IV: Not threatened

She had hoped to never see him again after their first and last encounter, and there were many reasons for that. First, because unlike most people around her now, he knew she was a thief. Secondly; she had stolen his Rolex after he saved her from the police three weeks ago. Third, because he was probably looking for her and make her pay for stealing from him. And last, he didn’t like her very much, and the feeling was mutual and so the last thing she needed, especially now, was to be anywhere near him.

“Sorry, I should get out of the way.” She spoke up after about a minute of silence between them, trying to act composed and neutral.

He wouldn’t recognise her. A lot of changes in her physical appearance and there was also different lightning at work compared to the last time, so there was no way he could, but the look he had on his face said otherwise.

He stuffed his hands into his pocket and did a brief stretch as his eyes scanned her face, delicately observing for an entire minute. His eyes didn’t sway, nor did he step away from the door so she could get away. His response, or lack of it, kept Jasmin grounded in her position as she tried to avoid his gaze as much as she could.

He took a bold step forward and the hair on her body stood at alert in response to that action. She quickly brushed it off. “I really need to get back now, my colleagues are probably looking for me.” She muttered, sounding weaker than she wanted.

His eyes slowly dropped from hers to her slightly parted lips, then proceeded to her neck and then further down to rest on her left chest and a little above her breast hidden under the uniform. Jamin almost gasp at the heat his gaze caused her.

“Jasmin,” he read the tag on her vest and his gaze returned to lock on her already tortured ones.

She would have been happier if the ground just opened up its mouth and swallowed her. That would save her from the torture of having to stay in his presence, especially after what she’d done.

“Sir, I need to get out. If I stay here too long, my supervisor will question me.” She tried to going the other way, but he stepped in front of her, making her stop.

Clearly, he would not listen to her excuse and reason.

“Are you going to pretend you don’t know me anymore?” He asked, stepping forward, and this time she took a step back, her heart hammering away. “Jasmin.” He said with such authority as if he knew her well, as if he bore witness to her naming as a child.

“I think you have me mistaken for someone else, sir. It wouldn’t surprise me, though. I have been told I look like many people in the past.”

He stepped even closer, so that they were only a few inches apart, and he towered over her with his intimidating figure. “You may have changed your hair from blonde to red, but I think I would always remember the face of the thief that stole my Rolex.”

Something stirred in her heart just like it did three weeks ago when he called her a thief, but she held on to denial, “Sir, I do not k—now who yo—u are,” she stuttered, lying didn’t use to be this difficult for her before, but he seemed to know the truth and have her wrapped around his fingers. 

His gaze darkened, and he gripped her arm tightly, propelling her into the wall behind her, “It was you, I could never forget the face of the thief who tried to seduce me and then called me ‘too boring’ when she couldn’t and resorted to stealing my Rolex!!” He hissed out in anger and irritation at her denial.

Her heart pumps harder in fear and blood rushed through her veins, wondering how quick the table just turned. Weakening shivers ran through her whole body and thank goodness she had just eased herself or she would have cracked and peed herself under this pressure. Her back was against the wall in every sense. She could continue denying and pissing him off or she could accept and suffer the consequences. 

She gave in to the pressure because there was no other choice or something else she could do. “I am sorry for what I said to you on that day.” Saying sorry would change nothing, that she knew, but what other choice was there?

His grip loosed, and he stepped back from her. “Then it’s really you. I had my suspicion, but I wasn’t completely sure. What are you doing here? Have you finished the money you got from my Rolex? Are you here to get more?” 

It was true; she was a thief; yes she had stolen from him three weeks ago, but she wasn’t here to steal from anyone. She was here to wait and earn her pay honourably. 

But you were going to steal Faith's golden chain earlier. I guess a leopard can never change its spot. 

“As you can see, I’m waiting. That must mean I am trying to change. So let me go or else, I’ll be coming to your office to do more than just steal from you.” She seemed surprised that she said that out loud, but when she opened her mouth, she lost control.

The man surnamed Inferno didn’t look threatened in the least way nor did he look angry, instead he smirked, “You are something aren’t you, little thief?”

Usually, when someone who has stolen from you threatens to steal from you again, most people would panic and call the police to keep close eyes on the suspect, but not this man. He seemed amused, maybe because she didn’t look convincing or threatening enough. Perhaps there was something else he was hoping for. Jasmin didn’t know if she should be happy about that or angry.

She stepped to close the space between them, and her eyes didn’t waver from his. “I am. Now step out of the way. I’ve got more tables to wait.”

He still didn’t look troubled by her words. Instead, he chuckled and did as she said and she made her way to the door, but he spoke as she about to exit the door.

“I’ll be seeing you around, Jasmin.”

He was planning something. She could feel it in her bones and the first step was finding out who she was and that would leave her trapped.

She wanted to run, but she was just starting over and she loved it here and running over wasn’t what she had in mind. There were more than a hundred Jasmin’s in the city and one name would only get him so far. Right? Right?

She couldn’t underestimate him. He wasn’t strange and unpredictable with his emotions.

She had escaped from him today, but she knew it would not last. There was a reason he wasn’t calling the cops on her for what she did. There was something he was planning, and it was only a matter of time and she knew nothing about him except for his surname. Inferno.