Fan Fiction ❯ Shaz... ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Shaz sat at her favorite restaurant in her favorite chair at her favorite table. She was able to see everyone in the place, and was able to make quick escapes too. The owner was a friend of hers and often took up her bill if she had to make a quick exit. Pete really thought of her as a surrogate daughter, ever since his died at hands of some big CEO. The cops never really investigated the crime, and since all Shaz really did was make CEO's lives a living hell, Pete thought that she was the best thing on this side of New York.

She raised her hand and motioned for one of the waitresses. " Hello, may I take your order?" asked a girl with short chestnut colored; she grinned at Shaz clearly knowing her.

" Yeah, the usual, Loraine," Shaz said while pulling out a meager two quarters, which is all Shaz could earn this week. Loraine sighed as she took the two quarters and pocketed them, " You know that Pete won't like this, right? He's gonna give you something else? You're still down on your luck; no job offers at all this week?"

" Loraine, how many people are going to hire a high class rogue," sighed Shaz, " Ever since Carlos reported me as such I haven't been able to get a job."

Loraine nodded and smiled sympathetically, but went to give Pete the order. Shaz always counted on Pete being sympathetic to her so she could eat. It wasn't as if it was completely charity, Shaz did keep lowlifes, and the occasional up starts in line. Plus, Pete loved to watch Shaz kick some tough bully's ass this way and that. He always said it brought in business having one of the safest diners on this side of New York.

Shaz stared in mouth watering anticipation as she watched Loraine walk back toward her table with a plate of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and some green vegetable that Shaz couldn't name but still thought looked delicious. Loraine placed it in front of her with the two quarters worth of beer and clucked a little bit on how thin Shaz was becoming. Loraine had always been like the big sister type to Shaz, and it made Shaz smile even though Loraine even had the audacity to boss her around sometimes. She off-handedly told Shaz to eat more and went off to take a pair of new costumers orders.

Shaz nearly drooled over the virtual feast in front of her. I haven't eaten in two whole days, she thought, how do I always end up like this. Yet, thinking was making her head ache so she set in to satisfying her raging stomach. She tried to eat slowly, to savor the chicken, but she ended up wolfing down the chicken to the bone and carefully gnawing the meat that clung to the bone. The mashed potatoes met a worse fate, she ate all her fork could lift off the plate and then licked the rest clean off the plate. The greens were eaten slowly and she ate it all, one of Pete's lessons in the back of her head that is she didn't eat all her greens he'd never let her out of his sight. She had learned what loss felt like years ago, and she wasn't going to feel it again. If he never let her out of his sight, he'd surely be killed.

She had almost forgotten about the beer and she popped the top of one and lifted it to her lips, the cool liquid falling over her lips as she gulped it down. She set the drink down after she'd drunk about half of it, and she smiled her smile that of a contented child filled to the max with food. She brought the bottle to her lips again and took a quick swig before her eyes trailed to the door, something deep inside her telling her someone she ought to know was behind that door.

As the door opened, the first thing she noticed was the bright red hair, then the deep chocolate brown eyes. His stance and posture was the same as the night before, he had found her; but she was so confused, she didn't know if she should run or stay. " It's him," she whispered to herself her hand straying to his gun in her holster. There was a strange air about him as if confidence and power clung to him, or maybe it was that he wore confidence and power like a good suit coat. She could only find herself staring at his handsomely masculine features. The shadow of a beard she felt the night before, cleanly shaved away. He was definitely male, from his broad shoulders to his tree trunk thighs all the way to his stance.

She sat riveted to her seat, some strange force holding her in her chair, all she could do was stare as he caught her gaze. " Oh god," she murmured so quiet that no one heard it, just his gaze was her undoing. She felt herself melt under his gaze, the butterflies returning in full force, her heart beating faster than usual. Her mind wandered as she watched him approach her, his movements fluid and powerful, like that of a great predator moving in on its prey. All she could do to keep from screaming was grip the gun at her side tighter and tighter until her knuckles were white from the effort.

He stared at her across the crowded room, and his heart nearly stopped. She looked so fragile sitting at a table with out body armor and a cloak on. Then he noticed that she was wearing a black midriff top, and every time she breathed, he caught tantalizing glimpses of cleavage that promised more. A sudden emotion rose in him taking control, he thought that it was protectiveness and something else he couldn't quite name. Her short violet hair was tamed into some semblance of order today; her green eyes pierced his every protective shield and seemed to see right into his heart. But he noticed that she seemed ready to flee, Oh god, don't let her get away again, he pleaded silently as he made his way across the crowded room.

She watched as he approached, still unable to move as if his eyes alone were able to capture and hold her in place. As he stood next to the chair opposite her at the table, she managed to wipe the awed look off her face and replace it with a scowl. She looked up avoiding his eyes, she knew that if she looked into those eyes she'd lose every semblance of control and end up throwing herself into his arms. " What do you want? I already gave you my message, I have nothing more to say to you," she scowled into her beer taking another swig, thinking to herself, I don't like the control he has over his feelings, it gives me a feeling of weakness. Let's nip this in the bud and not let it get anywhere that may cause me to regret my decisions.

" May I sit?" he asked, clearly un-phased by her scowling and questions.

" Sure, I suppose," she agreed grudgingly, but actuality her heart nearly stopped and she was berating herself. Shaz, what are you doing? Flirting with the enemy? No, she rationalized; I'm being too bitchy to be flirting.

" It's Shaz, isn't it?" he ventured, he seemed calm enough but inside his stomach was roiling with uncertainty, trying to think of ways to keep her in the chair in front of him. But he became visibly nervous when his body tightened at her unexpected reaction to his question, her lower lip pouted and her eyes widened for a moment. Nick, you really have to get a handle on your hormones with this one! He berated himself, clearly surprised at his reactions toward her.

" Yeah, it is, you remembered from last night?" She asked as he crossed his legs uncomfortably on his side of the table.

He shrugged, silently thankful for the table between them, his eyes trailing over her face, she was so beautiful in person, even though she was scowling at him and being as bitchy as she could possibly be to him he still thought she was a fragile, and exotic creature to protect. " After you beat me so bad, I thought I ought to find out who you were or if you had told me a lie." She grinned at that, and his body responded in turn, damn it Nick, why are you reacting like this over her smiles? But the worst of it, he thought to himself, is that she seems clearly unaware of what she's doing to me.

" So, you know my name, why don't you tell me yours?" she inquired, bringing her beer to her lips and tilting her head back to get the last dregs of it out, letting it slide down her throat. It seemed to cool her quickly heating blood enough for her to think properly for a moment.

He found himself staring at her throat, an ivory column that he longed to reach out and touch with just the tips of his fingers wondering what she'd do if he did. She'd probably kick you right in the balls, Nick, he thought to himself, but why did she have to be so damned perfect? Why does she have to be everything that I want?

She waved her hand in front of him, her face tinted a light pink when he focused back on her, and he realized he'd been staring.

" I'm sorry," he mumbled. " Nicolai D'Angleo," he extended his hand to hers, already knowing that it was a mistake, to touch her would send him needing other things from her that he really didn't want to get into. Well, he did, but he knew she wouldn't stand for it.

She reached her small, ivory hand out and slid it into his larger slightly darker one. The electricity sparked between them and they knew everyone in the restaurant could feel it. But all they could do was look at each other. Shaz was falling into the depths of his chocolate brown eyes, she felt that she could fall for decades and never touch the bottom of his soul. Warmth seemed to envelope her from his eyes and she smiled an actual smile that reached her usually cold green eyes. Nick saw himself for a moment reflected in her eyes, before she smiled and her entire body warmed to his touch, her green eyes capturing his and not letting go. Pain filled her eyes, pain that he wanted to smooth away and comfort. He didn't know where these feelings had come from; he'd never felt them before. Never. He'd once thought himself incapable of loving feelings, he'd never felt close to women, and for a few scary weeks, he'd thought himself attracted to men, but soon learned that wasn't to be. However, this small, vibrant being in front of him held every emotion like a knife to his chest. Her touch had caused him to tighten to an ache and he actually felt himself wince on the inside, he'd learned to never show physical pain to another, and this was an almost unbearable ache that pulsed and made it uncomfortable to sit.

She withdrew her hand, her body on fire, her mind telling her to reach out to him. The intensity of her emotions frightening her, she'd never had them this intense. Occasionally, she'd had a crush but nothing serious at all; she didn't even really know what went on between men and women, her mother having died when she was five. And her father was killed in front of her when Nicolai's boss wanted her to be his little pet. She caught herself thinking things no decent girl would think about this man in front of her.

" Why are you working for him?" she blurted out, needing to get her mind off why her body was reacting in such a way to his.

" Excuse me? Who?" he asked, shaking his head as if to remove a fog from his mind, then he looked up and smiled at her.

" The guy who goes by the alias, John Lane. The coward who hides in his offices, the man you work for is a man who experiments on children to create his own master police forces. Actually, that's what it looks like to people who dig deep enough to find the purpose of his corporation; but the real reason is to create a bunch of highly skilled cat burglars, and top agents," she exclaimed almost exasperated that he didn't realize.

He blinked for a moment before it dawned on him, " He experimented on you didn't he? That's why you were so good last night! You escaped when you turned fifteen didn't you; is that why you're marked as a high- class rogue?"

She glared at him for a moment, crossing her arms over her chest giving him glimpses of what he wanted to see more than anything right at that moment. " You jerk! You looked at my ID pages, didn't you?"

He found himself laughing, but he couldn't help it. The sound startled her and she found herself grinning. She visibly relaxed after his sudden outbreak of laughing. " I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. You charmed me so much with you're shooting at me last night, I had to find out something about you." His comment made her smile even more in spite of herself.

" What do you mean?" she barely breathed, leaning forward, her elbows on the table.

" You amaze me, you intrigue me," he whispered, leaning forward catching her gaze with his eyes and copying her movements before he whispered the last phrase, " You're so beautiful."

She blushed, her face inches from his, her eyes carefully searching his, " You really mean that? You're not just saying that to catch me and bring me in?"

He didn't dare release her eyes, afraid to break the moment, " All I could think of was you, I had to find you, to see if you were something worth pursuing."

She grinned at his words, " And am I, something worth pursuing I mean?"

Suddenly a crash from the front of the restaurant brought the two back from their little revere and into the moment, a pair of John Lane's guards were quickly heading toward their table, and drawing their guns at the same time.

" Oh shit," Shaz cried, as she rolled beneath the table and started to dash toward the side door. She thought that he'd only said the things he had because he wanted her to stay so that his little toadies could catch her, but when they started firing at them, those thoughts fled from her mind. He was in as much danger as she was. She grabbed his hand and pulled him through the hidden side door and up a dark alley.

She kept running, darting through this way and that, hoping to lose the two guards that were firing at them. As soon as the shooting stopped, she ducked into a darkened dead end alley and leaned up against the building closing her eyes, her breath ragged and labored. She opened her eyes for a moment looking at him, as he stood bent over gulping in air, and trying to steady himself.

Before she could realize what she was doing, she was wrapping her arm around his shoulders and leading him a fire escape where he could sit down. " Are you ok?" she asked after a moment, her eyes trailing over him to find any wounds he may have acquired.

" It's not what you think," he choked out, " I came of my own free will, not with them." He tried to explain, but she simply put her finger to his lips to silence him and sat next to him, her head down for a moment.

" Yes, I realize that, they wouldn't fire on you if you were with them," she sighed out, her heart aching to see him like this, so disheveled and tired. " Are you sure you're all right?" she asked again, but when she turned to look at him after he didn't answer she found herself looking into his deep brown eyes.

" Why did you drag me out of there? You could have left me to deal with them," he asked, his voice held an ache, an edge she heard that made her body heat and her stomach flutter with millions of butterflies.

" Something you said," she breathed, her breath warm over his ear, he seemed to have traveled closer to her and was nearly on top of her.

" What was that?" he asked turning, his body tightening again, the pulsing ache now familiar.

"That I was beautiful," she murmured almost to quiet for him to hear, her eyes still locked with his, " No one has ever said that I was beautiful."

" That's a lie, because I know for one thing you're the most beautiful person I have ever met," he answered laughing.

She smirked, turning away to stand but his hand wrapped around her wrist and made her sit, his hand cupped her cheek as he leaned toward her, his lips barely brushing the corner of her mouth. But, that was all they needed, her hands traveled up to his shoulders, and answered his unspoken question with the answer of her lips. The electricity between them was instantaneous; he leaned into their kiss, tentative at first but becoming more emboldened by the moment.

His hand traveled up to her hair and entwined themselves in the softness of it; then he pulled back on her hair gently coaxing her head back, his tongue gently pushing as if asking for permission. Her tongue darted out quickly, barely touching his, but giving it the acceptance, he had been waiting for, and he plunged into her mouth with the wildness of a predator having found a mate. He kissed her with long, intoxicating kisses that made her senseless; it made her blood heat, and her stomach clench with expectation.

His hand dropped from her cheek and slid up her soft bare stomach, and when his fingers crept under her shirt and moved to cup her waiting breast, she made a small moan that he took as permission. He broke their kiss and looked at her for a moment; her eyes were closed and her breath coming in little pants. She was practically in his arms, her lips wet from their kisses; he was amazed at how her body fit his almost perfectly. However, when he looked at himself, all he saw was a man taking advantage of a woman, he removed his hand from under her shirt, but not before flicking her nipple with his thumb. He set her shirt straight for her again, and raked one of his hands through his hair, the one that wasn't holding her to him.

She sighed for a moment, when she realized that he was stopping her heart actually ached, and she almost told him to keep going; but when she thought about it, she barely knew him, and still wasn't sure whether he was on her side or John Lane's. She opened her eyes, her lips wet from his kisses; she brought her fingers up to touch them in awe, that having been her first kiss. Yet, she did realize that he hadn't let her go completely, he still held her to him as if she were some treasure he wasn't sure he wanted to give up. Her breasts still ached from his touch, demanding more of him. She sighed and raked a hand through her hair too.

" I'm sorry, Shaz, really…" he started, but she raised her hand closing her eyes. She turned to him.

With pleading eyes she said, " Nicolai, I'm not some little porcelain doll, I can take care of myself, thank you very much. I've been doing it for the past four years, and you wouldn't have been able to do anything to me if I didn't want it to happen. Believe me, you wouldn't have."

He found himself smirking at her words, " I believe you, and I believe you can take care of yourself. But I think this was way to fast for me, I don't know about you, I don't know how many men you've been with…" he let it drop there, not wanting to say he'd only been with one woman before. Moreover, that was because it had been a dare by his fellow classmates, not because he'd actually felt anything for her. However, that one girl had taught him things he'd never imagined could be done to women or men, and he had every intention of using them on Shaz but not at this very moment on a fire escape. Besides, he was determined to woo her as any man of this day in age would do to a woman he had his eye on. In addition, he planned to make it fast because he found that he couldn't stand the thought of her with any other guy. " See me tomorrow at the Old Navy Bridge, ok?"

She nodded her consent because her vocal reply was cut off by a deep kiss he roughly placed on her lips, pinning her beneath him. Her eyes widened when she felt him against the bare skin of her stomach, hard and thick in his feelings for her. The thought of her making him that way was exciting and an almost overwhelming feeling of power, and she pulled herself closer to him.

Groaning he pulled away from her, his hands raking through his flame colored hair, " You know, if I stay I'm going to do something we will both regret, so just promise me you'll see me tomorrow?"

She smiled at his words, " I'll be there, you just make sure no one follows you."

He smirked and started to turn to walk away, but she called out to him and he turned back, " Here, I think you probably came to get this back in the first place," she stood up and unholstered his gun and placed it in his hand.

He pulled her close again, kissing her quickly then letting her go just as quickly and disappearing into the darkness.

Shaz stood there for a moment in the darkness, her fingers trailing up to her lips and she giggled, the sound startling her. She'd never giggled before. " You have a bad effect on me, Nick D' Angelo," she yelled after him before turning down the other way and heading down her own alley to where she spent the night.

No one had any idea that someone in black had been watching the entire incident. Their eyes flashed white-hot hatred at Shaz, and a single lock of black hair slipped from beneath the mask. " You will die, Shaz Morgan, high-class rogue…I'll be sure of it," it whispered into the wind, that rose in answer.