Criminal Affinity [18+]

Chapter 7

With your face all made up, living on a screen.
Low on self-esteem, so you run on gasoline. 

| Gasoline - Halsey |

*

Neil Leo was lounging in my usual seat at Pandora's private bar when I first saw him. Short golden-brown hair, hazel eyes darting with clean assessment and stopping on me.

He didn't seem full of surprises because he clearly liked what he saw. And then the smallest of smiles curled at his pierced lip.

I returned it.

"And who would you be, flower?" His voice was deep, accented with the south. My answer was a gaze down his black-clad body. Armed, but well hidden. Posture calm, neither defensive nor offensive.

This is what Pandora's wolves perfected in. He had to be a new addition.

"Someone you should not waste your honey on." I smiled at Viral as he passed me a sneaky grin. I kept my gait frisky as I strolled to the stranger.

His lips remained in a twist. "Got a mouth on you, huh?"

I cocked my head, disliking his choice of words. "What's your name, anyway?"

"Neil Leo." His eyes flicked to my bare legs, the perspiration on my arms and the released wisps of hair from my messy bun.

"Huh. Never heard of you." I said with a sparkling edge to my voice. "But you're in my seat. And if you are wise, you would be a safe distance from it."

He chuckled, turning to Julien mixing my drink. "Is she always like this?"

Julien's face was unreadable when he replied, "At best times, kid."

I did my best to ignore Julien, but I wanted to see if he cared about my interaction with Neil. But it was impossible to read him. He was always calm, always solid.

Neil's molten gold eyes turned to mine again. Handsome, he was handsome in a way summer was. Like warmth and a forbidden zest of youth. But he packed hard muscles underneath his shirt, which gladly hid his weapons.

He can be a good distraction. I know I can never have Julien.

"The legendary Ava Steele." He drawled. "It's a pleasure to finally have met you."

"Great." I dropped my smile. "Now get out of my seat."

Something in his eyes turned sharp, sending pleasant tingles down my spine.

From the look that held his eyes, I knew he felt it too. So, I let it sit on him for a while, keeping my gaze on his as I rolled my neck, palming my shoulder as if to relieve a prick of pain.

And sighed.

It worked. The gold of his eyes turned black, consumed by the expansion of his pupils.

"Get out," I said sweetly. "Of my seat."

"What's the point?" Neil asked with a knowing smile. "You're coming with me now."

Dale had told me about my new next partner, only for this particular mission so far. I had been a brat about it. I did my missions solo, I've never needed help from another. Some missions must be done with no communication with my team whatsoever.

But my partner wasn't an old ugly man. I didn't mind spending my time with Neil.

And this mission is deadlier, Dale had said.