Dancing with the Devil (part one)

Chapter 1: Whiskey

12 years later

Astrid Wingham was just an echo, she no longer existed. In her place stood the new and not so improved Alexa Holton. She hated the name. Every time it rolled off her tongue, off anyone's tongue, It would make her feel sick, well ...it was either that or have her evil father hunt her down and turn her into a soulless criminal. She'd mulled it over, it didn't sound to bad despite the soullessness. It sounded thrilling; exciting; dangerous. But she hated him. She hated him. All the anger and rage and revenge became suppressed. It curled up in side of her; years and years of lies and pain, hidden behind one name; Astrid Wingham.

When the flight landed both Ana and Astrid began a new life. They bought a small house in the outskirts of London, Astrid joined the local secondary school in her new name, she joined in year 10 in time to start her mocks, her 15th birthday came along in October. Ana tried to make her happy on the special day but Astrid didn't want a fuss.

She got through her GCSEs successfully, but she had changed. She hated people, she had almost no friends in school. She was her own single person. After her a-levels she got a job as a bar-tender at a bar and bought a small flat with her wages and worked. No ambitions, no voice in the head telling her to be more. Every now and then she would think of what it would of been if she had chosen to go with her dad, then she would remind herself of what he was.

Astrid worked at the George pub in central London from Mondays to Fridays every day. Some days she did the early shifts, some days she did the late shifts. 

She met him on the Friday, doing the late shift; working from seven to ten. 

He walked in at quarter to ten. He wore a blue suit, with a white shirt and a blue tie and trousers. His dark hair was slick back and as he approached the counter he pushed it back even more. Astrid had dealt with thugs and drunkards. She'd had dirty dangerous men walking into the pub at later hours. This man seemed dangerous, but he wasn't drunk, he didn't stumble in laughing his head off with a few of his hammered mates. He was alone. She watched the man sit at the bar and smile at her, she smiled a little back and approached him.

"Hi, how can I help you?"

"Uh, can I get a glass of whiskey?"

He was Irish, his voice was deep and powerful. 

"Sure." She smiled again and walked to the cabinet away from the front. He looked intently at her, watching every movement, he watched her gently push her curled blonde hair behind her ear as she poured the golden liquid into an elegant glass, she took it to him and placed it in front of him.

"Thanks."

She smiled slightly again and he tilted his head as he looked at her.

"What's your name?"

"Alexa" she answered, vomiting in her mind.

"Do you mind if I smoke?" He asked taking a lighter and box of cigarettes out of his pocket.

"Um, sure."

He chuckled.

"Do you smoke, Alexa?"

"Sometimes."

He offered her a cigarette, she took it and lit it with his lighter that he offered her.

"When does your shift finish."

"10 o'clock."

"Are you the only one here?"

"Max is in the back, he's probably asleep. Why?"

He took back his lighter and smirked, "no reason."

He lit his cigarette.

Five minutes went buy when two men stumbled into the pub laughing and joking and took a seat in the corner. Astrid rolled her eyes over the mans shoulder looking at the two men.

"Shit" she cursed under her breath and stubbed out her cigarette, "real businessmen these people. All proper with suit and tie during the day. Soon as the clock strikes nine they're like rats."

He chuckled and put out his cigarette in the ash tray, he watched her saunter around the desk over to the men to take there orders. Sipping his drink as the men spoke to her, perhaps a little flirtatiously.

She came back over, took two plain glasses and filled them with water. The man frowned and looked back over to the men smirking. He returned his gaze to the blonde who was fighting a smile and he asked.

"Water?"

"They said 'surprise us', so..."

She held up the two glasses giggling and made her way back to the men. The dark haired man spun around to watch her as she placed the glasses in front of the men. He'd seen drunk men like this in pubs before and he was curious to see what she would do.

One of the men stood up, towering over the blonde, he put his arm out to hit her causing the dark haired man to stand up. Before the drunkard could touch the girl, however, she grabbed his hand, twisted it, flipped over with her legs around his neck and brought the giant man to the floor. As a caution the man at the bar took a gun out of his pocket and pointed it at the other one before he could hurt the lady. He shook his head and watched the two of them scramble out of the bar and put the gun back in his pocket as Astrid stood up.

"How did you do that?" he asked bewildered.

"Why do you have a gun?" she asked confused.

"Force of habit."

"I taught myself. Not the first time that's happened."

He laughed and turned back to the counter as she tidied her hair and walked back over to them.

"I should tell Max. My shift finishes now anyways so.."

"Or you just don't. Get your stuff, I wanna show you something."

She frowned and leaned on the bar.

"What exactly?"

"I have an idea for you."

"We literally just met"

"Yes, and even I can see after knowing you for five minutes that your wasting your potential working here."

"Wha-"

He cut her off by tapping the side of his nose gently. Astrid sighed and went behind into the back and re-emerged wearing a black jacket.

"I still don't know your name."

"Jim"

She raised her eyebrows.

"Moriarty." he nodded at her as if he was asking her again.

"Holton, Alexa Holton"

He smiled at her and took out a tenner from his pocket placing it on the counter.

"Keep the change."

(A/N I'm already feeling so much better about this book with the edits, reading it back I realise how cheesy it was!)