Crazy = Genius

Chapter 10: RITUAL

'My inner child needs a bulletproof vest'

Lilianna was nervous again.

She stood in the room between Vendetta and the security station, rethinking her decision. Hardy had offered to run the session but Lilianna knew that he would just continue to make things about her until she either came back or quit the case altogether.

While she didn't want to face him again, especially after the last session when he somehow knew she was beyond the glass, she didn't want to quit the case and admit defeat... yet.

"You don't have to do this." Hardy reminded her, giving her another chance to back out.

"He won't stop until I'm back in there. I have to." She sighed, wringing her hands nervously. Hardy sighed, he knew she was right too.

"You get out of there the second he makes you uncomfortable," Hardy instructed, holding her nervous eyes for a long moment as she nodded.

"If he grabs me again or does anything, that's it. Case over and we go home for good." She bargained. Hardy nodded.

They were giving Vendetta one more chance to prove he could handle these sessions or they were calling it quits. They had made this decision on the jet and WITSEC had been informed.

She was just hoping now that the Elitits remained oblivious to her secret collusion with Hardy about WITSEC.

The sound of the metal door sliding open caught Terrence's attention. He looked away from the pages of the book he was reading, his wicked grin stretching over his face at the sight before him. He had longed to see Lilianna in the flesh again. It had been so long since he had been in her presence. The photo of her in her memoir wasn't enough to remind him of how truly beautiful she was.

He dragged his eyes up and down her body slowly, taking in every curve of her figure as she shifted uncomfortably under his intense stare. Terrence knew the impact he had on her and while part of him regretted striking fear in her, the sadistic and psychopathic part of him craved it.

"I knew you would come back." His cocky statement made her audibly scoff and roll her eyes. He laughed.

"Can we start our session, please, Mr. Vendetta?" She cut straight to the point. Her icy tone made him narrow his gaze.

"New glasses?" He ignored her request. How far could he push her buttons today, he wondered.

"I will walk out-"

"Then do it." They stared each other down. "You won't do it. You're just as obsessed with me as I am with you, Lili."

"You wish I cared about you a fraction of the way you think you care about me." Her response was immediate and harsh. Venom dripped from her words as she curled her shaking fingers into a tight fist. Terrence loved seeing the real her- angry and ready to fight back. It was refreshing compared to the meek and fragile image she often showed him.

His mind was suddenly filled with perverted thoughts of them together. The anger in her voice as she begged for him and her nails digging into his back...

"I don't need this." She huffed, turning around and swiping her security badge to leave the room.

Terrence immediately jumped to his feet and ran across the cell, his arm wrapping around her torso to haul her back from the door before she could complete the exit code. Lilianna screamed in shock and terror, her legs kicking out as he lifted her off the floor, keeping her back pressed to his chest.

"Let go of me!" She demanded, his other hand gripping the security badge as she waved her arms around to escape his hold.

He tugged on the lanyard as both of her hands held onto the key card. She would never escape without it. Terrence was much stronger and eventually pried it from her fingers, holding it over his head as he set her back on her feet. Lilianna backed away from him, her gaze locked on the key with fiery hatred plastered over her face. An angry and embarrassed flush crawled up her chest and neck, dusting her cheeks pink as both of them caught their breath from opposite sides of the metal interview table.