The Chemist

“What about the second?”

“That was an entirely different situation. Arms dealer.”

“Was she tough to break?”

“One of the toughest in my career.”

Val smiled as if the answer greatly pleased her. “I’ve always thought that women can handle a lot more pain than the so-called stronger sex. Men are all just oversize children, really.” Then she sighed. “I’ve made men beg, and I’ve made them writhe, and maybe there have been some tears here and there, but no one’s ever cried like a baby.” Her full lower lip pushed out into a pout.

“I’m positive they would if you asked them to,” Alex encouraged.

Val smiled her glittery smile. “You’re probably right.”

Daniel was chopping something now. Alex decided she should slow down on the grapes. Dinner was sure to be worth the wait. Val rolled to the side again to watch him, and Alex felt a sudden urge to distract her.

“This is a beautiful place.”

“Yes, it’s nice, isn’t it? A friend gave it to me.”

“Oh, does he stay here often?” How many people were going to know about them? She’d already been stupidly and bizarrely honest with this strange woman. It would surely come back to bite her.

“No, no, Zhang and I broke up ages ago. He was too stuffy.”

“And he let you keep the place?”

Val stared at Alex, disbelieving. “Let me? What kind of a gift is it if the deed’s not in your name?”

“That’s a good point,” Alex agreed quickly.

“What was that you were saying earlier, about putting Kevin down?”

“Oh, can I tell the story, please?” Daniel butted in. “It’s my favorite.”

Daniel stretched the story out, milking it for Val’s laughs and coos. He made Alex sound more in control than she had been and fictionalized the parts he wasn’t awake for. It was a better story his way, she had to admit. Val’s expression as she assessed Alex now was one hundred eighty degrees from what it had been at their first meeting.

Then the food was ready, and Alex stopped caring about much else. It had been a while since she’d had red meat, and her inner carnivore took over. When she came out of the frenzy, she saw that Val was watching her again, engrossed.

Alex glanced down – Daniel had given Val a plate, too, but she’d eaten only a few slivers off the side of her steak.

“Do you always eat so much?” Val asked.

“When it’s available, I guess. When Daniel is cooking, definitely.”

Val’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll bet you never gain an ounce, do you?”

“I don’t know. I probably must sometimes, right?”

“Do you even own a scale?” she demanded.

“I’ve got one that weighs milligrams,” Alex answered, confused.

Val blew out a puff of breath that ruffled the waves of hair over her forehead. “People with naturally high metabolisms piss me off.”

“Seriously?” Alex said, looking her up and down. “You’re going to complain to me about our relative genetic heritages?”

Val stared at her for a few seconds, then smiled and shook her head. “Well, I suppose a girl can’t have everything.”

“And you’re just the exception that proves the rule?”

“I think I like you, Ollie.”

“Thanks, Val. It’s actually Alex, though.”

“Whatever. You know, you’ve got a lot of untapped potential. With decent hair, some makeup, and a midsize boob job, you could do all right.”

“Er, I do fine as is, thanks. I have lower expectations out of life. It makes things easier.”

“Seriously, you cut your own hair, don’t you?”

“I don’t have another option.”

“Trust me, there’s always another option to this.” She stretched across the counter and tried to touch the hair hanging in Alex’s eyes, but Alex flinched out of her way. It was true that it was time for another trim.

Val turned to Daniel, who was trying to be unobtrusive, leaning against the counter directly behind Val as he finished his food, almost like he was hiding from her. Well, Alex could understand that. And she completely understood why Daniel had found Val frightening on their first meeting.

“Back me up, Danny. Don’t you think Ollie could be pretty if she tried?”

Daniel did the blinking thing he always did when taken by surprise. “But Alex is pretty now.”

“What a gentleman. It’s like you’re Bizarro Kevin.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“It is a compliment. Maybe the best I’ve ever given,” Val agreed.

“How long have you known him?” Daniel wondered.

“Too long. I don’t know why I keep opening the door when he comes begging. I guess it’s that power thing.” She shrugged, and one shoulder of her silk robe slid down her arm. She didn’t fix it. “I like watching someone so strong have to do what I say.”

A key jangled in the front door. Alex slipped from the stool to her feet, muscles tensing automatically. Val watched as Daniel looked to Alex, tensing, too, ready to follow her lead.

“You two are funny,” she murmured.

Einstein ran panting into the kitchen, and Alex relaxed.

Val eyed the dog, his tongue lolling out and his eyes eager. “Does it want something?”