Chapter 16 Intimate Strangers.

Sands doesn't belong to me, only my O.C.s do. Reviews very welcome

Sara's fear at the start of this meeting was being steadily replaced by anger, it simmered long and slow. Anyone with eyes could see this Jaque was flirting with Sands, even those without eyes seemed to have caught on to that too, she had never disliked that smirk of his so much, and no she told herself, she was definitely not going to analyse herself to ask why, she was not her own patient, that arrogant broken man was. He had to be broken, after all that had happened to him. She ignored the fact when broken she had got closer to him, seen more of what he thought, even if it was just nightmares. She was thinking too much, she snapped at herself and took a drink of tequila, reminding herself she really didn't like him.

Jaque gave a chuckle "Loca, maybe you are Sands, but I have to wonder, how much I am on your revenge list too" she said

"As far as I've known I have never met you, so what could I possibly have against you?" Sands mused

"You know that's not true, surely. We have met" she pointed out

"Ah and I thought I had phrased it so cleverly, ok then we are, strangers"

"I doubt someone being a stranger has kept them off your 'to kill' list" she said "And you don't just kill strangers, Sands" she added "Ajedrez is hiding, deep.. to the earths core deep, and you need someone who knows how she thinks to find her, I am the only one who does, and has the motivation to help you"

"That motivation would be?" he said as if disinterested

"Staying alive, hence the question of your intentions with me" she said

"Oh definitely dishonourable'' he purred "Going for top rat status are you? But do, just for my own edification, explain why you are so edgy that I might want to kill you too? He said 'looking in her direction

"Don't tell me you haven't worked it out?" she said reluctant to say too much

"Assume I want to hear it anyway" he pointed out

"We did meet, several months ago, several times, and Ajedrez decided to kill me for it, it wasn't my choice, father never wanted one of us to have a total monopoly of information, or power, so for a few times, when Ajedrez proposed to him, you might be useful to turn, he sent me to meet you and report back how I found you too"

"That weekend in a fifth floor hotel room.. just room service, after a meal at the flying cow" Sands replied

Sara was sure, Jaque almost blushed, she certainly seemed suddenly more flustered "Yes" she hesitantly replied

"So much for it just being a little role playing.. though I guess you weren't totally lying when you said it was just different facets of you" he said dryly

"Ajedrez was.. annoyed to put it mildly, for having to share, she never was good at that, and that you, as she saw it, couldn't tell." Jaque's said

"Yeah, that would piss her off, she did posses a certain amount of ego'' Sands mused, "So, you think I owe my eyes being drilled out to that, I can see the logic" Sands said exhaling smoke

"So, does that get me dead?" she asked in an almost blasé voice

"Its gets her still top of the dead list, she after all watched said blinding" Sands said, ''and I figure your useful in setting up the big dance number, in keeping alive, Honey, your face is your fortune" Sands said, with an amused tone ''plus it was a damn fine weekend" he said smiling

Sara was sure that Jaque breathed a sigh of relief, before she stood and made as if casually leaving, to not draw attention to herself "You should eat here again soon, maybe Tuesday, we might bump into each other again" she said "I'd like that" she added leaning over and kissing his cheek very gently.

"I might just do that, it could be… fun" he said in similar casual tones.

Jaque's walked out of the bar, with a satisfied air, and air of owning the place, that was nothing to do with the fact that she did actually own it.

"Your not really believing her are you?" Sara said incredulously, and a mite louder than she meant too

Sands chuckled and leaned towards her as if just noticing something on her face, as if he could see, it was convincing, even if she knew it was false

"What do ya know, you never told me you had green eyes" he teased

"Mr Massive sized ego, do not think I am jealous, of what?" she said

"I gave her… good room service" Sands quipped "What, Watson, you think I shouldn't believe her?" He asked

"I wouldn't trust her" Sara replied

"That's not what I asked" Sands pointed out "And I did not say I trusted her, I said 'believe her', I know what she said is true, I should have worked it out at the time, but twins.. and they had deep, deep cover I am willing to bet, Barillo was not known for doing things by halves. And I know .Ajedrez, she would be spitting fire on the insult of it not being noticed, worse, I implied it was one of the better times. The time it wasn't her, so.. dead meat, from there on in.. me.. and her dearest sister" He said "I do believe if Ajedrez is still alive, she wants to kill her, for that slight, and cos she never had any intention of sharing the top job in the Cartel" he said "So she and I have a common aim" Sands pointed out "for now, " he added " its is, after all , only good business to use those who want what you want, for their own self interest, productivity goes up so much" he said

"I wouldn't know that I studied sick minds, not business practice" Sara pointed out "And your implying you are only keeping her alive until she gets you to Ajedrez" she pointed out

"That's how you read that is it.. interesting, you know that might say more about you than you know it says about me" he said "It was after all it was a real good weekend, and that might be my Achilles' heel , for all you know"

"My, a man who thinks with his dick, how unheard off" Sara said scathingly

Sands chuckled "My, you love a clichéd way of thinking don't you, it makes your job so much easier" he said "So what is it you find worse, that I might kill her anyway, or I might not?" he asked her, with an amused smirk on his face

"Both bother me" she admitted

"Well if it reassures you any, that little weekend, for all the trouble it caused to the best laid plans of rats and men, does, I have to confess, makes me go all soft, where I prefer to keep it good and hard" he said, smirk firmly fixed "And you can interpret that however you like" he teased