Dark Passions

Chapter Twenty

Black sat in the library, papers in neat stacks in front of him. Due to his little excursion to New Zealand, he was behind in his work; both for being a lawyer and for his under-the-table businesses. He had put them off for the time being in order to focus his attention on Jessica, but he knew he had to get to them eventually. However, his mind was not on the paperwork or the money beginning to flow in. His mind was on Jessica. Black loved to see that she had transformed back into her usual self, but he was beginning to get frustrated with the fact of how stubborn she actually was. He didn't think it would take this long to convince Jessica she needed to come back with him. He hated threatening her friends, but they were an obstacle. Black tightened his hand into a fist as he pretended to look over the papers in front of him. He had resisted the urge to take Jessica and head back to America. If he had done that, Jessica would just try to find other means to escape. He thought that if Jessica thought she had a choice in the matter, she wouldn't be so hasty to escape—especially if other people's lives were at stake.

Black glanced down at his watch. Jessica had twelve more hours to decide before he had to put his plan into action. Growing irritated with waiting, Black considered hiring Drake to do the job for him. After all, Drake was probably bored. Black smiled maliciously. If he told Drake to have fun with Jessica's little friends, perhaps she would understand the severity of the situation. The only thing that seemed to catch Jessica's attention was the fact she was putting others in harm's way. She had never been one to hide behind another person and let them take the blow. That part of her has never changed, Black thought to himself as he shuffled the papers. Black knew Jessica would never forgive him should he set Drake loose on the girls. He found them charming, but he didn't like them for the one fact that they kept Jessica away from him. As Black contemplated on whether or not he wanted Drake to be the one to kill them, something hit the back of his head. It wasn't hard, but enough to catch his attention. Black looked down at the floor to see a crumbled up piece of paper. His eyes glanced up to see Jessica standing a few feet away from him, a troubled and angry expression on her face. He raised his eyebrow at her and she shrugged her shoulders.

"Sorry, I must've mistaken your head to be a trashcan," she said haughtily. Black couldn't help but to smile at her comment. He beckons her over with a tilt of his head and to his surprise, Jessica takes a few steps forwards, but then stops at arm's length. Black knew she stopped at this distance so he wouldn't be able to grab her lest she says something inappropriate.

"To what do I owe the honor?" asked Black, keeping his complacent smile on his face. Jessica looks away from him for a moment before looking back at him.

"I'm...done." Black's smile darkens. "I don't want you to hurt them," said Jessica as she tosses the picture back at him. "They had nothing to do with this. So please leave them alone."

"I can arrange that," sighed Black as he got to his feet. He put his hands in his pockets as he stared gently down at her. "I can assume you are ready to depart then?" Jessica fidgets with her bag before replying.

"Can I at least say goodbye?"

"Alright." Jessica snapped her head up at him, as if she half expected him to say no. Her startled expression made Black smile even wider. "Don't give me that face. I'm not as cold-hearted as I may seem. You have three hours to get your things and to say goodbye. If you are not at your apartment within that time limit, the bet is off."

"The bet?" asked Jessica as she narrowed her eyes.

"With your friends," answered Black as he picked up his briefcase. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes, his expression turning cold. "Should you try to fool me again, someone will die. And I won't care who it is. Three hours, Jessica." Jessica nodded her head and took off, disappearing around the corner. Smiling, Black pulled out his phone and proceeded to call Drake.