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15

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Mort was prancing around in his room, barely dressed. His shirt was unbuttoned and hung open loosely. He was packing a suitcase for his trip to Europe, when there was a knock at the door.

Slightly startled by it, he began to wonder who could it be? Was it Balkan coming back to give him another bogus request? Was it 'John Shooter', coming to accuse him of stealing once more and then leave some more riddles by his doorway? Or perhaps, it was that mysterious girl who had been popping up out of nowhere recently in his life?

He didn't know, and he didn't think that he wanted to find out. Nevertheless, he reluctantly marched over to the door and placed his eye to the peephole.

Liana Telfer! What could she possibly want from him? He thought.

Although he certainly knew what he wanted from her...

He paused for a moment, thought hard, then opened the door.

"May I come in?" She asked, politely.

Mort was more than thrilled to step aside and usher her in. "Mmhmm."

Liana let herself into his room and began removing her scarf from around her neck.

"Please sit down," Mort said, buttoning up his shirt.

She went to the couch, sat as he had told her and crossed her legs seducingly. She had crossed her legs before, but this time there was something different. This time... she was wearing a short skirt.

Mort gulped, trying to fight back the sudden urge he felt to jump her right then and there.

Liana 'admired' his untidy hotel room from the sofa, then spoke. "I've come to talk business," She said.

"Mmhmm," Mort replied again, taking a seat in the armchair across from her.

Liana opened her purse and pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. She took one out and lit it, then replaced the pack and lighter back into her purse. "Yesterday, when you came to see me about that book, I was too surprised to react as I should have done. I mean, it really was one of my friend's favorites," Liana explained.

"So you said," Mort replied.

"I'd like to get it back for him."

"That could be a problem," Mort replied.

"Not necessarily. It all depends," Liana insisted.

"On what?"

"On you," She replied, a devilish grin appearing over her face.

Mort stared at her, wondering what it would feel like to touch those legs. Those soft, silky legs. "I don't understand, Mrs. Telfer. The book isn't mine to dispose of."

Liana sat back, showing off her superb legs even more. "You work for money, I take it?" She asked.

"What else?" Mort replied.

"I have a great deal of money," Liana explained.

"I'm happy for you," Mort replied, trying to get off the subject before he got to the point of no return.

"You could stage a theft. I imagine your client is well insured," Liana explained.

"I'm a professional, ma'am," Mort stated.

"You're a professional mercenary. Mercenaries work for the highest bidder," Liana said, knowing she would soon break him.

Mort shrugged. "I make a living."

Liana leaned in close to him. "I could throw in a bonus," she said in a soft, sexy voice.

"This has happened before someplace," Mort said, knowing that he desperately wanted to accept her 'bonus', but he had to remain professional.

She leaned back. "I know. In the movies," Liana replied. She had hooked him..

"And she had an automatic in her stocking," Mort said.

Liana looked at him and then he watched, mesmerized, as she very slowly slid her skirt up her thighs to reveal the smooth skin between her stocking tops and garter belt. "No automatic," She said and, just as slowly, smoothed her skirt back down over her thighs.

Mort swallowed hard. He had to get away from her before he got too 'excited'. He stood up and went over to the liquor table in the corner of the room. "Would you like a drink?" Mort asked from over his shoulder.

"Why not?" She said.

Mort poured some liquor into two fancy glasses and brought them back over to the sofa.

Liana sat motionless for an instant and looked up at him. Then, very slowly, she put out her cigarette in the ashtray on the coffee table. She raised the same hand and placed it on Mort's crotch. Liana moved her hand slowly up and down over it, feeling its hardness.

Mort still had both his hands full with the fancy glasses and was only able to stand there, hypnotized. She had his gaze, withdrew her hand and rose. They were only inches apart now.

She took one of the fancy glasses from his hand and clinked it against Mort's. Then she chugged it. Mort, in a kind of trance, did likewise.

Liana took the glass from his hand and placed it down on the coffee table along with hers. Suddenly, she pulled him in close and began to kiss him madly, her lipstick smearing red all over his mouth. Mort finally responded and lead her backward onto the sofa. He began to push up her skirt, revealing a small tattoo in the shape of a snake devouring its own tail.

Impassioned in his lust, Mort failed to see it.