Perfect Pretenders by purplescobby at Inkitt

Prologue

"Can I buy you a drink, love?" A man's voice made its way to me and I put on my best charming smile, cocking my head to the side to give him a once over. My eyes only met his once I had admired his masculine lean body under his black three piece suit. I winked a cerulean blue eye at him, shifting my eyes over to the seat next to me as an answer.

"Excuse me," He raised two of his long fingers in the air, making a come hither motion with them once the young blond had noticed him. I abstained myself from rolling my eyes at the man; unnecessary motions and remarks at the staff were always an instant no-no.

"What are you drinking tonight, sir?"

"A rum and coke and for the lady, a glass of Chardonnay-"

"Actually, I would like a dirty martini, straight up," I finished off, passing a smile at the young bartender who nodded and scuttered off to prepare our drinks. The bar was nearly empty and my attention was fixed on only one head of black hair.

"Julian," The man next to me introduced himself, "Kat."

"I like your accent, you don't sound like you are from around here-"

"Russia, I grew up in Russia but I have been here for a couple of years," I stopped him from beating around the bush. I huffed out a breath as the man who I had my gaze set on got up, shaking another middle aged man's hand.

Suddenly my target turned around, his eyes meeting mine from across the room. I locked my gaze with his, afraid if I looked away, he would get suspicious. Instead, I raised my hand for a wave, seductively moving my fingers at him. He replied with a smirk that I matched with my own. Oh, what I wouldn't do to wipe that smirk off his face, wipe his existence off the earth.

"...is really stormy, I heard that it could snow tomorrow."

"Hm, that's rather interesting..." I absent mindedly muttered out, the perfect death of the man I had all planned out slowly playing in my head like a beautiful melody.

As a private investigator, I was used to battling a little danger here and there but most of the contracts I got were usually harmless and involved stalking cheating husbands and wives but this case was very, very special and important because my family was the client and I had set myself up for the job.

Kill Ricci. Kill Ricci. Kill Ricci.

My drink was suddenly placed in front of me and I looked to my side to realize that the man was now gone. Turning in my seat, I looked in one corner to see him sitting next to another woman, wooing her. Oh well, seems like I lost my turn, poor me.

I sipped on my drink, unlocking my phone and pretending to call someone as Ricci, the unnecessarily handsome brute made his way over to me. I was playing with fire when I had decided to walk in into his own bar, knowing that he would be here since I had been stalking him for the past two weeks. It was routine for him to come to the bar every night and tonight was no different.

Once I was sure he was not in close proximity, I put my phone down and got up from my seat, downing my drink in one go as I silently followed his retreating form, my heart in my throat.

He slipped into a hallway and I contemplated following him, realizing he was heading for the vip rooms. From the layout I had of the bar, I knew that there were exactly three rooms here. The probability of me walking into the right room was quite high and I was willing to take my chances when I started moving again.

"Ma'am, where do you want to go?" A buff man in a black suit stopped me, his form glaring at me dauntingly.

"Ricci. I am his for the night," I seductively muttered, moving my hair behind my ear, trying to control my icey glare that seemed to be pasted on my face all the time.

"Not really his type..." he muttered under his breath, "Password?"

His type? Sleazy for sure. I mentally snorted as I thought about the woman he had saved for tonight that I still had passed out in my room in the hotel ten minutes from here.

"Altrimenti pensi che sono una puttana." I muttered out, trying to maintain my composure as the words slipped out of my lips smoothly.[You're going to think I'm a slut.]

"What room is he in?"

"Two," I moved past the man, opening the door to the hallway and letting it shut behind me, taking a deep breath.

I wasn't even sure why I was walking into the arms of death on my own. I reached into my purse to take out my only two weapons I had, the lipstick gun and the poison pen. My hand closed around the pen, the safer option and I slipped it up the sleeve of my velvet full sleeve red dress.

I pushed open the door, stepping inside to see multiple images of myself, suddenly overwhelmed at the realization that the back of the door was also a mirror along with the walls, all placed in a polygonal shape, messing with my head.

"Katrina Mikhailovna Ivanov, how lovely to see you..." The husky voice boomed off the walls, pronouncing my name slowly and sensually.

"How do you know my name, Ricci?"

"Why are you stalking me, darling?" The voice boomed again and I turned around, grazing around the room, trying to figure out where it was coming from, where he was hiding.

"Don't play this game of hide and seek, show yourself..." I said out loud, unwaveringly but before I could figure out where he suddenly came from as I turned around, confused by the multiple reflections of the two of us surrounding us, I felt his hand wrap around my throat, pulling me flush against his body.

"You are here for revenge, aren't you?" He muttered against my ear and I flinched away from him. The pen in my sleeve ready to be used any second.

"I will kill you, Ricci. Mark my words, you'll be dead soon," I let the pen slip out half away, guiding it towards his arm as I inserted the needle into his skin...