PLAY WITH FIRE

CHAPTER 4

SCARLETT VALENTINE

PRESENT TIME

"It's a lot more scared of you than you are of it" Quita stated, patting my back as she passed behind me. The contact made me jump out of my skin, my head whirling around in her direction as she passed into the kitchen.

"Can you not fucking touch me whilst I'm in the middle of trying to get over a fear?" I snapped, watching her roll her eyes at me before disappearing into the kitchen. Turning back ahead I looked into the tiny glass enclosure. It's tiny fucking eyes were staring into my soul. Leaning forward, I pressed my face closer to the glass.

"If I ever see you out, roaming free in this apartment, I swear to fuck, I will not think twice before chopping you up" The orange snake slithered up to the glass, shaking it's rattle tail before hissing at me, it's tongue vibrating up and down. I flicked the glass before taking a step back.

"Yeah, I don't like you either mate" I turned away, putting my attention back on the apartment I'd been scoping out before the orange snake had caught my eye. It was a big apartment, or at least that's what I'd thought before Quita told me it's actually the smallest and cheapest to rent out. Apparently it's the prison brain that's making the space look a thousand times bigger than it actually is.

By the time we'd gotten to the apartment last night it was already dark and I was finding myself struggling to stay awake. Quita has just ushered me to 'my' room that she'd apparently set up for me. To say I woke up and had a tiny moment of fear when I realized I wasn't on a metal bed in a tiny cell would be an understatement. I'd woken to a full blown panic attack, only to be snapped out of it by Quita literally slapping me across the face. It had surprisingly done the job though.

When the doorbell rang I froze up. What the fuck was I meant to do? Quita popped her head out from the kitchen, looking at me before nodding to the door.

"Get that will ya?" She disappeared back into the kitchen, the hiss of her damn snake behind me only nerving me more. I slowly moved my way towards the door, grabbing the handle of the steel bat that sat beside the door. I brought my hand up, working on unlocking the 4 different locks on the door. When I swung it open 2 police officers stood in front of me, another two men in suits behind them. I squinted at them in suspicion, glancing them all up and down as they held blank stares on their faces.

"Miss Valentine?" The officer, who had clearly shaved a couple days ago, asked. Crossing my arms over my chest, I jutted one hip out, staring at the man not much taller than me.

"Who's asking?" I queried, my eyes lingering on his police badge on his left breast.

"Director Bohaggart of the FBI" The suit on the left replied, his eyes hidden behind his pretentious black shades.

"And I'm assuming none of you are Bohaggart himself?"

"Ma'am, I'm Officer James Madden, and this is my partner Officer Kelce Montoray, of WPD" The freshly shaved cop pointed to himself then to his partner who offered me a single nod in acknowledgement.

"And these are Agent's Matthew's and Sky of the FBI" The two suits nodded at me. I stared blankly at the lot of them before looking back to the suit that had initially spoken, Agent Matthew's.

"So, back to my original question, none of you are Bohaggart himself?" Grunts. Shakes of the head. I scoffed, turning to close the door on them.

"Bohaggart wants me, he can come and see me himself" A foot in the doorway stopped me from finding safety and privacy in the apartment. Turning back to the door, the officers and agents took one step through the threshold.