7

Five months later.

- Boss, a call for you.

I sigh and step away from my computer. I grab the handset and glance at my colleague.

- It is ?

'I don't know, she's Italian, she makes no effort to speak English.

I roll my eyes and sigh. If there's anything I hate, it's when a customer makes no effort to speak English. I speak very little Italian, this kind of rather "caliente" language does not particularly appeal to me. It attracts me much less than German, Russian and Japanese.

"Madam, am I listening?"

"I'm going to sue you!" Your underwear gave me burns on my chest!

At least, that's what I understand. My Italian is not perfect. I'm surprised at the dry and distinct tone used by this lady, but also at her request. Although I don't take care of the design of these little jewels, I know that they are of very good quality. I only wear this, they are both comfortable, very sexy and hypoallergenic.

I look at my colleague coldly.

"What the hell do I care about his complaint?"

- Marie went on vacation, it's you who takes care of it.

I take a long breath. Marie is my co-assistant. She's the main manager of our lingerie firm. She takes care of the "angelic" side, if I'm not mistaken, of the company. She is aware of the secret organization we lead but does not participate in it. Her son fell seriously ill two weeks ago, and I'm the only one she trusts, she asked me to replace her for a week.

That does not please me. In recent months my research on my husband's attackers has progressed a lot, but this week is a real drag. I can't even think about it anymore. I work on things that I don't even have the qualification for. I couldn't take it anymore, I didn't even have a business degree, I wasn't qualified for it. Marie had made a bad choice, but she said that it was always better than her little salaried doggies.

- Let me tell you that our brand is of very good quality, madam. Maybe you have a fabric contact allergy?

- I'm not allergic madam! I do not allow you to come out with such nonsense. Come and try it, you'll see that I'm right.

- Listen, I have a service to run, I have other things to do than listen to a customer complaining about our clothes. I would not come to meet you just for your little whims. As they say, one lost ten found.

My colleague glares at me, she does not seem satisfied with my answer. The woman on the phone begins to fidget and show her displeasure, but I don't listen.

- She! You know very well that our clientele is far from being from a modest world. This lady would be capable of making bad publicity for our firm. This is what you want ? Burn our credibility with the rich?

I look at my colleague while frowning. Is it only me who sees that all this doesn't matter? I don't give a fuck that his clothing gives him burns.

- Calm down ma'am. I would send one of my employees.

- It's you I want, I do not pay quality for you to send me your waste.

She hangs up. I'm starting to find this really, really strange. All this seems to me like a set-up, like a play. I know this because our lingerie doesn't let anything stick out. I stretch a long smile. I was getting bored, missions these days were rare. I needed to have a little fun.

"Do you want me to call someone?" asked my colleague still planted in my office.

- No, I would go alone.

***

26, aberdare gardens. I am surprised at the sweetness of this neighborhood. As soon as I got there, I felt like I felt a sense of well-being. The weather is mild, it's around 15 degrees, the birds are singing, surely happy that it's not raining in the middle of November. Brick houses have a lot of charm. What I like about England in general is that all the houses are alike from the outside. They all look old. The exterior often contrasts with the very modern and contemporary interior. From the outside, you never know what you're going to find, a chic or modest house? Such is the surprise.

The opulence of this neighborhood is felt in view of the number of Porsches and Lamborghinis I have encountered so far.

I hold my weapon firmly in my pocket and watch my surroundings. It's a bit like jumping into the mouth of the wolf, but I like it, it keeps my senses awake, it's a very good training.

I knock and soon I hear footsteps clattering on the stairs. A tanned, black-haired young woman opens the door, her face frowning.

- Finally there!

- Yes, I will not linger if you want.

She nods and leads me inside her apartment. It is very charming and classy. There is little furniture, she seems to be a woman in a hurry, having no time for unnecessary decoration. I'm beginning to doubt this woman's expectations. This seems far too false to be true and yet everything seems to be. I grip my gun tightly.

She guides me to her room and pulls me the pink lace bras. He is really classy. It's part of the new collection, I haven't had time to look at it yet, but I have to have it.

Without any embarrassment, she raises her T-shirt and lets me see a trace on her chest hidden by a blindfold.

I turn my head all over the place. This is really not a trap? Either I'm being fooled, or this woman is really pity and I moved for nothing.

I lock the bedroom door, to make sure no one comes in. I relax the pressure on the gun and approach suspiciously, even it doesn't seem to want to kill me. What is this mess?

- What are you playing at ? I ask abruptly.

- I beg your pardon?

She squints and doesn't seem to understand my question.

- Do not take me for an idiot, what kind of client would linger to contact me for a simple burn? Unless you are completely stupid?

I'm disapointed. I expected more thought from this woman. I relax a little, I must look crazy. I became sick, completely paranoid by force, I only see the bad.

- Linger she screams? Have you seen how red it is?

****

It's pissed off that I'm going home. This woman literally pissed me off. She is the exact image of all these petty bourgeois that I hate. I had hoped for a little challenge... In the end I had stopped her with my hand so that she closed her valve, then I had forgotten the respect. I even told her that I didn't care if she gave us bad publicity. Too bad. But it was way too ridiculous.

I climb the few steps of my building and already plan the rest of my day more than platonic.

As I'm about to open my door, I feel something cold sticking to the back of my neck. I try to turn around, but an arm grabs me tightly and stops me. I don't have time to grab my gun. Fuck it.

I feel a masculine warmth imprison my body. His arm passes in front of my throat and encloses his grip. This moron is going straight for it.

"You better not scream." It would be a shame to disturb your neighbors.

I tense up instantly. I recognize this voice, it seems distant but at the same time so close. I've heard it before, I'm sure. Tyler, it's him. He is behind my back trying to strangle me. I had almost forgotten him, it had been a little over five months since I had heard of him, I really thought he was dead. I had had no news.

Once the boss called me asking where he was. I told him that I didn't know anything about it. I had sent him on a mission, he had not returned and that was not wrong. To be honest, I didn't miss him.

Our contract is still not over, I fume that he dares to point his gun at my neck, he has no right to circumvent this rule whatever the situation.

"Tyler?" I ask.

He doesn't answer and tightens his grip a bit more.

"Tyler, don't be stupid, let me go.

He laughs bitterly letting me know he won't. He forces me to open the door and gets us inside in no time. He grabs my neck and slams my face into a wall, violently. Damn, that hurts. I did not expect so much violence from him. I must have really hurt him by abandoning him, he hadn't understood that it was for his own good.

I stay calm, I don't want to piss him off anymore, even though I hate when a man takes over.

— Stop? Honey, it's only just begun.

He pushes me back from the wall before swinging me back against it. I can't even free myself. He is too strong, much stronger than five months ago.

- You let your guard down too soon, it's a shame.

I force myself not to scream, not to show a single sign of weakness that would make him far too happy. He will have to push harder.

He turns me towards him brutally and I finally perceive his face. He has changed, a lot. Physically not so much, but his gaze is more mature, he seems colder, less disturbed, more serious. His pupils literally violate me as he seems angry. He is also a little beefier, his shoulders are more developed. His hands are rougher. He had to fight hard.

He puts his gun to my head and stares at me. He starts laughing again.

- In fact it's nice. You're right, it's so enjoyable to point a gun at someone like that, you can feel all her fear, she asks you for the world at this moment, and you feel so powerful...

I don't recognize him. He has really changed, he has never dared to threaten me like this before. I don't forget, however, that it can also be only appearance. I stretch a long smile and almost laugh at his serious look.

"Why aren't you afraid of me?"

I yawn, showing him how much his cinema bores me.

'Because dead or not, no one will care what I am. A gun is far from scaring me.

This sentence seems to annoy him, his grip against my body becomes stronger.

“I knew exactly what you would say that.

He presses me against the wall and sticks his pelvis to mine, damn it. I perceive all his hatred and I blame myself for making him suffer all this. I left him alone and not anywhere. In a Japanese military base: without papers, without weapons, with nothing to survive. I left him with nothing in a country where he didn't know a single word. Yes I deserve what he does to me.

“You know, all this time I've been researching what your greatest weakness might be. What could I do to hurt you so much.

His hands stick to my pelvis and move up my arm, which he carefully caresses. This contact is burning, his palms burn my skin, I close my eyes and tense my jaw. I hate this. I hate this kind of human contact, it's too hard to bear.

He forces me not to let go of his gaze and I force myself not to weaken. He pushes me to the end, that's all.

His hand slides under my shirt and up to my navel. My nerves are on edge, with a sudden gesture I try to free myself but his grip is too strong. He understood, he understood my greatest fear and I blame him for playing it so much.

"Get off the fuck!" Let go of me! I shouted.

His other hand lands on my cheek gently while the other caresses my belly several times, he has fun. He takes a fucking pleasure to see me in this state.

Memories come back to me, I see these men touching me while I am still crippled. They put their hands here, then there...

I force myself to drive away these thoughts, this torture is abominable. He brings his lips closer to my ears and I feel his breath crash against my earlobe. I close my eyes, I must not crack.

—It's hard, isn't it? Do you know a little how I felt when you left me alone in this military base at my own risk? Am I hurting you Ella?

His hand goes down against my thigh gently, he smoothes it while staring at me. I lose time in me, in him, this fear haunts me again. I fear that he will go further. I don't think I could bear it. My memories come flooding back and remind me of the whore that I am. I burst into tears. I burst into tears in front of him. I bend down and curl up against myself. It's been a while since I've been able to get rid of this frustration, so I let myself go.

— Rokudenashi (Son of a bitch)! I let go without any shame.

“If I'm not kidding, you're doing something wrong, it's more like Rokudenashi.

And in addition he dares humor in such a moment? But what kind of man is he? He enjoys torturing me and rejoices in it? He ends up crouching down in front of me. I'm all shaking, my eyes are red and the hate itches in my veins, it circulates in my whole body and feeds it.

- Now we're even, loose he. Never try to leave me again. I seem to be the only one to know your weak point, and I could play it as much as necessary.

“Then do it. Do whatever you feel like.

My voice is not clear. It is mixed with my sobs and my very rapid heartbeat. He caresses my chin with his fingertips and stares at me firmly, as if dominating the scene.

- Despite everything, I have a minimum of respect for you. Don't make me lose it.

"Get out of here," I said, picking out each syllable. If it amuses you to see me in this state, it's because you're just a little son of a bitch, no different from the others. You are a real brute beast, Epicurus swine.

He gives me a genuine smile.

- I missed your repartee.