[WP] I don't love her. She doesn't love me. It's probably the best relationship both of us ever had.

Her name is Susie, which sounds oddly innocent for a criminal of her magnitude. I don't love her, mind you. I enjoy her, which is altogether different. I imagine someday I'll enjoy destroying her. I also imagine she thinks she'll do the same to me. The only difference is she's wrong. We meet at a wine tasting this time, which is more to her taste than mine. I was bred on cheap beer and homespun American heartiness; she was raised on champagne and cocktail party cheese plates. It's one of the countless differences between us and one of the reasons I will win this little dance of ours. "Darling!" she calls me as I enter the gallery, and waves me over to a group she's amassed of high class socialites. I wonder how many of these elite will leave this place alive. She kisses my cheek when I come close, and I take care to wipe all of the poisonous lipstick off with my sleeve. She warned me--her lips will be her weapon tonight. I'm more traditional--I have a sharp plastic dirk sheathed in my waist band. I didn't tell her about that, but she brushes her hand across my lower back to let me know I can't trick her. I have another one by my ankle, because it calms me to know that I can. She introduces me to her little ensemble of victims, and I smile at each of them, wondering which are already in the process of dying. They watch me back with curious eyes, and I know they are wondering how she managed to catch me. Susan Laracroft is many things, but an attractive woman she is not. Her crooked nose, her limp hair, her small mouth, all amount to one uninspiring sight. There is a kind of plain appeal to the long, slimness of her face, the innocent pucker of her lips, but next to my more flamboyant attractiveness it is easy to see how one might imagine she falls short. But I am not so base a man to be ruled entirely by my lower instincts, and it's not as though I'm inviting her into my bedroom anyway. I have lesser companions for that, whom I pay well for the job. No, this game I'm playing with little Susie is a more skilled dance than romance. Perhaps friend is the word, although I imagine that also entails a degree of affection, and we lack that. What we have is...complicated. Unique. Ultimately fatal. "Darling," I reply, allowing her her scene. My accent is lacking, and probably everyone who hears me speak will know that German is not my first language, but it matters little, as few of them will leave this venue living. "Who are these lovely folks?" We make small talk with her disciples for a few minutes, and she deftly moves her poison around the circle before she and I break off for a bit of private conversation. Once we're in our own little corner the questions fly. "How's that creature of yours--Jamison, is it?" she asks into her whine. "Still doing his job?" "If by his job you mean shutting up, he's doing quite well," I say. "I've killed him." She tuts. "He could've proved a valuable asset." "He could have proved a snitch." "He only knew, what, your third tier? You could've survived that tattle." "How about you, do you still have Carrington secure." "Very. He's alive and well, and so long as he remains obedient his wife will be too." "I kidnapped the wife of a man I wanted in my pocket once," I say, "It didn't turn out very well." "Oh?" "No, it turns out he was entertaining notions of how to deal with her himself. Before I could even call in demands, he had married his mistress." "Ah, well, these things happen." "They certainly do." Her phone buzzes and we both sigh. She lifts it and rolls her eyes. "I have to go." "Already?" I ask. "We've only just arrived." "It's something of a crisis." Her small mouth contorts into a frown. "In two weeks?" "Two weeks." "Come now," she says. "It'll be something fun. I'll contact you." I shut my eyes. "Very well." She smiles and kisses my cheek, before hurrying out the door without a goodbye. I watch her for a good ten seconds before I jump and remember to scrub the lipstick from my cheek.
I do not love her.


Constructive criticism much appreciated!

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