What Kind of Man || Jim Moriarty

Twenty Nine

"Ya vstrechu tebya v aeroportu." A short silence filled the chilly air, it was not yet spring and the garden was still bare of any sort of green. But the sun was shining and she'd been stuck in the house for three weeks now due to the constant storms and wind. "I will meet you at the Airport". Katherine's eyes stared hard at both translations of the sentence as her brain tried to desperately recall what the tape had sounded like just yesterday. She through that was right...it sort of sounded right...to her. To a Russian it may have been a different story. "Are you sure this is necessary? Surely James's business associates speak English?"

"It's called having manners." Sabastian answered her from across the iron framed garden table. He was now her personal bodyguard; Jim didn't trust anyone else to keep an eye on her back when he was away from the house himself. But that was far less common than they'd both first imagined. "It makes us look better and makes you look more professional."

"Fair enough...yet how I'm meant to learn conversational Russian in less than a decade I'll never know." She pointed her pen back at the notebook filled with what had at first been nonsense, but now a couple of the letters started to become recognisable.

The past three weeks hadn't been awful, a little cabin feverish maybe, but far from the despair she'd felt cooped up in the apartment like a pigeon. Here she could explore the grounds...with a guard or two...or the rooms, bar Moriarty's office. And each room was more detailed than the next. Then, even when that got boring, Jim had a lot of training lined up for her. As well as the language mastering, he had lined up gun training, self-defence skills continuing on from what she had already done with Sebastian. All little things which would help keep her safe, as well as gain her the knowledge needed to do small work for Moriarty from within the safe haven of the house walls.

As each day passed, the more she felt in her element and the easier she settled into the lifestyle as if this was always how it was meant to be. The staff bowed their head to her as she passed them in the hallways, greeted her as 'Miss' and treated her like the VIP guest in her very own hotel. Bar the constant danger she was so often told she was in, mostly by Sebastian every time she mentioned wanting to shop, she couldn't think of a more luxurious lifestyle to be living.

"Daddy's home!" Just as the thoughts were running through her head, the creator of said lifestyle walked through the large patio doors at the back of the house. "How's my little runaway doing?" He had been gone for four days, that was the main reason Katherine found such a wide smile coming to her lips. She'd missed his presence in the house, that atmosphere which was so thick and heavy it could be cut by a single unwanted whistle. To the others in the house the intensity was probably an unwelcomed arrival, but not to her. No. To Katherine it just made her feel even bigger.

"Very well." The elegance was unmissable as she stood and made her way down the garden path towards him. "How are you, Mr Moriarty?"

"Good...happy to be home." His snake eyes raked over her form, from the bold patterned knee length pencil skirt she wore, to the low cut neckline of her cream blouse. "Still studying?" A small smile could be found on Jim's lips as a hand raised from his side to caress her hip.

"Yes, in fact that's what you have so rudely interrupted." Katherine smirked, taking her turn in their greetings game and running her slender hand up his chest until his tie could be wrapped around her fist. It was a power play, something they found themselves engaged in every time he returned to the house. "How was France?"

"Not nearly as interesting as I'd hoped." Moriarty took hold of her wrist, their game over, and lowered it back to her side. "I have to leave again in the morning, there is a contact in Italy who needs to become involved." At the mention of him leaving again so soon, her face fell into a sombre expression and she cocked a hip.

"You're leaving again? You said we'd discuss plans once you were home?" The plans on how to go forward with her situation, she couldn't very well live out her life hiding in this house. They both knew that, but neither did they know how to continue. At least she didn't. As always, Jim probably had something up his sleeve.

"Well, this is more important pet. Sorry." That singsong manipulative tone...that she didn't miss. A second later he turned and walked back into the house, phone back in hand and then pressed to his ear. "Hello...yes...make it work..." His voice trailed off as he disappeared further into the house and Katherine turned to return to her 'studying'.

In silence; she sat, picked up her pen and brushed the strand of hair behind her ear, trying to ignore Sebastian's questioning stare.

"He doesn't really care you know." She chose to ignore him. Katherine didn't have the energy to get into one of their reoccurring conversations of what Jim felt for her. It happened too often and always ended in one of them over stepping the mark and causing an awkward rest of the day. "If they found you, don't think he'd weep and mourn your death...he'd only regret the time and assets spent on you." He was the stupid one if he thought she didn't already know this...she did. Katherine knew if she did...she knew if the worse was to happen then Moriarty of course wouldn't care. It was all obvious...but that didn't mean...

She would always stop herself thinking about it before she thought about feelings which went past that of lust and power.

"Do shut up Sebastian. I've heard it all before." She put her head down, putting her concentration back on the foreign scribbles. However, before Katherine could lose herself in the work too much, one of the staff came out of the house and into the garden carrying a large cream box wrapped in a dramatic baby blue satin bow.

It was one of the younger girls, must have only been around 24, 25....there was no way of telling how she's came to work for Moriarty, and it was one of those 'don't ask, don't tell' situations. She wasn't to talk to them and they weren't to make conversation with her, and even if it sounded the most pompous of rules it was a one she was happy to stick by. Lucy had never been the friendly, and chatty type anyway...only when it was strictly necessary. Katherine seemed to be even less so and over the past couple of weeks, the small friendly smiles she used to easily give to passing strangers disappeared, replaced by a straight scowl. It suited her though, at least James thought so in his mind, she looked...untouchable.

"Miss Reine, sorry for the interruption." Their greetings had been small and nervous at the beginning when they were not used to her and not quite sure what her status was, but now they spoke with more confidence. Katherine received more respect than the likes of Sebastian, but nowhere near the amount of Moriarty. At least they made eye contact with Katherine, she hadn't turned into that much of a heartless bitch as to find their gaze irritating.

"It's quite alright..." She trailed off, eyes moving over the box. "What is it?"

"Mr Moriarty asked for this to be delivered to you. Would you like it in your room?"

"No." Without giving it a second through, Katherine approached the woman and pulled on the ribbon until it fell loose. There were no complaints as the girl was forced to hold the box as it was unwrapped, but there were curious eyes as she tried to peer into the contents of the box as Katherine lifted the lid.

It was a dress, layers upon layers of colourful and boldly patterned chiffon were messily folded into the box. A gown, judging by the amount of fabric still left in a pile once Katherine had lifted the top half out but the intricate beaded straps. The sequined metallic detail continued down onto the sparse chest of the dress, there were two small square pieces to cover her breast and a low, wide neckline. But it was gorgeous...absolutely beautiful. The colours, the detail...it was obviously couture and obviously expensive. Chanel according to the small inner label.

He didn't care about her, not in those ways. But he spared her a thought on his travels. Flattering her, secretly surprising Moriarty himself, but it was all part of his game. So he told himself.

"Well...Isn't that nice." Katherine whispered to herself, not expecting a reply. "Can you hang this in my room please?" Suddenly looking up to the young girl, Katherine delicately dropped the dress back into the box and handed the lid over. "Where is Mr Moriarty?"

"In the study Miss. And certainly, I'll place it with your other dresses." A moment later, she had scuttled away upstairs, Katherine following in a much slower pace toward the office. As she left the garden however, she was oblivious to Sebastian's eyes which had taken in the past five minutes very carefully.
 
Katherine's heels clicked lazily against the marble as she weaved through the house until the closed door to Moriarty's office was the online thing separating her from him. She couldn't hear him, meaning he was most likely off the phone. Being bold, she didn't knock. Instead she opened the door, stepped in and closed it almost instantly. She was as silent as a mouse, but he still heard her, that she knew from the way his brow quirked.

Across the room, Jim sat behind his desk scribbling some rough lines on a pile of documents. He continued for a couple of minutes and for a second Katherine was sure he wasn't going to acknowledge her existence at all. It wouldn't be surprising. But then he coughed, straightened his jacket and raised his head to stare at her.

"I wasn't aware of a passing occasion which required such a gift." She leant back on the closed door, hands behind her back and still gripping the handle. "I almost feel embarrassed I have nothing to offer in return." She wasn't going to try and hide from him, she was feeling bold.

"You needed a decent dress." Considering it was only James who bought or at least gave an opinion into all the clothes she owned, he was only criticising himself. However, she didn't point this out and started to cross the room.

"Thank you." Jim didn't even seem to register her words and swiftly pointed to the chair in front of him.

"Sit." He shuffled through some papers before seeming to choose one and moving it to the front. "I have work for you to do whilst I'm away. Something I hope you will find less mind numbing than sitting in doors all day." Jim rolled his eyes dramatically as Katherine smirked.

"It's not so bad. Mr Moran can provide good company when he wants to." It was meant to be a joke, but little did she know what effect the words were soon to have on him.

It was so nice to hear how well they were getting along. How nice his dear trusted employee Sebastian Moron had been treating his primped and sculpted Katherine. It was good to know that whilst he was away, they were comforting each other and getting to know one another better. Very
Good to know.

"Is that so?" Jim's face contorted, his lips tightening into a firm line and his eyes narrowing. She could almost see his tongue running over his cheek in annoyance. But Katherine didn't understand, had she said something out of turn? Had she done something wrong? "Sebastian will be taking leave with me this time."

"But..." She stopped herself when his face hardened, and stuttered. What had gotten into him?

"But..." Jim teased, chuckling darkly while standing and walking around his desk to stand in front of her. He got so close, his breath skimmed her cheek and she could smell the subtle Italian aftershave. "Get up."