In the middle of the night there was knocking at the cottage door.
Carver had fidgeted at the doorway. His face was apprehensive.
"Hey Scar, the uh big bossman wasnt too happy that you didnt do the job last night. He was raving about barely finding a replacement in time. He was even more mad about the week off. He said somthing about you knowing procedure and..."
"and what?"
He sighed, "and that he was giving you another job. If you dont do it there will be consequences."
"He uh did not sound happy in the least."
Scar smirked, "Well let the old man know I'm already on Vacation time and I'll be declining this job as well."
Carver looked alarmed, "Boss, Are you..." He leaned in and whispered as if he felt watched, "Are you challenging him?"
Scar smiled broadly, "Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not. I guess we'll find out."
Carver cleared his throat nervously and gave him a white envelope with a snake on it. "Well, you better take this just in case you change your mind."
Scar teeth gleamed in the night, in a sharp cat like smile, "I won't."
He had shut the door and gone back to sleep. The next morning he had made her breakfast.
*Nadine
The smells of food wafted into the room waking her up gently. She yawned and stretched before climbing out of bed. She picked out a calf length, flowing, blue dress and tied her hair back in a loose pony.
She padded out into the hardwood main room barefoot and smiling.
He actually was a wonderful cook. Better than her hired cook at home.
He made up two plates and walked over to her wiping his hands on a towel he had pulled off of his kitchenette stove.
She straightened as he approached her. He flung the towel over his right shoulder and her heart skipped a beat. How could he be so attractive when doing the most mundane things?
Her face flushed as he reached for her hands and inspected them. They were slightly irritated from the cuffs and his brows drew closer together as he tisked, "This will not do."
He pulled a key from what felt like thin air. She looked for pockets, loose folds of clothing, or loose seams. He had none.
He clicked the key into the locks on both shackles removing them, and she couldn't believe that just like that; she was free.
She twirled her wrists rubbed them softly relieving her stiff joints. He smiled and his eyes were an icy blue that caught and held her attention.
She frowned at the irrated skin and said nothing.
"Don't go running off." He warned and his voice was stern and rough.
She gave him a side ways look and collected her plate.
They ate together on the hardwood. Him cross legged and her sitting on her feet. She rose her brows at the cup of tea he set in front of her.
"I dont know if I should drink this."
He chuckled, "I understand. It's completely untouched. Trust me."
She made a small snorting sound, "How could I ever again, trust you?"
She hadn't felt the quick spark of anger until it had bit off her lips leaving a sour taste on her tongue and a cold air to the room.
They finished breakfast in silence. Only after he had cleared away the plates and had put away their washed dishes did he speak to her again.
Straightening the sleeves on his sweater as they had been rolled up he posed a question to her.
"Its nice out today, but the weather is going to take a turn soon. Would you like to go outside while I work on stocking the wood?"
Without her knowing a wide smile spread over her face, he peeked at it before concentrating on wiping the countertops. "I would love to."
She went to the room and pulled on her black ankle boots and a light purple grey coverall. Her father had bought it for her birthday two years ago because it matched her eyes.
She stepped out the front door behind him and relished in the earth crunching beneath her. The sun warmed her face and a soft breeze blew across her exposed legs.
She had missed being outside. There was honey suckle and lilac bushes lining the cottage and the sweet smells wafted on the breeze.
He set out a couple of blankets in the sun. It was the same two blankets he had brought down to the lake that day.
She wondered if he had grabbed them on purpose.
"I want to help."
She picked up a few small peices of kindling and he glanced at her as he removed his shirt.
"Sure, just don't go too far."
She rolled her eyes and headed toward the thick forest. Smells of Pine carried her to a small group of snapdragons and yarrow.She inhaled a deep breath of sweet air. She glanced back and could see him swinging the axe. If she traveled a little further she would be out of his sight. Her thoughts turned to making a run for it. She made her way to the edge of the little clearing slowly;as to not draw attention. She was working up the courage for a long moment before she sighed ready to take off. She didnt hear him come up behind her.
"You passed up quite a bit of kindling."
She jumped and turned. Her breathing accelerated as she met his gaze just inches away.
"I bet it feels nice to be stretching your legs. How about we go for a walk?"
His voice was deadpan, his eyes a little cold. She suspected he knew all too well what she had been thinking. She took his elbow when he offered it. Thankful that he'd put his shirt back on; she remembered the first time she'd taken his arm and felt the muscles beneath.
Her hands had been like melted butter seeping into his skin. Today she held her body with dignity and poise. Her grip on him was light and mechanical. They kept pace next to eachother.
Soon she relaxed as they walked around the forest. They'd been walking for a while when they neared a hill her breathing was a little labored. He steered her away, back towards the cottage. His pace became more leisurely. She blushed.
"That's my property line."
Her eyes widened, "But we've been walking for nearly two hours."
He shrugged and gave her that smile that had in the past melted her insides.
"Land is cheap. What else is there to invest in?"
She raised a brow at him. Surely this was not what he decided to spend his coin on.
He chuckled and it startled her, "What is it?"
"What do you mean?"
He ground to a halt, "Your giving me a look."
"There's no look. I'm just listening." She retorted indignantly.
"Okay," he held up his hands and began walking again, "When I was young I spent a lot of my money on knives and weapons. After that a lot of booze and club entries," he smiled but there was somthing sad in his eyes too, " but now I have all the weapons I could want, I dont have a taste for booze and clubs, and I don't want to stash away all my extra money for somone else to spend because I couldn't make up my mind with it." He smiled at her, "What about you Nadine? What do you do with your extra coins?"
She glanced at him sourly, "As you know my father has a grand garden." She smiled as she thought of her own little patch of heaven." He gave me a little section in the back of his estate. When I have spare money I like to buy plants and decorations."
She expected him to laugh at her, tease her even, as Boren had once done.
Instead he nodded. "A place of your own making. I think that we are not so different, Nadine."
She glared at him, Ofcourse they were worlds different, but she didnt bother argue. It was a long walk home and she was becoming too tired to argue.
"What is your name?"
His face was brooding and she almost felt he was not going to answer her. After a moment he said, "I told you. I have no real name. People call me by a street name."
She digested this pondering on if she wanted to know what gruesome thing he was known for on the streets.
"What is it? Your street name,"
"Scarface Sylvador."
She glanced at him, his jaw feathered and she looked at the scar on his face. It was thin, nothing gruesome. She imagined though how it would feel to have no name to be defined by a brutality on her body.
"How did you get the scar on your face?" She asked softly.
He had a bitter smile on his face.
"A knife." He said simply, "My father gave it to me as a reminder. The message of it is clear to me now as it was not then, I'm never to go against his will."
She kept silent as they walked back to the cottage. The sun was dissapearing behind the hills as they approached the cabin door. A group of men stood there waiting. Nervously she glanced at his face, it was like stone.
"Go on inside Nadine."
"But..."
"Go." He ordered shortly before pushing her toward the doorway.
"Let her pass." He demanded and the men parted for her. She looked at him before she clicked the door shut behind her.
"Well you gentlemen sure have a lot of nerve to be here." He gave them a feline smile as his eyes sparkled.
It'd been a while since he'd felt the spark of adrenaline riddled excitement.