissed the bunny girl, only half aware that she pouted and flounced away at his tone.

Jessica somehow managed to remain oblivious to his disapproving glare right up until he left.

Jessica had nearly given up on finding Angelo when sheer luck took her near the closed casino. He was sitting on the broad, shadowed stairs, his dark shape given away by the white on his uniform and silver of his hair. He didn't seem to notice her approach, his gaze fixed on the steps below him, even when she climbed up almost even to where he was sitting.

"Are you all right?" Angelo looked up, but didn't answer; Jessica took his silence as permission to join him. "It's not like you to leave a pub unless you're dragged out. Or thrown out."

"How would you know?"

"You mean aside from observing you the past several weeks?"

He looked away, across the empty street. "Marcello spent ten years observing me, and he hasn't got it right yet."

His voice was sullen, and Jessica could easily imagine that this was how conversations with his half-brother often went; she doubted Marcello would take it well, and wondered that Angelo had never broken the habit. "I hope you aren't comparing me to him," she said, not sure whether to be amused or annoyed by the implication.

"Well, you certainly have the same opinion of me. When you aren't ignoring me."

And that was pure bitterness, and perhaps more honesty than she'd ever heard from him. "Just how drunk are you?"

"Not nearly drunk enough."

"Angelo." She frowned, as worried as she had been when he'd first abandoned both drink and bunny girl and walked out of the pub. "Did something happen?"

He looked at her, and she was shocked by the hurt and anger in his gaze before it dropped. "Nothing of any importance." She put a hand on his arm, but he shook her off. "And what brought you out after me? Get bored of the company you were keeping?"

She started to answer the first question when the second struck her. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, not being blind, I couldn't help but notice you fawning over..."

"I was not fawning over anyone!"

"You were certainly preoccupied."

"And you weren't? I'm surprised you knew I was in the room."

"Of course you are, given that you were oblivious to me."

"I wasn't so oblivious that I missed you storming out like a jilted lover!"

His whole body tensed; he made a quickly aborted move, as if for a moment he'd considered getting up and leaving.

Jessica almost laughed. "Don't tell me you're jealous."

"Yes!" he exploded.

For a moment, they just stared at each other, then she said, "You are drunk, aren't you?" He sighed and dropped his gaze; this time, though, when Jessica put a hand on his arm he let it remain. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Would you have believed me?"

"No, but that's because you go out of your way to behave as badly as possible when I'm around."

"It's not exactly going out of my way." He smiled and glanced at her sideways. "And it does get your attention rather predictably."

"There are better ways to get my attention."

"Such as?"

"I'm sure you can think of something."

"Doesn't that violate the rules?"

"Rules?" Her voice sharpened. "Are we playing a game?"

He drew back, looking chagrined. "It started that way," he admitted with surprising candor. "I'm not sure when it changed, actually."

She wasn't quite sure why she believed him, when she normally remembered to maintain a healthy suspicion of his motives. "Well, if that's changed, I suppose it means the rules have to change, as well."

His hand settled, surprisingly light, on her shoulder, but he still hesitated. "Are you certain?" he asked, and she realized she believed him because, for once, he wasn't constantly testing her defenses.

She slid her arms around him and answered without words.