Moriarty's Musician

Chapter 11: Spider's Play, Part 1

The heavy door crashing against the wall made Sebastian and Dan draw their guns as Moriarty stalked into the room. The shock on their faces would have made him laugh, had he not been so enraged.

"Where is she?" His voice was a menacing snarl as he glared at the two hitmen.

"Ahhh, she's in the Den, boss," Sebastian said, his voice shaking as he ran a hand through his hair. He already knew the trouble he was in for letting Soo-Ling stay in the room where the hitmen slept when they were in residence. As Moriarty's eyes narrowed, Sebastian swore under his breath.

"So while I was in a bloody coma, you took it upon yourself to let that little bitch stay in Club Med?"

Sebastian rubbed his neck and paled. "Well... I... um..." Swallowing nervously, he stared down at the floor.

Moriarty scowled, coming up to within inches of Sebastian's face, he stared into the assassin's eyes. "Don't let Megan manipulate you again, Sebastian. I know she put you up to it, but you work for me." He spoke slowly, accentuating every word. "Do you hear me?"

Sebastian swallowed as he nodded rapidly. "Y-yes, boss."

Stepping back, Moriarty took a deep breath, his face softening. "Thank you for saving my life, Seb." He clapped the other man on the shoulder and strode past him to the back wall.

Sebastian closed his eyes, before letting out the long breath he had been holding. He watched Moriarty put his face up to the scanner and turn his head so the laser reader could run its light over his retina.

As the door of the weapons vault flew open, Moriarty's gaze ran over the assortment of weapons he liked to keep on hand. Picking up one of his favorite Glock pistols, he passed it back and forth in his hands, weighing it on his fingers as his mouth compressed into a hard line. Satisfied with his choice, he rammed the barrel into the waistband of his jeans and headed down the short hallway. Pausing at the locked iron door only long enough to position his head over another retina scanner, the door slid open. Moriarty stormed into the room, his face contorting in rage as he eyed his prey.

Soo-Ling jumped from the bed, her eyes wide with terror as she backed up against the wall. The moment she had dreaded had finally come. Her eyes fell to the iron clamp around her ankle and the chain securing it to the metal bed frame. Even if she could get out of the chain and past the two men, she knew she'd never make it past the security systems the mastermind had put in place. Sebastian, his most trusted hitman, didn't even know how elaborate the estate's security systems were. Moriarty had many secrets and this was one of his most closely guarded.

But Moriarty didn't approach her. He studied her, his eyes transfixed on hers much like a snake charmer would hold the eyes of a snake. Only this time, the roles were reversed, and it was not the snake who held the lethal bite.

Twisting his neck, the low crackle of Moriarty's bones as they contorted filled the silence of the room. When he finally spoke, his voice dripped with venom.

"Why?"

Soo-Ling's eyes widened for a moment, then narrowed as she scanned the criminal's face. This was odd, she thought as she licked her lips. Considering she had almost killed him, she knew to betray him was an even greater wrong in Moriarty's eyes, an automatic death sentence. The James Moriarty she knew would have slit her throat within seconds and asked questions later.

The smallest of smirks flickered over her mouth. Perhaps the little musician had worked her spell over the killer more than she realized.

Soo-Ling's eyes darted down to Moriarty's clenched hand then back up to his eyes. The bitch had weakened him, but who knew how much? Even Meg's influence hadn't lessened his cold-hearted violence in the past. Could it be true his feelings for this girl extended beyond her just being his pawn?

Moving off the wall, Soo-Ling slowly approached him until her leg chain reached its limit, clanging as it stopped her from going any further. From the corner of her eye, she saw Sebastian draw his gun. She knew he would put a bullet through her temple if she tried harming Moriarty. But Soo-Ling didn't want to hurt the criminal mastermind. No, she wanted to weaken him so she could kill and gut him later.

Even though the doctor had carefully splinted her arm that had suffered Dan's bullet, she let her shoulders sag in defeat. She plastered on a miserable expression, though her eyes glittered with mirth.

"I love you. I couldn't stand the thought of her taking you from me. I know I can make you love me, James, and that rich brat wanted her so badly." Soo-Ling's breath hitched as she saw her words had little effect on Moriarty. His expression, now stone-faced, studied her.

Alright, time to change tactics, she thought as she weighed her next move. With a dramatic sigh, she looked away from Moriarty's unwavering stare, gnawing her bottom lip as she chose her words.

"She's safe with him. She... she begged me to help her get away from you." Soo-Ling paused, to let her words sink in. "I knew you would hate me, but she said she could only ever love that simpering aristocrat. I guess, I hoped... once she was gone, you'd know I only did it because I love you. I couldn't bear seeing you hurt by someone who despises you, James."

She lifted her eyes, daring to glance up to see the effect her new words had on him.

What she saw made a hint of a smile curl her lips.

Moriarty's eyes faltered, the slight tilt of his head indicating she had hit a nerve. So that was it then. The thought of that little nothing loving another was his Achilles' heel.

Soo-Ling backed up until she was able to sit down on the edge of the bed, her head hanging low as her spirits lifted to new heights. Oh, how she would love to skin that prissy little musician in front of him while he watched. She could hardly wait.

"If you're going to kill me for loving you, just do it now. I'm done pretending."

Moriarty watched her sulk back to the bed as the sound of the chain clanged along the stone floor. Before she sat down, she flung her long, glossy ponytail over her shoulder and sighed deeply.

Moriarty's lips tightened. Was it true? Did Annabelle really beg the snake to take her to her stalker? He thought she would have stayed, considering what had happened in the study, and that last night she had snuggled up beside him in his bed... trusting him.

The nerve in his jaw ticked as he turned his head to look at Sebastian. The hitman's forehead furrowed as he watched the snake then glancing at Moriarty, he shrugged, continuing to point his gun.

Moriarty rested his eyes on Soo-Ling again, his gaze roaming over every inch of her. He watched her, he studied the slight micro-nuances that trickled over her. The tiny crinkle at the corner of her eyes, the small hint of a curl of her lips, the excited rise and fall of her chest — she was lying.

Moriarty pulled his gun from his waistband and in two steps pressed the end to Soo-Ling's forehead. His gaze was blank as he watched the play of emotions from shock to terror storm across her face.

"You gave her to Byron?" he whispered. When she didn't respond, the anger hidden under layers of calculated distance burst forth.

"You gave her to Byron!" he yelled.

Soo-Ling's shaking only increased as she closed her eyes against her own painful death shining in Moriarty's face. The realization that she had been a fool to underestimate him started making her shake even harder and no matter how much she tried, she couldn't stop the flood of tears from spilling from her eyes.

She gasped for breath, her words pleading. "I know where she is. I mean, I-I don't know where she is, but I know he hasn't taken her back yet."

"So what good are you to me then?" Moriarty sneered, the thought of his Annabelle being with Byron grated on him every second he continued staring at the snake.

His hand flexed on the barrel of the gun, and with a half-smile, he lowered it. Soo-Ling tried to push herself to look up at him, and as she did, she wished she had kept her eyes closed.

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