Sway wakes the next morning with a firm resolve to get back to business. Dressing inconspicuously, she heads outside. This morning she'll try the market, generally fruitful grounds for petty thievery. She walks down the grimy streets, alert and waiting for an opportunity to present itself. She finds one in the shape of a boxing match. A couple of roughs are going at it in the ring, their faces streaked with blood and sweat. The crowd gasps and hollers as one man catches his opponent square in the jaw. The crowd stands riveted with morbid fascination.
Sway slips among them, muttering ungraciously when someone bumps into her and keeping her eyes lowered. No one notices her hands slipping deftly into purses and pockets. After passing through the crowd and out the other side, she decides to call it quits. She doesn't want to overwork her advantage. She walks back to the Thieves Palace, her step jaunty and her eyes bright. Nothing makes her feel more alive than thieving.
She ignores the ragged children clamoring about the newest headlines, not wanting to waste any of her ill-gotten money. Their presence turns her thoughts back to Mush, wondering what he thinks of her after last night's episode. She wishes he hadn't seen through her act. It makes everything so much more complicated. Sway skirts Central Park, resisting the urge to look for him.
She saunters into the Thieves Palace and makes for the stairs, eager to store her ill-gotten goods in her room. Rumor catches her arm before she makes it halfway there. "There's a man been askin' around after ya. By the name of . . ." she snaps her fingers, trying to remember. Sway's heart jumps. She's not sure if she's dreading his name or aching to hear it. ". . . name of Mush. That sound familiar?" Sway nods, unwilling to give away any details to Rumor. There's no quicker way to spread news than to tell a girl like her. "Said he wanted to see ya. I told 'im that ya weren't in the receivin' mood." A grin flashes across Rumor's face.
"Lord, you make me sound like a workin' girl." Sway rolls her eyes. "Thanks for the message, anyway." She leaves before Rumor can interrogate her. She pushes at her door, then kicks it open resentfully when it sticks. The dampness in the air always makes the door finicky at this time of year.
Her room feels different. Almost as though she's not alone . . . Sway whips her dagger out from her belt, spinning around. What she sees stops her heart. Mush leans against the wall, half in shadow. A crooked smile curves his lips at Sway's inquisitive stare.
"Ya ain't the only one who knows how ta open windows from the outside," he says smugly. Sway shoves her dagger back in her belt and tosses her pouch of thievings onto the bed. She sits on a rickety stool, pulling together the shreds of her composure. She wonders why he always manages to throw her off balance like this.
"So's this a courtesy visit or what? "'Cause normally people use the door." She feels cool pleasure at how casual her voice sounds.
"I got tired of waitin' to see ya. I had this feelin' ya were avoiding me, Sway." He sounds serious. Sway considers before answering.
"Might have been, yeah," she replies lightly. It's no use lying to him about it. She squeaks her stool back and forth under his level gaze.
"Why?" He finally asks. She swipes her hair back from her face, exasperated with him. Why should she have to answer his questions? He barely knows her.
"What's it to you, Mush?" She stands up abruptly, exasperated. "I've got business to attend to anyway. Come back later. Or don't." She shrugs and reaches for the door, but Mush blocks her way.
"Knock it off, Sway. I ain't buyin' it," he growls. He takes a step toward her. "What's the matter with you? You afraid or somethin'?" She knows that he's goading her, but she can't resist.
"I'm not afraid," she says through gritted teeth. She's trying to convince herself as well as him. She can tell by the look on his face that he's not buying her act. He'll let her keep lying to herself or as long as she needs to, but he won't ever believe it. He hisses a curse under his breath. He turns away from her, then whips back around.
"Look, Sway, if ya ain't had to much experience with men I'll understand-"
Sway cuts him off angrily. "I ain't exactly some timid virgin, Mush." Her voice comes out harsher than she meant it to. She wishes she could pull the words back out of the dead silence, but all she can do is glare sullenly, folding her arms across herself. He leans back against the wall and fixes her with his intense gaze. Once again she feels as though her protection is sliding away, leaving her bare and lonely.
"You just keep closin' yourself off, Sway." She starts to protest, but he cuts her off. "You know it's true."
"Don't." Her voice has the barest hint of tears in it. She swallows hastily and clears her throat. "I'm not a good person to get involved with, Mush. It's not smart. You'll only get hurt." She doesn't know why she cares, but her chest feels tight every time she thinks about causing him pain. Not like the other boys, the ones she laughs with and charms and then moves on. Mush shrugs.
"I can't help it, Sway. It's like I ain't got no choice in the matter." She knows. The emotions between them are tangles with attraction, anger, concern, spite, need, regret . . . Is love among them? She doesn't know.
Sway presses her palms to her face. "Alright," she whispers. "Alright." He's close, too close. The dim light slides over his handsome face, alights within his chestnut eyes. She lays her hand on his arm, feeling his taut muscles beneath the rough cloth of his shirt. She draws nearer, then pauses, unsure. Her lips brush his gently, and he slides his strong arm around her waist. At his first touch her heart races. She glows. She kisses him deeply, desperately, pushing up against him. She slides her hands under his shirt, drawing her nails lightly over his back. She can feel his sharp intake of breath, then loses herself as he kisses her neck. Abruptly he pulls back, his chest heaving slightly. She can see the effort it costs him. "You should go," she breathes. "We can't finish this." She's glad to see that he agrees, for a change. He kisses her once, chastely, then slips through the window into the night. She has to force herself not to look after him.