Criminal Affinity [18+]

Chapter 13

  And every time I break I get stronger.
Everyday it's getting a bit colder.
When I grow closer.
To the devil on my shoulder.
To the devil on my shoulder.

\ The Devil On My Shoulder - Faith Marie \

x

Even after returning to her bed, Ava's hands are clenched in fists and shaking with incomplete violence. She tries to calm herself, thinking about all the other times she's had a rage attack like this. They mostly happened when she was a baby and Dale was beginning to train her.

His way of bringing out the fight inside her was to egg her on. Call her small, weak, scared and many ugly things. But once the fight was over, he would apologize and take her out to lunch. Dale used to be much nicer in those days. Towards the end, she is certain he just wanted her out of his sight.

Or maybe he just didn't want a reminder of his dead friends taunting him everyday anymore. Whatever the reason, Ava knows the reason she was 'suspended' was personal to Dale and not a statement of her skill.

Her door opens and closes. Ava doesn't look up at Lily, just hopes that the girl doesn't say anything as yet. Then she hears a soft latch.

William Chevalier turns to regard her with his cold, disdainful eyes.

With raised brows, Ava says, "Now isn't a good time, Underboy."

Ignoring the nickname, William keeps his eyes fixed as he walks around her bed to her. "We need to talk."

His tone gives away nothing. Ava scans his face for anything out of place but searching his face for emotion is like waiting for a rock to talk. He doesn't look angry. Just his usual bored, unsatisfied face.

"About what?"

"About your behavior up there. You were told clearly what you were supposed to do." He bends to her level. He uses a small blade to push her chin up. "Is this a game to you?"

Ava's breath begins to come out in short bursts. "Put that away."

"I will put it where I want." He drags the cool tip of the blade down her throat and comes to a halt right between her breasts. "What could you potentially gain from sabotaging this?"

Ava's eyes are fixed on the blade and her mind fails to even register the question.

William gives an irritated groan and withdraws his blade. She slips away in a swift motion, standing next to the bright windows and ignoring her wild heartbeat. She hates being like this, so affected by the coolness of a blade still.

"Here." William extends the blade towards her. "Hold this."

Ava turns to him with an incredulous look. "No thanks."

William raises a brow. "So you never use knives?"

Her hands tighten around herself. "Of course, I do. When I need to. Not now. Not when I-"

"Not when you what?" He twirls the blade between his fingers while pinning her with his gaze. "You can't choose your battles. You should know that better than everyone else."

William's tone makes her question how much he really knows about her. How much Dale has let the Government know about her. If a man like William wanted to find out every nook of her life, he could.

Has he already? Does he know that Pandora decided to temporarily erase her name from their records until Dale saw it fit?

"Is this why you came up to my room?" Ava inspects his expression for any signs that confirm her theory, but he just looks up at her plainly. "To make me hold your stupid blade?"