The Silk Assassin: Dossier One

“The captain-crew arrangement doesn’t need to be professional.” Victor grins. “If you couldn’t tell, I’m pretty damned attracted to you too.”

I see the front of his shorts rise and then fall. I force another blush and touch my hand to my throat, covering my cleavage for a second. Then I let my hand fall and draw his eyes to my chest. I snag the top edge of my shirt with one finger and pull it down for just one taunting moment.

Victor stands, still holding my hand, and pulls me to my feet. He leads me around the cockpit, stopping to flick a switch, which kills the exterior lights. We head to the bow, which is wide and flat, with two mesh trampolines that are attached to the deck by bungee cords. He picks me up then, suddenly, unexpectedly, and lays me down upon the trampoline. The ocean flows beneath us, splashing gently against the hull. The sky above us is clear, moonless, and crusted with stars.

Victor’s hand slides up my leg, over my hip, across my stomach, then lingers briefly on my breast. But then his hand comes up further, to my collarbone, grasping finally, and firmly, around my throat.

“So why do I have the feeling that you’ve been sent by the Organization?” He tightens his grip. “How do I know you’re not here for some other purpose?”
I push my eyes open wide, putting on my best expression of terror, and sputter. “What? Victor? What are you talking about?”

He pushes down on my throat even harder, and now I’m actually gasping for air.

“This is just too good to be true,” he says. “It smells like a set-up.”

“Your poster,” I manage to squeak out. “My friend saw your poster...”

Finally he loosens his grip, just enough to let me catch my breath. I blink my eyes a few times, making them pool with tears.

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say. My voice is desperate. “I’m just a traveller. I’m just...”

“Okay, okay,” he says. He takes his hand away from my throat and slides it back down to my breast. “I’m sorry. I used to work for some dangerous people, and sometimes I still get suspicious.”

“Jesus,” I say. “I’m sorry I made you think that. I didn’t mean to be too forward, if that’s what it was. I just liked you from the second I met you...”

“Okay, it’s okay,” Victor says. He leans forward and kisses me now, softly, on the lips. “Can you forgive my paranoia?”

“Maybe,” I say and give him a timid smile. “Are you still going to let me take your clothes off?”