Descent

Chapter 19

Thirty minutes later Harleen found herself walking into the 22 Club. It was posh, with its teak floors and mahogany tables. Floor to ceiling tinted windows made up the front wall, so that patrons could look out without passersby looking in. Harleen couldn't help but think the setting fit the man she was about to face head on, all flash and no substance.

"Good afternoon miss, may I help you?" The hostess smiled at her.

"I am meeting someone here for lunch. Mr. Wayne."

The woman's gaze shot up to her. She gave her the once over and Harleen knew that her choice of attire put her off. Black dress slacks, and the Joker's shirt with the top two buttons undone.

He wasn't an overly large man, but next to Harleen the Joker was a giant. She had to tuck the shirt in and then bunch it at the waist to make herself look halfway presentable. Not the high-class outfit a place like this was used to, but with how annoyed she was Harleen didn't give a flying fuck.

"Follow me, Mr. Wayne is waiting." She rolled her eyes at the reprimand.

What Harleen failed to notice was Johnny approaching the second Hostess. She tried to stop him but Johnny leaned in real close as he pulled a card out if his pocket. The woman paled at the sight of a playing card, with the Joker's image emblazoned on its glossy surface.

"Oh, yes I see your reservation right here, sir. Follow me."

Johnny chuckled, was this chick for real with her crappy acting skills. But if it got him close to where he needed to be he didn't care. The Joker's motto was get the job done no matter the cost.

Sitting at the table directly opposite his target, Johnny leaned his cell phone against a glass and placed the zoom lens over the in-phone camera. He hit record and sat back waiting for the show to begin.

Bruce stood from his seat and greeted Harleen with a kiss to the cheek. Then he pulled her chair out and waited for her to sit. What a gentleman, she thought with a roll of her eyes.

Harleen rubbed the spot where he had kissed her. She knew she looked like a seven year old worried about cooties, but that wasn't it. What she was really worried about was the Joker somehow finding out about this.

She would not put it past him to have Snowman follow her. She was sure she had seen him pull up after she had entered the club. Though Harleen knew better than to look around and make it obvious that she had been followed. Nope, it was just better to play along and get this whole shit show over with as fast as possible.

"I'm glad you came." Bruce took a quick inhale of her scent and wrinkled his nose. She smelt like another man. "I hope you don't mind I took the liberty of ordering for you."

Placing her napkin on her lap she shot him a killer smile. "You seem to take a lot of liberties."

He could hear the accusation dripping from her words. Harleen seemed to still be upset about last night. Bruce knew that if he didn't win her over this could go downhill fast. But how the hell was he supposed to derail her.

As he sat across from her he realized where he had smelled that cologne before. Tom Ford. The only man he knew that wore that was Jason. There was no way he could get any in Arkham, so how was it possible.

Narrowing his eyes Bruce took in the woman before him. She looked peeved. But what gave him pause was the shirt she had on. It was two sizes too big for her.

A women like Harleen Quinzel didn't own loose fitting clothes. No, Bruce knew her type and everything was tailored to turn heads. To make an impression and to leave men panting after her.