00:00Manhattan thought cuts like a surgical blade.
00:03It comes through the floor to ceiling glass in clean rays, slicing the dead quiet of the office.
00:08I had my fists slenched, nails dug deep enough into my palms that the pain was the only thing keeping
00:14me on this side of conscience.
00:16Elias sat there, banning a stack of execution photos out across the desk, his voice as level as flat water.
00:22He laughed quietly that Serapina had picked upon with this much lethality.
00:26He admitted, almost to himself, that I'd nearly gotten him twice.
00:30I stared at him through that cold cedar haze, hunting for the smallest sliver of mercy.
00:36He exhaled a slow ring of smoke, his eyes darkened behind the grey of it.
00:40The first time was Philadelphia, the pool, the red mark on my chest drifting through the milk water, his rough
00:45fingertips had trembled.
00:46The second time was just now, the button on its single thread, shaking on the edge of giving up that
00:51purple lace his frozen rationality had cracked.
00:53Just once, along a hairline that wanted to be called Longing, I'm the Millennium Vixen.
00:58I have drowned thousands of powerful men in their own desire in front of this abyss called Elias.
01:04Every move in my book had become a punchline.
01:05He extended one finger and tipped my chin up with the back of it.
01:08The rough drag of his fingertip burned bad enough that my whole soul felt like it was trembling.
01:14Cheap charm is a gloat on the market.
01:17Real allure is rare.
01:19Coming after me, win or lose, was a mistake.
01:22Lose, and you walk away with nothing.
01:26Win, and it lasts an afternoon.
01:29The moment I sober up, I personally enjoy taking apart anyone who came at me dirty.
01:38Unless you're capable of making sure I never sober up.
01:42I didn't conquer you.
01:48That you're still standing next to me at all is already a miracle.
01:53Mr. Elias, are you going to deal with me?
02:00Why?
02:01Are you afraid?
02:02I thought of Serafina and Arthur the Land Rover, the rearview mirror, the muffled breathing.
02:07I was sitting at the death center of this couple's quiet war to strangle each other.
02:12That was my only remaining chip.
02:14The only thing I had left to surrender.
02:16I grabbed his sleeve like a drowning woman grabbing the only piece of driftwood.
02:20I told him I wanted to make it right.
02:22I wanted to atone.
02:23Elias lowered his head.
02:24In those bottomless eyes, my reflection rippled.
02:27He raised his hand slowly and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.
02:31His warm mouth brushed the wine red drop at my earlobe.
02:34His breath came heavy across the small mole at the corner of my eye.
02:38How do you plan to atone?
02:43Think carefully before you answer.
02:45He straightened the lines of his sharp suit and turned to go.
02:48On reflex, I grabbed his cup.
02:50There was one thing I needed to know before I could put a price on my own atonement.
02:54That day in the pool, could you genuinely not resist me?
02:58Or were you just letting me run my scheme to the end?
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