Alaska I lie to one of the city’s most ruthless men. And it feels so good. Deception is a drug, and I’m quickly becoming an addict. Each time we speak, Zuko has no idea it’s me. The lie tastes sweet leaving my mouth. I couldn’t stop now, even if I wanted to—which I don’t. He thinks our conversations are more than just sex. He’s wrong. The intimacy he feels is all a facade. Until the day an embodiment of my darkest fantasies walks into my bar, and his unmistakable voice sends a shiver down my spine. It turns out I’m not the one in control. But when he calls tonight, and he will, I’ll be ready… … with a lie. Zuko My job is to hunt. Dispose of problems like they never existed. And I’m incredibly good at my job. It’s brutal and violent. But, then again, so I am. I crave destruction. Death is merely a consequence of my dark pursuits. And I won’t lose a wink of sleep over it, either. Nothing bothers me. No one affects me. Except the vixen with the lilac hair. When I reveal my true self to her, she laughs it off, enticed by the game we play. She’s keeping secrets. And I know all about prying information out of people. She won’t like my methods. But I’ll keep playing her little game until I decide what to do about her. I can’t tell if she is destined to be my wife… … or my next victim. *standalone*