Ransom Drysdale: Manipulation

Speechless

After working all day, a fairly slow day, Ransom basically ran the place on his own while Hermione did her book signing in the back of the store. They closed up and got ready to go suit shopping for Ransom.

"Who's car are we taking?" Hermione asks as she puts her leather jacket back on, having taken it off earlier because it got too warm. "It depends, are you a good driver?" Ransom replies with a smug chuckle.

"I am an excellent driver, and I happen to have a magnificent car. It's incredibly sexy." He practically snorts as he laughs at her description of her car. "Not as sexy as my car." Hermione rolls her eyes as they walk out the door.

Ransom holding it open and letting her walk out first. She sees his car and nods in approval. "It is a very nice car. It's kind of old, and uhm...ugly. But I bet you look hot in it." Winking at him, he playfully shoves her arm and shakes his head.

"Well then let's see your car." She grabs his wrist and pulls him toward the side road next to the store where she parks it. His jaw drops when he sees it. "I like your car better. Can I drive?"

The midnight black 1967 Chevrolet Impala looking absolutely ravishing in the street light. She chuckles seeing how excited he is. "As long as you don't fuck it up. This is my baby." Tossing him the keys she gets into the passenger seat.

Everything about her car being authentic accept the radio. Upgraded to include the bluetooth feature. She connects her phone and plays her music, turning the radio up.

Ransom is glowing in the drivers seat, basically being seduced by the beauty of her car. "This car is amazing. And that's an understatement."

"Shut up and drive Drysdale." Obeying, he nods and starts driving. He listens to the radio as he drives, both of them having their windows down, enjoying the early spring breeze.

"Oh, what the hell is this?" He looks over at her, gesturing to what's playing on the radio. "Hey! Eyes on the road. And my car, my music. This song also happens to be one of my favorites. Im a sucker for romance Ransom." 

She's telling him her weaknesses. Wheels turning in his mind. How easy it'll be to make her fall for him. "Speechless by Dan and Shay." He says reading the screen that's displaying the name of the song. 

"Yes. It's romantic." 

They pull up to the store and walk in. Ransom puts on quite a fashion show before finding a sharp obsidian black suit with a white button down underneath. A simple but dashing black tie and black dress shoes completing the look. 

"Wow." Hermione is dumb-struck when he walks out, "That's definitely the one. You look...wow." Ransom lets out a small wheeze of a laugh, grabbing him left peck with his right hand making it more dramatic. 

"Speechless." He teases, referring to the song that had played in the car and her current state of shock. "A little." She admits. 

She buys him the suit and they get back in the car, her in the passenger seat this time. "Don't you need a dress?" Ransom asks Hermione just as they're about to pull away.

He's a little defeated by himself, realizing he genuinely cared. But he couldn't. This was all part of his plan. He couldn't get caught up in it. He refused to let himself actually care.

"I already have one. You don't get to see it until the gala." She drives off heading back to the store. Ransom, in the passenger seat, is thinking of ways to win her over. 

"Hermione can I ask you something?" She glances over at him with a look of confusion for a moment then back to the road. "Sure."

"How are you so calm around me? I'm a murderer. And manipulative. I was even diagnosed a sociopath by my court mandated therapist." He knew asking something like this would draw her attention. Make her think he was vulnerable, open, human.

Not having to think about her response for even a second she replies. "I know i've only just met you, but being a writer I come up with some incredibly dark and crazy shit. I've had to research and interview several sociopaths, psychopaths, murderers, serial killers and more."

He keeps his eyes on her intently, while hers continue to watch the road. "You're different from all of them. Your motives were greed, self-preservation, and jealousy. I'm not in anyway justifying what you did, but I can tell that you're not a bad person."

He finds himself genuinely fascinated by her response. "If you really wanted to Ransom, you could turn your life around. That's why I was so quick to hire you." A lie, she saw the promise of a story in him from the moment he called her.

 "I want to help you become better. You can chose to be a good guy. Because I know you are, you just need to drop the whole asshole act and realize there is more to life than money. And stop being so selfish. I studied your case."

She takes a long breath at her admission. "You were scared. Fear took over and instead of growing up and taking responsibility you chose murder. I'm exceedingly perceptive."

He lets out a light and slightly irritated chuckle. She read him like a book. She was on point. Everything she said was true. "I see that." 

Hermione pulls onto the back road next to the store and turned off the car. Neither of them moving. 

"I guess to answer your question, I don't really see you as sociopathic, manipulative or a murderer. You made extremely poor decisions based on fear which resulted in the deaths of two people, but if you were given the chance to take it all back and do things the right way, not be an ass and just ask for help, I know you would take it."  

Their eyes are fixed on each others. She was right. Every word that came out of her mouth was extraordinarily unerring. Her observation opening his eyes to who he really was and why he really did what he did. 

She was right. He was scared. And if he could take it back, he would. "How do you know?" Answering his question with a question, "Would you?" 

Without realizing, he opened up to her today. He let his guard down and it felt good.