Deviant (The Firm #2)

Chapter 1 Ansel

ANSEL

When I was a little boy, I had normal dreams. I wanted to be an astronaut, or a rocket scientist. Maybe a veterinarian, or perhaps a teacher. An actor. A musician. I wanted to do them all. But that’s the point of being a kid. You have your dreams. You believe you can achieve whatever you like.

Then you grow up, and reality slaps you in the face.

A career as a criminal hadn’t entered the top ten list of my dreams. Not that I really consider hacking a crime, per se, but I guess the law might disagree.

What I’m going to do tonight though, that’s definitely a crime. There’s no getting away from it. Kidnapping is a federal crime with a minimum prison sentence of twenty years. Fun fact—that’s only five years less than my age.

Yet, here I am, going ahead with it anyway. It’s not like I have any say in the matter. With the shit I’ve landed myself in, they say “Jump” and I reply “How high?”

My gaze sweeps over the bar as my hands twitch at my sides. There’s no sign of my target yet. My MacGyver contraption is ready outside. All I have to do is lure the mark out there and hope like fuck that nothing goes wrong.

I’m not worried about the trap. I made the calculations myself. Even if I assume an error of three degrees, it’ll still work.

And I never make errors of that magnitude.

My eyes land on a man at the bar. He’s not my mark—at least, I hope he’s not. His tall, muscled frame is leaning against the bar. His tousled hair is the color of a raven’s wing. He wears a smirk that hints at danger.

Danger that should have me running in the opposite direction. Especially with what I’ve got going on tonight. With everything I’ve got on the line.

I shift on my feet as my teeth sink into my lip. I’m not supposed to approach anyone other than the mark. I know that, but fuck, I want to.

The man runs a hand through his hair, making his biceps bulge. And then he grins, and god-fucking-dammit, he has dimples.

My kryptonite.

Before I can blink, I find my feet carrying me toward the bar.

Maybe a distraction will keep you calm. I reason with myself as I weave through the crowd. A little flirtation is harmless. It’ll pass the time.

“Hey there,” I breathe. Fuck, he’s even more gorgeous up close. Why couldn’t I have met him on another night? Any other time and I’d let him lead me out into the woods for an hour of fun. Because I know a man like him wouldn’t just make it quick. No, he’d drag it out, make me crazy with lust.

It’s a shame really, because the only one who’ll be heading out there with me tonight is my mark.

A slow grin spreads across the handsome stranger’s face, those dangerous dimples making an appearance. “Hello.”

Fuck, I should leave. Why am I talking to this man when I have a job to do?

Well, not so much a job as a crime, but I’m far past making that distinction. The lines blurred for me a long time ago, and I’m not sure they’ll ever be clear again.

“Can I buy you a drink?” I ask.

The man raises an eyebrow. Heat stirs in my stomach as I realize that’s not what he expected me to say. “Sure.”

What the fuck are you doing, Ansel? You don’t have time for this. You shouldn’t even be speaking to anyone. What happened to keeping a low profile?

A dangerous smirk and a set of bulging muscles had me flinging all common sense out the window.

Or maybe it was the dimples.

I really should know better.

I nod, but my mind is back on what I should be doing. The man I should be approaching. All I know is my mark’s name, that he’s male, and in his thirties.

“I’m Ansel,” I say to the stranger, shoving my hair out of my eyes. It’s a pointless endeavor because it immediately falls back into them. I can’t stop myself from doing it, though. It’s a nervous habit I’ve never been able to break.

Right now, I’m more nervous than I’ve ever been before.

It hits me then, what I’ve done, and I wince internally. You gave him your real name? Are you fucking joking right now?

Yeah, I should’ve gone for a pseudonym. It isn’t like there are a lot of Ansels walking around. Tonight is not the time for forgetting shit like that.

Then the man does something that changes everything. He grins widely and gives me his name. “Brad.”

“Brad?” My smile dims as I feel the blood drain from my face. Fuck. “Oh. Oh shoot… It can’t be,” I mutter under my breath, frantically searching for my phone. There is no way this fine specimen is the man I’ve been sent for. I take a few steps away, my shoulders slumping. “There’s no fucking way.”

But as I pull my phone out and glance at the screen, my worst fears are confirmed.

UNKNOWN

Trailside Tavern tonight. Male, midthirties. Brad Miller.

Brad. I don’t know why I bother to check.

I’d done a deep dive on Brad Miller the instant I’d received the message.

I know everything there is to know about him, except what he looks like.

For whatever reason, Brad has been careful not to share any photos of himself on social media.

If he had, maybe I wouldn’t have mistakenly believed he’d be a loner incel with a receding hairline and a swelling gut.

No, he’s a loner incel with the jaw of a Greek god and dimples that make my knees unfairly weak.

It doesn’t matter, I tell myself as I stow my phone and square my shoulders. I’ve got my orders, and it’s time to follow through.

Brad is watching me with undisguised amusement. He doesn’t seem thrown by my odd reaction to his name, which is good. If this is to work, I need him to trust me. Not a lot, just enough to follow me out into the woods.

I lift my chin, aiming for confidence. I’m not sure if I hit it. My lip is trembling along with my hands, but hopefully Brad won’t notice.

I try to speak, but it comes out as a stutter. I shake my head and try again. “I mean, nice to meet you.”

The bartender interrupts us. Brad orders a whiskey while I automatically go for my usual. “A strawberry daiquiri please.”

A bit pointless, really. If things go according to plan, it’s not like I’ll have time to drink it. Besides, I shouldn’t be giving anything more away about myself. I’m supposed to be like an FBI special agent, creating a secret identity to hide my crimes behind.

I’m used to doing that, but usually there’s a screen in front of me. Turns out it’s much harder when your mark is staring you in the face.

Serves you right for getting tangled up in this bullshit in the first place. That voice sounds remarkably like Neo’s. My best friend is going to be pissed as hell if he ever finds out exactly what I’m up to.

Especially given that he warned you away from the job in the first place.

“So, what brings you here?”

Brad’s question startles me out of my thoughts. I frantically remind myself of the plan. Get him into the woods. Everything else is already set to go. Just get him outside. “Oh, well, I want to get fucked.”

I was right to be blunt about it. Challenge lights up Brad’s eyes as his tongue darts over his lips. “Is that so?”

I nod, my hair dropping over my eyes again. I really am overdue for a haircut. It’s starting to annoy me.

I should take him outside now. He’ll follow me. But the bravado that’s carried me this far has fled. I’ll need something more to get me through the rest of it.

Looks like I’m making time for my daiquiri after all.

“It is. After this drink, I may have the courage to go through with it.”

Brad frowns. I groan internally. Does he have to be this good-looking? I’m sure this would’ve been easier if he were ugly.

Okay, I’m not that shallow. To be honest, I think my brain is just hunting for a reason to back out. That’s not a possibility, though.

Not if I want to live to see the morning.

“Are you sure this is something you want to do if you need liquor to get you there?”

I huff at Brad’s question. I wasn’t expecting him to be considerate. “I’m an adult. One drink isn’t going to impair my ability to consent, so don’t worry about me.”

Brad is quiet for a moment. “And who do you plan on propositioning?”

I huff again. He’ll think I’m impersonating a steam train at this rate. “You, of course. I mean, I am buying you a drink.”

Brad gives me a smirk that’s pure predator. “And you think you can just buy your way to my cock?”

Please. Does he think I’ve missed the hungry way he’s been eyeing me? My gaze flicks to the drinks the bartender sets before us. “Yes. I think so.” He snorts and gulps down his drink. Now I’m the one smirking. “Am I wrong?”

He winks at me as I suck on the straw. “Nah. I’m easy.”

I try to hide my smile before swigging more of my drink and putting it down on the bar top.

Oh god, I’m going to have to go through with this.

It was much easier to imagine before meeting Brad.

Before seeing those dimples of his and hearing the teasing lilt to his voice.

My hands are shaking again now, and I can’t seem to stop them.

Brad smiles invitingly. “Come on. We can head to the bathrooms—”

“No, those are gross.” I interrupt quickly. I’m not lying, either. Hooking up in the restrooms has never appealed. All those germs… “How about outside? The forest. It’s quiet and…the perfect place really.”

The perfect place for me to do what has to be done.

Brad’s eyebrows rise, but he doesn’t question me. He just follows me out of the bar and into the darkness. Just like I knew he would.

I keep glancing back over my shoulder. Half of me—the soft-hearted half—hopes he’ll run off, that he’ll change his mind and leave before I go through with this.

If that happens, you’re fucked.

But if it doesn’t happen, Brad is fucked. I shouldn’t give a shit, not with what I’ve got on the line. I can’t help myself, though.

Part of me doesn’t want to see Brad get hurt.

I spot the tree I marked earlier, and my stomach twists into a knot. I grit my teeth and quicken my steps. “There’s a good place right here. The bark on the tree is smooth…”

I get to the camouflaged rope and hop over it. Hopefully it’s small enough for Brad not to notice.

And yes…

There’s a grunt. A slight whoosh of air. A muttered curse.

I spin around to see Brad swinging from his feet, exactly as I’d planned. My eyes widen as I realize he’s much bigger than I’d thought when making these plans. How the fuck am I supposed to get him down from there and into my car?

“Shit,” he mutters. Something slips from his pocket and hits the floor. Fuck, it’s a knife. Well, more than a knife. A dagger, maybe.

The knot in my stomach loosens at the reminder that this is not a good man.

“Get me down from here. Use the blade,” he hisses.

I lean down and pick the dagger up, twisting it in my fingers as I study it. It’s ornate. Beautiful, really. A bit like Brad.

A beautiful weapon.

“What the fuck? Get me down,” Brad growls, struggling against the rope. It’s pointless. There’s no way to get free of that knot.

The reality of what I have to do suddenly hits me.

This isn’t the life I wanted for myself.

I might be a criminal, but I’m an ethical one.

I don’t steal from those who can’t afford it.

I don’t damage businesses that don’t deserve it.

And I don’t hurt anyone. Not physically, at least. “I’m so sorry, Brad.

I hope you’re not hurt. I didn’t want to do this. Are you okay?”

He reaches out to touch me. I scramble backward. If he touches me, I might give in and let him down. I need to remember he’s my target. “No. No touching. I can’t… Oh god, I’m so sorry.”

Brad huffs a small laugh. Even upside down, he’s hot. “You have no idea who you’re messing with.”

My lips part in surprise, but then I remind myself I know exactly who he is. Thanks to my extensive research, I know almost everything there is to know about Brad Miller. “Listen, Brad, I don’t want to do this any more than you want to be upside down. But this is what needs to happen.”

Brad studies me shrewdly. “So, you’re not going to let me down.”

“Not yet,” I say sadly. It’s just occurred to me how I can get him to my car, but the thought of doing it makes me want to vomit. “I’m sorry. I’ve never hurt anyone before, but…I need this. Oh god. I really don’t mean to do this…”

I swallow hard as I grip the dagger tighter. I was going to use a rock, but this is more convenient. Nevertheless, as much as I want to, my arm’s not moving. It’s not doing what I need it to. I give myself a quick mental pep talk.

You have to do this.

You don’t have another choice.

They’ll kill you if you fail.

And then they’ll kill Brad anyway.

There’s no point in you both dying.

That’s true. We live in a cruel world where you either become the predator or the prey.

I know which I’d rather be.

Taking a deep breath, I slam the hilt of the dagger into Brad’s temple.