"Pull over here." I told him about a mile from the manor.
"Yes mam." He answered as he came to a pick stop and pulled the cab into the brush to hide it.
"So how are we getting inside?" He asked as he looked down the abandoned road.
"I know of a tunnel that leads into the basement." I told him.
"Why would there be a tunnel that leads into the basement?" He asked.
"Who knows, I never asked. I found them when I was a kid and never brought them up. I used them to sneak out." I told him.
"Good thing you kept it to yourself then." He responded.
"Let's go, we have a little bit of a walk." I told him.
I led the way and he followed closely behind. After a few minutes of awkward silence I turned around to find him shamelessly staring at my ass.
"What?" He asked when I stopped walking.
"You're checking me out." I told him.
"Can you blame me? You have one hell of an ass." He responded.
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. He had no shame and must be crazy.
"Do you not value your life?" I asked him.
"Why are you going to kill me because I said you have a nice ass?" He asked.
"No, but J will. He once cut a man's balls off and chokes him with them." I informed him.
He reached down and grabbed his own junk as if to check that they were still there before releasing them a second later.
"I have so many questions. One is that true?" He asked.
"Yeah he was some up and comer who tried to test him by flirting with me. Tried to steal his girl right in front of him." I answered.
"That's crazy. Two, did he do it himself? Because touching a mans balls is kinda gay." He asked through a huge smile as he crossed his arms.
"He had one of his men do it." I answered as I smiled back at him.
"Any other questions?" I asked him.
"Just one." He answered.
"I'm interested. What do you got?" I asked him.
"Do you see J?" He asked me as he held out his arms and looked around.
"What?" I asked him confused.
"Do you see the Joker? Is he in these woods? IS he hiding behind a tree? He's not here so why are you so afraid?" He asked me.
"Afraid? Afraid of what?" I snapped back at him.
"Afraid of the Joker." He answered.
"I'm not scared of J." I told him.
"Then why can you take a compliment without worrying about how your boyfriend will react?" He asked me.
"Staring at my ass is not a compliment." I told him.
"It is in my book." He replied.
I looked at him unsure of what to say or how to respond. I had never met someone like him before. He was a ball of chaos with zero self control or survival instincts. I found his lack of a filter amusing.
"I'm just looking out for you. I'm not scared of him. He can't hurt me." I reminded him.
"Putting the fear of God into you by threatening to hurt those around you is still abuse. Especially when he can't physically hurt you." He said and I couldn't help but wonder when this thief who threw a boomerang became a therapist.
I wanted to be angry, to tell him to go to hell but I couldn't. He was right. J never laid a hand on me or talked down to me like he did with Harlz. He couldn't, I'm stronger than him. He was controlling me with fear. Fear of what he might do to Harlz if I leave or do something to upset him.
"Shut up. Let's go." I told him as I started to walk away from him.
"I'll take your silence as you silently admitting I'm right." He teased,
"Stop staring at my ass and walk next to me like a normal person." I told him, I couldnt practically feel his gaze.
"Yes mam. I love when you get bossy." He teased me.
"I'm always bossy." I informed him.
"And I appreciate it." He said as he joined me at my side.
"Let's just get inside. The vault is right down the hall from the basement door." I told him.
"There's a vault?" He asked, shocked.
"Is it really that surprising?" I asked him.
"No, not at all." He answered as the two of us entered the tunnel.