Three days later, Sakura stepped out of the taxi cab, looking up at the window in which she knew Sasuke was waiting. She'd called in earlier, and his secretary, a young Hyuuga girl had answered, saying he was free around six. From in his office, he saw her get out and pay the cabbie. He raced down the stairs to Hinata's office as fast as he could, hoping to beat Sakura there. "Did you tell Miss Haruno she could come?" he spat.
Hinata jumped, sending her coffee splattering over the document she had been correcting. "Y-y-y-y-yes," she stuttered. "You were f-f-f-f-free and she wanted to see you." Sasuke swore under his breath. As he was about to tell his secretary not to let Sakura in, she walked briskly through the door, tossing rain from her hair. Hinata gave him a look of terror, made something up about making copies, and fled the room before he could throw something in his blind rage.
"Oh, good," she said pleasantly, handing him her coat forcefully. "I thought you might be scared of me coming again. Our last visit was less then friendly. So, should we go up to your office where there won't be mice listening at doors?" She glanced over at the half-open door, where Hinata was undoubtedly listening, her ear pressed against the cold metal, her lips pursed in concentration.
He sucked in a deep breath and dropped the coat on an empty space on the desk. "After you," he said, pointing to the metal door that marked his office space. She smiled, nodded curtly, and stepped inside. "So?" he demanded.
She sat down in his chair, her lean legs crossing naturally, silky cloth crinkling around her hips. She kept the smile firmly in place. "You're a particularly lucky man. Two visits in one week. I know people who'd kill for that," she said. He clenched his teeth, wishing she would just get to her point and leave so he could stop staring at the way the fabric of her dress clung to her shoulders around her neck. Standing in one fluid motion, she finished, "I need your answer. You know what I mean."
He grimaced. He knew full well what she meant. He didn't like it, though, and he was still working out his answer. He hadn't been counting on her quick return. As he did when faced with any difficult situation, he took the chair she had vacated and sat, keeping her in sight at all times. He had remembered the way she pulled the gun on him the first time: he had barley noticed until it was being driven into his temple. Barley time to react.
He had to admit, she was good. She'd gotten much better since the last time he's seen her: some years ago at a low-life club. They'd talked. He'd bought her a few drinks. She'd taken him out with a clock before he even started to make a move. He'd woken up six hours later with a migraine headache, a horrible hangover, and the vague memory of skin on his fingertips.
She'd been strong then, and he had no doubt that it had changed much since. He probably hadn't changed much since. He was good at lasting. Snapping back to the present, he shook his head. "No," he said quietly. The smile on her face turned forced.
"I need the money. My business is failing. If that theater goes out of business, all those people are out of their jobs and their families, good people, will be out on the street. You have no idea what this means to all of them. They're counting on me. I told them to count on me," she said. He shrugged and spun the chair around so he was facing away from her hurt face. He didn't want to see her anymore.
Of course she couldn't just leave.
She walked around the room so she was facing him, her hands on the arms of the chair, trapping him. He could have easily wrestled away, but he didn't bother. "How's Naruto?" he asked instead. This took her by surprise. She didn't let got, but he could almost feel her grip loosen.
"He's fine," she said slowly. "But he's not part of this."
Sasuke took his time thinking of a good answer. "He's as much a part of this as you and me. Does he know you're here?" he asked. She let go of the chair and stalked to the window.
"Of course he doesn't know. Why would he care what I do to save all of us? He tried to do it, too. Maybe he was a little less... forceful." A smirk played on Sasuke's face. It was gone in an instant, but it had been there. They both know Naruto would be less then happy about Sakura coming to Sasuke for help of any sorts. The two men had been on friendly terms once, but that was long since gone. "I am able to do things by myself. I've been doing them for years. All sorts of things he doesn't know about."
The smirk was back. "Good thing you have someone to confide in," he said. Glaring, she turned her back to him and began pacing back and forth in front of the door. She had been crying. He'd always been able to tell. It was because of the rings around her eyes, a dead give away. He would admit he was impressed, though. She'd hidden it well last time they had met.
"Just because I tell you things, doesn't mean I like you," she said coldly. He pushed his chair back and moved to grab her shoulder. She let him turn her to face him, although she refused to look him straight in the eyes. That didn't bother him. It hadn't taken long after he met her to get used to staring at her forehead when she was upset.
"Money isn't the only reason you're here," he said quietly. Truthfully. Yanking her shoulder out of his hand, she stepped backwards and crossed her arms. "Don't lie. You missed me." She rolled her eyes, but he had already seen the dark look dancing across her features. That was another thing he'd come to recognize. Fleeting looks that were quickly masked with coy smiles or deep frowns.
She half-laughed--more a barking sound then her usual chimes. "He proposed to me last night before I left the Lumiese," she sighed, her shoulders sinking as if under some strange weight. "I'm going to marry him. You're not invited to the wedding." Sasuke smirked, but didn't move to grab her again.
"How childish. Are you leaving yet?"
She shook her head. "When do I get my loan?" she asked. He pondered for a moment. He had been undecided, but while they were talking, he had become quite sure as to what he would have her do.
"You'll have to earn it. Come work for me. I'll pay you higher wages than I do the others. Of course, I'll have to exploit you more then them. I'm sure your tips will be high." A series of expressions passed through her eyes, almost simultaneously. First, disgust, and then a deep loathing, and finally acceptance.
As she turned to leave, he smirked. "You start tomorrow. Don't be late or I may have to deduct from your wages."
All she could think about was what Naruto would think. He knew how she moved, how her hips pivoted, her legs pressed each step into the ground with purpose. What would he think if he found out she was using this grace to earn money for their club? What would he do to stop her? Could she be stopped? She pushed him to the back of her mind, turning the ring he'd given her around and around her finger, marveling at the smooth feeling of the band.
One last question spilled into her mind before she caught her cab home: Was she going too far?
Note: I think this chapter is much shorter than the first one--I'll try to make the next few a little longer.
Also, I'd like to start taking story requests. Such as ideas for a story I'm written (which I probably won't use--but you can send them if you'd like), a request for a type of story, request for a certain pairing, or for a plot you've thought of and would like to see written by some one else.