Midnight

Annika Petrov knew two things for certain– there was no place better for business than Sterling City’s underbelly and if heaven were to exist it would be right here. In this part of the city, there was only survival. It was controlled chaos and she loved it. That was what she thrived in. The only rules she lived by were the ones that kept her alive.

But something disturbed her blissful environment. It was like she could almost smell the prideful arrogance wafting through the dive bar she currently sat in. She set down her half finished drink, her eyes immediately scanning the room lit by neon signs that just barely flickered. Finding nothing out of the ordinary by the old record machine that Colt had managed to lift from a prominent museum on the Upside for his girlfriend Reagan when she opened this place. All of the faces were familiar. All of them were regulars. Her gaze spiderwebbed the room. All of them were the same as yesterday, and the day before– except for one.

He was much to manicured to be here. Much too clean. The man’s vibrant dark hair was nicely gelled, minus the small bit that fell over his forehead. He sat hunched over the bar, shoulders slumped and head dropped lazily with an empty mug of beer clutched in his shaking hand.

She hated not knowing every single variable in her environment. That was how she would get killed. This was her territory. And if he posed a threat? This would be her kill.

Annika chugged the rest of her drink and slipped into her clumsy inebriated alias. Pulling down her dress a bit to appear more sloppy, easy, and she stumbled over in a perfectly calculated demeanor. Crashing into the bartop, a couple seats over from the stranger giggling lazily.

“Vodka cranberry,” she sighed, rolling her head tiredly towards him. She took a moment to observe him further. “And whatever he’s having.”

He lifted his head finally. Eyes of sapphire cut deep into her gaze. Though he was falling apart at the seams, his facial expression was stern and put together. There was not a hint of weakness in those eyes. He lifted his empty mug, giving a slight nod of acknowledgement.

“Much appreciated,” he mumbled, his tone not quite matching the words he spoke.

Reagan gave Annika a subtle look before shaking her head and heading off to grab the drinks.

She slid over, keeping her movements loose and pretending to struggle up onto the seat next to him.

“This seat wasn’t taken, was it?” she asked smoothly, biting her lip.

He just looked down into the bottom of his empty mug, almost haunted as he spoke. “Not anymore,” he replied quietly.

She tilted her head. “Bad breakup?”

His head snapped upwards at the question. “I appreciate the drink, but–” He finally looked at her. There was the slightest tick in his jaw. “Yea,” he said grimly. “Bad breakup.”

She snorted. “Her loss,” Annika shrugged. “Or his?”

The way he stiffened slightly made her laugh. “Hers.”

“Sorry. Down here,” she said, flicking her eyes to him, “anything is possible.”

He leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers curiously. “How possible is it for me to take you home?”

Annika leaned her elbow onto the bartop, placing her cheek into her palm. “It depends on how the next few drinks go.”

He looked her over, eyes sweeping over her body. “I think I’ll take those odds,” he said, a slight curve forming on his lips. He was a shark. She could tell by how quickly switched his demeanor. But she was a barracuda. Quick. Deadly.

“Nikita,” she finally introduced herself, biting her lip.

“Ronin,” he replied.

Ronin.

After a few more rounds, the conversation became much easier than Annika expected. She gave him fake bits of information about herself to allow him to trust her.

She eventually grew tired of this format of interrogation. She quickly grabbed his hand and pulled him behind the bar and into a small hallway that lead to a secret portion of the bar that only few were allowed to enter. Instead of a dive bar, this section was a night club. And the atmosphere was in full swing. People danced wildly to the deep bass drum. Lights flashed quickly.

She pulled him into the throng of grinding bodies. His face fought the discomfort.

“Just watch,” She directed him.

Annika started moving to the beat, swaying her hips and lifting her hands above her head. Slowly but surely, Levi started moving with her. He closed the distance between them. His body pressing against hers as they danced. His eyes watching hers as Annika wrapped her arms over his shoulders and around his neck.

No words had to be exchanged for information to be expressed. Now, for instance, his eyes told her everything she needed to know. They swept down to her lips and she smiled. This was a good sign. He brought his face close to hers, lips barely a breath away.

Annika’s lips quirked higher as she glided her hands down his chest before turning around in his grasp. Her hips pressing back into his. She was usually pretty good about not getting caught up in moments like these, but his hands were unfortunately much too tender to not at least let herself enjoy the feeling. While it lasted. They snaked over her body– one wrapping around her waist, the other just ever so slightly sinking lower and lower.

The fiery feeling welled up higher as his lips brushed against her ear.

“You’re a very hard woman to track, Annika Petrov,” he said, loud enough that only she could hear.

Ice shot through her body.

Annika fought to keep dancing. There were way too many eyes to finish the kill here. She clenched her jaw, turning her face back to face him. Sapphire eyes glinted in victory.

“My name is Nikita,” she said, frowning in confusion.

“A clever alias,” he chuckled sarcastically. “Using the name of your former trainer? I expected better of you, Miss Petrov.”

This time she pushed out of his atrociously strong arms, keeping hold of his hand and moving her face close to his. “Let move this to the bedroom then,” she said smoothly.

He lifted his chin. “Yes. Lets. I think we have a lot to discuss before we find ourselves poised to kill.”

She kept her jaw tight but still smiled. “Then lets not waste any more time.”

Annika pulled him out the back entrance into the dark damp alley. The only light came from above in the form of a dim street lamp.

The moment the door closed, Annika slammed him into the brick wall behind the club, popping the blade she had implanted into her ring. She was about to slash his throat, but the cool dull end of metal pressed into her abdomen. And a small click ricocheted through the alley.

“I don’t want to kill you, Miss Petrov,” he breathed, “but I will. If it comes to that.”

“What do you want,” she hissed, dropping her sloppy tone and trading it for that of a snake.

“You killed someone,” he said, tone edged with cold rage.

“And?”

“Who hired you to carry out the hit,” he asked. The gun shifted deeper into her gut.

Annika scoffed. “They don’t give names of clients to us,” she growled.

“Then what do they give you, assassin,” he snarled.

“They give us a name and a deadline. Thats. It,” Annika said coldly. “Who are you talking about?”

His eyes flashed something she couldn’t recognize. Maybe hurt. Maybe hopelessness. She couldn’t tell.

“Emmit Darnell,” he spoke icily. “You killed him six months ago. I have the proof. I have the legers. I saw your face in the crowd when we scraped his body off the ground.”

She sighed, releasing him and putting her hands up. “Alright then. Go ahead. Lets just get this over with.”

“You’re under arrest for the murder of–”

“Oh, don’t give me that bullshit,” Annika mocked. “You’re out for vengeance. I can practically smell it on you. Take the shot.”

“You’d like that wouldn’t you,” he growled.

“No,” she admitted. “But I know when I’ve been bested. Take your prize, Detective. I’m all yours.”

Keeping his gun aimed at her, he loosened his tie. Annika lifted her brow. Intrigue sparking through her veins. Pulling it from around his neck, Ronin stepped towards her.

“That was surprisingly hot, Detective,” she mused, winking flirtatiously.

He bared his teeth in rage as he stood before her. His hardened gaze held her amused one as he spun her around, pressing her against the exposed brick. He began to bind her wrists with expert skill, leaving her to wonder how often he practiced that technique with the women that no doubt flung themselves at his feet. How could they not? Those eyes were remarkable. And that face, when it was dark and brooding, was something to behold.

The Detective cursed quietly as his phone rang, he quickly looked at it and cursed even louder.

“Move and you die,” he growled, picking up the call. “Detective Blake,” he answered gruffly.

Annika turned cautiously around to face the detective. With her ring already at the ready, she began quietly sawing away. It was a shame. This was such a nice tie.

“I’m bringing her in now,” she heard him say quietly under his breath, eyes shifting suspiciously towards her.

Annika gave an innocent smile, batting her lashes.

“Say hi to the boss for me,” she teased.

He only narrowed his eyes. “I can’t promise she’ll come back unscathed,” he muttered. “Copy that,” he replied simply and hung up the phone.

“Let me guess,” she purred. “You have need of my skills.”

“Information,” he grumbled. “As soon as you run out of usefulness, you’ll be in with the rest of the city trash and I’ll gladly throw away the key.”

She blew out a raspberry. “Boring,” she whined. “Come on. I don’t know who wanted Emmitt dead, but you know I could find out.”

“You’re being placed in protected custody until we deem you useless,” he said. “So I wouldn’t get too comfortable.”

Annika snapped the tie, the remnants of the fabric dropping onto the ground.

“I wasn’t,” she smirked.

His gun lifted higher, arms taut, ready for the recoil of his fired bullet.

“Stay back,” he ordered sharply. “Don’t move.”

“So, then I should get comfortable,” she snorted. “Make up your mind, Detective. Do you want me? Or not.”

He hissed out a curse of anger. “I can’t wait to watch you rot in hell,” he snarled, unbuckling his belt.

She practically purred watching him undress, biting her lip.

The Detective was going to be the reason her dreams were well seasoned tonight.

“Might as well take it all off, detective,” she said innocently. “You’ve come this far—“

“Shut it,” he growled, throwing her up against the wall. A sharp gasp came from her lips.

“Jesus Christ,” she huffed. “Take it easy, Detective. I’m not going anywhere. Like I said. I'm all yours.”

“I’m not taking any chances with you,” he breathed into her ear.

It was hard for Annika to not focus on all the bad things she wanted to do to him. All of the naughty ways she wanted him undone.

His belt tightened on her wrists.

“Happy?” She asked.

“We’ll see,” he grumbled. “My car is this way.”

He yanked her forward, forcing her to stumble.

“Who was Emmitt to you, Detective?” She asked.

He stayed quiet. Not answering her question.

Annika felt eyes on them. From above.

Shit.

“I get that you want me to shut up, but I think you’ll want to hear me out on this one,” she said, moving closer. She leaned her lips close to his ear. “We have company.”

Likely, they were after her. The organization didn’t like to have loose ends. Now that she was tagged, she was a liability.

He threw his jacket over her shoulders, in an attempt to hide his makeshift handcuffs.

“It’s much too late for that, Detective,” she breathed, just as the bullet blew past her face, skimming her cheek.

“Shit,” he yelled throwing her forward as the next bullet fired. It hit the brick behind her.

Annika tumbled forward, moving her body in a manner that allowed her to roll into a crouch.

“Told you,” she huffed in annoyance.

“Keep moving,” he ordered sharply.

She kicked off her heels and sprinted furiously behind the detective. He pulled his keys out from his jacket. Moments later, a cars lights flashed signaling their destination. Smart move on his part. There would be no time to fumble around for his keys.

If he wanted her alive, he would have to go fast.

The Detective hissed as another shot was fired. Annika turned her head to see him clutching his upper arm as he ran.

“One day we are just going to laugh about this,” Annika panted.

“Shut the fuck up,” he snarled. “Get in the damn car!”

He threw open the passenger side door, not bothering to close it after she jumped in. He was in the drivers seat not even a second later, revving the engine and pulling off with screaming tires.

They both ducked as the rear window was shattered by another bullet whizzing into the car.

Annika tried not to think about the deep shit she was in now. This fucking man was going to ruin everything. He was going to get her killed.

“I hope you know that nowhere is going to be safe until you figure out exactly what the fuck you want from me,” she said grimly.

He said nothing in response.

The only sound there was between them was the hum of the engine.