Paying Debts
Chapter Twenty-Five: The Match
"You have to trust me." Is the single, most ridiculous thing he's said to Piper. How in the world could she trust him, a Talon, the right hand man of Master Cyclonis herself? There was an answer, and three words came to mind: desperation, curiosity, and control.
He held onto her hand, loose enough for her to slip her fingers out of his grip. But where would she go? There were at least two hours left, and the furthest corner she could retreat to was the door at her back.
The Talon looked at her perceptively. It didn't take much to know her thoughts. "I know you don't trust me."
The Storm Hawk let out a noise that might have been a muffled bark of nervous laughter. Of course she didn't, and yet here they were, staring each other down.
He sighed. "Piper," he started to say. The girl was kind enough to mention her name the first time they met on the Condor, and while he recognized her face, he didn't remember her name. He made a promise to himself never to forget it again. Unknowingly, his fingers closed around hers a little more.
Piper swallowed a small lump in her throat when he did that. Her eyes opened wider, trying to anticipate his next move. A small pink tongue darted out between dry lips and the movement caught his eye.
The Dark Ace stepped closer to the point the metal bars were the only things that separated them, and released her. Using the same hand he touched the girl's chin with his palm and took this opportunity to really look at her. He supposed she was a pretty young thing in terms of unconventional beauty, but that wasn't important. What was crucial was her state of mind; how far this little Storm Hawk was willing to go, and how she would respond with his tutelage.
He allowed a smile to appear on his lips, a smile that spread across his entire face. It wasn't wholly sincere if one looked under the surface, but it was a human emotion. He did this for her sake. If Piper wanted to learn seduction, she needed to relax and he needed to put her mind at ease. As predicted, her orange eyes softened as if on cue.
This time he really did smile and the Dark Ace stroked the side of her jaw. A small thrill went through the girl's chest. Shallow breaths. The look in his eyes. The caress of a single thumb. They were almost touching despite the separation, with her hands pressed against the metal bars as he bent his body to meet her halfway.
"Piper," he repeated and looked into her face for one last indication of fear. This time there were none. "Close your eyes."
Her heart sped up. "Why?"
"Because I'm going to kiss you now."