AN: Things are getting more exciting!
busted
A FEW WEEKS LATER
Bill and Elena sit on either side of Eve up at the bar of their favorite pub, deciding to come to karaoke night this week instead of trivia, mainly for the cheap drinks.
"No Villanelle tonight?" Elena asks.
Eve shakes her head. "She's busy."
"And how is Villanelle these days?" Bill asks before finishing the rest of his oatmeal stout.
"She's really well," Eve replies casually, nodding. "She's really nice."
[What I Like About You – The Romantics]
Elena nudges her knee into Eve's, giving her a funny look.
Eve creases her brow.
"What?"
"You know we don't want the boring answer," Bill says.
"Give us the details," Elena adds with an eager grin.
"Fine." Eve gulps down her beer, letting out satisfied ah after. "She's exceptional."
xxxxx
Villanelle has her face buried between Eve's thighs, on her knees in the kitchen, Eve sitting up on the counter with one foot hanging off, the other up against the island. Villanelle flicks her tongue over Eve's clit then draws it up and down between her lips, glancing up at her and smiling devilishly. She claws at Eve's inner thighs, dipping her tongue inside and making Eve moan and arch her back, desperately holding on to the counter for dear life. Her palms sweat. She throws her head back. Craving more, she jumps off the counter and takes Villanelle to the floor, pinning her down on her back.
xxxxx
Villanelle lifts Eve up onto the tailgate of the Ford, squirting lube on her strap as Eve scoots herself up towards the cab of the truck. She spreads her legs wide taunting and teasing Villanelle. Trying to hurry faster, Villanelle leaves her pants around her ankles and awkwardly jumps into the truck, climbing on top of Eve, the hard metal painful on her knees. She leans down for a kiss, Eve's hands gliding up and down her back then suddenly pushing against her shoulders.
"Ow, ow." Eve winces. "This is not going to work."
She twists her body away from the corrugated metal that digs into her spine.
Villanelle sighs with disappointment.
"Fine."
She ungracefully crawls out of the truck and jumps down, waiting for Eve to scoot off. Impatient, she grabs Eve's ankles and pulls her along. Eve slides across the truck, her bare skin squeaking on the metal. Her ass bumps over the gap between the tailgate and the bed.
"Jesus Christ," she growls.
Villanelle cringes.
"Sorry."
She picks Eve up and carries her off towards the powder blue 1955 Chevrolet pickup truck.
"No. Inside," Eve directs.
Villanelle groans, keen on trying it in the truck bed, but turns and heads for the waiting area having to hop with her pants around her ankles.
xxxxx
Eve and Villanelle stroll out of the bathroom of a posh restaurant, Eve's curls flat in the back, Villanelle's hair hanging wildly out of her bun. She buttons up her blazer, misaligning the top button with the lower hole.
"Your buttons are wrong," Eve comments, straightening her blouse and tucking it back in.
"Oh." Villanelle fumbles around, trying to redo the buttons with shaky fingers. "Your zipper is down."
"Oh." Eve looks down and zips up her trousers, situating the high waistband above her hips. "Okay."
She takes Villanelle's hand and rounds the corner, the two of them receiving wide-eyed horrified looks from every diner in the restaurant as well as the entire wait staff.
"Oh God," Eve mutters.
"Excuse us," Villanelle says, flashing a charming smile and pulling Eve towards the exit.
xxxxx
Steam rises from Villanelle's shower, soapy water dripping down Eve's bare body, her chest flushed. She holds Villanelle up against the tile and slips her hand between her legs, sliding her fingers inside and sucking on Villanelle's neck as she fucks her. Villanelle tightens. Her hips buck up. She gropes Eve's breasts, moaning as Eve thrusts her fingers faster, hot water singing their skin. Overheating, Villanelle turns off the water and pushes Eve out of the shower, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her to her bedroom, directing her to her bed and climbing on top of her with water streaking down her body.
xxxxx
Eve wraps her legs around Villanelle who hovers just above her on the couch, thrusting her hips and guiding the strap. Eve moans, squeezing Villanelle tight, feeling her flexing muscles that drive her hips in a steady tempo. Digging her nails into Villanelle's back, Eve impels her to dip down for a heated kiss, their tongues fighting for control. As she brings Eve's legs together so she can go deeper, a series of knocks on the front door interrupts her.
She pauses and looks at Eve.
"Who is that?"
"I don't know." Eve glances towards the door. "Hopefully they just go away." She spreads her legs apart and pulls Villanelle down for a kiss.
Another series of knocks grows into loud bangs.
Villanelle growls and pulls out, getting off the couch and peering through the blinds to try to see who has the audacity to get in the way of what she was just about to do to Eve.
"Eve?" a familiar deep voice calls.
Eve's breath catches.
"Oh God."
"I'll handle it," Villanelle says, stepping into her trousers and pulling them over the strap.
"What? No." Eve sits up. "What are you-"
"Eve, please." Villanelle pulls Eve's tank over her head. "Let me deal with him."
"Villanelle," Eve growls, wrapping a blanket around herself but it's too late. Villanelle is already around the corner at the door.
"Eve, I know you're home," Niko calls. "I can see the lights on in the-"
Villanelle swings the door wide open with a big smile on her face, her hardened nipples peeking through Eve's thin tank.
Niko's mouth falls open in shock and disbelief.
"Oh." He picks up his jaw. "Well."
"Niko." Villanelle flashes a smize. "What an unpleasant surprise."
The strap prominently bulges out from her trousers, tautening the fabric over her left thigh. Niko chokes, clearly noticing it. He raises his chin and keeps his gaze upwards.
"I was just-"
"Eve is here but she doesn't want to talk to you." Villanelle scrunches her nose up in pity. "But I can take a message." She sniffs, sticking her hips out and making the strap that much more apparent.
Niko clenches his jaw, forcing himself not to look at the bulge that is quite large and making him question himself.
"This is my house," he says forcefully, trying to walk past her. "I can still-"
Villanelle throws up her arm stopping him in his tracks.
"Um, no." She stretches her arms above her head, leaning her elbows in the doorway and completely blocking entry. "Did you not hear me? I said Eve does not want to talk to you."
She asserts her dominance, shifting on her feet so that the strap protrudes from one trouser leg. Niko fumes, his mustache getting all wrinkled up.
He points his finger in her face.
"I'll be back."
"Ooh." Villanelle's eyes light up in amusement. She drops her voice lower and mimics his angry scowl. "I'll be back." She barks a laugh and throws the door shut.
xxxxx
Eve nuzzles closer to Villanelle, in her bed, the plush blankets tangled around their legs. Villanelle groans softly, reaching back and feeling for Eve, rolling onto her back so Eve can lie on her chest. Eve hooks her leg around Villanelle's, sliding her hand up Villanelle's belly to her breast, making her let out a little moan as she grins. Eve rolls her hips on Villanelle, giving her a squeeze.
Villanelle laughs lightly.
"Yeah?"
"Mhm." Eve smiles.
Before Villanelle has time to wake up, Eve throws off the covers and climbs between Villanelle's legs, grinding her hips and running her hands up and down Villanelle's body.
Villanelle's breath hitches.
"Fuck."
MONDAY
In the garage, Villanelle busies herself in the engine of a 1969 Alfa Romeo Spider, loosening the mounting bolts of the radiator. She pauses for a big yawn, wiping the sweat off her brow after, and moves to the next bolt. In the lane to her left, Hugo slams the hood of the Vauxhall Astra and saunters over to her with the sole purpose of getting a rise out of her.
"One and three quarters," Villanelle says holding out her hand.
"What?"
"If you are going to stand there at least make yourself useful."
Hugo scowls, Villanelle beating him at his own game, and retrieves the wrench from the workbench, slapping it in her palm. She goes to work on a different set of bolts, diving deeper into the engine and getting grease all over her hands and arms.
"What do you want?" she asks in between wrenching, feeling his lingering stare on her back.
"I just finished the Astra so I thought I'd come over and see how the radiator's coming along," Hugo says, hovering behind her.
"It was going a lot better before you came over."
He leans against the front of the Alfa Romeo right next to Villanelle, watching Bear attempt to park a Nissan Rogue over the inspection pit, having to pull forward and adjust the steering then reverse again several times. It requires multiple attempts before he gets it parked over the pit properly.
Amused by it, Hugo laughs then crosses his arms, glancing over at Villanelle who is bent over practically inside the engine.
"You're an attractive successful woman," he observes. "Eve is an attractive successful w-"
Villanelle stands up abruptly nearly hitting her head on the raised hood.
"What do you want?"
Hugo grins wider. "The two of you must know other attractive women. Single. Looking for a good time, maybe?"
Villanelle narrows her eyes, looking him up and down.
"More performance problems?" she says with a funny cringe.
"What?" Hugo straightens up. "No."
Laughter comes from beneath the 1990 Ford Escort in the next lane over, Jamie's boots sticking out.
"I told you before that's not the problem." Hugo scowls at Villanelle.
"Then why are you asking me for help?" she asks, grinning now, enjoying this.
"I'm not after help."
Villanelle raises her brow. "Then…?"
Hugo looks off to the side, muttering, "Jess didn't give me-"
"Wow, you asked Jess and now you are asking me. You must really be desperate."
"I don't have a problem picking up women." Hugo glares, jamming his hands in his pockets. "I'm just tired of going out to the same pubs and meeting the same types of girls. Great bodies, not great personalities."
"I know it must be hard." Villanelle puts a hand on his shoulder with feigned sympathy. "Watching me treat a woman better than you. A very attractive, successful, intelligent, and thoughtful woman with amazing hair. But maybe you could learn something, hm?" She shoves him.
Hugo grumbles and crosses his arms again, glancing over at Bear who shakes his head at the two of them—always bickering about something—on his way to the waiting area.
"I told you not to ask her," he says to Hugo.
"It's not like you're ever any help!" Hugo calls after him. He turns to Villanelle. "You know what?" He gestures with his hands. "Forget I asked."
He follows after Bear, cursing under his breath.
"Now that I think about it…" Villanelle leads on with a mischievous grin. "Eve does have a coworker," she says. "She's confident, funny, smart. Definitely too good for you."
Intrigued by the thought of a woman who has all of those qualities, Hugo can't help but glance over his shoulder.
"She's single," Villanelle adds, grabbing a cloth from the workbench.
Hugo turns around eying Villanelle, skeptical of the offer.
"You and Eve would set me up with her?"
"Mm..." Villanelle wipes the grim off her hands as she thinks. "As a joke maybe." She nods.
Hugo doesn't bite on the snub, trying a different tactic with her instead.
"Don't you want me more focused on work?" he asks. "Finishing jobs quicker? Filling out service reports?" He grins smugly, walking back up to her, thinking this approach might work. "You know I'm way more productive when I'm-"
"Don't finish that sentence."
"What? You're the same way," he says. "Except not lately with Eve."
"I take my job seriously." Villanelle balls up the cloth. "You should try it." She throws it at him then goes back to her workbench, looking around for pliers, hosing, and clamps.
Hugo kicks the cloth aside then sits on the front end of the Alfa Romeo again, hoping that if he antagonizes Villanelle enough, she'll break and agree to set him up.
"Every time Eve walks in here, you get all flustered and fidgety…"
"I do not."
"And now you're starting to get behind on repairs, making mistakes and ordering the wrong parts…"
"No." Villanelle's neck tics.
Hugo notices and grins.
"Is she keeping you up late?"
Villanelle refuses to answer.
"Because your jumpsuits are always all wrinkled," Hugo goes on. "Boots dirty…"
Villanelle's nostrils flare.
"You come in with your hair all tangled and messy. Bags under your eyes because you and Eve are-"
Villanelle spins wielding a pair of needle-nose pliers.
"If I ask Eve to ask Elena will you leave me alone?"
"Elena?" Hugo asks, face brightening. "Hm." He grins. "You're being serious?"
"Yes."
"You'll shake on it?"
"Yes," Villanelle growls, hoping to finish the radiator repair before lunch which is becoming less likely the longer Hugo stands in her way.
He sticks out his hand with a self-satisfied smirk, pulling it back when Villanelle nearly rips his shoulder out of its socket. She stares at him, waiting for him to move away from the engine.
"What?" he says, missing the hint.
"Get out of my way, please."
TUESDAY
At work, Eve swivels back and forth in her chair at her desk, not able to get herself to focus or care about anything work-related today.
Elena glances up. "You get new shampoo or something?"
Eve stops swiveling.
"What?"
"Your curls are looking extra voluminous today."
"Oh." Eve shakes out her curls with a smile. "No, I just—oh, you know what? It's probably Villanelle's conditioner. Costs like two hundred quid just for one bottle."
"Oh, to live like Villanelle," Elena comments with heavy sarcasm.
Eve laughs and goes back to swiveling in her chair, a little livelier.
"Oh, that reminds me," she says. "Do you want to go on a date?"
"You have a girlfriend," Elena replies without looking up.
"No." Eve chuckles. "Not with me. Though I'm flattered you thought that."
"I was, in fact"—Elena clicks her mouse then hits the enter key—"joking." She looks up.
"Oh, sure." Eve nods with a grin.
Elena rolls her eyes.
"A blind date," Eve says, "with one of Villanelle's coworkers."
Kenny glances up from his computer, curious what Elena will say. The thought of asking her out crosses his mind making his cheeks flush. He quickly looks back at his screen.
"Hmm." Elena rests her chin on her hand and looking off to the side as she contemplates. "So what then? He's a mechanic? Works on cars all day?"
"Uh, yeah," Eve says. "And Villanelle's a mechanic so if you have something to say about-"
"Oh, no, Villanelle isn't really…" Elena trails off, not sure how to finish that sentence. "Well she's more…" She thinks about it more. "Okay, yeah, that was unfair. But you really don't see a lot of female mechanics."
Eve grins with satisfaction, feeling a little elevated, thinking about Villanelle with her jumpsuit tied around her waist, sweat glistening on her chest, dripping down her toned body, her breasts-
"God, look at you," Elena comments with an eye roll.
"What?" Eve blinks out of the daydream.
Elena shakes her head and goes back to working on financial forecasting.
"Are you interested or not?" Eve asks, a little curt.
Kenny glances again up.
"What's his name?" Elena asks, sounding anything but interested.
"Hugo." Eve leans forward on her elbows. "He's tall, outgoing, has a stable job. Decent looking," she adds.
"Is he the one I saw when I was there with you before?"
"Uh…" Eve tries to remember, smiling when she recalls the first few days of meeting Villanelle. "No, that was Bear," she says. "This is a different guy."
"Hm," Elena mutters, weighing the pros and cons of agreeing to a date with one of Villanelle's coworkers, considering all the potential ridicule she could receive from both Eve and Villanelle. She lets out a theatrically long sigh. "Alright, fine."
"Perfect." Eve lets out a little chuckle, digging around her purse for her phone. "That means Villanelle has to buy me dinner."
"She thought I'd say no?" Elena asks, suddenly second-guessing the decision.
"Um…" Eve sends Hugo's number to Elena. She looks up. "Yes."
"Oh, great." Elena falls back in her chair. "That's totally reassuring."
Eve laughs, throwing her phone back in her purse.
"Now that that's done…" She wakes her computer screen and checks her email then closes the window. "I need Bill."
"I'm glad you're working on something today," Elena comments.
Eve shoots her a dirty look on her way to Bill's office.
"You're really going out with him?" Kenny asks Elena quietly.
Elena spins in her chair and shrugs. "Might as well."
Eve stands in Bill's doorway, anxiously biting her nail with a coy smile on her face.
"Can I help you with something?" Bill asks without looking up from the file in his hand.
"Yes." Eve walks in. "You and only you, Bill." She drags a chair up and sits across from him.
"Sure, sit," he mutters, glancing over the financial plans for Dozen Incorporated.
Eve stares at him, clasping her hands and resting them on his desk, waiting until he finally looks up.
"Alright." He tosses the file aside and leans back in his chair. "You've got my full attention."
"I need your car."
Bill raises his brow at her.
"Please," Eve adds with an eye roll.
"May I ask what for?"
"No. But I only need it for one night. Maybe more depending on how tonight goes."
Bill twirls a pen between his fingers, mulling it over for a moment, about to say no but ultimately conceding and letting out a sigh.
"Just be sure to leave the windows down after. That's all I ask."
"What?" Eve retorts.
"To let some air-"
"What? Bill!" Eve cuts him off, falling back in her chair, hardly able to form words. "Did you seriously think I wanted to use your car for sex?"
Bill shrugs. "I don't know what you and Villanelle get up to."
Elena's voice carries over from her desk, "Oh, I'll tell you what they-"
"Oh." Eve scoffs and kicks the door shut.
"You slink in here with that grin," Bill says, "demanding to have my car for the night. What am I supposed to think?"
"Bill. God, I can't believe you'd"—Eve shakes her head at the thought of climbing around the backseat of Bill's car with Villanelle—"Jesus, I haven't been in the backseat of a car since the late 90s."
"So what then?" Bill asks. "You already got the girl. You have another across town you're trying to pick up?"
"No." Eve scowls. "Jesus."
Bill shrugs with his hands, waiting for an explanation. Eve looks off to the side drumming her fingers on his desk, debating whether or not to tell him the truth but deciding that since it's Bill she may as well be honest.
"Okay." She scoots her chair closer and talks in a hushed voice. "I got this weird feeling when I went to Vasiliev's Garage—the one ran by Villanelle's uncle but I got the impression that might not actually be the case—that something's...uh…" She struggles to find the right words to explain it.
"Something's…?" Bill's brow goes up.
"I don't know I just think it's weird."
"And?" Bill asks.
"Well..." Eve looks away, fidgeting with her nails.
"Oh Eve, don't tell me you want to-"
"Only for one night."
"Eve." Bill gives her a serious look. "You know how that turned out with Niko."
"Oh, that was completely different." Eve crosses her arms, leaning back in her seat. "This is nothing like that."
"No?" Bill replies. "A bit of voyeurism then?"
Eve scoffs. "You're the one with the kinks, not me."
"That was told to you in confidence over our fifth shot of whiskey."
Eve rolls her eyes.
"Fine then, I'm going with you," Bill says.
"What? No."
"Then you'll take Elena."
"Bill, come on."
"You need someone there to stop you from barging in on something and getting yourself in trouble."
Eve groans. "That was one time. You'll never let me hear the end of it," she mutters.
"If it's just a stakeout—which I think is completely unnecessary—then it shouldn't be a problem to have a little company, now should it?"
"You're being ridiculous."
"I'm not the one who wants to go spy on an auto repair shop to make sure what, Eve? What are you even looking for?"
"I don't know." Eve stands abruptly, shoving the chair in the general direction of where it was before. "Forget it. I'll figure something else out."
"Hold on," Bill says, stopping her from storming out. He opens his desk drawer and pulls out car keys. "I don't want you dragging some poor other person into this."
Eve presses her lips together, unamused, as he walks up to her, dangling the keys as if he were offering a special treat to a small child. He pulls them back when she tries to grab them.
"Bring it back in one piece."
Eve grumbles and snatches the keys, opening his door and returning to her desk in a noticeably sour mood.
"What was that about?" Kenny asks, looking up from his computer.
Eve throws Bill's keys into her purse.
"Elena, what are you doing tonight?"
"Oh no, I don't want to-"
"Great, I'll pick you up at eight."
xxxxx
The red Prius sits parked on the curb near one of the entrances to the back alley behind Vasiliev's Garage. The large metal garage door is barely visible in the dark with a small lot across from it, a motorcycle parked in front of a dumpster with cardboard boxes sticking out. Against the brick wall of the garage are towers of stacked wheels and tires, several large steel drums, and a heap of wooden crates.
Eve drums her fingers on the steering wheel in an impatient, hurried tempo, seeing nothing exciting for the past two hours except a lone bicyclist riding through the alley.
"So…" Elena ventures. "How are things with the Niko situation?"
"I don't want to talk about that."
"Well we've already talked about everything else."
Eve stares out the window staying silent, desperate for something to interrupt this conversation. Elena checks her phone anxiously, regretting having asked.
"I started the paperwork for the petition," Eve says, "but it got stalled because we have to figure out what to do about money and the house and I just haven't thought about it yet and I really don't want to."
"Oh," Elena utters. "Well that's some progress though, yeah?"
"I guess," Eve mutters, eyes glued to the backdoor to the left of the garage door.
Elena sighs and checks her phone.
"Do you think I should go?" she asks.
"Where?"
"On the date."
"Oh. Uh…no," Eve says quickly. "Eh." She debates for a moment. "For the free booze."
"If I wanted a free drink, I'd just go to the pub with Bill after winning a bet," Elena says. "Which is always for me." She smiles to herself.
Eve chuckles. "Well if it doesn't work out there's always Kenny."
"Ah, Kenny doesn't think of me like that, does he?"
"Are you kidding?" Eve turns to her. "He's totally in love with you."
"What? No, he's not." Elena furrows her brow. "Is he?"
"Uh, yeah." Eve nods.
"What?" Elena stares at her phone, rethinking the already typed-out message agreeing to go out with Hugo. "I always thought he was more in love with Villanelle," she comments, sending the text.
"Yeah well…" Eve doesn't finish the sentence, smile softly and thinking of Villanelle cuddling next to her in bed.
"Are you?" Elena asks.
"Am I what?" Eve turns.
"In love with Villanelle."
Eve goes to speak but no words come out. She stares at Elena like a deer in headlights, her mouth hanging open.
She turns around sharply.
"Eve," Elena demands.
"Shh." Eve waves a hand at her, spotting someone peeking out of the backdoor, letting light spill through the crack.
"They can't hear us." Elena points out.
"Oh yeah." Eve realizes. Her shoulders drop.
Elena's phone lights up with a text from Hugo.
Hugo (from V's Garage): Great. I'll be there at 8
"That was disturbingly fast."
The garage door slowly raises up and a blue BMW pulls in the back alley from the opposite entrance, a blonde woman behind the wheel.
"Is that Villanelle?" Elena asks, paying more attention now.
"Yeah." Eve leans closer to the window. "I knew something weird was going on."
With the garage door open, they can see loads of car parts inside—mufflers, brakes, batteries, radiators, side mirrors, window glass, seats—not at all set up like V's Garage.
"What do you mean weird?" Elena asks, starting to become more intrigued by it all.
"When I was in there it was like no one wanted to talk about cars," Eve says. "They didn't have any sets of keys laying around or work orders or posters or oil—or whatever that stuff for sale is. It was like it wasn't even an auto shop."
"I mean they do have the sign out front and a garage full of cars and parts. What else it could be?"
They watch Villanelle step out of the BMW and throw the keys at who they realize is another woman, new to Eve from her previous excursion. Villanelle slams the door shut, shaking her head then running her hand through her hair.
"People bring their cars to the shop," Eve says with growing curiosity. "The mechanics don't go out and get them, especially not in the middle of the night."
"Maybe that's how it works with cars like that?"
"No." Eve shakes her head, unconvinced. "It's something else."
She presses her palm up against the cool window, rain streaking down the pane, intently watching Villanelle gesture with her hands as she and the other woman apparently get into an argument. The other woman shrugs and throws her hands up and the ceiling as if to say "I don't know" then hits the switch for the garage door. As it closes, Eve dips her head lower and lower, trying to see inside for as long as possible before the door shuts all the way.
"I have to go"—she opens her door and starts to get out.
"No." Elena grabs the back of Eve's shirt. "The whole reason I'm forced to be here with you is to not let you do something stupid like that." She pulls Eve back in.
Eve grumbles and pulls her door shut. Elena hits the door lock button. Eve turns and gives her a flat look.
"I'm not going to let you run in there and-"
"But I need to know," Eve says.
"Need to know what, Eve?"
"If…" Eve shakes her head, having no response. "If…" She shrugs. "I don't know. I just need to know what Villanelle is doing here."
"You afraid she's cheating on you? Is that what all this is about?"
"No." Eve slumps down in her seat, crossing her arms. "I don't know." She glances back out the window, searching around the dark. "Maybe now I am seeing another woman here," she mutters with a hint of jealousy.
"Eve, you have to trust her. The two of you are in a relationship now and all you ever have to say are good things about her." Elena turns towards Eve. "Just the other morning you were going on and on about how she was doing a better job communicating her feelings and all that."
"I know, I know," Eve replies, dismissing it. "It's just that"—she turns and gives Elena an earnest look—"something about this doesn't feel right."
Elena narrows her eyes at Eve.
"You know sometimes I wonder if you make trouble where there is none just for a little excitement."
Eve turns back, rolling her eyes.
"Trouble's not interested in me."
As the rain starts to pick up, pattering on the top of the car, Villanelle slips out the backdoor with a motorcycle helmet in hand. She takes her phone out of her pocket—the screen a small light in the darkness—and seems to stare at it for a moment. Eve's phone vibrates in the cup holder making her and Elena jump.
"Jesus Christ."
Eve checks the notification, groaning as she reads the text.
V: Are you awake? Come to mine?
"What'd she say?" Elena asks, leaning over the console to see Eve's screen.
"'Are you awake. Come to mine.''" Eve reads.
"Oh, how thoughtful," Elena mutters sarcastically. "And I was just saying how she's improved so much at communication." She shakes her head. "You going?"
"I don't know." Eve shrugs, watching through the window.
Villanelle tucks her phone away then straddles the motorcycle, sliding the helmet over her head and tightening the strap.
Eve's phone vibrates in her hand. She glances at it.
V: I've been thinking about you all day
Then another.
V: I have wine and I'm horny
WEDNESDAY
At the Parts Desk, Villanelle fiddles with the corner of an order form for a new radiator for the Alfa Romeo, yawning wide as Jess comes down the hall with a tray of coffee, setting it on the desk and taking out a large for Villanelle.
"You're looking more and more tired this week," Jess observes, taking a coffee out for herself.
"Yeah well." Villanelle slides the order form towards her. "I'm working nights again."
Jess's face suddenly turns serious.
"Villanelle."
"Only for a few weeks," Villanelle says, running her thumb along the lid of her coffee cup and avoiding Jess's gaze.
"That's what you said last time and then you-"
"I know what happened last time," Villanelle cuts her off. "I don't need you reminding me." She takes a sip of coffee, recoiling when it burns her tongue, setting it down with a growl.
She hangs her head in her hands, letting out a frustrated groan and rubbing her tired eyes.
Wondering what the best approach might be, Jess waits and watches Villanelle's shoulders rise and fall. Before she can come up with a response, Villanelle looks up in an entirely different mood, cheery and light.
"It's only a few weeks," she says, picking up her coffee and bringing it to her mouth. "A few weeks." She nods, as if saying it out loud again will somehow guarantee it.
She gulps down coffee, this time not caring that it burns her tongue.
"The stereo and wiring will be here tomorrow," Jess says, lowering her voice when she notices Jamie coming in from the garage. "Geraldine sent the order over this morning."
"Great." Villanelle runs a hand through her hair, ruffling it roughly.
"I know you probably don't want to hear this, but if things are starting to get busy over there while we're already slammed here then we might have to-"
"I know." Villanelle runs her tongue over her teeth. "I know."
The phone rings down at the Service Desk, Jamie the closest one to answer.
"V's Garage. Service Desk."
He looks up at Villanelle and Jess and shrugs as if to ask if he answered correctly.
Villanelle strides down the hall, glancing out at the garage full of cars, stressing over how she is going to get all the repairs done in a reasonable amount of time.
"Sure." Jamie nods. He holds the phone out for Villanelle.
"Don't tell me it's-"
"Eve," Jamie says.
"Oh." Villanelle nods and lets out a tired sigh. "Okay." She takes the phone from Jamie.
"But Raymond did call earlier this morning," Jamie adds.
Villanelle says nothing just shuts her eyes.
"Right. I'll leave you to it." Jamie slips out the door into the garage, drills zipping with rock music turned up loud.
"Eve, why are you calling here?" Villanelle asks, sitting on the stool and resting her elbows on the desk.
"Your phone is dead," Eve replies sounding unsure.
"Yeah, because I need to charge it."
"Okay," Eve utters. "Well, I was wondering if you wanted to come over tonight." Her voice changes to a huskier tone. "I was thinking we could-"
"I can't," Villanelle says.
"Oh."
There's a long pause.
"Why not?" Eve asks.
"Work," Villanelle replies, giving no more of an explanation.
"Okay," Eve says. "Um…I can bring over lunch if you-"
"I have to work through lunch," Villanelle says. "I'm behind on repairs and orders. Have to work tonight, tomorrow, and all of next week."
Eve sighs heavily.
"I just haven't seen you since-"
"Eve," Villanelle cuts in abruptly then sighs, running her thumb over "V" on the coffee cup. "I can come over tonight but not until late."
"How late?"
"Late."
"Like when?" Eve asks. "Ten? Eleven?"
Villanelle laughs lightly. "No, like after one."
"Villanelle."
"That's the best I can do right now, okay?"
"Why do you have to work so late?" Eve asks, more demanding. "You've never had to before and honestly I don't think it's legal to be working so many hours in one week."
"Don't make this harder, Eve," Villanelle snaps, the words coming out harsher than she intended. She huffs. "Do you want me to come over or not?"
Eve stays silent for a long time. The clock in the waiting room ticks.
"Are you…" Eve starts to ask then drops it and lets out a sigh. "You know where the key is."
"Great," Villanelle says then hangs up.
She holds her hands to her forehead and groans, frustrated and angry, wishing that conversation would have gone differently. When she raises her head, there's emptiness in her eyes along with total exhaustion.
She chugs the rest of her coffee then heaves the cup in the bin.
xxxxx
Well past one in the morning, Villanelle's motorcycle comes to a stop outside Eve's house, a light rain coming down from the sky, a crescent moon high above. She swings her leg around the bike and pulls off her helmet, shaking out her damp hair as she walks up the sidewalk. The flashing light of the television coming through the blinds catching her attention. Seeing Eve asleep on the couch, she hurries around to the back of the house, lifting the empty plant pot for the key and unlocking the door.
It opens without a sound, Villanelle being skillfully silent in taking off her boots, setting her helmet on the floor next to them. She relocks the deadbolt and switches off the kitchen light, unzipping her wet jacket on the way to the couch and hanging it on a kitchen chair.
Standing in the glow of the television, Villanelle watches the steady rise and falls of Eve's chest, happy and relieved to be in her living room, smiling softly when Eve rouses. She takes a deep breath, stirring around, pulled out of her slumber. Before she can wake fully, Villanelle slips one arm under the backs of her knees and the other around her shoulders, picking her up gently.
"It's me," she whispers.
Eve smiles and rests her head on Villanelle's shoulder, nuzzling her nose into the soft fabric then breathing in Villanelle's perfume. Leaving the television on, Villanelle carries Eve upstairs to her room, laying her softly on her side of the bed then undressing silently all the way down to her panties and crawling under the covers beside Eve, wrapping an arm around her without saying another word.
THURSDAY
Managing to borrow Bill's car for one more night on the premise that she needed it to take Villanelle to dinner, Eve hides in the Prius, on a solo mission tonight. She bites off a piece of Kit Kat and a chunk falls in the gap between the seat and the console.
"Shit."
Eve holds the candy bar between her teeth and jams her arm in the tiny space, feeling around and brushing her fingers across the chunk of chocolate, struggling to pull it out. With all her attention on the candy bar, she misses Villanelle slinking down the alley against the brick walls of the buildings across the way.
Villanelle slips through the backdoor, allowing a sliver of light to shine into the darkness which Eve catches out of the corner of her eye just before it disappears.
Inside the garage, Audrey peels painting tape off from around the headlights of the BMW, the new glossy paint reflecting the spotlights hanging from the metal beams above. The wheels and windows remain covered by tarps, protected from the new coat of paint.
Villanelle exchanges a nod with Audrey, one of respect and solidarity, before she approaches Dasha who stands at the workbench flipping through a stack of papers.
"White?" Villanelle asks, glancing over at Audrey.
"Most common car color," Dasha comments absently, making sure all the order forms are correct.
Villanelle slides her hands in her pockets, standing so close to Dasha that she literally breathes down her neck.
"Where is Nadia?" she asks.
Audrey glances over out of curiosity, quickly returning to removing the tape when Dasha turns around. She waves Audrey away then pulls a cigarette out of the pack on the workbench, offering one to Villanelle.
"You know if you quit smoking, you'd look like ten years younger."
"Why would I want to look ten years younger?" Dasha shrugs, lighting the cigarette.
Leaving them to it, Audrey grabs her jacket from the hook by the door.
"I want that finished tonight," Dasha says to her, loud enough that it echoes around the tall, cold garage. "Paint and interior."
"Yes, boss," Audrey mutters before leaving.
With no one to stop her from venturing outside the car, Eve sneaks along the back wall of the garage, dipping down behind the wooden crates when Audrey comes out the door. Eve cringes, carefully moving so she can peek through the slats in the wood and watch Audrey walk down the alley opposite of the direction of Bill's car, kicking at pebbles as she goes.
Eve takes a steadying breath then creeps along in the dark, hurrying as she crosses in front of the garage door, praying it doesn't open, and hiding behind the steel drums under the window next to the backdoor.
"Where is Nadia?" Villanelle asks again, enunciating the words.
"Not working right now." Dasha shrugs, blowing cigarette smoke in Villanelle's direction.
"Why not?" Villanelle demands.
"She's in Moscow," Dasha says. "On vacation." She steps around Villanelle and runs her finger down the white paint of the BMW M2. "Nice car. Good model." She nods. "Low number of miles."
Villanelle shakes her head, her upper lip wanting to curl.
"You don't think so?" Dasha asks with a grin, goading Villanelle.
"Send someone else out," Villanelle growls. "Audrey. She can do it."
Dasha shakes her head, dismissing the idea, then puffs on the cigarette.
"She is only good for detailing—paint, interior work." She blows smoke out of the corner of her mouth. "You need help, hm? I can get Diego to-"
"I don't need help from one of your shitty hires," Villanelle snaps.
Dasha laughs in a way that is belittling.
"You want a nice life? This is how you do it," she says, taking a long drag. "You want to impress Eve? Hm?" She saunters up to Villanelle, smug and self-important. "Take her to dinner, buy her gifts, make her like you."
Villanelle grits her teeth. "I make enough at my garage."
"Do not forget how you got it." Dasha reminds Villanelle, then blows cigarette smoke in her face.
Villanelle turns away from it, stiffening with anger when Dasha runs her hand down the satiny lapel of her suit.
"You will never make enough money as a mechanic for this." She yanks Villanelle close to her face. "If Eve is getting in the way of-"
"No." Villanelle shoves Dasha away. "Don't talk about Eve."
"Oh." Dasha raises her brow, amused by Villanelle's reaction. "Oh. She is important to you?"
Outside the garage, Eve's calves cramp from standing on her tippy-toes, peering through the small scrape in the paint that blacks out the window. From her position, she can see only Villanelle standing next to the BMW, except now it's white. She strains to try to make out words from the muffled conversation.
"I can get you more of everything," Dasha offers. "Money, clothes, apartment. All better than you've ever had."
"I want to be avtoritet," Villanelle says, almost as a demand. "I will make my own decisions."
"She wants to be avtoritet." Dasha laughs. "Oksana, the avtoritet." She laughs again at the thought, flicking the ash off the end of her cigarette. "This is new, huh? You-"
Villanelle grabs Dasha by the throat. Dasha returns the attack.
Eve gasps, eyes widening. Impulse prompts her to run inside but she fights against it, filling with fear as she watches Villanelle struggle against an unseeable attacker. Needing to know who is on the other end of the hand that chokes Villanelle, Eve jumps up and attempts to look through another scratch higher up the window. She jumps again and catches a glimpse of Dasha.
"Villanelle." Villanelle digs her fingers into Dasha's neck, squeezing harder. "You call me Villanelle."
"Get the Porsche." Dasha sneers. "Then we talk."
She releases her grip, stubbing her cigarette out on Villanelle's shoulder and burning a hole in her blazer. Villanelle growls and shoves Dasha, trying to brush off the ash but the hole is already there. Dasha chuckles, making her way towards the backdoor.
Hearing footsteps, Eve takes cover between the steel drums and a tower of tires, crouching down low, her heart drumming hard and fast in her chest. Dasha throws open the door and marches down the alley in the direction Audrey went, making it only a few steps before she pauses and turns, looking around the lot and searching the darkness for anything out of place. Eve holds her breath, hidden from view, watching through the gaps and waiting what feels like hours for Dasha to turn around and walk all the way to the street, lighting a cigarette while doing so.
Without another second for Eve to think, Villanelle comes out the door—now dressed in all black—going in the direction of Bill's car. Eve freezes completely still, every muscle locked in place, as Villanelle passes by only an arm's length away.
Keeping her eyes on the ground, Villanelle prowls down the alley and turns the corner then stops abruptly.
Eve curses at herself for parking so close and abandons her hiding place, following after Villanelle and keeping to the shadows as she did. She pokes her head around the corner, spotting Villanelle looking in the windows of the Prius.
"Fuck," Eve mutters, kicking herself for making the poor decision to come tonight and the even poorer decision of leaving the safety of the car.
Villanelle notices the Kit Kat wrapper next to a mobile phone in the cupholder then the very distinct scuff on the glove box. The hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She looks over her shoulder.
Eve whips her head back, holding herself as close to the wall as possible. Her chest pitches as adrenaline rushes through her.
Villanelle surveys the quiet street, looking in all the places one might hide—behind the tow truck down the street or the rubbish bins, on the other side of the power box or the low fence. She glances towards the alley once then sets her jaw and pulls her hood over her head, walking down the pavement at a fast pace.
With her heart pounding out of control, Eve peers around the corner once more, locating Villanelle and following her without a second thought. She does her best to stay out of sight and keeps a reasonable distance as she trails Villanelle, passing a bus stop, turning right by a laundromat, and continuing straight for quite a ways, few cars passing by on the street at this late hour.
A light rain coming down, Eve starts to shiver from the cold, following Villanelle for another ten minutes, taking several more turns. As they pass a food and wine store, Villanelle glances back forcing Eve to jump into the doorway to remain unseen. When she steps back out, Villanelle is nowhere to be found—not on either side of the street going in either direction.
"Shit."
Eve runs her hands through her curls, anxiously glancing up and down the street. Then she suddenly realizes she is without her phone and made no attempt to keep track of when they turned and where.
It takes Eve thirty-eight minutes to find her way back to the Prius, making two wrong turns, passing a pawn shop which felt off, turning around and taking a left turn on pure instinct, hesitating to take another turn but doing so anyway and eventually ending up back on the street she parked on though coming from the opposite direction of which she and Villanelle went before.
As she gets closer, she notices bits of broken glass on the pavement all around the car.
Her heart drops.
She runs up to the Prius, holding her hands on her head when she sees the extent of the damage—the front windows and windshield smashed in and the taillights busted.
"No." She groans miserably, thinking of the reprimand she will receive from Bill, then she panics and feels around her pockets for the keys, relaxing some when she finds them, at least having some insight to take them with her before she went wandering around in a dark back alley.
Exhausted and freezing, Eve opens the car door and brushes the glass off the seat as best she can, climbing inside and reaching for her phone in the cup holder but finding it missing. She doesn't bother to search around, already knowing its fate. Letting out a long, defeated sigh, rests her forehead on the steering wheel and begins to cry.
AN: Thanks for reading! Feedback is always welcome :)