Shadows Of Desire

Chapter 5

I exit the scene before anyone notices me, these past few days have been hectic and I need somewhere to relax. Definitely not my apartment. I absentmindedly find myself walking to Marco's house.

I knock hard on the door and seconds later a.....tired Marco comes out. 

Of course he's tired, it's 2 in the fucking morning. 

"Oh, Tigressa....hi. Good morning?" He asks his voice slurred. I step inside brushing past Marco. 

"Wake up, I need help" I say, rubbing my temples. "These past few weeks have been hell, I don't even know where to start"

I walk towards the living room and slouch on the couch. Marco joins me, I lay down, forcing him to go to a different couch.

"Okay, I'm up now...All ears!" Marco groans, wiping his eye with one hand, trying to shake off the grogginess. 

"Great, here's the thing," I start, trying to keep my tone steady despite the irritation bubbling under the surface. "At first, I thought it was just a routine mission with Eduardo. But that piece of shit is way more involved than I thought. He's got dirt on the Order and my mother. He's using it to manipulate me into doing his dirty work, and it seems he's got his own agenda too."

I trail off, a mixture of frustration and wry amusement crossing my face. I shoot Marco a mock-glaring look. "You know, Marco, in a way, this is all your fault."

"If only there was some type of dirt I could get on Eduardo...anything."

 "I know something that might help you." Marco says, grabbing a nearby pen. He gets up and finds a piece of paper before quickly writing an address. "It's an old office that once belonged to Eduardo, might have some information. Only problem is that it's a good 2 hour drive from here and you have walk for the last 30 minutes."

"Where do you even get this information from?" I ask, a grin forming on my face.

"Let's just say, I got sources." He says smirking. I notice his eyes fluttering shut, so I take that as a sign to leave.

"Alright, I'll leave you alone to go back to beauty sleeping." I say, a small smile replacing my grin.

I get up from the couch and take the paper Marco wrote the address on. I strut to the front door before Marco calls out. 

"This suit fits you better, don't mess it up like the others." he chuckles lightly, referring to the new suit I had him make for me.

"I can assure you, Marco, that nothing can come between me and a perfect fit. And I must say, I do look quite striking in this one, don't I?"

With one final wave, I leave the house before heading back to my apartment.  I quickly shower before hopping into bed, where Zura sleeps peacefully.

The next morning, I wake up with the first rays of sunlight filtering through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the room. I stretch lazily before sliding out of bed, my mind already on the 'abandoned office' Marco had mentioned the night before.

As I get ready, I gather my dark hair and secure it into a sleek high ponytail, the strands smooth. A quick swipe of lip gloss adds a subtle sheen to my lips, completing the look. Satisfied, I take a deep breath, my mind working through the plan to get the keys to one of Eduardo's cars.

With determination, I pick up a nearby box, carefully placing Zura inside. "Don't worry, it's just for a little while," I whisper softly, scratching the back of her ears until she leans into my touch. Her golden eyes blink up at me with trust as I slightly close the lid, ensuring she's comfortable but concealed.