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Be the Serpent under It: Love

Her fingers were nervously at her mouth as she listened to the radio broadcast coming over the speakers the next morning.

"The owner of the Muey Caliente Strip Club was found unconscious outside his establishment late last night by an unidentified party. Authorities tried to determine the identity of the assailant, but unfortunately, the camera footage from that night had been irreparably corrupted."

She lowered her fingers, not sure she wanted to know the story there. She shut the report off and closed her eyes, massaging the bridge of her nose. Maybe letting Jack stew over the weekend would be a bit much. Hesitantly she looked over at the phone, considered her options, then picked it up and began dialing his number before stopping. Should she? Drawing a breath, she pressed on.

It rang twice before the phone was answered. "Jack Hench speaking," his familiar voice said.

"What did you do to him?" she asked quietly.

There was a beat. "So sure it was me?" he finally replied.

"It couldn't have been anyone else," she replied.

He was silent, clearly debating whether to answer or not. "So I guess you weren't exaggerating when you said you understood my issues with my Uncle, were you?" he finally replied.

She was quiet, twirling the cord of the phone around a finger and looking distracted. "He uh..." She stopped and cleared her throat. "He started courting me for a position in his, um, establishment when I was... Well, let's just say it was too young. He introduced me to pole dancing as exercise. It really is a workout, to be fair, and I was good at it, but it's uh, not the type of workout anyone under the legal age limit should be looking into. He used to bring me to the club after hours because he claimed it was the only place in town that had the equipment. I was naive. I didn't understand what... Anyway, it clicked within a year or two, and well, let's just say it didn't go over well when I told mom and dad. I never had before. Uncle had made it out to be like some great big exciting secret just between us, and it was, just... not in the innocent way I figured... Sheldon found the tapes when we were fifteen and just lost it. Flew off the handles, showed them to me, asked me how I could have possibly been so stupid because... because there was audio of people watching from a viewing room through one-way windows... Audio of some money exchanging hands. It was just... It was a bad scene. He um, he went at our Uncle. Confronted him about them. Uncle completely flew off the handles and well... I really, really don't want to talk about it. I don't even know why I've told you as much as I have." There was dead silence on the other end. She closed her eyes, sniffing. "Jack?" she asked, voice a bit strained.

"I put him down because as you left, he said, and I quote, 'When you get bored of her, send her over. I'll make it worth your while. We'll see if we can't spice things up again'," he said.

Her jaw tightened and she was quiet. "Thank you," she finally said.

"Mmm hmm... Did he ever...?" Jack began.

"No," she immediately cut off, shaking her head. "He was sick but not like that. Heck, I was never on that pole in less than a gymnastics outfit. He just... had a head for business. Knew how to make money from whatever demographic seemed profitable." Jack was quiet. "Do you wish you'd killed him now?" she asked.

"No comment," he replied.

"He's not worth it, Mr. Hench," she said.

There was silence. "Why were you there that night?" he asked after a while.

"I went looking for Sheldon," she lied, sticking to the story she'd told her Uncle. "He's started going on about how he's going to confront our Uncle for some of the things he did to us in the past, and I wanted to stop him before he got himself or anyone else killed. We're not close, but he's still my brother. I just... I want him to move on and let it go so we can close out that entire chapter of our lives once and for all." Jack was quiet, taking in her words. "You were really there just to meet your Uncle?" she asked, putting on a vulnerable tone.

"Yes," he immediately replied. "Why he chose the place is beyond me. Maybe he was hoping to distract me, but whatever his plan was, it didn't quite work out as he'd imagined. Not one of the three dancers I ran into that night threw me off guard. The first I snubbed, the second was my Uncle's request, the third was offered to me by... by your Uncle when he saw me ordering a drink at the bar and preparing to leave... I scoffed, downed the drink, and walked out."

She nodded, realized he wouldn't be able to see that, and said, "Okay."

There was silence for a moment. "I struggle to believe in coincidences of this magnitude, Betty, and I've never bought into fate," he finally said.

"Then ask Gemini," she replied. "Coincidences like this are rare, but they do happen, Jack," she said. "Goodnight. I'll see you on Monday." She hung up and inwardly cursed. So much for his overlooking the odd string of events. She might have just screwed herself over with this one. There was no guarantee Gemini would corroborate her story, after all. Her fate was in his hands, and he was probably the person who hated her most in this world right now. All she had was the wild hope he would be so determined to be the one that took her down that he'd cover for her. If he was on a first-name basis with Hench though... She didn't know.

KP

Jack stared at the phone for a long moment. Finally, he began to dial Gemini's familiar number. He waited a little while, but inevitably the man picked up. "Hench," Gemini greeted.

"So, you want to confront your Uncle, do you?" Jack asked.

"What?" Gemini asked, sounding confused.

Jack perked up a bit at this. "Am I wrong?" he asked.

Gemini was silent for a beat, realizing immediately why Hench was asking this question. "No. I'm confused about how you know of my Uncle. But I suppose the answer should be obvious, really, given you're working with my sister. Interesting... She's never talked about him to anyone before... What do you know?"

Jack was quiet. "I know about the tapes. I know about your Uncle doing some unofficial job training on the sly with her. I know something happened when you confronted him about it, but she didn't go into detail."

Gemini was quiet. "Yes, Jack. I would absolutely love to confront my Uncle for that past someday. In fact, I've been considering acting on that desire lately. I'm stronger now than I was then."

"Why are you hesitating?" Jack asked.

"Because I want there to be a guarantee of success," he answered.

"Did you give your sister the impression you were going after him?" Jack asked.

"I may have exaggerated to her," he replied. The vaguer he was the better, he figured. What Betty had gotten herself into now he couldn't begin to fathom. How it had led to their Uncle was beyond him. He didn't need to know the details, though. He just had to keep them out of Jack's hands. Though the fact the man had asked him a leading question when asking if he'd given his sister the impression he was going after their Uncle, implied that maybe Hench didn't want the answers either...

Monday Evening

She climbed out of the hot tub and dried herself off, then looked back at her companion and softly smiled, watching him towel off his hair. She walked towards him and, as he removed the towel, stood on her toes and pressed her lips to his softly. She wasn't sure what compelled her to do so, she just acted on instinct. He froze a moment before relaxing into it, then smirked when she pulled away. "Mmm, be careful, Miss Director. Harassment suits are a dog to talk your way out of," he said.

She grinned at him a bit, eyes closed, and nuzzled him gently before withdrawing. "Thank you for defending my honor against my Uncle," she teased.

He snorted a bit, smirking. "I should hope any decent person would have," he replied.

"Are you a decent person, Jack?" she asked, smiling seductively.

"Given my job description I'm not winning any humanitarian of the year awards any time soon, but sacrifices and all that," he replied.

"Sacrifices?" she asked. Had GJ been one, she wondered?

"Kiss and don't tell, Betty. Kiss and don't tell," he replied.

"Mmm, I don't think that's how that goes," she said. He smiled, tilted her chin, and bent, pressing his lips to hers. Her fingers curled against his bare chest. It worried her how willing she was to accept it... She withdrew from him first, looking a little sheepish and turning away. "I'm uh, I'm sorry, Mr. Hench," she said. Don't get too deep, she told herself. She couldn't let this get too deep.

He tilted his head at her, trying to read what was going on in her head. "Hmm... I won't sue if you won't," he said, putting on a smile again. She let out a breathy laugh, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, and grinned back up at him. He smiled in turn. "Hiring you was the best decision I ever made," he said. Her smile slowly fell. She wasn't so sure about that... He frowned a little, curious. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"It's just it's all so new," she said, glancing away. "I've uh, never really been in a dynamic like this with anyone before."

"And what dynamic is that?" he asked, smiling a bit at her in amusement. She shrugged, not quite meeting his eyes. Truth be told, she had no idea what this was right now. His smile slowly fell, but he waited for her answer regardless, and somehow she knew that even if it wasn't the one he wanted right now, he wouldn't mind. He'd wait for the day she was ready for it to become more because he knew - believed - that she cared about him... "Betty?" he asked gently, reaching out and turning her face to him.

Gently his thumb brushed her cheek. She swallowed, leaning into the touch and covering his hand with her own as she closed her eyes. "Where do you want it to be?" she asked.

"I don't know," he answered, placing his forehead against hers. "I never expected it to go this far either." She looked up at him, eyes a little wide. He was scared too, she realized. She swallowed over a tightening in her throat. After a moment of silence, he sighed through his nose and then bent, pressing a kiss to her forehead before letting her go and walking away. She stayed in place hating that she was no longer in his embrace. Wait, no, she didn't hate it! She… she didn't… Did she? She turned, watching after him until he was out of sight, and for the first time in a long time, she recognized the depths of her fear and uncertainty. She saw them in him too...

Fourth Month

It was the night of the party about one month after the hot tub incident, as she'd taken to calling it. That night something between them had fundamentally changed, shaking the very foundations of their relationship. She wouldn't say things had become awkward, but they'd certainly become different in a way she couldn't explain. It terrified her...

"Back out while you still have the will..."

It was too late, she realized with a chill.

The party took place in his large, stately home. Wealthy and influential guests spun around the dance floor laughing and chatting, decked out in suits, cocktail gowns, and jewels galore. She felt so out of place she wished she could just disappear. She stayed against the wall looking like a fish out of water. She didn't belong in this crowd. She wasn't nearly glamorous enough. She subconsciously smoothed her cocktail dress and sipped at her wine, turning away from a small group of rich ladies who were looking her way, snickering, and pointing. She felt like a high-schooler being whispered about and mocked by their peers. Her eye patch didn't help her feel any more confident either. She was definitely staying a wallflower tonight, she determined.

All at once he was there, gently taking her arm. She looked quickly up at him, her expression betraying her fear and unease. He smiled reassuringly down at her and she blushed, looking at the ground. "I haven't felt this awkward since high school. Prom night. That's a disaster I never want to look back on again," she said.

"Miss Director, you outshine every other woman at this shindig," he said, turning her around to face one of the full-length mirrors against the walls. Her strapless, deep blue gown was floor-length, accentuating her form. She wore long black gloves with it, and the necklace she had on was a borrowed one, silver with sapphire and flowing all the way down her throat, highlighting her slender neck. She blinked at her reflection and managed a small smile.

"I do look good, don't I?" she said.

"You do. And every man here is noticing. I have to admit, I'm starting to feel a little jealous," he said into her hair. She grinned, leaning back in his embrace. "Ignore anyone who dares look at you with scorn or whisper behind your back. They're just envious."

"No, I'm pretty sure it's the eye patch," she replied, touching it lightly.

"If anything it makes you look even better!" he replied. Just then his name was called. He looked vaguely annoyed then dropped a gentle kiss on her bare shoulder. "Try to enjoy yourself, okay?" he more pled than ordered.

"I will," she said, nodding. He pulled away and she watched sadly as he walked off to mingle. She looked down at her wine glass, swirled the liquid around, then finished the rest off in one swig. Then she noticed the group of women who had been snickering at her approaching. Just like in high school, she wryly thought. "And what's your name, my dear?" one of the women asked.

"Betty Director, ma'am," she replied, glancing around for a way to get out of this situation if things got bad.

"You're such a pretty thing," another remarked. "Certainly not rich though, so tell us, what are you doing in a place like this?"

"I'm Jack Hench's personal aide," she replied.

"A secretary," the third clarified to the other two. They giggled. Betty frowned a little and looked down in some annoyance, feeling her eyes start to glitter angrily. She didn't want to start a fight or argument, especially not here, so she wouldn't let them see her anger or displeasure. Unfortunately, they sensed it.

"I think she's getting upset, girls, let's leave her be why don't we?" the first mockingly said.

"Oh but we must get to know Jack's… 'personal' friend," the second stated. "Somehow I doubt 'aide' means secretary in this context. More like escort."

Betty's eyes widened and she looked quickly up at them. "Excuse me?" she demanded, offended at the implication.

"Darling, why on earth would a multi-billionaire invite a mere secretary along to mingle with all his top clients, most famous associates, and their families?" the third asked.

"I don't have to stand here and take this!" she shot sharply at them, angry now.

"Whoa, whoa, ladies, please. What's going on here?" Jack asked suddenly, swooping in.

Betty looked sharply up at him. "They seem to be under the impression I'm your call girl," she replied. She turned that scathing, reproachful look back on the women in question, eyes narrowed. This time they actually had the decency to look a bit ashamed.

"Oh really?" he asked coldly, glaring icily at the trio. "I'll have you know she was personally invited by me."

"I already tried that," Betty said. "It seems they don't like any phrase with the word 'personal' in it."

"Ladies, I won't have you disturbing my guests," Jack sharply said to the trio of women. "If I catch you harassing anyone else, you'll be turned out." The three women glared at him then harrumphed, leaving.

As soon as they were gone, Betty sighed deeply, shoulders sagging as she looked miserably down. "Maybe I should go," she said, not really in the mood for a party right now.

He winced a bit. He really didn't want her to. Putting on a smile, he offered his hand. "Will you dance with me first?" he asked in an effort to salvage this for her. She looked up at him curiously. "Come on. Just one," he pressed.

She considered his offer, then smiled softly. "Very well, Mr. Hench. One dance won't hurt." She rested her hand in his and he grinned, sweeping her out onto the dancefloor.

She'd never been so wrong...

KP

They swayed gently in one another's arms. She was so close to him. Too close. But somehow too close didn't feel close enough. He twirled her away from him and she giggled a bit. He pulled her back once more, not wanting to be away from her any longer than necessary. She beamed up at him, her good eye sparkling with mirth. He smiled down at her, winked, and led her right passed the three women who had been mocking her. She cast a victorious look over at them. He watched in amusement. Who in their right mind had thought for even a moment that they could get away with tormenting her? With a mere gaze, she quelled them all.

As he led her away from the trio, she looked back up at him grinning happily. He liked when she was happy. To see her looking so uncomfortable and anxious had had him feeling anxious too. He grinned softly at her and nuzzled her forehead with his nose. Contentedly she leaned against him, relishing his embrace.

The song ended too soon for his liking, and he was reluctantly called back to mingle with a group of potential clients, leaving her alone. She watched after him with a smile, but that smile faded away as he was lost among the crowds. She looked towards the balcony and made her way toward it. The way she felt in his presence, the way her heart sped up to be near him, frightened her. It was beating fast even now. She willed it to slow down.

Reaching the edge, she looked out over the sprawling garden below the terrace. She hadn't expected his home to be quite like this. It was beautiful... She walked towards the stairs and went down them, making her way to a gazebo she'd spotted by the lake next to which his home was situated. Entering it, she leaned against the railing.

The moon sparkled in the water, fireflies dancing in its beams. Frogs and crickets echoed through the night and the wind blew low, whispering through the leaves of the trees. The gentle lapping of the waves lulled her into a trance, which would probably explain why she never realized he was behind her until she felt his arms gently wrapping around her middle.

Gasping, she snapped out of it and turned quickly. He smiled a bit. "Fresh air?" he asked.

She smiled back and turned around again, relaxing in his embrace and leaning back against him as she rested her own arms on his. "It was getting stuffy in there," she replied.

"Tell me about it," he wryly said. "I'm not one for parties, but there's no denying their effectiveness in the world of business. Connections, connections, connections."

"Hmm... It's beautiful out here," she said.

"I've always had an eye for beauty," he flirted lowly, gently starting to sway her.

She grinned and said, "You do at that." She let out a contented sigh, settling against him, and for a moment there was silence between the two as they gazed out over the lake. Her smile slowly faded. She wasn't supposed to feel like this... "You followed me," she remarked.

"Are you upset?" he asked

She was quiet for a moment. "No," she quietly confessed. "I'd hoped you would." It shook her how true those words were...

He pressed his lips against the side of her neck gently. She caught her breath and shivered, tilting her head to give him better access. "Jack," she whispered, tone a bit chastising.

"Don't," he pled, breath warm against her throat.

She was quiet, expression conflicted tending her neck. Why was she allowing this? Why did she long for it? Why did she never want him to stop holding her? Dammit, why was she even asking?! Whispering a curse, she turned around in his arms and kissed him adoringly, balling her hands in his clothes. Though a bit taken aback at first, he was quick to recover himself and deepen the kiss. His hands found their way to her thighs and he lifted her up by them, perching her on the railing. She made a soft sound against his lips. The moment they parted to breathe, she offered him her neck. "Oh gods," she whispered as he began decorating it with his lips. One of his hands began to roam, creeping up her leg. He was close. So, so close. His hand brushed her inner thigh right where it met... No, this wasn't right. This wasn't okay! "St-stop. Stop," she whispered. Don't stop, she inwardly screamed! Never stop! He, of course, couldn't read her mind, so withdrew from her with a confused and slightly hurt frown. She looked down at him and it took every ounce of willpower she had not to throw herself back into his arms. She swallowed thickly, gazing at him and feeling like garbage.

Kill him.

He won't stop.

Justice.

Enemy.

Tears threatened her eyes as she gazed down at him. This couldn't be happening, it couldn't be! "No," she whispered even though it was the last thing she wanted to say right now. A part of her hoped he ignored it. A part of her hoped he got frustrated and reacted. She wanted a reason to hate him. She needed a reason to hate him...

Gemini had been right...

After a moment of reading her, he sighed in defeat, hand withdrawing. He placed the other behind her head gently and pulled it down. He pressed his lips to her forehead tenderly. She felt herself trembling, fingers curling into his suit. She wanted more. She wanted so much more. Her heart raced at the speed of light. This couldn't be happening. It was just the passion of the moment! It was just the passion... Even though she wished with all her heart those words were true, she knew they were false as wax.

"Okay," he said, withdrawing his lips and nuzzling her forehead gently with his own. She clenched her teeth, for a moment despising him for the response.

Make me hate you...

"I love you," she whispered without thinking. "And I'm so afraid of that."

He closed his eyes. "I know," he replied. "So am I."

"For my sake or yours?" she asked.

He was quiet, looking away from her. "For us both," he finally answered.

He suspects...

She damned that unbidden thought. "I should go," she whispered. He let out a shaking breath and nodded, releasing her. She slid off the railing and hurried away, arms wrapped tightly around herself. He watched silently after her.