The night breeze blew slowly to the east. The half-cropped moon flared amid no lights in the ebon sky. The glittering red and green by the roads reflected on the low puddles after the rainfall earlier tonight.
Stepping on the wet paved yard, my shoes left thin traces as I entered the mansion. Bodyguards, debt collectors, hitmen, and the rest whom I couldn't identify at the first glance, each of those gazes glued onto me, watching every step and move I made. The owner of the manor who was walking before me didn't look as bad mood as he was an hour ago when he let me into his office.
I stood silently in a familiar room I had never been in before. Familiar because it resembled Fillan's office room, but it was my first time being here because now, the room belonged to Marvel, as my new boss.
Marvel's office had bright lighting, the white-painted wall made it even brighter. There was a swivel chair behind a huge desk, a computer was sitting on it. On both sides of the room, neatly displayed books on a rack and a liquor cabinet made a lovely collaboration by the wall. There was a set of guest couches and a square table in the middle of the space. Pretty ordinary.
The only extraordinary thing was the man who was sitting on the couch in the middle of the room; none other but Marvel, being unknowingly quiet as he was pouring some whiskey into a glass. The silence hung in the air when suddenly, my phone vibrated. It was rather distracting but I didn't ask for permission to accept the incoming call. As he got up and took a sip of his drink, he gave me a curious look, but honestly, my phone didn't bother me at all, until he instructed me to take it.
"Hello-"
"Asta?! Asta, listen!"
It was Fillan, shouting from the other line after we had parted for an hour.
"Asta, listen to me," Fillan repeated, as if telling me once wasn't nearly enough. "Don't do anything to provoke him, by any means! Or else we're over! Just do as he says, everything he says! Do you get it?! Asta-"
"Don't scream. You're making him scared," Marvel replied instead. He had snatched my phone after hearing what Fillan said to me, maybe, finding it amusing.
He was standing by my left, taking over the call. His other hand, which was holding a glass of whiskey, was already wrapped around my neck, and I was pulled closer to his face every time he took a sip, as if to tease me.
"Mr. Yerevan?! W-where is Asta-"
"Don't order him around, he is mine from now on. He doesn't need to listen to anyone but me," Marvel claimed in a firm voice.
I could clearly see a smirk endearing his face while he was talking. From the way he sounded, I could tell he was enjoying it, as if he just brought home a new toy. I realized that this complicated situation was the only thing I could understand.
I, a spy, have never been on a mission without a plan. I should really thank that old geezer for being thrown here of all places… Well, I shouldn't have complained since Yerevan is probably an investigational object. Now that the boss himself has brought me here, I must think of a way to take advantage of this situation, right?
Marvel removed his hand from me the moment he passed my phone back. Just like that, he didn't even ask me about myself, like it was unimportant. Because if he desired to know something about me, he would know it for sure. An easy task to do.
He looked extremely nonchalant, but at the same time, he was cautious of his surroundings, not exceptionally me. And rather than impudent, he was slow to temper, as if analyzing every situation with ease. For a moment, he looked kind, but somehow he didn't form emotional attachments often, making his personality seem hard to deal with.
Now, what should I do to flip the situation around to make him trust me? After all, I need to continue the mission and for that, I need him to let me stay here.
While sinking deeply in thoughts, I stopped in my tracks when Marvel suddenly touched my cheek. What startled me was the coldness in his hand, and the icy sensation of the black ring around his pinky finger, lightly grazing upon my skin.
He looked at my eyes, caressing the tiny mole under my right eye as if he was captivated by it. He leaned in closer to me and his broad chest pressed against my body, making me squirm just a little as my muscles tensed. His fingers moved downward, reaching my lips and I watched him in stiff anticipation.
"Open your mouth," he husked as our visions firmly linked.
There was something about his gaze I had never found in other people, as if at that moment the flowing emotions had created an unknown connection. I demanded my lips to part, eyes everywhere but on the man in front of me, then he moved closer with those eyes that looked so deeply into mine, and his breathing became softer.
About a handspan of height difference between us felt so obvious when we were this close. As he placed his thumb in between my upper and lower teeth, he opened my mouth wider now. His menacing look shifted into a smile as he felt my warm tongue melt his cold skin. Words left me. I stared into his steel blue eyes evolving with a strong intention, and my heart fell silent.
KNOCK!! KNOCK!! KNOCK!!
The noise heavily startled me, but not at all for Marvel, as if he had expected it, or rather, it wasn't enough to cause him wary. And then it was Gilbert; the secretary, pushing the doors open with full strength as he walked into the office where Marvel and I were standing so close to each other.
"Boss, there is an important matter we need to discuss," Gilbert paused as he caught the atmosphere around Marvel and me was almost weird. "Very important."
The secretary rendered a kind smile, yet somewhat made the boss annoyed. Unknowingly.
Once again, the silence hung in the air, thick and heavy. Marvel pulled his hands away from me and shifted back, drinking his whiskey again.
"First of all, Asta Mikaela, right?" Gilbert turned to me with the same expression as before. "Technically, you're not allowed to be in this room unless you're an official member of the Yerevan Family, but as my boss is the one who brought you here, I guess I'll spare you the interrogation."
It took a second or two for the new information to sink, even though it was right in front of my eyes. I searched my mind for something reasonable, but to my surprise, my system was blank.
"You're not yet to be a member, so I'll arrange your three months probation whether you're qualified to work here or not. It will start tomorrow, and now I'm going to show you your room," Gilbert continued. Quick and simple, he didn't stutter as if he was reading. "Follow me."
I looked at Gilbert and then at Marvel alternately, still confused by the situation I was in. Gilbert was waiting for me to follow him, and Marvel was just standing there, his arms crossing against his chest, seeming indifferent. With hesitation, as I heard no further words, I walked toward Gilbert.
"I will be back in five minutes, Boss," Gilbert assured Marvel it wouldn't be long.
Just like that, Gilbert hushed the room with a single snap, his sharp eyes settling on nothing before he left as expressionless as he entered. As we disappeared by the doors, Marvel took a seat back on the couch in a listless manner and sighed.
"It was my old boyfriend, and now my secretary… I wonder why people keep making me wait tonight."