Sparrow [Eustass Kid x Reader] [Sabo x Reader]

Chapter 4: Decisions, Decisions

CP9 Headquarters, NWC Central District

It had already been too long.

The chances of finding you decreased the longer you were missing. The thought of being out of arms reach of you for this long was painful enough, and he knew it would only get worse as time marched on. Watching you, touching you, savoring your scent. His memories of you weren't enough anymore. Being in your presence and experiencing something new from you, it was the only way he could calm his tormented mind.

And finally tasting you again. After so very long. If that didn't make him lose himself, the look on your face after he kissed you certainly did. You actually smiled at him. And it wasn't the wry grin you wore when you thought you were being cheeky, it was genuine happiness, contentment. He had only seen you look at him like that once before, and like a sickness invading his very being, it left the feeling of something warm blooming in his chest. Something more than the feral desires you always seemed to elicit from him.

God, he wanted that feeling back. He would do anything to see you look at him like that again. And if he couldn't have that, he would have the next best thing. He would break through your icy shell like he had done so many times before. He would make you feel something for him as intensely as he felt for you. And if he couldn't have your adoration, he would gladly accept your fear. As long as the intensity was enough. As long as you felt it only for him. He would make you experience fear like you never had before. You deserved it after everything you did to him.

They would know that fear soon enough, everyone who dared to help in your foolish escape.

If you didn't have help, he would have already had you back where you belonged. He would be providing you with the appropriate punishment at this very moment. His nostrils flared at the thought.

"Are you even listening to me?"

How long had she been standing there droning on?

"Report," Lucci demanded coldly.

Kalifa's posture remained poised and professional even as she let out an exasperated sigh. "We tracked her signal to an abandoned warehouse on the edge of the West District city limits. It seems her tracker was removed and left there. We were able to leverage a few other departments to assist in raiding the remaining safe houses we know about, but there has been no other trace of her."

Lucci sat at the small conference table with one leg crossed over the other. He remained staring out the window as she spoke, taking in the quiet city below.

"You really made a mess of this one. I don't know how you got your little project approved in the first place. She was never going to be one of us, especially with you training her. If you wanted a pet, you should have locked it up at home, not brought it in and pretended to give it a job."

Lucci turned a menacing eye toward Kalifa. "If there's nothing else."

Time, it seemed, was not on his side. He didn't care to entertain whatever misplaced opinions she had, especially when it came to him and especially when it came to you. No, the longer you spent away from him the more time those terrorists had to fill your pretty little head with lies. It didn't matter what you were before he found you. You belonged with him now. She may have been right about one thing though. He should have kept you locked away where no one could find you.

"There is one other thing," Kalifa's tone maintained it's callous professionalism. "Orders from above are to kill her on sight. After your embarrassing display in the subway, they don't want to risk her giving away information about our organization."