Hey guys, sorry for being a bit late on this as well as being not that great, I got so much going on in my life right now. Right at this moment while typing this I'm in the hospital with my mother, 5th day of being here.

Thank you for your patience on this chapter, and even though I don't find it good ( since I didn't put much heart on it due to focusing on my mother) I hope it's to you guys liking.

Enjoy

Muse: My Pet - Pays to know


Chapter 20

Tricky anaconda, coming down the rabbit hole

did you ever wonder, how it's gona go

coming out from under, round you go

I got you where I want ya

never know, never know

XxxxxxxxxX

"So this is all of it?" Red asks as she looks into the fat white envelope.

"It's all of it kid. now get the fuck out of my store if you ain't buying shit"

Red flinched back by his demand before putting away the envelope in her small messenger bag, feeling the impatient eyes of the devil lay heavy on her.

"Thank you Mr. Jersey...for the help" she hesitated before looking back up to his hidden eyes.

"Just don't miss a payment or you'll be sorry, You don't wanna piss off the Crooked Man" He warns her before heading into the back room muttering at himself.

Red was about to head out of the pawn shop until Jack came walking inside, "Shit it's cold." He said to himself as he starts to unzip his jacket, he looks up and locks eyes with Red, looking surprised to see her. "Red? What are you doing here? "

"Hey Jack, I'm just here...collecting something"

"More cash from the Crooked Man" He asks

"I uh-"

"Hey Jackass I don't pay you to be chitchating!" The Jersey Devil yells out from the back, Jack quickly takes off his jacket and heads up to the cash register.

Red follows him and pretends to look around, "Yeah..needed to borrow more money than I thought" she answered his earlier question

Jack made a face and just scratches the back of his head, "Sorry to hear that, it must be a large amount"

"Yeah, I asked the Tweedle brothers for help again, but they just sent me here for the amount I needed"

"That sucks Red, really. I was hoping for you to avoid this place" He tells her

"Why's that? "

"Jack! what the fuck did I just say!" Jersey yelled out again

"Cause of THAT" He whispered to her while sticking his thumb at the direction of the back room, Red giggles at that and pats his shoulder.

"As Gren told me once, 'all bosses are pricks', and speaking of which, I gotta get back to work. my lunch break is almost over"

"Alright than, see ya Red. oh and save me a slice of today's special" he shouts the last part to her as she heads out.

"Will do" Red heads out the Lucky Pawn and starts walking to work.

It was Thursday afternoon, and Red was still staying at Bigby's place since hers was still 'unsafe' to go back to, Bigby was the only one who would go there to get her more clothes and necessities like her tooth brush and things like that. He also accompanied her mother when she needed clothing as well, even though she hated every second of it.

Red's mother was staying at the hospital room with her grandmother, refusing to leave her side. She told her to come stay there as well so she can be closer to family and away from the Wolf, Red was consider the offer until she saw how Bigby lives.

He tries to make her feel comfortable at his small apartment, even took the time to sweep and mop the floors, not that well, but still, he did it so she can sleep easier with the sleeping bag and blankets he bought for her, since she had back problems by sleeping in the couch chair.

Red wished he could have bought one for himself or something, since he hasn't slept in 3 days, for he's been working nonstop on the case for Piper; which the guy just disappeared out of nowhere. Bigby has been juggling so many things at once, making her feel sorry for him; What with the search for Piper, taking care of other complaints, paperwork, AND walking her to both her jobs and picking her up; It should be taking its toll on him sooner or later.

Red was trying to head to work alone once by leaving early on Wednesday, only to have him catch up on her and getting an earful on how dangerous it is for her to be walking around alone with her stalker on the loose, which was why she was able to pick up the money during her lunch break.

And speaking of which, Bigby doesn't seem to eat as often as Red realized, thinking on the last time he ate a full meal was on Sunday night, so she started to cook Breakfast and Dinner for him Before entering work.

Dammit Bigby...you're going to collapse one of these days for not taking care of yourself...She thought to herself, she felt a pang of guilt crawling up on her, feeling sick to her stomach on the decision she made with herself the first night at his apartment.

Bigby wanted her, she realized that the moment when his lips brushed hers. At first Red thought he lusted for her Because of the way his body reacted when he pinned her down on the bed, but with growing signs of affection towards her, Red can only imagine it was more than lustful desire.

Yes...The Wolf wants her, and Red decided to take advantage of it in order to have Bigby on her side rather than Piper, If he's to tell of her secret when caught. Something Red hated herself for it, torturing him with her hugs, and teases.

Red sighs and rubs her face as she enters the bakery, her's mother looks up from the display table and goes up to her daughter and gives her a hug.

"How was your lunch break darling? " she asked with her motherly tone.

"It was alright mother, a much needed walk did me some good" she replies to her as she takes off her coat and puts on her red apron.

"Red! Get back in the kitchen and work! " Mr. Gingerbread yelled from the kitchen, Red simply rolls her eyes by the old man's reaction and gave her mother a kiss on her cheek.

"I'll take it from here mother, you enjoy your lunch" She says to her and heads to the kitchen.

"About damn Time you arrived" he grumbled as he took the tray of cookies out of the oven. "I'm not paying your lazy ass to stand around doing nothing"

"I'm all ready sir" she said to him after washing her hands and heads to the table, pouring the flour in the large mixing bowl. pricks indeed...she thought to herself, thinking back at what she said to Jack.

She heard the sound of the bell ring from the front door and entered an old woman in the kitchen who smiles at Red.

"Back already Red? did you enjoy your lunch? "

"yes I did Mrs. Gingerbread, thank you for asking" she smiles back at the wife of her boss as she mixes in the hot water.

unlike her husband, Mrs. Gingerbread was a kind old woman who never gives Red and her mother a hard time, but due to always getting sick she hardly shows up to the bakery.

"You shouldn't be here honey, you are still recovering" the old man said to his wife, shocking Red with the sudden kindness she has never seen from him.

"I'm quite alright dear, I just need to get out of the apartment" she says to him while reaching out to his hand.

"Than get out you shall, let's go out and have a lunch date" he offered.

"No no, we shouldn't leave poor Red alone in the bakery"

"Go enjoy your date Mrs. Gingerbread, I can handle this" like how I always do when your husband bails..

"Are you sure? " she asked, only getting a smile and a nod as an answer, "Well, alright then. We'll be back soon" they said their goodbye as they head out the door, leaving Red alone in the kitchen.

She left the dough to rise and she started making the pie crusts out of Graham crackers for today's special, pumpkin cheesecake, After making 4 the bell range again as a customer came in.

"Red, you in here?" the familiar voice of a woman called out, Red wipes her hands with a paper towel As she heads to the front and sees the dark haired fable grinning at her while resting her hands on her hips.

"Lily? oh wow its been so long! " She said to the glamoured troll as she gives her a hug. "Where have you been? "

"Oh you know, just working my ass Off as usual" she laughs as she follows Red back to the kitchen.

Red added creamed cheese in a bowl and started beating on it while the two continues to catch up, she glances up at Lily and notices that she was wearing a short black mini skirt that peeked out of her small leather jacket.

"Aren't you cold wearing that? " Red asked as she throws in the brown and granulated sugar into the mix.

"yep, freezing my ass off, but I gotta show the goods if I need to make the cash" she said as she lights up a cigarette, making Red glare at her and tap her toe. "Oh, sorry Red" she apologized and puts it out, remembering that her friend with the apron hated smoke

"Thank you" She smiles at her as she slows her wrist and started cracking eggs one by one in the bowl, "So...you've been doing okay? " Red frowns at her for her way of working.

"Oh sweetie, I've been great! I got this new job that pays great hun, which is the reason why I'm here to talk to you about hon"

Red looks up at her as she pushes the large bowl to the side and gets another one out. "Talk to me about what? "

"Word on the streets say you pulled out a loan from the Crooked Man, a big one, and I also know you've been working for my sister for free at the Trip Trap for paying off some bullshit debt. Honey, I Don't want you to be in bad terms with the big man, bad things happen if you do, so I want you to come work with me at the new job"

Red stopped pouring the pumpkin pie spice in the flour and gave Lily a blank stare for a moment, "Work with you? Why? I already have this job, and I DO have to pay off a debt to Holly"

"So just pay her the rest of what you owe and stick to making cakes Red, the second job is night time as well, and you get paid a shitload per night, here's my proof" she opens her little black purse and pulls out a fat roll of cash and puts it in front of Red's face and smirks as her green eyes grow wide.

"Oh my God, Lily. how much is that? "

"2 grand, and it's from Last night baby" she said to her as she puts away her money

"2 grand? I don't even make-" Red stopped mid sentence and forced her gaze down at her work as she added the boiled pumpkin she scooped out of earlier and started mixing it in the flour, "What job is it exactly? "

"it's a strip club called 'Pudding 'N' Pie' "

Red gave her a shocking look and slammed her mixing utensil down, "You mean the dump where Georgie Poregie owns? No way I'm working for that creep!"

"Oh come on Red, he's...not that bad of a guy"

"You hesitated"

"Had a hard time looking for the right words for his character" she contest, "But the money is good and you need something good to get out of that hole Red, I heard about Granny's attack and I bet the hospital bills are pretty expensive"

Red paused for a moment from pouring the two mixes together and got lost in thought, "Shit..." she quietly cursed, not remembering that bit, she borrowed 10 grand to pay Piper if Bigby fails to catch him. She also figured if he does catch him and, for her secret's sake, throws him down the witching well, she could use it for the damages to their apartment, But it never crossed her mind about her grandmother's hospital bills.

"oh shit..." she curses again and rest her elbows on the table and covers her face. Lily starts to rub her back in a comforting way and sighs.

"I know it's not the best job...or the most modest, but these are hard times Red..and Sometimes, that calls for doing hard decisions, especially if its to take care for the ones you love..." Lily patted her on the back than started heading out from the kitchen, "I gotta get going Red"

Lily stopped at the door way and lightly touched the purple ribbon around her neck and looked back at Red with a pained expression on her face, "I'm sorry Red...I really am.."

Red looked up at her with a confused look on her face, "Sorry for wh-" Lily quickly walked away and out the front door, leaving Red with the open offer.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Where the fuck could He be.." Bigby said out loud as he kept stared down to the ground while walking

"Did you say something? " Red asked out as she stops and looks behind her to him

"it's nothing...don't worry about it..."

Red just gave him a serious look before turning back around and continued walking. Bigby chewed on the cigarette than blew the smoke through his nostrils by As he follows Red to The Trip Trap, still amazed on how much this girl can change her look with a little makeup.

After she cooked dinner for him when they arrive at the apartment, she replaced her white flowy dress uniform into a short tight red dress with black tights, red boots and a red ribbon with the wolf and girl pendant around her neck, her hair was wild and loose compared from her proper tight braid from earlier; Red would always go to the bakery with her natural beauty, but there in the Trip Trap, she always wore her bright red lipstick and thin black eyeliner, making her look older and more mature.

"You thinking about Piper again" Red said it as a comment rather than a question.

"hard not to when he's still out there"

"If you have so much trouble looking for him why not track him with that nose of yours? "

"tried, but his trail went cold"

"hmm..that's weird" she tapped her chin with her index and middle fingers as she thinks for a moment, "So you checked any possible place he could have gone? have you checked the Farm?"

"I'm not allowed to go to the Farm" he said as he takes a drag

"Why's that? "

"Long story"

"No surprise, The Big Bad Wolf is full of stories. Let me guess, it's like a WvS thing up there isn't it and you're not allowed because of that"

Bigby raises an eyebrow "WvS?"

"Wolf Victims Support group" she glances back at him, "Maybe I should move to the farm, would be nice to join in and be away from you too" she jokes, but Bigby didn't find it amusing at all.

"I was able to Get Pipers younger brother and his wife, to come into Fabletown for questioning though," He tries to get back to the subject "Bad news is that Max hasn't seen or talked to Piper in years, didn't catch Pipers scent on him too so they are telling the truth...Did you know Piper's first name is Peter? "

"Yep, I just refused to call him by his first name"

"Why's that? "

"Cause Piper is like the freakin king of rats, and his full name reminds me of that new pizza place, if I put them all together I get an unwanted picture In my head of rats on pizza" Red replies while making a face of disgust.

"Aaaand now I have that unwanted picture" Bigby shook his head as if trying to shake it out while Red giggles, "case on why you hate pizza has been solved"

Red let's out a laugh at that and slows her pace to walk beside Bigby, "So what will you do to him..When you find Piper?"

"Keep him away from you"

"How? "

"Don't worry about how.." He replies with a calming tone, Not daring on telling her he's tempted to have Piper's scrawny neck in his jaws.

Red stops on her spot and and stares down on her feet. Bigby looks back and crease his forehead, "What's wrong? "

"Bigby, if you do catch him..he's going to be spitting out lies about me, so he can ruin me. Please don't believe in the lies he says to you Bigby...Please"

Bigby throws down his cigarette and stomps it out before reaching for Red and pulling her into an awkward one side hug, "Don't worry about it Red.."

Red stands In front of him and hides her face from his gaze by nuzzling on his chest as she wraps her arms around his waist, pressing her breasts against his chest, giving him a nice view down her cleavage from her open coat.

Bigby knew her sudden affections were all in act, Not the cooking and cleaning his apartment part, he can tell she's been doing that out of kindness, It's the soft touches and sweet whispers were the act, he could tell by the musk she would give off, the hint of lies. she was doing this for a reason, and he assumes it's to perhaps get info on Piper...or to hide something he could know about her.

But it doesn't stop his heart from beating, every little lie she says he takes, making himself believe them for a moment, every false touch she gives he sighs, leaving his body aching for her. Bigby is no fool, he knows what Red's doing, yet he still takes it, for its not just effecting him, it's also effecting Red as well without her even knowing it, All he can do is Get willingly caught by her and wait patiently for it to be his turn.

Once they arrived at the Trip Trap the first thing they notice Is the new group of mundies in the bar playing pool, a total of 4 guys drinking and having a good time.

"Looks like we got some new faces Here" Red looks up at Holly As she heads behind the bar and hangs her coat.

"Yeah, something about bar hoping as a new tradition for drinking before Halloween, how ya doing Red?" she kindly asked her before giving a cold glare at Bigby, "Wolf didn't eat ya again I see"

"but I can, just come and ask me honey" said one of the drunk mundies While the others wooo'd

Bigby glared at the men while closing his hand to a fits as his knuckles popped, making the mundies go quiet.

"Now now boys, let's behaved here, or I'm gonna have to cut ya short" Red said as she pulls out a shot glass and poured it with whiskey. "This one's on me Bigby" she said to him while passing the drink.

Bigby was about to put down the glass until Red leans in and kisses him on the cheek, "Take the shot for me will ya Wolfie?" she whispered in his ear before pulling away.

Bigby raised an eyebrow, "buying me a drink huh, should I be expecting something good when we get back to my place? " Bigby smirks by the blush that's coloring Red's cheeks, losing her game face for a moment before regaining it back. She leans in on the bar and gently reaches for his black tie and playfully tugs It to pull him closer to her.

"Well Sheriff, that depends if you can handle it" she whispers to him before giving him another kiss on the opposite stubble cheek, so close to his lips there corners met.

Too damn hard to be patient sometimes...He thought to himself as he pulls away and takes the shot, getting rewarded by Red smiling. "Pick you up after work Red" he said to her as he sets down the glass and walks out the bar.

Bigby takes a breath as he fixes his tie, feeling as if Red sucked it out of him with the smooth talk and kisses. He gets up the steps and takes another breath, when he caught something, a familiar scent. He looked around his surroundings and saw the White Rabbit in the street, walking away from the area.

Bigby was about to run after him until he bumped into a person that was heading down the steps to the Trip Trap, accidentally knocking the Orange flyers out of his hands.

"Watch where you're going man!" the man snaps at him

"Sorry" Bigby apologized while staring at the direction of the fable, he than started picking up the flyers and glances down on what it says, "The Wolf Pack?"

"Yea, name of my band" the man said to him, Bigby looks up and sees his face, another Mundy heading into the Trip Trap. The young man had his long black hair tied to the back and had a guitar case hang on his back.

"lead guitarist? " he randomly asked

"And vocals, the names Travis" he answered him as he gets up from the ground. Bigby hands over the flyers and notices the healing cuts on his knuckles. Travis glances down to his hands than back up at Bigby

"I won" he said as he grabs the flyers from Bigby's hand.

"hope he deserves it" was all he said as starts to head out.

"Oh wait, here. In case you wanna check us out" he said as he gives him a flyer

"Sure" he grabs the flyer and starts heading at the direction of the fable, he caught his scent so Bigby can easily catch up to him, for now he's going to keep a good distance while following the White Rabbit. hoping to find a rat in the rabbit hole he crawls out.


There it is guys, hope you enjoyed it.

Since I have been stuck here for a while I have been taking advantage of the free wifi here so I've been watching 'Hemlock Grove' on Netflix and I fell in love with this certain song from episode 6, so I hope you guys check out the song. It's pretty sexual but I love it lol

watch?v=z4lfljtOLxY

I'm not sure when I'll update the next chapter but if you follow me on Tumblr Lanellyxd you can get updates on when a chapter will be up, along with drawings of 'Little Trouble Girl'

Okay guys, I'm out. Until next time

Xoxo