So, she is the one. The well-known right hand of Austin. She reeks of trouble, already.

My gaze settled on the girl sitting next to me gulping down neat shots of vodka. I squirmed in my seat while my elbows rested on the bar table with my hands folded at the front.

She was wearing a black swan mask, I could not make out much of her face but what I could see was her midnight hair cascading down her shoulders. Her full lips were painted blood red, leaving a mark on the rim of the glass as she drank its unholy contents. Her dress revealed her bronze skin, shining against the red dress.

I didn't dare look further; from the way she stared at me, something inside me screamed that she was dangerous.

How can she be so cruel and heartless? I always thought women were the most compassionate ones. But, I guess there are exceptions in every case.

I smirked at the brunette who herself made her way to my cobweb. I swiped my fingers into my pant pocket and gripped the syringe. I cannot let her know what my next move is.

The moans of men and women filled the air, and everywhere my vision went, I saw men sealing deals or kissing girls.

I adjusted my mask, it was ticking me off from the moment I put it on. Bloody masquerade parties!

With every passing second, I was growing desperate to stun her cause damn, I was infuriated by her mere presence. She has witnessed so many crimes under the shed of Austin. Innocents being killed, sold, and raped. Yet, how could she be so mean to stay stoic?

For the record, a criminal's company was certainly not at the top of my to-do list.

We were standing by this time, my body leaned against the bar counter and my head cocked in her direction.

"So, would you like a drink?" I added. This sounded so unnatural. What the hell was I doing? This was not me.

"Well, how can I say no to someone as gorgeous as you," she said, her red lips curving into a sultry smile.

"Ah-huh." I snickered. Something about her flirting didn't seem natural, either. I bet she wanted to end this as badly as I did.

This was not just a coincidence that she approached me before I had a chance to. She needs information and I need her boss. Her being Austin's pawn goes quite well for me.

Out of nowhere, she put her hand over mine with a glint in her eyes. She inched closer, untied the mask from her face. That glint was familiar. It was t of a person who can stoop to any lengths to get what she wants, it was the light after the fear takes off. 

I gasped.

Suddenly, my palms felt sweaty. My pulse quickened and her skin seemed to burn mine.

I averted my eyes from her.

It's just alcohol.

Her chocolate brown eyes were even darker now; this seemed natural. The only thing.

We were just a meter or two away from the exit and I had less than thirty minutes left to complete this mission. I had to abduct her.

I could gather her next move from her body movements. I'm an expert at reading people. That is why they chose me.

I mashed my lips against hers.

At first, I took her by surprise, and then, she reciprocated with the same intensity.
Her lips were feathery and luscious.

It was supposed to be a short kiss but it turned out to be a matter of ego laced with lust when her tongue dived in with mine, both battling for dominance.

She had some skills. She swayed her hips for a living. I bet she was good in bed too. Something which was none of my business.

My palms made their way to her waist while her hands gripped my suit pulling me closer until our bodies crashed against each other.

I smirked while I bit her lower lip and deepened the kiss showing her who was in control here.

She snapped back at me by taking my lower lip in between her teeth and matched my moves with synchronization.

After a tiny world war of a kiss, we broke the contact breathless, gasping for air.

I recognized the tattoo on her neck. The symbol of her being a member of the organization. It was an A needled in cursive handwriting. Fancy.

She must be one of those dancers they used to impress their buyers or spy on them. I guess the former one.

Out of curiosity, I traced that intricate tattoo with my thumb. She cringed. I furrowed my eyebrows at her weird reaction.

"It's beautiful," I blurted out an appraisal.

"I know," she whispered still breathless from our make-out session.

I took that opportunity to push that syringe into her chest and pulled her body against mine, to avoid attention.

"Andrew, turn off the lights," I spoke into the microphone attached to my shirt.
Andrew, the gazette freak of our team.

Within seconds, the lights went off, the drug started to act on and she lost her senses merely able to walk. I had less than five minutes to get out. I quickly walked out of the place while keeping her body still pressed against mine.

She just looked like a drunkard while I dragged her toward my vehicle. It was dark and desolate outside so, I quickly pushed her inside the car trunk.  And, I tied her wrists and ankles together with the rope I kept there.

What was next?

Her mouth. Yes, she spoke too much.

I quickly made my way toward the front of my car, opened the door, and pulled out a tape from the side cabinet.

After I taped her mouth, I closed the trunk with a thud, made myself comfortable in the driver's seat, and ignited the engine.

Once again I looked at the board that read "A-Star Club" wedged in bold golden letters at the top. Breathing in the London air for the last time, I took off.

She was going to be knocked out for over five hours. Quite enough for me to be out of here.

I had to reach Australia.

I cracked my knuckles and sighed. My fingers grew tired from driving continuously, but I couldn't stop unless I had to.

I turned the music up and drove with the windows down. The music was fueling me up while my car turned parched. I had been driving constantly for six hours, now. My body ached and my legs felt wobbly.

I stopped the car at a gas station and walked out of the car. The bright morning light blinded me for a second but after a moment or two, my eyes adjusted to the change.

*Thump* *Thump*

"Open-" I heard a familiar muffled sound coming from the car trunk.

She was awake.

"Rise and shine, sunshine." I chimed while patting the trunk.

In response, she paced up her violence inside.

"Open the fucking door, you Aussie bastard." I heard her shrill voice clearer than I heard anyone's ever.

After a few minutes, I opened the trunk and saw how she had already removed the tape from her mouth, and the ropes from her ankles and wrists.

"Impressive, so you got out of those restraints by yourself, kitten?" I smiled while the confusion of how she did it clawed at my throat.

How did she get off those restraints? Did they give training to stupid dancers too? Maybe, she was one of those girls they used to kill the buyers who troubled them. Bloody hell.

"Don't fucking call me that, you Australian shit," she screeched. Her British accented voice penetrated through the London air, deafening my ears.

Her eyes were fuming, cheeks flushed red and her hair looked like a nest; she looked more real than ever.

Wow, that was the real face under those heavy layers of cosmetics. She was bruised too. Why? Did they beat her?

"Why so, kitten? A while ago, you added a sweet adjective with Australian, didn't you?" I emphasized the word kitten.

She gritted her teeth and raised her hand to punch me but I caught it just a few inches away from my face.

"You don't wanna do this, believe me. Do you know why men call females kitten? Because they are weak, and can only scratch, bite and wither like a stupid kitten." I seethed at her and hopped inside the car as I had refueled it while she was in that trunk.

I couldn't stop thinking about those bruises. The blue one near the left corner of her lower lip and the other just beside her eyebrow. Was she hit? She must have gotten those while she tortured one of the captives.

Women are nasty. They target, trap and torture. The worst of all, they leave you stranded.

I shook my head and ran a hand through my sulky knots.

We were in the middle of nowhere so even if she tried escaping she'd end up nowhere. Her only hope was me. After a good couple of minutes, when I revived the engine, she opened the door to the shotgun and shut it with a loud thud.

"Don't you dare to show your aggression on my car."

The nerve of this girl. How dare she treat my precious like that. She didn't respond rather kept looking out of the window. Spoilt Brat.

I sped up the engine and drove without any further word. I turned up the radio and let the music fill up space rather than my thoughts.

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Here you go!