Bound by Deception

1.2 Dance to Death

Aria and Sterling joined the crowd of people dancing at the center of the room. They effortlessly joined the slow dance, side-stepping around the men and women glued together while indulging in insane amounts of PDA. Aria felt like spilling her guts.

These people are completely careless! She tapped on Sterling's shoulder in the syndicate's code. It's disgusting watching this!

Then don't, Sterling tapped back. His gaze was stoic and glued to the pendant on Aria's chest to pretend to have an interest in his faux wife. The Garmonds aren't going anywhere. Should we try and get closer?

He dipped Aria in a low dive, allowing her head to toss back so that she could see the Garmonds. The husband and wife duo were closer than they were before, and Lady Garmond was clinging to her personal bank, her thin lips freshly rouged and planted constantly on Lord Garmond. For a still moment, Aria thought that they were truly in love with one another, but when Sterling brought her up and met her gaze, she was reminded with a cold chill that it was all a farce.

The slow music lifted to an upbeat, teenage pop song that would have most likely been played at a high school prom. Sterling and Aria stripped away from each other, determination set in their eyes as they left the group and slithered to the corner of the velvet-shaded room. Sifting through the brightly dressed women, drunk men, and sea of food, Sterling and Aria finally made it to their destination.

Lady Garmond noticed them first - or rather, she noticed Sterling. Aria watched the way the stunning woman stripped Sterling with her cattish eyes. Sterling noticed as well, sending her a wicked smile and wink.

"So, this is your secret," Aria murmured in amusement, her poker face impenetrable as Lord Garmond began to notice her presence. "You're cheating on me, huh?"

"Unfortunately for a week or so," Sterling responded. "However, should you wish, my dear, I can make it go away."

"Please do." Aria inwardly smirked. "Swiftly, if you can."

"Hello," Lady Garmond broke into their conversation with her leathery voice. Her cold gaze assessed Aria, then darted to Sterling. "Lord and Lady Sundance, I presume?"

"Indeed," Sterling replied. He released Aria's arm and took Lady Garmond's hand, kissing it gently. "It is a pleasure to meet you, my Lady."

"Please, my good sir!" Lord Garmond joined his wife with a smile. "We are equaled here, Lord Sundance. Ah, is this your wife?"

"Yes." Sterling took Aria's hand again. "My wife, Lady Sundance."

"Charmed," Lady Garmond whispered icily.

"The pleasure is mine," Aria said. While contesting with Lady Garmond in a silent standoff, she studied the architecture of the home. The exits were plain to see, she decided, but the snipers would be bothersome. She tapped her observations to Sterling. We can't have any loose ends tonight.

Sterling's hand immediately dropped into his pocket, where his lighter was, but Aria shook her head, pretending to listen to Lord Garmond's raving.

No, she tapped.

Why?

It's too extravagant.

We'll have loose ends otherwise!

"Remind me again." Lady Garmond interrupted their conversation. "Where are you both from? When did you marry?"

"Highfield," Aria said. "The west district. We got married there last fall. Right, darling?"

Sterling smiled. "Indeed," he said, continuing to maintain eye contact with Lady Garmond. "In the Yanes district, my dear. Lord Garmond, I believe your brother attended our wedding."

"Did he?" Lord Garmond's face twisted in thought, showing his age through the wrinkles that appeared. "Dare I say, I don't remember. Apologies, Lady Sundance. I will request my brother to remind me of your affair, which I have no doubt was a wonderful event."

"Yes." Lady Garmond smiled a bit too widely. "It was a wonderful affair."

"I have some photos with me." Aria saw the opportunity and took it. "Would you both like to see them? Perhaps we can also invite you to our anniversary party?"

"Oh, we'd be delighted!" Lord Garmond beamed. "Do show us."

"I would love to show them to you," Sterling said, nodding at Aria. "But I must use the restroom first. Erm, which is..."

"I'll show you!" Lady Garmond's eyes glinted. She took Sterling's arm, and her fingers nearly brushed the gun that sat in the anti-detection bag tucked in his stomach, providing the image of a relatively handsome but weighted man. Unfortunately, to the dismay of Aria, many women in their time were superficial.

~***~

Sterling had not even made it up the red steps of the manor when Lady Garmond pulled him into the hallway and had her lips on his, viciously attacking his mouth with her sticky lips and fierce tongue. It didn't surprise Sterling, though. Ten years as the syndicate's Casanova had waned his shock and hardened his talent as a lover in bed. It had been programmed into him how to behave, and the moment that Lady Garmond lept on him, his program had been activated. Sterling was no longer a human being because when it came to lovemaking, there was no such word that existed in his vocabulary anymore. According to Madame, it was only sex. Sex for information. Sex for money. Sex for death. Sterling couldn't remember the last time he had sex for pleasure.

Lady Garmond pulled away from him and dragged him toward one of the guest bedrooms. As she ripped at his clothes, Sterling noted that there were three windows: by the bed, by the closet, and above the bathroom sink. Three escape routes, in case she survived her last moments. Sterling didn't feel the least bit sorry, and when she had him above her, he flashed her one of his signature, romantic smiles. It would be one of the last things that she'd ever see, after all. 

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un-edited

I'm trying to make these chapters shorter so that they're easier to read, but let me know what you thought of this! It seems that Aria is none too pleased with Sterling's disarming tactics, but are they helpful?

VOTE/COMMENT/ENJOY :D