Chapter 10

She was glorious, he thought, as she stared him down, shaking with repressed with anger.

"I wanted to tell you," he told her.

"Yes, I supposed that is what you meant by 'I'm not who you think I am', she remarked snidely. "It is not very illuminating though, is it? Hardly informational."

With a sigh, Haymitch ran his hand down his face. "Sweetheart, I couldn't – How was I supposed to tell you who I am without compromising the job? You wouldn't have given me the time of day."

"I do not know what you hope to achieve but what were you thinking?" she snapped. "That I wouldn't check on you…? You have a website running for crying out loud. You are a terrible… spy!"

"I ain't a spy," he mumbled. "That website was never an issue before. I never had to make contact with my... They aren't usually trying to run away that I actually had to hide who I am."

"What was that?"

Haymitch shot her a look then took a peek down the corridor. All the doors were closed. Stepping back, Haymitch gestured for her to come in but the hesitation played across her face. Between entering a room with a man who had hidden something and was clearly hiding more and fleeing back to the safety of her apartment, the side that yearned to know the truth won.

Effie stormed in.

He shut the door quietly. No need to attract any attention their way.

"Put on some pants," she hissed. "I refuse to have this conversation with someone naked."

"Why's that? Scared you might throw yourself at me again, sweetheart?"

"Since you have not seen yourself in the mirror, then allow me to inform you that the mark my hand left behind is still red and fresh on the right side of your cheek. I have no qualms adding another on your left."

The memory of that slap made him scowl but it was also enough for him to grab his pants off the floor. He found an undershirt and put it on, just in case talking to him bare-chested was also a problem for her.

There was something about her that was captivating. She stood straight and tall, and petite as she was, Effie had a commanding presence in his room that made it very difficult for him to ignore her.

"You want to maybe, take a seat or something?" he muttered.

"My father sent you, didn't he?"

The loud sigh coming from him only served to irritate her further because she frowned. Haymitch, on the other hand, couldn't have this discussion without a drink so he poured himself a glass. He would have drank straight from the bottle but he needed to do something with his hands and pouring himself a drink would buy him just a little bit of time.

"Did he?" Effie demanded.

"You already know the answer to that," Haymitch gritted his teeth.

"You lied to me."

It was frightening just how calm she sounded but he was no fool. He thought of a crocodile swimming beneath the surface of a seemingly calm river.

"Yeah, well, I've never lie to you, sweetheart. I'm here on business that's still the truth. I've just never told you that you are that business. See, there's a difference."

"I am trying really hard not to slap you again although the temptation is there. You are infuriating. Withholding the truth is lying no matter what you said."

"Lying is telling you something that ain't true and not factual in nature. I did nothin' like that," he smirked because despite the seriousness of the situation he was beginning to enjoy this back and forth banter they were having.

"Oh, you snake," she exploded and then composed herself with a series of deep breaths. "What does my father want?"

"He wants you home. The same thing when he sent Seneca Crane after you. It was Crane, yeah, that made you flee from Italy?"

"So my father… He hired you?"

"Yeah," Haymitch nodded, watching her.

"I thought I found someone that … You seemed sincere," she said in a small whisper. "I supposed I have always been a terrible judge of character. What were you planning on doing, Haymitch? Become a friend to me and then betray me? Oh, I am so glad I found out early."

"No," he shook his head. "I didn't think it through. I'm never like this. I've never given in to my - I always have a plan but then I saw you at the light show … I went to your boutique the day after and before I could – you came to me and the whole thing got away. I never wanted to sleep with you – "

"That is just marvellous, isn't it? You are doing wonders to my pride."

"Dammit, Effs, I didn't want to sleep with you 'cause I didn't want you to think that I made use of you. Do you fucking understand? It's got nothin' to do with whether or not you're desirable because you and I both know that you are."

"What was my father's instruction to you?"

"I'm supposed to convince you come home."

"He never gives up," Effie said with a slow shake of her head. "I do not wish to go home, Haymitch."

"I know," he let out a breath and dropped at the edge of the bed. "I heard your story and I understand why you left. I realised how fucked the situation is, alright? I almost wish I hadn't asked," he chuckled. "It doesn't make my job here easy."

She stood over him and crossed her arms.

"So leave," she declared. "Book a flight, leave Singapore and leave me alone. Tell my father you couldn't find me."

"I can't do that. He knows we've met."

He lifted his gaze to her and all he wanted to do was to make the frown disappear. Haymitch reached out, purposefully, and rested his hand on her hip. She clicked her tongue in disapproval but the caress of his thumb against her hipbone was insistent.

"It's not so easy, Effie."

He tugged on her hand until she unfolded them and guided her towards the bed. She took a seat next to him.

"It ain't right what I did," he started talking and chance a glance in her direction. "But we ain't friends or anything more so… You don't have to feel betrayed."

She scoffed.

"You led me on," Effie accused. "Imagine if our position was reversed."

He would have lost his temper. He would have thought that she had purposely seduced him into….

"Fine, then I'm sorry 'bout that," he told her. "I am, okay? Now that you already know… Maybe we can talk 'bout it, come up with something that benefits everyone."

He felt her incredulous gaze on him, silently thinking he was an idiot, probably.

"Oh, let's hear it then, your brilliant plan."

"You sister is getting married," he informed her, waiting to see her surprise at what he thought would be news to her but there was none. It puzzled him. "So … Why don't you just come home for that, huh? My job will be done 'cause you being at your sister's wedding seems like all your mother cares about – a complete family for the paparazzi. When the wedding's over, you leave. There's that loophole in my deal with your father."

"Eirene is well aware that I will not be attending her wedding," Effie announced. "But, for your information, I have been planning my sister's wedding with her every step of the way. In fact, I designed her wedding dress. Cinna, a friend of mine, back home will bring the dress to life."

"What?" he sputtered. "You're in contact with your sister? She knew all along where you were?"

"Of course, she does. She's my sister. Unlike my parents, Eirene has always been on my side. I have nothing against her or my brother. It is Marius, my sister's fiancé, who helped me with my shop here. I knew nothing about registering and setting up a business. He helped me with the funding to get me started. My sister has been sworn to secrecy and she knows I am happy here. She knows what being at her wedding with my parents would do to me. She would never force me into that. We made plans, Haymitch, for my sister and her fiancé to come by Singapore after their wedding before they embark on their honeymoon. It was either that or for me to meet them halfway."

"Well, shit."

"I am afraid you've been played," she told him softly. "How much are you being paid? How much money are my parents spending on you? I can… I can always out pay them but in return, please leave and do not come looking for me anymore."

"I don't think so," he told her. "I have a job to finish, sweetheart."

"Just give me a figure I can work with, Haymitch," she insisted. Her voice had taken on an edge and she was riled up again with his refusal.

"You can't out pay them because your parents aren't paying me in cash," he informed her.

"What do they have over your head?"

"Nothin'. But it ain't cash that they're giving me once I get you home," he said. "You're not the only one with problems, sweetheart. I have them too but at least I'm not runnin' away from them. I'm trying to deal with it by takin' on this job. They pulled me out of my 'retirement' for this."

She was back to staring at him and something loathsome danced in her eyes.

"You are despicable. I told you about myself and now you are using it against me. I should have known that no one can be trusted. You really are ugly for manipulating me that way."

"And you're just like the parents you never wanted to be in the first place," he spat, now equally annoyed and stressed over the fact that she was slipping between his fingers which meant losing Prim's tuition and his record being public knowledge. "You think money can buy everything."

She made sure to slam the door on her way out.

What do you think of her confrontation with Haymitch? Or her offer to Haymitch to outpay her parents? Let me know your views :)