Chapter2 Which Bastard Are You Screwing Around With?

Talia POV

"I've got nothing left to lose. What do I have to be scared of?"

Jareth stared at me in silence, his eyes growing darker.

Just when I thought he'd turn and walk away without a second thought, he suddenly grabbed my wrist and pulled me into the luxury suite behind him.

The door clicked shut. The silence around us was suffocating.

Jareth took his time removing his suit jacket, tossing it casually onto the sofa nearby. His movements were smooth and unhurried.

Suddenly, he pulled a Glock from inside his jacket and pointed it at me, his lips curling slightly. "You want to use me to get back at your ex, or are you trying to latch onto the Camorra family?"

His voice sounded especially low in the quiet.

I knew that to a mafia boss, killing me would be like killing an ant.

But for revenge, I had no other choice.

I suppressed the fear inside me, grabbed the gun above my head, and pressed it against my own forehead. Then I gave him a seductive smile. "Whatever Don Jareth thinks my purpose is, that's what it is."

He stared at me for a moment, then lowered the gun, tapping it lightly in his hand. The look in his eyes was amused. "Interesting."

I let out a quiet sigh of relief and slowly moved closer to him.

"There's more interesting things. Want to try them, Don Jareth?"

Jareth chuckled softly, raising his hand. His cold fingertips brushed across my cheek, sending a shiver through me.

"You're trembling."

His fingertips continued downward, sliding along my dress strap. His tone was teasing. "Scared?"

Thinking of Gavin's betrayal and Serafina's mockery, that hatred and courage surged up again.

I took a deep breath and suddenly reached out, grabbing his half-open shirt collar and pulling down hard, forcing his face close to mine.

My eyes were seductive and challenging. "Didn't expect the all-powerful Don Jareth to be so hesitant about getting laid?"

The last trace of restraint in his eyes vanished, replaced by surging dark desire. He grabbed the back of my neck, leaving me no room to retreat, and his burning lips pressed down hard on mine.

The kiss was full of possession, dominating and deep, nearly taking away all my breath.

I responded clumsily, feeling his breathing grow heavier and his embrace tighten.

In a moment of dazed consciousness, he lifted me up and carried me toward the bedroom.

"You asked for this."

His body heat completely surrounded me, along with his burning breath, making me tremble.

Jareth's voice was hoarse with desire. "You can still back out."

I smiled and moved even closer, grabbing his half-open shirt collar. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Then I kissed him first.

The next morning, my whole body felt like it had been taken apart. I didn't even have the strength to move a finger.

Jareth had already gotten up. He was facing away from me now, slowly buttoning his shirt.

As if last night's wild beast was just my imagination, Jareth had returned to being that untouchable Camorra family Don who never showed his emotions.

"There's a check on the table. Fill in whatever amount you want." He fastened his last cufflink, his voice calm.

I sat up, my body aching, and the blanket slipped from my shoulder, revealing the intimate marks all over my body.

"How heartless. You seemed pretty into it last night. How come you're acting like you don't know me now that it's morning?"

I deliberately straightened my back so he could see more clearly the "results" he'd left on my body.

"Or are you worried your daughter will find out and get upset?"

"Talia!" He called my name for the first time, his tone warning. "Don't test my patience."

"I'm just trying to remind Don Jareth."

I threw off the blanket and walked toward him barefoot, wrapping my arms around his neck with a sly smile. "We're accomplices now. Isn't it a little too late to try and distance yourself?"

Jareth looked at me, emotions I couldn't read in his eyes.

Just then, urgent knocking broke the intimate atmosphere in the room.

"Talia! Are you in there?"

It was Gavin's voice.

My heart jumped and I instinctively took a step back.

How did he find this place?

Jareth frowned slightly.

The knocking got louder, accompanied by Serafina's anxious voice. "Gavin, don't do this. Maybe Talia just had too much to drink and wanted to find somewhere to rest."

"Rest? In a luxury suite on the top floor?"

Gavin's voice was full of anger. "Talia, open this door! I want to see which bastard you're screwing around with!"

The door was being pounded loudly.

My eyes drifted lazily to Jareth as I silently mouthed the words "bastard" to him.

Jareth's expression turned completely cold.

He glanced at me, walked into the bathroom, and came out with a bathrobe in his hand. He tossed it to me. "Go inside."

I obediently stepped inside.

Through the crack in the door, I watched Jareth walk to the entrance and open it.

"Talia! Just because I don't want you anymore doesn't mean you have to humiliate yourself like this!"

Outside the door, the anger on Gavin's face froze into shock when he saw who had opened the door.

"Don... Don Jareth?"

Serafina also froze. She looked at her father, her face going pale. "Dad? What are you doing here?"

Jareth looked at them expressionlessly, his voice cold. "This is my room. Why wouldn't I be here?"

"No, I..."

Gavin's gaze moved past him, scanning the room. When he found no one, he asked cautiously. "Don Jareth, are you here alone?"

Jareth didn't respond, just swept his cold gaze over him.

Serafina realized Gavin's rudeness and immediately grabbed his arm. "Gavin, since Talia's not here, let's go. Don't disturb my father's rest."

Gavin looked inside the room again, then at Jareth's face, which was losing patience. He had no choice but to give up.

"Don Jareth, I'm sorry for disturbing you." He bowed deeply to Jareth and left with Serafina.

After they left, I came out from the inner room.

Jareth was leaning against the wall with a cigarette between his fingers, unlit, just slowly turning it.

Hearing the door open, he looked up, his gaze resting quietly on me.

"Satisfied?" he asked, his tone emotionless.

"Not yet." I wrapped my arms around his neck and said sweetly, "Can I come find you at the Camorra family home?"

He laughed softly, pinching my waist, his voice somewhat mocking. "You think with these little tricks of yours, I'll let you stay by my side?"

"I never thought I could get by on just tricks."

I walked up to him and looked up into his deep eyes. "Don Jareth, I really do admire you. I want to see you every day."

Jareth was silent.

Seeing him hesitate, I slowly lowered my head, putting on a hurt expression. "I promise I'll only come when there aren't many people around. I won't let your daughter see me."

I tugged at his sleeve, my voice almost weak and humble. "Please?"

He looked at me for a long time, then put out the cigarette in his hand and elegantly tossed it into the nearby trash can.

"Tomorrow night. Come to my office."

He left after saying that.

Watching his decisive back, I finally breathed a sigh of relief.

With someone like Jareth, the more shrewd you appear, the more guarded he becomes.

So I let him believe I was nothing more than a canary who needed a man to survive. Only then would he lower his guard.

And I accepted it willingly.

If becoming a canary was the price of revenge, then so be it.