The flight didn't last nearly as long as it should've. Time was such a tricky, slippery thing. One can never really hold on to it.
It was late and it was a useless thought... Smoke billowed from his mouth as he discarded his cigarette.
A distraction, keeping thoughts of the current moment at bay.
She was there. He knew it like he knew his own name. He just didn't understand why.
There wasn't much light in this part of town, darkness shadowing the discarded food scraps that he managed to avoid stepping on. It was a seedier part of town. Neon red was the only source of light that illuminated the alleyway as it glowed overhead he read the sign one last time.
"Christi's."
Disgust curled his lips. He already knew what this place was. With the weeks of research completed before he flew out there, he knew he had to be prepared for anything, especially if it involved the Asantes.
As he entered the club, the dark that only moments before, he found as a hinderance, he was now grateful concealed the seediness that lay before him with only the briefest moments of illumination of shadowed figures by multicolored lights.
Bodies moved in the low lights, some women, some men, all erotic. It was the height of hedonism with the lights transitioning. Each flash a new scene of men and women debasing themselves.
It was during one of those moments he saw her. Willowy limbs were draped along the back of a lounge chair, her silhouette displaying her slender physique.
"Janine."
It was obvious the name startled her. In the shadows of the club, he could see the tension develop in her body as her limbs locked in place and her smile slip. Her eyes followed him the closer he approached.
"I'm sorry, you must have me confused with someone else." There was a quiver in her voice, it was barely noticeable, but there still. She tried to walk away but he wouldn't let her, his hand catching her wrist to bring her attention back to him.
"I'm not sure I do. I was given that name and this photo by my client with one task..."
The photo was in her hands before he could give her time to think and he watched her study the photo of herself catching the exact moment when she gave herself away. The moment when the hard exterior cracked just slightly, her doe eyes widening ever slightly as memories danced before her. It was his job to study people, the body language, their facial expressions, he would be a terrible PI if he didn't, so he knew the exact moment to go in for the kill.
"I hear your daughter misses you."
Her face snapped from the picture to meet his and it was at that moment another figure arrived and he watched a new shadow get closer.
"Who misses you, love?"
The man didn't think it was possible for her to get anymore tense, but there she stood, her back ramrod straight, staring back at him with wide imploring eyes. The plea was silent and he was now aware that her reasons for leaving Pluto were not made of her own volition. This man was keeping her here and he didn't attempt to hide the rough edges to him.
He had dealt with all types of men in his profession, many of them extremely powerful which brought its own perils to the table, however they restrained their demons, only letting them come out to play when absolutely necessary.
This man, he was dangerous in the worst kind of ways. He too was powerful like many of his clients but, unlike them, he didn't try to control psychopathy. It seemed his demons tended to run the show more often than not. It was time to turn on the charm.
"A dear old friend from the past." He stepped past Janine extending his hand to the man behind her
"I'm Charles." If he were a lesser man, the look he had just received, that made his blood run cold, would've made him fully reconsider his role in all of this and whether or not it was at all worth it.
Two things kept his feet planted and his hand extended before what he was sure to be a monster on the verge of being unhinged:
One
The man who hired him was a bigger monster than the one before him.
Two
He was not a lesser man.
Time nearly stood still while Charles waited for this stranger's next move. The tension in the air, alive and crackling with power, continued to grow around the three and yet it was a minute longer before his hand was encased in a steel like grip.
"Christian." Was all he said when he stepped into the light just in front of Janine.
Janine was a beautiful, there was absolutely no doubt about that, even with the haunted look in her eyes and the fear evident on her face, her slight frame was vibratory with the unresolved need to bolt and with him next to her, it wasn't hard to imagine how these two looked as a couple all those years ago. Homecoming King and Queen together forever... until they weren't. Even now looking at this willowy flower next to this beast of a man, he understood why his employer went to such lengths to get her back.
"Well it was lovely to see you again. I do hope, we can chat soon, while I am still in town." The slight of hand went unnoticed by Christian as was the man's plan. His card with his contact information fitting discretely into the palm of her hand as he took his leave.
It was a while before he made it back to the motel he had booked for his stay here. He still needed to check in with his employer, confirm he did in fact locate the woman he was seeking and the complications now arising.
He had an unsettling feeling about this whole job.
******************************
"I can't go easy on you Skye."
There wasn't a moment when his lips weren't on some part of her skin, caressing her, tasting her, in between passionate kisses. It been this way since that night. Nickolas worshipping her, singing praises against her body in her namesake.
" I want you. I need you. To be inside you as deep as I can, until I touch the very essence that makes you, you."
Their breaths mingled as Nickolas rested his forehead against hers. The intimacy in that moment, the vulnerability he showed, Skye could not look away from the turbulent storm raging in his eyes.
Her core clenched, a need she almost felt ashamed to admit, continued to build steadily as she stared back into his intense eyes.
