Million Reasons

Chapter Two: Dangerous

They were standing together in a hallway inside that swanky upper class townhouse located deep in the middle of the suburbs. The scent of cigar smoke hung thick in the air, along with the sweet stench of marijuana. Maggie hated that smell, it nauseated her, clinging to her hair and clothes until she found time to take a shower. The living room was simply a meter away, hosting a high stakes poker game with some of the finest gentleman the city of Chicago had ever boasted. There was laughter in the air, both male and female, it was loud and full of unspoken intentions. The girls were part of the entertainment tonight, save the hostess who was serving up glasses of expensive bourbon behind the bar.

The party had already begun to get started, before they had left Maggie had witnessed a councilman snorting a fine line of coke directly off a hooker's bare chest before she'd had been requested to join in the fun. Dressed to the nines in those sexy little black spike heels of hers and a matching black bandage dress that left nothing to the imagination it was almost a given that she would be someone's top pick and her denials were met with aggression when she tried to walk away.

Masquerading as a defense attorney Antonio had taken off the glasses they were using to record the action, leaving them carefully placed upon the glass coffee table hosting a wicker basket full of condoms and a cache of the latest party drugs. She watched along with several other people in the room as he deliberately selected a condom before proclaiming that Maggie was already booked for the night. Maggie had always known he had her back but it was moments like this that reminded her just how clever he was. His ability to manipulate certain situations still surprised her despite the fact they had been partnered for almost a year. He could see it in her eyes as he held the condom up with a devilish smile for all to see.

A ripple of laughter erupted, along with catcalls as Antonio had taken her dainty hand in his and led her away from the action. They were still in view and he knew he had to make their disappearance look convincing. He surprised her when he backed her up against the wall in the hallway, his body pressed along the length of hers. He heard it in the hitch of breath that escaped her glossy lips when she stared directly into his eyes. It was times like that, that Antonio remembered how perfectly the two of them fitted together, her vibrant blue eyes never left his as his large hands came to rest upon her hips. His thumb lightly caressing along the sliver of skin accessible to him between the parts in her slinky black dress as her lithe thighs rubbed against the charcoal grey suit trousers he was wearing. His grizzled cheek rubbed along the length of jaw, his lips inches away away from her ear as he inhaled that rich floral scent of hers. It was intoxicating like a drug snapping through his synapses as his lips grazed her ear lobe causing her to shiver against him. Jesus Christ that almost broke him.

"Sell it." he murmured into her ear. "Act like I'm just another john."

Maggie's palms came to rest on his back, he could feel their warmth through his white shirt as her fingertips trailed along the taunt muscles of his ribs. He hissed through his teeth as her nails slightly raked his skin, his fingertips dug into her hips even harder, drawing her just that bit closer to his body. He wanted her, he wanted her more than he had wanted anything in his life.

It was the wedding ring that did it, the gold band dug into his finger as he held onto Maggie like some form of life line. It was that that made him take a moment to focus, to remember why he was here and what the hell he was meant to be doing.

He fumbled for a moment, his hand reaching out for the door next to them. He managed to twist the door handle at the same time flinging it open. It took no more than a second for the both of them to make it into that room. Maggie slammed the door shut as a loud rancorous cheer exploded from the hall. Antonio knew that they were applauding him and what they perceived to be happening in here. He switched his attention to Maggie and found the two of them standing inches apart. Her pale cheeks were flushed and her pert lips open as he stared back at her. He knew it would barely take a second to close the distance between them but this time Antonio stood firm. He had a duty, both to his job and to his wife.