The Beast Within

Chapter Two: New Client

I finished counting my money that I made this week and I looked up and over my desk to see Jerome attempting to whistle with his feet up on my desk, I rolled my eyes and slipped my money into my heeled boot "you know, I used to be a great whistler" he said breaking the silence and I cocked my eyebrow in doubt "what? you don't believe me?" he said leaning closer "I don't care" I responded "jeez, are you always this snappy in the mornings?" he asked with a slight smirk and I rolled my eyes "I am to people who hold my friends hostage" I said glaring at him and he shrugged "your own fault for having boring friends" I rolled my eyes and he swung his legs off my desk and leaned forward "hey, can I ask you something?" he looked serious so I gave in and looked at him "what?" "am I still good looking" he smirked and I rolled my eyes and he burst out laughing "you sound like a goddamn hyena" I said agitated and he laughed louder "oh come on, you gotta loosen up a bit if we're gonna be partners" "we're not partners Jerome, you're my client and I'm your worker" "that means you'll do anything I say, right?" I rolled my eyes and huffed "as long as you pay me" he nodded then smirked and looked at me suggestively "ugh! god, no! I meant I'll do anything mission wise you perv" "didn't hurt to try.. HAHAHA" I rolled my eyes again and suddenly the door to my office swung open.

Lucky and Tabitha were both confused until Jerome turned to face them and Tabby pushed Tee back and pulled out her whip "what the hell is he doing here?" she said and Jerome put his hands up in defense and I quickly stood to protect him "calm down Tabby, he's my new client" she looked at me like I had two heads and Jerome looked at Lucky and smirked "you can't trust this circus freak" Tabby spat and Jerome rolled his eyes "good to see you too, Tabby" she rolled her eyes and put her whip away "how the hell are you even still alive?" "faked my death, got shot, went into hiding, blah blah blah you know how it goes" he said effortlessly and she rolled her eyes "if your clown freak of a brother comes after us for having you here, you're dead, for fucking real" she said in his face and he just sent her a lopsided smile "he doesn't even know I'm still alive" she nodded and walked out of the room.

Jerome looked at Lucky and extended his hand out and she shook it "hi there gorgeous, I'm Jerome" he raised an eyebrow and smirked and she smiled shyly "Tris, but you can call me Tee or Lucky" "Lucky huh?" I rolled my eyes and sat back in my chair watching their weird interaction "it's a nickname Nyssa gave me" she said glancing at me then back to him "ugh, why can I never walk into a room without someone pining all over each other in this house" I looked up to see one of my good friends I've made since being in Gotham, that lives with us too "Barbara Kean, you definitely haven't changed" Bab's jaw dropped and she eyed Jerome "what the-" she started but I cut her off "he faked his death and hired me for protection" she nodded and stepped into my office space.

Jerome quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her into him and put his hands on her waist smirking down at her "you sure know how to keep a guy entertained Bab's, whaddya say?" he grinded his pelvis into hers and I rolled my eyes "I'm in a relationship now" she said running her hands up his chest and for some disgusting reason I felt a twinge of jealousy in my gut "not like anyone here is gonna go blabbing" she looked him up and down and bit her lip "I'll cancel my lunch plans" she said and dragged him out of the room and we heard her bedroom door shut "did we just allow a psychotic, fugitive, man whore to stay with us?" Lucky asked sitting on the chair Jerome was in and I huffed "seems like it" "why are the bad ones always so hot?" "Tee! really?" I said and she chuckled "what? you can't deny that he's hot" I rolled my eyes and smiled while shaking my head "he's crazy, and my new client" "who the hell could that psycho possibly need protection from?" "my guess, his brother I keep hearing about" I said and she nodded "the whole city is cowering in fear from one psycho brother and here we are protecting the other" she said pretty much baffled by our situation.

Jerome sat up from Barbara's bed and slipped his shirt back on then pulled his boxers up, Barbara leaned over and ran her fingers down his back "leaving already?" she half whispered "is your friend married?" he said surprising Bab's and she sat up "huh?" "Nyssa, she was wearing an engagement ring, she married?" "why do you care?" she asked clipping her bra up "don't, was just wondering where her partner is" "she's dead, and they're not even technically engaged because she died before she could ask Nyssa" Jerome nodded and pulled on his suit pants "you know you can just stay here for the night, it's alright 10 at night" she said laying back down on her side and Jerome shook his head "you know I don't like sleeping in a bed with someone else" "I never understood that, why won't you stay with another person?" "none of your business, that's why" Bab's rolled her eyes and laid on her back watching Jerome finish getting dressed "as much as you piss me off, you're still damn good looking" she said eyeing him like he was a juicy steak and he chuckled "I'd love to go for another round, but I have an early start tomorrow" he said finishing his last button and she sat up on her knees and pulled him closer to her till his legs hit the side of the bed.

She ran her hands up his chest to his neck and placed her arms around his neck and pulled him closer "you know how I feel about kissing" he said placing his finger over her lips and she pouted her lips against his finger "just one little kiss?" she said and leaned forward, he rolled his eyes and pushed her back making her back hit the mattress she crossed her arms and pouted as he walked out and shut the door, he looked across the hall and saw the room across from Barbara's, door was slightly creaked open and the light was still on, he quietly walked over and peeked in seeing Nyssa sitting on her bed, his eyes widened when he saw her stand up and lift her shirt over her head, she had a bra on unfortunately for Jerome but he still looked at her body, she slipped off her pants and went to pull her ring off, she stopped for a second and looked at it longingly, she pulled it off and sat it on her nightstand, Jerome felt a bulge in his pants grow when Nyssa unclasped her bra and dropped it on the floor, she grabbed a towel and went to pull her panties off but Jerome quickly looked away, not wanting for invade her privacy any further, he looked down to his pants and rolled his eyes, he looked to Barbara's door and sighed "fuck it" he whispered to himself and stepped into her room.