011. THE DEAL // CASSEROLE

"How about we make a deal, Bambi?"

Taking a sip from her mug, she pondered the possibilities of his question. "What kind of deal?"

"I'll give you extra time to get some more cash."

"Okay, well, unless Johnny gets bored of Amber's mouth in the next few days, I won't be getting my shifts back. And, I highly doubt that will happen since no one else wants to sink that low and do the deed."

"You can work for me and we will split your tips. Ninety-ten."

Her ears perked, intrigued by his offer. "Wow. I'll be able to pay you back in no time! Wait - what's the catch?"

"I want proof that you still have my locket. A photo will do."

"If your goons stop following me around and stalking me through my windows, I would be happy to take that for you."

A grin crossed his lips as he rose from his seat and circled the kitchen island. "I'll give you thirty minutes tomorrow at noon. How does that sound?"

It was more than enough time, but she didn't want him to know. "Fine," she grumbled. "I guess."

"Good girl." Resting his hands against either side of her small frame, she was trapped between him and the counter. "Just so we're clear," he whispered into her ear. "Our split does not count towards what you owe me. And, until I get my locket back..." teeth nipping at her ear lobe, he was rewarded by a muffled moan, "I get the ninety percent, you get ten."

"What?" she cried, pressing her hands against his chest, creating distance between them. "It's going to take me forever to fucking pay you back!"

"Isn't that a shame? Well, guess you have never stolen from me in the first place, Bambi."

Anger erupted deep in her belly as she listened to his taunting words. No sex on earth could make her forget how much she hated him. All of this over some shitty locket? That's what he was really after. Not the cash. Not the other items she took. Just this damn locket.

The realization quickly dawned on her.

"You can't kill me."

His head cocked to the side. "Excuse me?"

"You can't kill me," she repeated with a wide grin. "If you do, you might never get it back. Because you don't know where it is. That must kill you - getting outsmarted by someone you think is so stupid. I bet it eats your sad little ego apart, doesn't it? Because no matter how hard you try, you don't know where I keep it and that makes you shit at-"

Pulling his weapon from the waistband of his pants, he fired a bullet. The vase on the table behind him shattered into pieces as Rory let out a scream and covered her ears, falling to the ground in the process.

"Come on, Bambi," he huffed, pulling her back onto her feet, "When are you going to stop reacting like that?"

"When you stop fucking doing that!" Pressing her hands against his chest, she shoved him back. In hindsight, considering Harry still had a gun clutched in his hand, shoving him wasn't her smartest decision.

"What am I doing that has got you so scared, Bambi? Is it this?" He raised his gun. "Does it scare you how fast I can shoot something? Worried that might be what happens to you?"

A knock at the front door stilled Rory's heart.

"Expecting another guest, Bambi?"

Harry could see the fear and worry spread across her expression, telling him she was in fact not expecting someone.

A second knock rattled the door, followed by a voice. "Rory?"

"Shit," Rory mumbled under her breath. "Can this day be fucking over already?"

Ignoring her childish cries, Harry asked, "Who is that?"

"My neighbour. She-"

"Rory?" the woman's voice called out again. "Are you alright dear?"

"Get rid of her," he instructed harshly. "Now."

Crossing her arms over her chest, she was intrigued by his angered nature over an old woman at the door. "Why?"

"Because, Bambi. I fucking said so." He stepped forward, allowing his frame to tower over her. "Get rid of her. And do it quickly."

"Fine," she grumbled. "But stay here. I don't want her to see you."

Rory hated the way his sudden change appeared. One minute, Harry acted like he might care about her with his sudden interest in knowing if Tanner hurt her or where the bruises that marked her skin came from. But within an instant, that version of him was gone and Harry resorted to his normal self - the guy who took pleasure in speaking down to her and shooting off his gun for a dramatic intimidation factor.

It was in her nature to continue this argument and fight against his desire to order her around. However, Rory knew Miss Mabel would not leave her front door until she had answers. There was a reason everyone in the building called the old woman Miss Gossip behind her back.

Opening the door, Rory forced a smile on her lips as she greeted her neighbour. "Hi, Miss Mabel."

"There you are," she coldly responded. "I heard some loud noises and wanted to make sure you were alright."

The woman with curlers still in her gray hair tried to lean her frame through the small space provided by the open door, attempting to gain access to whatever she could see of Rory's apartment. Harry, letting out an annoyed sigh from the kitchen that this interruption hadn't already been taken care of, made his way over and stood behind Rory. Not only did he block Miss Mabel from sneaking a peek inside, but he disobeyed Rory's single instruction within ten seconds.

"Sorry about that. It was all my fault," he said, adding in a charming smile. "Rory warned me to keep the television down."

"I didn't know you had a boyfriend, Rory!"

"No, it's not-"

"She can be so shy sometimes," Harry said sweetly to the woman. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh, and you are polite! Much better than that other one she had!" Miss Mabel shuddered. "Now he was a nightmare."

He chuckled. "I can only imagine."

Rory felt a small twinge of envy over the way he spoke to her neighbour. While Harry dazzled Miss Mabel with his looks and soft-spoken voice, all Rory got was a broken vase and being ordered around - oh, and now the barrel of his gun pressed into her back.

The two continued to speak as if Rory wasn't even there. Considering Harry made his desire to end this conversation known by digging his weapon into the back of her spine, Rory was surprised he kept engaging with her in conversation and asking her questions.

"I'll drop off my casserole recipe for you soon!"

"Excellent. I'm sure it will help me impress this one on our next date night."

Miss Mabel exchanged a goodbye and headed back inside her apartment, allowing Rory to finally release a breath of air as she closed her door shut.

Pressing her hands firmly against Harry's chest, she shoved him back - which was still a dumb move while his gun was out, she quickly reminded herself. "What the fuck was that?" she gritted through her teeth, "Why did you let her think we were together?"

"Are you always that loud when you fuck someone?"

Taken back by his sudden question, she spat out an annoyed, "Excuse me?"

"I'm just trying to wonder why on earth you're so loud and talkative when you have a sweet old lady like Miss Mabel living next door."

"First of all, she's not that sweet, alright? And second of all, she takes her hearing aids out at night. So, she can't hear me at my totally normal volume."

Harry raised an amused brow. "Good to know."

Stomping her foot on the ground like a child, Rory let out a frustrated cry. "Could you just kill me already so we can be done with each other?"

"I'm giving you a chance, Bambi. Don't make me fucking regret it," he said lowly, "And I'm keeping you alive because it's clear you would enjoy dying. Living is your real punishment."

Her skin heated with anger as he taunted her with her confession from last night. "Fuck you," she spat.

Harry was oblivious to her reaction, distracted by the picture in a gold frame.

"What the fuck is this?" he asked, pointing to the item hanging on the wall.

His eyes scanned over her work. Taken aback by the words greasy hair with an arrow pointing at his head, he completely missed that she had written HAROLDINA in large letters at the top of the page.

"I drew your face for target practice," Rory answered as if it were obvious. "For my dartboard."

"You threw darts at a drawing you made of me? Jesus... You're a fucking insane one, Bambi."

Rory scoffed. "You want to kill someone over a locket but I'm the crazy one?"

The longer he spent around her, the more she intrigued him. And that was exactly why Harry knew he had to get out of her apartment. Collecting his things from her bedroom, ensuring he didn't leave a single dollar, piece of jewelry, or weapon behind, Harry made his way to the door.

"Your first shift starts tomorrow at nine. Be there at eight-thirty so we can get you set up. Got it?"

Rory was seated on her couch with her coffee in hand, pleased that her wish of him leaving was finally being fulfilled. "You should know," she called out to him as he opened the front door. "There's a reason Amber got my shifts."

He looked over his shoulder. "Which is?"

"I don't fuck anyone that's my boss."

boss haroldina!