Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.
A/N: I decided to post this chapter a week early since I will not be able to update next week. My apologies.
Chapter 17
Aria was pleased with my progress so far, although I could safety say I did not agree with her. I was ashamed. I had lost control, lost my balance, and for a single, passionate moment, I would have gladly shed my cover to feel him inside of me.
I was enraged by that reality. That weakness.
I decided to use my anger to maintain control. I would drink no wine, refuse to indulge in his niceties, and remember my place. I was a professional after all, and romantic escapades would have no effect on me. Guy was my target and he would die by my hand no matter how warm his touch, no matter how sweet his lips. My anger would sharpen my resolve and guide my hand. He would have no control over me.
I was Jin. I was no man's thoughtless whore.
I readied myself for work, scrubbing his scent from my body even as I banged my elbows against the shower stall. It was during such still, common moments in my life that reality seemed fair and fitting. I could have been anybody, could have left Omega on some dusty freighter and taken my chances amidst the stars, but it was not to be. Omega was a part of me, my home, and I had decided to remain.
I owed Aria no debt as I did not ask for her aid. If anything, I had repaid her tenfold in my duties, my shadowed services always in high demand. She favored me with a sort of companionship, professional respect, and continued employment. It was a stream of normalcy for me, and I found that consistency a constant source of comfort.
I also found the quieter times between and during assignments steadying. The game could drag on for weeks, months even; and while my patience occasionally ran thin, I found the growing anticipation heightened my pleasure and made the kill that much more satisfying. At times I was almost reluctant to end the hunt as it would mean the game was over, but I never failed in my duty. Always, however, the future contained yet another assignment. I would not lack for work. Aria had a plethora of enemies and friends in need of disposing.
I slipped my knife into my boot, the familiar weight comforting, and tossed on my jacket as I walked out the door. My omni-tool chimed softly as my apartment's locking mechanisms activated and I made my way through the alleys to the VIP lounge. I still had my cover to maintain and work to be done. As mundane as bartending oft seemed to be, it served well enough as a useful distraction from the more exciting bits of my employ. I was perfectly satisfied for the time being.
The lounge was filled with the usual patrons when I arrived and Xel immediately put me to work filling their orders. I scurried around, quickly matching his pace before I recognized a familiar face. The nameless Lout reclined lazily in a shadowed corner, sipping on his beverage. Irritation flooded my veins as I remembered his presence in the alley last night, and myriad conspiracy theories churned within my thoughts.
I had no doubt he was sent to observe me, but for what purpose I could not fathom. He was not in Aria's employ, of that I was certain. I had long known she used others to monitor my progress, and although they remained unseen, I was not unaware of their presence. It was the only explanation for her immediate knowledge of my successes.
No, he was not one of Aria's and I questioned his connection to Guy. I had not seen them engage in any formal activity, but his arrival was too closely timed with Guy's to be mere coincidence. I had time only briefly to ponder the possibility of their association before he presented himself before me, glass empty and an expectant expression upon his face.
"Ready for a refill?" Although his request was obvious, I asked anyway, doing little to hide the irritation in my voice.
"What gave it away?" His eyes sparkled darkly in the flashing lights and I ignored the sarcasm dripping from his lips.
I grabbed the bottle of bourbon, memory serving me well, and filled his request with the hope that he would return to his seat in the shadows. As per usual, my hopes carried little weight. He settled on to the barstool and spun his drink almost listlessly. His glass ground against the counter, the scratching noise setting my nerves aflame.
"Will you desist?" I pinched the bridge of my nose, pushing aside the many lovely images of torture that I desperately desired to inflict upon him.
He seemed aware of my discomfiture and to my surprise, complied with my request. "You seem on edge today. Something bothering you?"
Again my irritation flared, but I covered my displeasure by vigorously scrubbing the countertop. "Not your business."
"And how, she says." The Lout took a large swallow of his bourbon and slammed the glass down on the counter, amber liquid sloshing over the sides. "Color me interested."
I paused in my chores as another customer approached. I filled his beverage order with alacrity, ignoring the Lout for a brief moment. I was back in his sights once again as soon as the other patron left.
"So go on. Tell me of your troubles."
I swallowed the retort tickling my lips, choosing instead to fix him with a steely glare. "I have no wish to share my thoughts with you."
"Oh yes," he nodded with feigned magnanimity. "I doubt my small brain could encompass the complexity of a woman's quandaries. I hope it would not be too much to ask for your assistance with enlightenment?"
A stream of vile curses swept viciously over my tongue, but I dared not speak them, dared not draw attention to my anger. Although no one batted an eyelash - or a membrane - at violence in the lower bar, the VIP lounge was a more sophisticated setting. I dared not earn Aria's ire by marring the reputation of her more upstanding club. Instead I settled for a verbal spat.
"I fear enlightenment is beyond your capacity, Sir. I daresay it requires those abilities which you seem to lack."
A deep, hearty laugh escaped his lips and he ran a hand through short-cropped hair. "Pray, tell me which abilities I am lacking?"
"Why should it matter to you?" I snorted.
"All the better with which to please you."
The sincere tone of his statement caught me off guard and I fumbled, suddenly at a loss for a witty retort. What manner of man was he who so carelessly flung sarcasm about as if varren dung? Why did he have the seemingly innate ability to irritate me so? I opened my mouth to spit out a sharp reply, but held my tongue when I espied Guy's entrance into the lounge.
He was dressed in a tailored jacket, clean lines molding to his form. Nervous energy fluttered in my belly once more and I was beside myself with an influx of emotion. As much as I struggled to contain my excitement at his arrival, I could not help but recall the previous night's mistakes. I had vowed to maintain control of the situation and forced my eager anticipation aside. He was my objective, not my lover.
Nevertheless, heat hovered in the air between us as Guy approached, tension crackling like sparks from fractured power cables. I barely noticed the slight frown darkening the Lout's face, so focused on my need to maintain control was I.
"Nya."
His voice was smoky and rich, dripping with lingering desire from the previous night. His use of my alias took me by surprise and I was suddenly reintroduced to reality. I covered my inner turmoil with a coy smile, turning away shyly and shuffling the bottles in the well. The resulting noise was harsh and grating to my ears, but served as a welcome distraction from the yearning welling up within me. Despite my struggle to categorize Guy as a target, an objective, I still found the fantasy of him deliciously enticing.
Grey eyes sparkled in the flickering lights. "I want to see you again."
"You're seeing me now," I quipped teasingly, ignoring the snort of derision from the Lout, his eyes never leaving my body. Instead of acknowledging him with an admonishment, I fixed Guy his usual drink, the glass clinking lightly as I set it on the counter before him.
"Thank you." It was a courtesy, a simple polite statement, but Guy's words still oozed with a passion that threatened to tear my control to shreds. The want in his eyes was echoed in his voice and I recognized the burning hunger from the previous night's near disaster. I felt a mix of lust and anger burn within me, focusing on the maelstrom of emotion as I gathered my wits.
"You're welcome." I managed to spit out the two words, thick with charm and laced with seduction. I was the master of this game, not him. Never him.
"If you two are quite done eyeballing each other, would you mind if I was able to get a refill of my drink?" The Lout's sharp voice caught me off guard and before realizing it, I shot him a venomous scowl.
"Any time, you know. Preferably now." He curled his lips in a cocky half-smile, the severity of his gaze at odds with the sarcastic lightness of his tone.
I smiled apologetically at Guy, secretly both thankful for and annoyed by the Lout's's timely interruption. Guy nodded in understanding and shifted to the next stool over, distancing himself from the obnoxious brat that had so rudely disrupted his flirtations.
Amber liquid once more filled the Lout's glass, minute bubbles swirling delicately within as he brought the beverage to his lips. I set the bottle before him as I had done previously, still managing to ignore him as best I was able. His eyes caught mine briefly as he set his glass back down and I was caught by the hardened wariness I saw within. Like most everyone on Omega, this man was more than he seemed.
"So what are you doing tomorrow evening?" Guy's voice slid through my thoughts once more and I redirected my full attention toward him. It would not do to give him the wrong impression and my shy smile was rewarded by one of his own.
"I do believe I have that evening off."
"Perfect." The eager brightness of his eyes seemed genuine and nervous energy exploded within me. My limbs seemed to tingle with excited anticipation and I saw no harm in displaying my reaction. Once more I was rewarded with his smile, traces of desire still lingering on his lips.
"You have something in mind?" I inquired. I was genuinely curious.
"I do." He took a sip of his drink, the lights from the dance floor throwing formless shadows over his face. "I thought I might cook supper for us."
I was intrigued; an invitation into his home as well as the promise of a home-cooked meal. Opportunity sometimes had a flair for the obvious. "I think I would like that."
"Yeah, I wonder what else he has in store," the Lout quipped, his gravelly voice sending shivers down my spine. I squelched the seed of irritation blossoming within, focusing once more on the control I was so desperately trying to maintain. I would let neither man best me.
Guy cleared his throat and attempted his invite again, the slight twitch of his jaw the only betrayal of his burgeoning ire. "I was able to procure something special from one of my business associates, authentic and grain fed."
"Oh?" I was indeed intrigued.
"I don't cook with anything less than Earthborn."
Another snort erupted from the Lout as he slouched in the shadows. "Yeah, you really want to eat what that Guy's cooking." He downed the rest of his drink, the glass clattering loudly against the counter as he set it aside. "Probably an old eastern recipe: cream of Guy something or other…."
His voice trailed off in what seemed a drunken slur, leaving his thought unfinished, yet understood. Again I shot him a venomous scowl, using my annoyance to hide the juvenile amusement bubbling up inside. I occasionally found humor in the absurd and I could not help but admit that the name "Guy" was indeed a horrible alias. I found myself almost idly wishing he had chosen a more imaginative name, then quickly discarded the thought. I was having more than enough difficulty focusing on my mission without cataloguing a list of sexy aliases.
Guy glanced at me expectantly, his countenance darkened slightly by the tactless humor of the man sitting beside him. I met his eyes once more, still struggling to bring my own warring emotions under control. I managed a curt nod and easy smile, lights flashing brightly on the dance floor behind me.
"What time do you want me?"