Mirrors

Chapter 16: Lesser Evil

"I thought it was clear, James. Moran and I were having a little spar. He was getting sloppy, I taught him a lesson in humility." Sherlock stated nonchalantly as he wrapped his fists with the strips of rags. Jim took in a shuddering breath to calm himself from the burning rage. "Sherlock, there is no need for you to 'school' my boys. Leave the punishments to me. Especially Moran. I need you focused on at the task at hand" Jim stated in what he hoped to be a reasonable tone. It has the opposite effect on Holmes.

"Focused?! Focused is all I have done since I got here. Which is more than for you and your bitches. Why don't you pull your cock out of Moran's ass and get some real work here done." Sherlock hissed taking a step forward Jim, slamming his fist into the drywall beside Jim's face. Jim actually flinched at the movement and took a step back. Jim noticed with each passing day, Holmes was getting restless and progressively more prone to violence. Honestly working with Holmes was delightful whiplash. One moment Sherlock was mild mannered gentleman, the next moment he was violent and destructive. Each days was different, and Jim never knew what version of this sociopath he was encountering. Sherlock was as quick to shake your hand as he was to skin you if the desire was present.  Jim loved it. Sherlock was many things but boring was not one of them.

Beauty and rage. Honey and arsenic. Fire and ice. Lightning and Rain. Calm and the storm.

"Holmes please.... be reasonable. You are scaring my boys. How on earth are they going to let me keep you as a pet. " Jim wasn't at all concerned about Moran, Jim was more annoyed that Sherlock took it upon himself to provide the scolding. Jim was a ringleader afterall, he had to make sure his boys saw him as such. Jim needed to keep Sherlock reined in, to exert control.

 Jim purred internally to himself. Ohh...what he would do to see see Sherlock reined in, with a collar and leash. Jim would love to tame this little monster, to make Sherlock into his little pet. All the things Jim would like to do if he had Sherlock on a leash. Sherlock was so deliciously hot and cold, it drove Jim mad. Sherlock was an enticing challenge, Jim never knew what was going on and that head of his. Most people would run and hide, but Jim was not like other people, obviously. If anything, Sherlock's violent unpredictability made the consultant even more desirable and exciting. Jim's small scar on his back, however, served as a warning to Jim to stay on Sherlock's pleasant side.  

 "Pet...." Sherlock stopped dead in his tracks to look back at Jim, eyes flickered with hellfire. Jim's eyes widen slightly as his mouth goes dry. Jim, realizing his mistake, kept a neutral if not smug expression. "Yes...can I not bestow nicknames?" Jim asked.

 "Jim...Jimmy...James...." Sherlock purred, striding over to be nose to nose with the consulting criminal. "I may be a lot of things, but I am not a pet. Yours or anyones. Call that again and I might have to be forced to rearrange that pretty face of yours. You would understand it would be as a shame. So don't make that same mistake twice, yes?" Sherlock purred in a tone that was calm but didn't hide the underlying malice. Sherlock slid a slim finger down Jim's face to the soft vulnerable skin of Jim's neck. The movement was anything but tender, Sherlock was mimicking the path of a knife. Jim bit back a whimper of need and gently slapped Sherlock's hand away from his neck.

"I swear, Holmes, I have skinned people for less of an insult than that. Not many people could get away with threatening me." Jim growled. Sherlock lets out a harsh bark of laughter. "Oh please, I would like to see you try. Pretty-boy Jimmy with his fancy dark suits was never one to get his hands dirty. And your staff is too intimidated by me to dare try, especially with recent developments. Besides, I am too damn enticing to you to try and end me. And you would have end me yourself. Don't you dare think that your googly eyed expressions had gone over my head. Killing me would be boring....and obvious. And we both know how much you despise that." Sherlock laughed.

"But the point still stands, Holmes. Continue to undermine my authority and I will be forced to rein you in.... Hmmm... you would look good in a collar and leash... You might not enjoy it, but I certainly will. I will not have my men turning on me because of you." Jim stated. Sherlock smiled slightly. "Jim....what makes you think for one moment that I am the pet in this relationship? Also, what makes you think I entend to stay with you when this is all said and done? To be frank, you are too predictable, too boring..." Sherlock purred.

Now Jim at this point was used to Sherlock's unpredictability, but he never expected that. Jim was so shocked in fact, that his eyebrows arch up. "Oh? Was that news to you? Did you actually think I liked you... that I could like you? Oh, Jim...James.... don't be so sentimental. It's unbecoming on you." Sherlock purred. "But you said..." Jim began. "I said that we make a good team, that much is true. At least in the beginning that was true. Because I needed you, well I needed access to the center of your crime web. As I gained your trust, The rest of what I said was stroke your ego. What I needed was your network, your connections. You, on the other hand, the spider in the center of the web....is now dispensable." Sherlock smirked, and Jim at last notes that the detective had his back literally up against the wall.

"You bastard....you used me. You manipulated me." Jim hissed. "You are just now figuring that at now? Hummm.... You manipulated yourself. Had you not been making goo goo eyes at me you would have seen that  have taken your network from the inside out. Your people are mine. Today was the final straw falling into place with Moran. Caring really isn't an advantage... But you have served me well. Perhaps I will keep you as a pet." Sherlock used his words against the Criminal. 

Jim's breath sucked in sharply as he dives his hand into his coat to pull out his gun. Jim points the gun at Sherlock's chest. Most people would cower when they stared down the barrel of Jim's gun but Sherlock just threw his head back and cackled. Jim was about to pull the trigger and fire but a half second later there was a sharp bark of a rifle and the gun was suddenly snapped out of Jim's hand. "What part of, I own you do you not understand, Jim." Sherlock nodded to the laser mark on Jim's chest. Jim's eyes and mouth go wide when he is now in the crosshairs of one of his snipers.

"H-How...?"

"How did I turn them? You toss a hungry wolf a bone and they are surprisingly loyal. Particularly so when you have killed their comrade right in front of them and offered an ultimatum: Join or die. Jim...you are the lesser of two evils when compared to me. Your reign is over as the King of Crime. Long live the king."