Vera watched Jairo waiting by a window in the small lounge. He was backward, looking as if enjoying the cold breeze coming through the open windows. He had a perfectly molded figure. He was huge but remarkably elegant, with wide shoulders and a narrow waist. His long, powerful legs held him up proudly. Jairo did not turn around as she reached his side.
"What kind of artifice have you used to lure me here?" Vera asked with a calm that she had imposed on herself.
Jairo leaned over and looked at her for the first time. There was a sincere and clean interest in his gaze. Vera noticed that his fine hair, a rich mixture of gold and silver, moved slightly in the breeze. The Santle's gray eyes were like diamonds. Everything about him was a work of art. Vera swallowed dryly, remembering when Via had admired and loved him.
"I don't think we've been introduced." He began, completely ignoring her question. Jairo advanced his hand and bowed: "I am Jairo Sienna D'Astendal."
Vera enjoyed making him wait for a few seconds. She wanted to leave him standing, with that big elegant hand of his stretched out in vain. How she would have enjoyed it! But she was trying to get him to let his guard down, so she held out her smallest hand to him.
As she placed her hand on Jairo's long, slender fingers, she concentrated on the feel of the metal of the gun she had attached to her thigh. Vera imagined taking the pistol and shooting him right there. God Almighty, how she hated him! She was tempted to do just that when she felt him put her wrist up and place a kiss right on her pulse. There where she had the tattoo.
Resigned, Vera had been waiting for the courtesy. But the unexpected turn of events caught her off guard. Furthermore, her skin became warm right where his lips had grazed her. As quick as lightning, Vera withdrew her hand from him. At the same time, her golden eyes looked at him accusingly. That's not how courtesy was done! Damn it!
Jairo Sienna D'Astendal. Vera couldn't believe that she had him right in front of her. She was so close. His perfect face stared at her seriously. By all heavens... He was as beautiful as an angel. How could he look like an angel? And she could attest because she had seen an angel once. No, not an angel. Vera thought to herself: more like an archangel because Jairo looked like a warrior. Yes, Jairo seemed more like a soldier than an aristocrat.
Vera is my armor...
She had made and studied so many possible plans. Break his heart. To leave him without the light of his eyes perpetually. Take everything away from him, ruining him. She had even hatched a plan to destroy his powerful family. However, Vera just stood dulled holding only her fury as a shield.
In seconds Vera forced herself to calm down. Vera is my armor... She told herself. Vera had repeated these words a million times in the past couple of years.
Vera is my armor... Damnation! She could take it no more. The stupid, luxurious building where they were was left in darkness long enough for her to reach the small pistol on her thigh. Then, the building lights turned up and the confused guests' exclamations faded. For his part, Jairo just smiled when he saw her pointing at him with the golden canon. Half a second later, the bullet silently hit him in the center of his chest.
Vera trembled. Three seconds passed, and the Santle was still smiling.
For her part, Vera had frozen. She was completely dumbfounded as she stared at a growing stain on the knight's immaculate white suit. The splatter was yellow and shiny as liquid gold. Was that what the blood of a Santle was like? Vera had to suppress an exclamation!
She had done it, she had shot him. God! She had done a terrible thing, but Jairo had deserved it. Vera's fingers trembled slightly and a crazy mix of feelings began to assail her. And she felt so empty at the same time. She could not identify any feeling of compensation, or vindication. There was not even the triumph for the retribution among all those emotions that assaulted her. Was this how one is supposed to experience getting revenge? She asked herself.
As for Jairo, he looked at his white vest as the blood stain spread dramatically. He looked completely composed and strangely oblivious to the situation. Hadn't she hurt him? No, the bullet had hit him. She was sure. Her aim was infallible and she had shot him at point-blank range!
"And it turns out she's a little bit dangerous," Jairo said as he calmly looked at his ruined clothes. Even from that angle, his face was so beautiful it seemed unreal. And his face showed no sign of pain. Then he looked up, his expression suddenly changing to something lethal. "I like it."
"You're a lunatic…" Vera couldn't stop the hate from seeping into her tone.
He ignored her and took a step towards her. So Vera backed away until she bumped against the white and silver wallpapered wall.
"This is a first, I must say," Jairo said, causing her concern to increase. "And may I know what is the motive behind this shooting?" Then he smiled. "I must insist on knowing."
Vera's breathing became uncontrolled. Why was he still alive? And why did she feel so empty? But she forgot about anything when Jairo walked with resolution and elegance towards her as if he hadn't been hit by a bullet just seconds before.