Serving Mr. Serrano

Business As Usual

"I told you not to kill Hudson."

I brushed off a piece of lint from the lapel of my jacket, then straightened my tie for the second time that morning. Percival was glaring daggers at me, pissed that I'd refused to listen to him.

Again.

"And for what? Because he had the audacity to feel up one of your whores?"

I turned to look at him, my nonchalance disappearing as genuine anger took its place. I didn't know whether it was his dismissive attitude towards Hudson's actions or him referring to Eden as 'one of my whores' that pissed me off more. His nostrils flared and his jaw clenched every third second, evidence that he was just as pissed as I was.

"He broke a rule."

"Or did you kill him because he touched this specific one? The very same hooker I told you weeks ago not to get involved with."

The very last thing I wanted right now was to talk about Eden. I'd just managed to stop thinking about her an hour ago, and I didn't need Percival reviving any of the depraved thoughts I'd been having about her.

"What does it matter now? He's dead and nothing you say will bring him back. My concern is how the ISA found his body," I said, returning the conversation to the matter at hand.

Back on common ground, Percy calmed down enough to respond, "We already know some of our people are dirty, but this is an inner circle breach."

A knock on the door had both of us turning, and James poked his head in to let us know that the cars were ready. We nodded in thanks, and waited for him to close the door before we resumed our conversation.

"Who actually executed the kill?"

"I'll check the records and get back to you. In the meantime, you deal with the ISA and get them off our backs. At least long enough for us to sort this mess with Malice out."

I left soon after, spending the drive to the ISA Nito Offices going over my schedule for the day and confirming meetings with associates.

"Do you need me to–"

"That's alright, Ben. I'll see you in an hour," I said, opening the door.

I didn't miss the stares I got from the agents and office staff as I made my way to the eighteenth floor of the building. The second I stepped off the elevator, I'm greeted by an older man and a woman in her early-forties. The older man with the pot belly and the constant scowl introduced himself as Barish and the woman as Varma, both Special Agents.

Neither offered their hand for me to shake, but I think that might be a more telling sign of their feelings towards me than any acknowledgement of my dislike for human contact. They led me to a standard interrogation room rather than an office, which I think was their way of trying to intimidate me. I followed, then took my seat on the hard, uncomfortable chair across from where they were standing.

Varma invited me to sit, and I unbuttoned my jacket before I did, placing both my hands on the metal table where they could see them. Barish watched me carefully, leaning against the door as if I might just leap up and try to run. Maybe he'd seen it happen before, but I couldn't imagine a suspect getting away when the place was crawling with government agents.

"Mr. Serrano, thank you for agreeing to come all the way across town. We appreciate it tremendously," Varma said, smiling softly. She placed one hand on the table, then leaned in towards me so I could see the sizable cleavage hidden under her button-down shirt.

I looked at her for a while, then lowered my gaze to her lips and then the slender column of her neck before staring at her chest. She inhaled deeply, which made her t**s strain against the shirt just enough to make me wish those buttons would suddenly pop. I raised my gaze back up to her face, taking my time, and couldn't resist smiling when I saw the satisfaction in her eyes.

"I'm glad I came."

"I'm getting a coffee. Would you like anything?"

I knew he wasn't talking to me, but I still responded with, "Organic chamomile tea, Tunyan blend. A teaspoon of honey and a very thin slice of lemon. Please."

He paused, giving me a look that told me that he didn't want to bother with all that when he could just pour that disgusting excuse for coffee into a styrofoam cup and slide it over. I held his gaze easily, silently daring him to refuse, but he released a long sigh and walked out of the interrogation room to get my tea.

"He might spit in that," Varma warned, lifting a brow cautiously. I glanced at her, offering what many have called a smile. She returned it, a little too earnestly. I let my gaze sweep over the room, taking in the camera, the recorder, the blandness of the room. It was depressing, honestly.

But maybe that was the point.

"Mr. Serrano, I'd just like to inform you that this conversation will be recorded for legal reasons. Do you understand?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"Good."

"Do you want to get started or would you prefer to wait for your partner?" I asked.

She considered it for a few seconds, then shrugged conspiratorially. I waited while she skimmed through the paperwork, taking the time to look her over.

Dark, silky hair done up in an elegant chignon and penetrating, hazel eyes. High cheekbones, full lips and a cute little nose. I noticed her nails were expertly done, the way her perfume subtly filled the room. It was an expensive scent, I knew, since I'd bought it for many of the women I'd slept with over the years. Too expensive for someone with her salary to be purchasing it consistently, though.

There was a ring line on her second finger, as if it had recently been removed. I wondered about that, especially when I knew she was married. Maybe the missing ring had something to do with her inappropriate flash of impressive cleavage, but I chose not to say anything about the matter.

"I see you've waived your right to legal counsel," she pointed out.

"I thought it would be a waste of their time. Besides, your partner said you would only be asking me a few questions. That sounds innocent enough."

She looked up at the word 'innocent', her eyes sweeping over me briefly before she refocused her attention to the papers.

Finally, she sat up and looked me directly in the eye. "Do you know Steven Hudson? Forty-six and single with dark brown hair and green eyes. A few of your guests say they last saw him at your birthday celebration a couple of weeks ago?"

"I do know, Steven Hudson, yes."

"When was the last time you saw him?" she asked, twirling her pen around leisurely.

I took a moment to consider, keeping my gaze locked on hers. "I suppose it would be the New Year's Eve Golden Ball. We spoke briefly before I was called away," I replied.

The arch of her brows betrayed her disbelief, and she asked, "You didn't see him the night of your birthday?"

"No."

"You didn't speak with him?"

"No."

"Didn't even catch a glance?" she pressed.

"No."

A pause. "Why not?"

"There were five hundred guests attending that night. Even for me, speaking to all of them would be a tremendous feat."

"So why invite them at all if you're not going to speak to them?" she asked, frowning.

The sudden change in subject had me tilting my head at her, looking at her curiously. "It's the celebration of the year, Agent Varma. I think it's safe to say it has less to do with me as a person than the mystery and wealth that someone like me represents. People come because they want to be seen rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous. I've never really understood it myself, but I was born a billionaire. I guess it's different if you have to work for it."

She leaned back in her chair, slightly put off by the arrogance in my tone, the privilege in my words. "But you're what makes it interesting, right? People come to see you, hoping for a glimpse into your private life. They want to know what you eat, how you spend your evenings, who you f**k. They're all attracted to you, Mr. Serrano."

"And are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Attracted to me?"

"I don't see how or why that's relevant."

"Give it a few minutes."

Her lips parted, but no words came out. She looked back at her notes and licked her lips, momentarily thrown off her train of thought.

"Did any of your staff see Mr. Hudson?"

"Why does that matter if you already have several guests placing him at the manor on my birthday?"

"It would help to know if he was caught on camera so we could confirm-"

"All the cameras were placed specifically to watch the perimeter. We've had trouble with paparazzi and interlopers sneaking in before, trying to invade the privacy of my guests. Unfortunately, for that same reason, I had my security team turn off the cameras so everyone would have the freedom to enjoy themselves."

Which was a lie, of course.

I had Percy record every second of that f*****g party so we could revisit the footage in case something happened. You'd be surprised by the kind of s**t people got up to when they thought they weren't being watched. f*****g on priceless Tunyan rugs, stealing my silver, executing vicious murders in the gardens.

But I kept the footage hidden so nobody could find it, and it was so well encrypted, even the guy who built the firewall couldn't get through. So I was certain there was no way the ISA would ever get to it.

"Two days after your birthday, an assistant of Hudson's filed a missing person's report with the police. They didn't think anything of it at first, but when his body was found yesterday, they called us in. They seem to think this might have been a syndicate-related murder."

I said nothing.

"His body was found a few kilometres outside Nito, marked for murder. We wouldn't have bothered you, except the mark is eerily similar to your… signature. Creed. Symbol. Whatever you would like to call it. The Serpent's Kiss, which consists of two small dots at the base of your victims' necks. It's an assassin's mark, isn't it? Your version of The Kiss of Death?"

Both brows arched. "My victims? My signature? Are you accusing me of something?"

"My apologies. Your alleged victims," she said, smiling. But I noticed it didn't quite reach her eyes.

The door opened and her partner walked in, holding one of those café cupholders. His gaze darted between us before he closed the door and walked over. He placed the first styrofoam cup in front of Varma, the second beside hers and then finally handed me mine.

"Thank you, Agent Barish. Much appreciated."

"Sure," he said, finally taking his seat beside Varma. Neither of them touched their coffees, and I didn't touch my tea either. Barish leaned back in his chair, folded his arms over his chest and looked at me with a mixture of curiosity, disgust and wonder.

"We have it on good authority that you weren't too happy with Hudson. Some say he may have been stealing from you and you found out, then had him Marked so he'd be killed."

I feigned amusement. "That's an interesting theory, Agent Varma."

"Party with that many guests, it would be easy enough to kill someone. With no exact time of death, you'd have a whole room of people willing to testify that you were partying the entire time. It gives you a very good alibi."

"Yes, it does," I admitted to Barish, my expression neutral.

They both froze at my admission, too surprised to say anything. They glanced at each other, then back at me.

"Are you admitting that you-"

"I'm admitting that I'd have a very good alibi if I'd killed Hudson."

Barish's jaw clenched and he leaned forward to glare at me.

"What did you do after the party?"

"Well," I began, reaching for my cup. "After we checked to make sure everyone was gone, I retreated to my suite upstairs. Despite my exhaustion, though, I couldn't sleep."

"Why not?" Barish asked.

I lifted the lid off my cup, looked to see if there was a thin slice of lemon floating in the brew. There wasn't.

"I had an interaction with a very beautiful woman earlier that night. Gorgeous, really. Intelligent and very observant. She piqued my interest," I said, looking at Barish. "I kept imagining all the things I wanted to do with her. And to her. I'm sure you know what it's like to desire a beautiful woman you can't have, Agent Barish."

His eyes narrowed, and I pushed the cup away from me, off to the side. His scowl deepened, his face turning an alarming shade of red and I almost smirked at how easy it was to provoke him.

"Mr. Serrano, this isn't a game. A man is dead."

"People die every day, Agent Varma. I tend not to weep over the inevitable."

"What I'm getting is that you don't care about human life at all," Barish said.

"Fortunately, I'm not responsible for what you understand. But you don't get to where I am by having a soft heart and delicate sensibilities."

He glared at me, but I returned my attention to Varma, who was looking at me with renewed interest. Her eyes darted between mine, and I think she actually realised in that second who I really was. It was always interesting to watch this moment of revelation.

"Tell me, Agent Varma. Do you find it insulting that your superiors chose you to question me today? That you were asked to play the role of a seductress in hopes that I'd get all tongue-tied and trip over my feet to impress you?"

For a full minute, she said nothing. She just stared at me while I stared at her, and I wondered what she must be thinking. Her lips parted, and she blinked suddenly before clearing her throat very loudly.

"Did you kill Steven Hudson?"

"No."

"Did you order someone to have Hudson killed?"

"No."

"And what about the Serpent's Kiss? We all know it's how you Mark people you want dead."

I was quiet for a while, contemplating her question. In the silence, I was able to hear the rush of cars on the road, honking at each other as they rushed back to work from lunch.

"Hypothetically, let's say I was the heartless, merciless monster you think I am. Let's say I did kill Hudson. What would be my motive?"

"He stole from you," she stated.

"So, instead of having him to pay me back and accounting for his actions, I decide to Mark him for death instead?"

"It's a theory," Barish remarked.

"A pitiful one. Did one of your betters tell you to say that?"

He went quiet again, and I glanced at Varma.

"I'd be without my cash and now I'd have the ISA watching my every move. Neither of those things would benefit me. Hypothetically."

Varma sighed, then turned to her partner. They shared a look, and he grunted before rising from his chair. I watched him walk out, the door closing firmly behind him. She reached over to turn off the recorder and then picked up the remote and turned off the camera.

"Mr. Serrano, I know you came here to prove a point but your unwillingness to answer the questions-"

"I've answered your questions. I hope you'll do me the courtesy of answering mine. Was the seduction your idea or theirs?"

She closed the notepad, easily adjusting to the shift in questioning as if she were expecting it. "Do you enjoy being in control, Mr. Serrano?"

"Of course. I imagine you do as well. It should make for quite an interesting dynamic when we f**k later."

My bluntness didn't phase her, and instead she leaned forward so her t**s were peeking out at me again.

"What makes you think I'd f**k you?"

I allowed myself a small smile, rising from my chair to lean forward as well, splaying my fingers out on the table a bit. I did this so she has no choice but to look at me, up close. Even though we were on her turf, I wanted her to know that she was the one in the corner. I wanted her to know I was the predator and she was the prey.

"You called me here on a weekday when you knew your husband would be out of town. You got your hair and nails done, put on your most professional suit but couldn't resist wearing that lace lingerie underneath. You figured it would be our secret, since you chose that bra with me specifically in mind. You removed your ring, wore your best perfume and came here knowing you were going to offer yourself up. Am I wrong, Agent Varma?"

I watched her hesitate, swallowing before she opened her mouth to speak, but I cut her off by leaning even closer.

"I'd ask you how you intended this to go, but I know you won't answer me. Instead, I want you to think about it now, while I'm here with you."

Her breath caught and she grit her teeth as if resisting the urge to do as she was told. But she didn't look away. She didn't realise it yet, but she was already leaning closer with every word I said.

"You'd want me to take control, have you submitting to me in ways you never would with anyone else. Do you picture me on top, your ankles on my shoulders and your hands tied above your head while I f**k you?"

I watched her pulse race, heard her breath catch in her throat as she finally gave in and allowed the seductive timbre of my voice to soothe her inhibitions away.

"Or maybe you'd prefer I put you on your hands and knees, then wrap the length of that hair around my wrist while I f**k you from behind?"

I reached over, tilted her chin up so she was forced to look at me. She moaned softly at my touch, leaning closer until her lips were just a breath away from mine.

"We both know that you're soaking wet right now. I imagine the crotch of your panties is damp with your arousal. I know you'll want to touch yourself before we meet tonight, but don't. I want to pull all of those orgasms from you myself."

I would never get enough of this power.

Ever.

Control was as strong an aphrodisiac as anything else, and I couldn't imagine ever being without it for a second.

I pulled away, but kept my eyes on hers. She didn't dare look away, not even when I buttoned my jacket back up and adjusted my sleeves.

"6B at Cardiff Cloves, correct?"

She nodded, blinking when I lowered my gaze to her lips. I watched her return to reality, a hint of surprise and guilt flashing across her features.

"I'll have one of my drivers pick you up at seven. I expect you in my penthouse at seven-thirty. Do not be late."

***

Alexis Varma was at my door at seven-twenty, still dressed in her suit from earlier. She had applied a thin layer of lipstick and loosened her hair in preparation, which told me everything I needed to know.

Later, when we were both lying on the living room carpet, sweating and exhausted from our hours-long f*****g, Alexis removed a box of cigarettes from her bag. We pulled on some clothes before I led her out onto the balcony with one of the best views in the city. She walked over to the balustrade, lit her cigarette and inhaled deeply. We didn't speak for the first few minutes, but finally she turned to me with a small frown on her face.

"May I ask you a personal question?"

"No."

"Why aren't you dating anyone?" she asked anyway.

"Why are you married?" I shot back.

She shrugged, then leaned against the marble, crossing her legs at the ankle. She was leaning so casually against the balustrade, not even properly balanced. All it would take was a single, half-hearted push to send her over. I took a step forward, tilting my head slightly to the side while I waited.

"It seemed like the right thing to do. We were together long enough. He knew my family and I knew his. We were living together, and our lives seemed too intertwined to mess that up by splitting. Now I wonder what I was thinking when I chose to marry him."

Another step.

Would she scream as she fell? Or would she be too shocked to make a sound? What would it sound like when her body slammed into the concrete pavement below?

"Is that why you volunteered to seduce me? Because you regret getting married?"

She paused with the cigarette halfway to her lips, her hair blowing in the cool February breeze. She almost didn't answer, but she sighed and said, "I'm here because it's my job. Do you really think that a woman like me would be attracted to someone like you? I hate you. I genuinely hate you and everything you stand for. You're everything that's wrong with this world. Power-hungry, greedy bastards who want more than they already have. You kill and cheat and lie to get what you want. It's abhorrent. Disgusting."

Another step.

She didn't seem all too aware of me inching closer. Varma was so focused on telling me off that I could just… She gasped when my hands circled her waist, and I lifted her up so she was sitting on the marble. Immediately, her legs wrapped around my waist and she grabbed onto my shirt, clutching it like a lifeline.

A slow, devious grin spread across my face and her eyes widened with fear. I held her steady, tightening my grasp around her waist when she tried to push me back. She risked looking over her shoulder, hyperventilating when she saw how far she was from the ground.

"Look at me, Alexis."

Slowly, reluctantly, she turned so she was looking up at me. I watched how her bottom lip trembled, how the artery in her neck pulsed with every terrified beat of her heart. Her hair blew in her face, and I carefully reached up to brush it back, then cupped the back of her head so she was forced to look at me.

"There have been plenty of women before you that have tried this exact same thing. Some did it better than you did, some of them terribly inexperienced. But they were all self-righteous, arrogant know-it-alls who thought giving me some mediocre p***y will have me on my knees, dying to confess all my sins. You whored yourself out because you think you're serving the greater good, but we both know you're here because you were curious. You wanted to know what it would feel like to get f****d by a man like me. You can hate me all you want but you loved every f*****g second of what I did to you."

I yanked her head back, and she whimpered fearfully, pain shooting through her scalp. "Because I enjoyed what you did for me tonight, I won't kill you. But I am going to ruin your credibility, your reputation. I am going to wreck your life and make sure you never work in law enforcement ever again."

Her eyes watered, though I couldn't tell if that was from the pain she was in or the humiliation she was undoubtedly feeling. I replaced my maniacal grin with a stern, serious expression a second later, leaning closer so my lips were a breath away from hers.

"Unless, of course, we can come to an agreement. Would you like that?"

She nodded as much as I'd allow, and I abruptly took a step back and placed her back on the ground. Alexis collapsed onto her knees in front of me, a frightened sob wracking through her body before she covered her mouth with her hand. I squatted down to her level, tilting her chin back gently. Tears ran down her beautiful face, and wet my finger.

"You're going to freshen up and get dressed. One of my men will give you some paperwork to take back to your office, where you will show it to your partner and then your boss. Tell him you're worried about telling anyone else about it because you're concerned about the spies I have in your agency. Tomorrow morning, you will receive an envelope with instructions on what to do next. Memorise them, then get rid of the evidence. Do you understand?"

She nodded frantically, and I smiled at her before I let go of her chin, rising back to my full height.

"Of course, it goes without saying that you can't tell anyone about any of this. Because then I'll have to make good on my promise. The damage control will result in a lot of unnecessary deaths, so I hope you make the right decision."

She averted her gaze, wiping her face with the back of her hand frantically. Finally, she looked up at me and asked, "Why are you doing this?"

"Because I can. Because it's necessary. And you're right. I am a power-hungry, greedy bastard and I will stop at nothing to get what I want."

I held out a hand for her to take, which she did after a few seconds of hesitation. I helped her up and led her back inside, where she gathered her things and disappeared into the bathroom.

When she returned, I was freshly showered and dressed, both Ben and I waiting for her at the door. She accepted the envelope without looking at either one of us and shoved it into the bag that Ben handed back to her.

The elevator dinged and the doors whooshed open, my brother stepping out into the lobby with a frown as he stared at his screen. He only looked up when Alexis brushed past him and turned to stare at her until the doors closed back up.

Finally, he turned to us with a curious expression on his face.

"Problem?"

"Not anymore."