Hello my lovelies! Here's Chapter 21 as promised.
The phone call had only lasted a matter of minutes before the Joker had hung up. He stormed upstairs to the bathroom to take a shower, completely forgetting about Harley waiting for him in the gym.
After scrubbing his body and washing his hair clean, the Joker stepped out of the shower. He grabbed his fresh pressed shirt and slacks and slipped them on.
Opening his sock draw, he began to riffle through it, hoping to find the black and gold cotton pair, that went perfectly with his jacket.
"Where the fuck are they?" He muttered, throwing socks over his right shoulder. Not able to find them, he stood up straight and scratched his head. Then he suddenly remembered that Harley had washed them, and that she was waiting patiently for him downstairs. "Haarleeeeeey? Get your arse up here!" He shouted.
Joker's face turned into a tiny smile when he heard rapid high heeled footsteps echo on the wooden floor downstairs.
"Puddin? What's wrong?" Harley said as she walked towards the bedroom. When she entered the room, she saw the sock draw open. Harley instantly thought that he'd discovered that the keys she'd taken where missing. "Shit." She blurted out suddenly.
"Socks Harley. Where are they?" He asked sharply.
Harley wasn't listening, she'd zoned out thinking that he was going to mention the keys.
Noticing her vacant expression, the Joker snapped his fingers in front of her face. "Harls, I need my socks.. The black and gold ones."
"Huh?" She answered, cocking her head to one side.
"My godamn socks, you dizzy dame!" He shouted, throwing another pair of socks on the floor.
Harley furrowed her brows at his words. "Wait.. What are you on about?"
"My socks?" Her face was still blank. "My bloody black and gold socks, for christ sakes woman!"
"Oh!" The penny finally dropped in her head. She walked towards the draw and smirked. "Ya' mean these ones?" Harley dangled the pair in front of his face.
Joker went to grab them but she hid them behind her back instantly. "Nah-uh, you gotta kiss me first."
"No chance, not after it took me like half a fucking day to get a response outta ya." He made another grab for the socks but Harley darted past him. "I'm not in the mood for your little games sweetheart."
His tone of voice made Harley stop in her tracks. She swivelled around on one foot, and noticed he was dressed in all his finery. Solid gold chains hung around his neck, resting against his tattooed torso, paired with his fitted black slacks and a single diamond earing in his right ear.
"You ain't going to work again are ya?"
"Yes and your making me late, so give me the damn socks!" Joker barked, holding out his hand.
"But J! I've hardly seen you all day!" She whined.
"Too bad. My works more important than-" He stopped, knowing the words that was going to pass his lips would send them both into a spiral of arguments.
"Me?" Harley said, intensifying her gaze on J's now regretful face. "Is that what you where gunna say?" He didn't answer her. "Oh, don't stop now J. Really. I wanna hear it."
"Don't." He warned.
"Don't what? Aren't couples supposed to finish each others sentences?"
Joker rubbed his forehead with his hand. "Your treading on very dangerous ground Harley."
"Fine!" She shouted. "Here. Take your precious fucking socks." Harley threw them at his face and stormed off.
Jokers hand shot out and grabbed her by the wrist, just as she was about to leave. Slamming her into the nearby wall, his hand found her throat.
"Don't you dare talk to me like that you little brat. I think your forgetting who owns your ass." He growled in her ear. Applying pressure to her neck.
"Well in that case, didn't your mother ever tell you to look after your stuff?" Harley choked out, feeling quite pleased with her comeback. But that was before his right hand collided with her face. Sending an echo of a harsh smacking sound, bounce off the walls.
She cried out, gritting her teeth for another blow to follow. But it never came. Joker's hand released her throat and he brought it up to cup her face. Harley eyes swam with unbroken tears, she didn't want to cry but it was too late.
"All you had to do was give me my socks." He whispered, wiping her eyes. Soaking up the salty droplets with his thumb.
"Sorry Daddy." She whimpered, her back still pressed flat against the wall.
"Apology accepted." His lips softly pressed hers in a gentle kiss. Tears spilt over the edge of her eyelashes, and ran down her face, collecting on her top lip. But they didn't remain their for long. The Joker consumed them hungrily. The mixture of her lips, her tears and now finally her tongue, made his eyes roll into the back of his head.
"Daddy's going to be late for his meeting Harls." Joker said, pulling away.
"Okay." Was all Harley said.
"Don't wait up." Joker pecked her on the cheek and walked away. Harley caught his hand at the last moment.
"Let me come with you?" She asked, with a pleading look in her eyes.
"No Pumpkin... Anyway I need my girl to look after the house, just in case there's and intruder." He said, earning a small smile from Harley.
Joker looked at the small bruise now forming on the side of her face, and his mind started to wander back to her arm and her knuckles. He didn't want to hit her, but she needed to be reminded about who was in charge in this relationship, she'd seemed to of forgotten who he was, what he was capable of.
"Put some ice on that." He pointed at her face. Harley nodded and watched him leave, closing the door quietly behind himself.
The Joker had arrived at his club in record time, leaving his car with the Valet from earlier. He strode into the club and was greeted by one of his most senior and loyal employees.
"Pearl, nice to see you!" Joker said, shaking the womans hand.
Pearl was in her late 40s, a very classy woman who had been under the Joker's employ ever since her husband had died. Her husband used to be one of the Joker's henchman, but on one unfortunate night, he got shot and Pearl got widowed. Joker hired Pearl on the basis that she managed the young girls under his service. The Joker didn't have time to do these tedious little tasks, so Pearl was happy to step in.
"Mr Joker, it's been too long.. We always seem to just miss each other at work. How have you been? How's Harley?" She asked smiling.
"Harley's fine, she still has me wrapped around her finger, the little minx!" He chuckled.
"I'm glad to see your still with her. I have to admit, I was worried for a moment that she was just a passing fancy." Pearl confessed, patting him on the shoulder. "How long have you two been together?"
"Just coming up to a year. Honestly feels like 12. So I've come to the conclusion that I'm stuck with the spoilt brat. Forever. No getting rid of her now."
"She's good for you. You used to go by the rules of, shoot first ask questions later. Because the only person you where responsible for was yourself. But now your more tactical, now that there's someone else to protect." Pearl always spoke her mind, and J admired that. She was one of the few people, that he could confide in and receive honest advice.
"Maybe you should tell Harley that, she thinks I work just to get away from her. Not to protect her."
"Harley is just like you, she doesn't think before she speaks. She's stubborn and completely headstrong. And that's why you clash sometimes, but it's perfectly normal. God knows Robert and I always had fights, but it was the making up that made it worth it." She explained, giving him a wink at the end.
"Pearl, never and I mean never, wink at me in regards to Harley, ever again. It's creepy." Joker said.
She laughed. Then grabbed him by the arm and walked him towards the upstairs conference room. "C'mon your guest is wating for you."
"Guest is not the word I'd use Pearly, scumbag is more accurate." He snapped.
They stood outside the conference room door. "Just remember why your doing this." She said, patting him on the shoulder.
"How could I forget." He sighed. "I don't want any interruptions P. Make sure no one comes upstairs. Ok?" The Joker said, grasping the door handle.
"You have my word."
J watched Pearl walk down the stairs and turn one of the waitresses around who was now walking up them. He smiled. He could always rely on Mrs P.
Turning his attention back to the door, he opened it slowly and was met with Jonny Frost, rising out of his chair to greet him.
Joker ignored his extended hand, and sat down on the chair. A long table separated them both. J threw his legs up on the table and crossed them over. Not taking his eyes of Jonny.
Frost withdrew his hand awkwardly and slowly sat down in his chair, opposite the Joker.
"Joker, thank you for meeting with me, I-" Jonny was instantly interrupted.
"Cut the bullshit pleasantries Frost. What do you want?" Joker snapped.
"I want to work for you." He said bluntly.
Joker burst out laughing, smacking his open plam on his leg. "Since when did you get a sense of humour Jonny?" He laughed harder.
"Joker, I'm being serious, let me work for you. I know how long you've wanted to recruit me." Frost said.
Joker stopped laughing, his face growing dark. "How can I take a rat like you seriously? How can I take someone who works for Crane seriously?" He pulled his legs off the table and leant forward. "You expect me to believe, that this isn't just a ploy for you to get into my ranks and feed Crane information? I know you Jonny, I know your motives. And your lack of loyalty is notorious."
"My 'lack of loyalty.' As you put it, is the reason I'm sitting in front of you offering my services. You and I both know that I'm the best in the business." Frost retorted.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now." Joker countered, his right hand resting on his loaded holster.
Frost's hand wandered down to his own holster, ready to make a move on the clown prince of crime.
"Because I can protect Harley and your Empire."
Joker moved his hand away from his holster slightly. "I said one reason, not two."
"Both one of the same." Jonny shrugged, noticing J's hand make it's way back to the table.
J laced his hands together, trying to read Frost's body language, to see if he was lying. "How do I know that your not going to go all 'double agent' on me?"
"Oh, I'll go all 'double agent' alright.. But not on you.. For you. If you hire me, I'll disclose all the information I have on Crane."
"Fine, you wanna work for me? Then well do this properly." Joker sat up straight in his seat, and gestured Jonny to do the same.
J pretended to shuffle some papers in his hands. He cleared his throat. "So Mr Frost, why do you want to work for me and my...Company?" Joker asked, in a professional manner.
Jonny caught onto his game pretty quickly, and played along. "Well Sir, I would rather work for a self confessed psychopath, than a delusional one. I can bring a unqiue set of skills to your.. Business. And increase your profit by an estimated... 89%."
"Your very confident in that fact I see.. But looking at your resume, you don't have any good references or even a good track record with commitment to your employers. Why would I employ someone who has commitment issues?" Joker raised a brow.
"If your reading my file then you would of noticed that no job of mine has been left half done. I work for unofficial men of business, hence the lack of a good reference. But a criminal mastermind such as yourself, knows that already." Jonny answered, giving the Joker a satisfying smirk.
Joker nodded. "And where do you see yourself in 5 years time Mr Frost?"
"I see myself, dragging my arse outta a whore's bed, answering a call from my long term boss. Putting my boxers on back to front in a hurry, because I don't wanna be late for him." Jonny chuckled, realising how true that would be. "Plus in 5 years time, I imagine myself rolling in hard, well earned cash, nursing the mother of all hangovers on a Monday morning. After playing Poker with my Boss and beatin' him, hands down."
"Well that's where your wrong Jonny... Because, One - You will never beat me at Poker. And two, If we do play Poker it will be on a Friday night not a Sunday night." He scoffed.
Frost laughed. The atmosphere was suddenly lighter, more calm.
"I still don't trust you." Joker said breaking the light echo of laughter.
"What would make you trust me?" Frost asked.
"Tell me what Crane's plan is, where he's hiding and why he's not rotting in the rubble of his lab."
Jonny didn't hesitate in telling him everything he knew. It was exactly the same thing he had told Harley only a few hours ago. And by the end of the conversation, the Joker knew Crane's whereabouts and his plans.
As Jonny spoke more in depth about Crane, J was already planning his revenge. He needed to act sooner rather than later. Before his henchmen got picked off one by one and before they came for Harley and eventually, himself.
"-But none of that will happen now, because you've got me." Jonny explained.
"You haven't got the job yet Frost." He snapped. Joker rubbed his forehead, trying to make sense of all the information he'd been given. "We need to move quickly, he may be a coward and incredibly delusional, if he thinks he can take down my Empire. But he'll know you've switched sides."
Noticing J say the word 'we' Jonny quipped a reply. "I thought you said I didn't have the job yet."
Joker shot his cloudy eyes up at Frost. "Careful Frost. Your on a probationary contract only. It can easily be terminated if I see fit." Joker placed his index finger on his holster, and visibly tapped it.
"When do I start?"
So I hope ya'll like this one.. I can't believe how quickly the new SS air date is. I am so pumped!
RoyalFlushGang- This weather has me dying! My workplace has no air-con so I'm sweating like a fat kid in a cake shop on a daily basis! I'm so ready for this all to be over. It's not that I'm completely against sunshine and happiness but seriously? I am dead. I look like a burnt piece of sweaty toast (Sorry for the vivid description.) Please let it be cooler soon! I can't cope! Haha. Every time I see a promo clip or trailer for SS I squeal like a kid who's about to be given a lollypop! My excitement for this movie is unhealthy! Harley defiantly grew some balls in the last chapter! I think Ivy (Like the rest of us) was too busy waiting to see what was going to happen to intervene. But if my friend ditched me like that, we'd be having serious words after. So Jonny is now team Joker! Whooo! And he owes a lot of that to our Harleykins! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Love you xx
Jargot- Swear down my Imagination went into overdrive writing Joker in his sweatpants and rippling muscles! Holy Hell! I'm glad you enjoyed it! Haha! xoxoxoxox
MissMansfield- Frost is like a rash, he grows on you and you just have to accept the fact he's gunna be there! lol. Harley defiantly got balsy in the last chapter and she will in future chapters as well! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, love ya xxx
423bluerose423- Damn Jerry and his cock blocking! I hope you liked this chapter! xoxox
CrystalFalls1987- I hope you enjoyed CH21! Harls ain't in trouble yet, but I'm sure she will be! xxxxx
yellowrose- I love the song 'Porcelain black- One woman army' I agree! Totally Harley! If she got a solo movie, I'd be disappointed if they didn't interpret this in some way! This has given my inspiration for a few fics that I could incorporate it into! Thank you! I hope you like this chapter! Love you xox
Buggy- J is gunna flip his shit when he finds out! The IMBD trailer had me squealing! I seriously cannot wait! OMG! Love ya xoxoxox
Guest- I have been toying with the idea to incorporate these two major storylines, but I'm not confident in my writing ability to pull it off just quite yet. I'm gunna have to go back to classic JxHQ to translate it into the SS versions of the couple! But I am seriously considering it. Death in the family is defiantly my favourite hands down, though I will be watching the 'Killing Joke.' when the new version comes out! Which I'm hyped for! Which ones your fav? I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Love you xxx
Thank you so much for your Favs, Follows and Reviews! Your feedback gives me inspiration! If you haven't reviewed before, I'd love to hear your opinion! I hope you enjoyed it and CH22 will be on it's way soon! Love each and every one of you! xxx