The dagger in my hand goes flying, piercing a hole in the wood of my front door. A whirring noise erupting as it shakes on impact.

"That's the second time tonight you've thrown that thing at me." John scolds, ripping it from the door and pocketing it.

"You followed me, why?" I let my hand drop, the doll with it as I face the new threat in the room.

"I've been keeping an eye on you for the last few weeks." He responds and ignores the question.

I roll my eyes, as if I hadn't already figured that out. I frown. "Why?"

He steps out from the shadows, the darkness leeching from his shoulders. The shadows move as if reaching out just to touch him once more. Dark eyes focus on mine.

"You intrigue me." He answers slowly, peering once more around the room. I follow his gaze, seeing nothing that could hold his attention.

"I am quite intriguing."

His lips lift up on one corner, a faint dimple appearing.

"But that doesn't satisfy me, so why?"

His focus turns to me, predator on predator.

"Because we have a mutual enemy."

"Do we?" I purr, watching him closely.

He stalls closer, "We do."

"And who, exactly, is that?"

"Samael Coffer."

The words spur me into action, my body dropping to the floor and swiping up my hidden dagger from under the bedside table, flinging it at the man before jumping up and racing for my guns.

His shout rings out as he dodges out of the way, "That was excessive, Angel."

My hands skims the handle of a gun before a hand curls around my wrist, pushing me against the chain link wall. A chest shoves against mine as John wrenches my hands behind my back, one of his hands encircling both my wrists.

I jolt my head back, a dull pain exploding in my skull as it connects with his face, using the distraction to push myself away from the wall, lifting my leg between my body and the chain and shoving myself away.

The momentum causes both of our bodies to crash to the ground, mine cushioned by Johns.

He grunts at the contact, the sound throaty and rough as his fingers lessen around my wrists. His arms curl around me before I can push off him, tightening like a boa-constrictor at my waist and twisting us around, so his thighs straddle me, locking me below him.

He chuckles above me, hand curling around my throat and pushing the pads of his thumbs in the soft tissue below my chin, pushing my head up so I have no choice but to connect to his eyes.

My chest rises and falls in hurried breaths, my leather coat falling open to reveal the blue lingerie and corset.

"I think blue is my new favourite colour." John murmurs, lips lifting in a grin as he stares into my eyes.

"Oh, fuck off."

"That's some spicy language, Angel."

"Bite me."

His eyes twinkle, "Where?" His thumb drags over my bottom lip, pushing softly into the plump flesh before releasing it with a drag of his finger to the pulse point at my neck, his thumb dragging over the erratic vein.

"I'm not here to kill you, Angel." He murmurs, his face closing in on mine.

My lips rear up to attack his, sucking his bottom lip between my teeth and biting down harshly, he pulls back on a yell, blood coating his teeth and dripping down his chin.

I use the distraction, bucking my hips into his and rolling us over so my body is above his, my hand swiping out to grab the glinting dagger by our side, bringing it to his neck.

"You aren't on my kill list, but I can arrange it." I taunt, the dagger glimmering under the light as I push the sharpened blade against his throat – way too close for comfort. "And I really didn't want to have to kill you."

"I do love when a woman is on top. Have at it, Angel, take control." He whispers, grinning at me. His hands curling behind his head lazily.

"And I do love it when a man is at the pointy end of my dagger." I push the blade in more, a sliver of skin parting as red flows between the crevices and blesses the weapon.

He only grins wider, "Show no mercy, Angel." He rears up, lips capturing mine and pulling my face closer to his, his hand winding itself around my neck to hold me in place as he draws my whole being into his with only his poisoned tongue and daring words.

He drops his head, breathing only slightly heavier as my breaths come in spurts. He relaxes against the floor, peering up at me.

"I'm asking to work together, Angel."

"I work alone."

His eyes flash and he grins, chuckling and the vibration travels straight to my core. "I'll pretend to believe you." He murmurs, watching me closely.

I push off of him, standing above his body.

"Why?"

He leans up on his elbows, watching me. I take a step back as he stands up, wiping the blood from his neck with the back of his hand.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"The enemy of my enemy, is my enemy tomorrow." I counter.

He hums from the back of his throat, the sound rough as it slithers around the room, heading straight for me.

"I know you've already begun your dismantling of his esteemed business."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." The lie falls easily from my tongue, rolling to a stop at his feet.

He glances down, black lashes fluttering along high cheekbones, as if looking at the physical manifestation of my deceit before he looks back at me, the side of his lips quirked.

"Liar." His lips curve around the word sensually, the taunt prominent in his gaze as he watches me.

I narrow my eyes back at him, tilting my head to the right as I slowly approach.

"What makes you think I need your help?"

His gaze drags leisurely down my figure.

"You don't." He murmurs. "But I need yours."

I lift a taunting brow, "So what I'm hearing is I have the upper hand here?"

"Do you?" John hums, dark eyes travelling leisurely around the room and stopping briefly on the doll I dropped before finding my gaze again. "What do you say Angel, truce?"

I purse my lips, narrowing my gaze on his. "I'll think about it. Now get out."

He chuckles and sits on my mattress, settling against the pillows with his hands curled behind his head. Blood still coating his bottom lip.

"We're friends now, aren't we, Angel?"

I drag my gaze up his body, "We aren't friends."

"No," His lips curl up as he says the word softly, "But we could be."

"I don't want to be your friend."

He chuckles, "I don't want to be your friend either, Angel, but I'm willing to settle."

I look away from his captive gaze.

"What makes you think he's my enemy?"

"I have to admit, it wasn't my first guess. After you killed Joey Deluca, you were on my radar but then I spotted you at the gala, and I was intrigued. There was the same woman I saw leaving DeLuca's house the night of his death."

I narrow my eyes on John, taking a slow step back. He watches the move but makes none to follow or counter, settling further into my pillows.

"And then finally when you killed Tatsumi. There was just too many links for it to be a coincidence. You're killing his business partners, so either you're a serial killer with a hard on for morally bad men or you have a vendetta against the one person tying all three of those people together."

"Yet I only killed two," I remind him, "so why did you kill Leroy?"

"Leroy had expired his usefulness."

I blink, remembering what Leroy had claimed. "You were blackmailing him."

"I was." He agrees.

"Why?"

"I told you, Angel, we have a mutual enemy."

"What did Samael do to you?"

John grins, "Maybe one day I'll tell you."

"How do you know its Samael that ties all my kills together, I could just be picking at random?"

Finally, he sits up as if to make his point clearer, "Well there is the fact that he's put a hit out on your head."

My heart stutters to a stop in my chest, "What?" I snap.

That surprises me, I knew my father was corrupt, but I didn't think he'd be so corrupt as to order my death. Although maybe I should've been clued in when he had me strapped to a table and a needle in my arm.

That's something to unpack with my therapist at a later date when I finally make that appointment I've been putting off.

"A hit, how much am I worth?"

"Fourteen."

"Thousand? I really thought I was worth more."

"Million."

I nod my head with pursed lips. "Better." I look back to John, tilting my head with a question in my eyes.

"How'd you find out about the hit?"

"I know people."

"Cryptic." I mutter back but he only grins.

"When you run in the same circles as me it's not that hard to find out information and I told you, Angel. I'd find the person who was coming after you."

"My knight in shining Armani." I utter sarcastically. John only grins back.

I turn my back on him, shrugging out of my leather coat as I walk for my bathroom.

I stop at the threshold of the door, looking over my shoulder and find John watching me.

My hands curl behind my back, popping the hooks on my bra one by one and letting it fall down my arms and drop to the floor, leaving me in the panties and corset.

"We can talk about the particulars of our bargain when I'm clean." I say, watching as John eyes rake over me.

He chuckles, eyes finding mine, "I'll be here."

The door shuts behind me and seconds later the hum of the water sounds before it rushes from the showerhead, and I strip the rest of my costume and step under, my gaze never leaving the handle of the bathroom, ready for it to twist at any second.

I palm the knife I brought with me, resting it next to the shampoo while I wait with my heart pounding a steady rhythm in my chest.

• • •

I step into my room, steam billowing in behind me to find the man of the hour still settled against my sheets but this time he's occupied with the doll in his hands.

"The resemblance in uncanny." He says without looking up at me.

I breathe out lowly, wrapping the towel tightly around me and walking further into the room.

I hesitate slightly before answering. "An old acquaintance made it."

He only hums in response and I turn my face to him, seeing the shadows cross his face before he lifts those dark eyes to mine.

"Are you going to just stand there, Angel? Or are you going to give me a show?"

I scoff, letting the towel pool to my feet before stepping forward and picking a dress from my closet, letting it fall down my body before I turn to the man in my space.

John's eyes flick to mine, and he grins, shaking his head before pushing himself off the mattress.

He stalks towards me, steps measured, and I curse myself for leaving the dagger in the shower.

He stops in front of me, hand reaching up to skim my cheekbone before tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear.

"Have I told you how I like this colour on you, Angel, it looks like freshly spilled blood."

My heart pounds in my chest and I breathe out subtly, "I know." I mutter, watching his eyes to seek out his motives but he only grins back, a dimple showing beneath his five o'clock shadow.

I look away.

"Did you find the person who shot you?" My eyes go to the shoulder, eyes narrowing as if I can see through the fabric to the healing wound beneath.

His lip quirks up and he chuckles, "You worried about me, Angel?"

My eyes flick to his, emotionless. "Merely worried about the usefulness of an injured partner."

"Take me out to dinner before you claim me as yours, Angel."

"Business partner." I add, ignoring his teasing words.

"That's what you think."

"What-"

He walks past me towards the door, "C'mon, Angel. No time to waste, Let's go kill some very important people."

I narrow my eyes and he stops at the entrance, looking back at me, "How many on your hit-list?"

"Ten."

He count the people off on his fingers, as he approaches slowly. "Deluca." A finger appears, "Leroy," two fingers, "Tatsumi." Three fingers, "And the man tonight." He stops in front of me, "That's four done."

"Seven."

Daphne, Samantha, Alexei.

He grins at the knowledge that there was three he didn't know about, "You're bloodthirsty, Angel."

I tilt my head back at him, keeping silent.

"Samael would be on that list but who are the others?'

"You."

"You can't kill the love of your life, Angel."

"You're incorrigible."

"Insatiable too." He grins back, opening the door with a shove and waving me out. "But that still leaves one."

"That's for me to know-"

"And me to find out?" John finishes, smirking.

I smile back, "No."

"One day, Angel, you'll trust me."

I grin simply back, "Hold your breath."

He chuckles, shaking his head. His dark eyes stare through me and he stalks forward, finger coming up to stroke by bottom lip. "Why don't you help me hold my breath, Angel." His eyes flicker to mine from my lip, "I'll be at your mercy once more, breathe only when you allow me to."

I swallow the lump in my throat,

"I'm a hands on learner." He murmurs lowly, eyes tracing the contours on my face before finding my lips.

Heat builds low in my core, my throat suddenly feeling dry.

His lips land on mine, searing, searching, trapping me in his embrace.

It's starts off slow, a soft brush of his lips against mine before he loses all pretence of normality, hands winding around my waist, pulling my body into his, consuming me.

My back meets the wall, hands lifting to hold his face to mine.

My chest moves with rapid breaths, heat building low in my core.

A shout from outside pulls out attention and we pull away from each other, John's eyes going to the door while mine trace the contours of his face.

I take a minuscule step back, all I can do in the small space between us and the wall.

John watches me with his dark gaze, my blood pumping in time with his breaths.

"Do you want me to stop, Angel?" He hushes.

My chest moves rapidly with my breaths, and I step forward, forcing his palm to rest atop my breast.

"No." I murmur.

He grins, "Good."

He squeezes, his other hands moving around the curve of my back, resting at the top of my ass, and pulling my body further into his.

I wrap my hands around his neck, bringing his lips down to mine as I hush against them, "This is purely physical."

I don't let him reply as I seal my lips to his.

Glass shatters the moment as the bullet pierces my window and situates itself in the wall by my head.

I wrench away from John, ducking low to the ground and pulling him with me.

I reach for my closest weapon, the familiar shape of a gun in my grip, soothing.

"C'mon." John murmurs, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the front door.

"Wait." I pull my hand from his, but he only grabs it back.

"We don't have time."

"Make time." I hiss, ripping my hand free as I rush for my closet, ripping it open and grabbing the bag from inside.

John swears as he grabs a gun from my chain wall and situates himself beside my shattered window, narrowing his eyes on the scope before putting himself in front of the line of fire.

I shove two more guns in the backpack, keeping the one in my hand out and grab the photo from my bedside, shoving it in the front pocket and swiping my keys from their place in the drawer.

John grunts and moves away from the window as a bullet hits him.

I turn, rushing for the door. My hand swiping out and taking John's as I push us towards the door, shoving the keys into his hand.

"Can you ride?"

His fingers curl around the keys as we run down the stairs, tripping over our feet in our haste, the bag pounding against my back.

I jump the last few steps, John already shoving the exit open, a deafening siren erupting before sudden silence with the slam of the door.

The early morning darkness limiting out view.

I direct him to my bike, keeping my senses open for any sign of the shooter, my heart in my throat.

He stops at a motorbike and gets on, making room for me in front of him. I hop on, facing the back of the bike and straddling his legs slightly so we are chest to chest and I can see behind us clearly for anyone trailing us, putting my gun in front of me.

We both ignore the one helmet strapped to the bike, far too rushed to care for it.

The bike starts with a roar and John pulls off the side and onto the road, speeding down the street and connecting to another and turning onto that one. Speeding faster and further away from my apartment.

Sirens sound to fill the silence, the roar of the bike's engine soothing.

The sirens dim as we get further from my apartment and the police get closer.

Well, my gun collection is gone forever.

I grind my teeth and blow out a harsh breathe as we turn onto another street, this one much less crowded and no cars or other vehicles on the long stretch.

I narrow my eyes at the empty space behind us and realise that no one is trailing us, or we lost them without even seeing them.

A relax my tense shoulders and loosen my arms around Johns neck so that they sit lazily against the muscles and the gun hangs haphazardly in my grip, but my eyes still scan the area.

I can feel his breathe on my neck as I watch the roads, moving slightly in my position so I'm closer to his heat and further from the biting cold of the wind.

My eyes flutter down to the bare skin of his neck, the skin sweat slicked.

"That's two times, Angel."

"What."

"That's two times I've been shot for you, you owe me a drink."

"I'll buy you three." I taunt back, relaxing softly before murmuring back, "Where are we going?"

"My place, Angel. You'll be safe there."