The sound of Guns'n'Roses was blasting loud enough that it cut through to her ears even though she had earbuds in. She turned the volume up and began to dance to something more with more of a beat. Not a care was given in the world... She didn't even hear him calling her over to him. She went on dancing, shaking her rear but not in a big way. As she turned, however, and eventually looked up... It was to see the face of the son of a b*tch who skeezed her out before. Oh god, how did this happen?

She scowled and turned her mp3 player off, yanking out one earbud and saying, "Ugh, you? Really? Tch, ugh." She looked and sounded annoyed. "What do you want? I gave you your show that ya asked for, I sang for mah dinner. A deal was a deal." She eyed Rhett like he was the weirdest weirdo ever. If that wasn't weird enough, he had a doll she didn't remember seeing at the park. It was a creepy, pudgy, and putrid looking thing. Dude had issues.

Martha didn't want to walk up to him, but he had said something to her and she wanted to know, for some odd reason... Perhaps curiosity... what he said. Even though he gave her the heeby jeebies the last time they met... And he stunk like cigarettes... And he was a nutjob who played with more dollies than she ever did, and THAT was saying something considering how girly she was. Hah...

She had actually taken up a room for a short time. She didn't have to pay rent, there was free food, and she could focus on building up a bank account with her very own independence. Cold. Hard. Cash.

Stealing just wasn't something she could do... Every time she used her gift the way she did, she felt like she exploited it... And having someone pay her to do stuff like that felt kind of the same. It was like a violation. He clearly had loose morals, this gorger. He was the kind of person the Gyspy mommas and papas warned girls about, a bogey man of sorts, yes? He had that... vibe about him... But then there was this weird, child like quality to him that had a person feel like they were watching a train wreck... You know, stop, stare, and cannot look away? Yes, indeedy.

Martha pursed her lips and crossed her arms over her bosoms defiantly. Her chin lifted and she kind of did this thing with her foot. "Money to be made, right? But you are asking me to take from people wait ain't mine? Thank you for considerin' me for that position, but I'm gonna have ta kindly decline. See, I am a loner. I like my alone time, space in mah personal bubble 'at you seem to have no care for. I like makin' my own choices. To put it short for ya, I would rather stab myself in the eye with a wet noodle. I would rather," she paused and moved in closer, "Eat a plate full of spiders. But you... Do not get that concept."

Rhett just stood there. For a moment he looked at Leonard the disgusting little doll with the pee stained underwear.  Leonard turned his head and looked at Rhett and they just stared at each other a moment.  As if they both silently said 'what the hell?"  Rhett stepped around the charger and leaned on the hood.  Crossing his arms across his chest his smile didn't falter, not for a second.

 He wasn't really sure what to make of it. She seemed pissed, yet she was moving closer? She didn't seem to want any part of what he was offering, but she wasted her breathe berating him for it. Rhett knew women. Often times what women said and what they did were two different things entirely. He watched her blow her top. The vile things she would 'rather' do than be near him made him chuckle. "Darlin, you're going to make me blush." He laughed.

Rhett was a schemer.  He was a dirty drifter who had eyes and ears everywhere.  Rhett had his finger on the pulse of the city and the city was alive and kicking.  Rhett knew just about everything there was to know about this shithole known as New York City.  What Rhett didn't know was manners, common curtusy  and generally how to approach a delicate situation with tact.

"Well honey.  You won't have to take a thing.  Not for the job I had in mind for ya.  How's about another 2 grand in your pocket?  That sound good?"  Rhett knew she wanted the money.  Her music was good but she wasn't selling out carnegy hall or anything.  Rhett had been homeless for a time.  He knew what it was like to hear you stomach growl louder than your own thoughts. It sucked.  It freaking sucked hard!  Rhett didn't care to go back to those kinds of struggles.  He was squatting in an abandoned warehouse. He could afford rent for his own place but this place just suited him better. 

Rhett smiled again.  It was hard to keep that mischievous smile of the old codger's face.  It was a permenant fixture that told you he was up to no good.  Usually he was.  Rhett had a side business he was considering expanding in the car repo business.  "Well, I just need you to drive.  Hell you can bring that beat up tin bucket you're driving.  You follow me from point A to point B.  If I get into trouble, you create a distraction.  20 minutes of your time for another 2 grand."  Rhett was scheming again.  But would the fishy take the bait?  He didn't mentions specifics.  He didn't say anything illegal was going down, but it was. Oh, it really was. 

"See? You just don't get it. You want me to stir up trouble with you, pretend I am Bonnie while you play Clyde? Hmm? If I do that for your two grand, and I get caught by the cops playin' this Bonnie character, you'll leave me in the dust and laugh your ass of like one of your dolls said somethin' funny to you. I ain't interested in doin' the kind of shit you have on your beady little brain. What in your mind..." again, she paused and moved close enough that he could smell the Chanel no. 5 that the last two grand had brought, subtly drifting up toward his nostrils. He had her fascinated with him, it wasn't hard to see that. "What in your mind has you thinkin' that I want to be your gal Friday in business? Did I... Give you the impression I liked ya?"

Her eyes, he would see, were glittering with a mixture of annoyance and... Intrigue? What the shit? But not for the thievery. Never that. "I don't want trouble in mah life," she said, quiet, but loud enough to hear over his music, "I don't want some old f***er thinkin' I am some kid lookin' for a piece of candy. What is so hard for you to get about any of that sh*t, coot? Did I not explain myself clearly to you? I ain't interested." Not in the money.

She looked him up and down, then gave him a raised eyebrow. She didn't walk away yet, didn't move from right in front of him where he could simply reach out and touch her if he was a mind to. She was trying to show she wasn't afraid, more than anything, to look him in the face and tell him no. "Ask me one more time to do somethin' nefarious, and I'll make one of your dollies go cave diving somewhere you don't want that dolly." And she looked down at the pee stained doll, nodding down at it and then back up to Rhett, "Your nerdy boy won't see daylight for a long time."

Rhett didn't move when she moved just a little closer yet again. He could see the no on her lips, but the yes in her eyes. She scolded him saying that she was a good girl and would only sell cookies door to door. She wasn't about to knock on the door, stick a gun in the owner's face and ask for all the money, because that wasn't in the 'girl scouts manuel.'

Still, even though she was turning him down, somewhere in his twisted old mind he thought he might be turning her on. His ego was as big as his mouth and that Cheshire grin got just a little wider. Rhett's nostrils did catch wind of the perfume. As sweet a smell as anyone could ask for. He found his eyes moving over her in a way they hadn't before. Part of him wondered if they could have business and pleasure. 

Rhett hoisted himself up on the hood of his car. Sitting in front of her, Rhett reached into his jacket pocket and grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds. He popped them in his mouth and began to chew as he listened to her go on about how dead wrong he was about her yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah. Rhett knew trouble when he saw it. This girl was trouble. She just didn't know it yet. She had that thrill seeking side of her buried beneath the baggy weird clothes and 'miss thing attitude.' Rhett was real good at bringing out the worst in you.

Rhett kept chewing his sunflower seeds until she said she was basically going to shove Leonard up his ass. Rhett stopped chewing mid chew. There was another awkward pause. Rhett looked down at Leonard and Leonard looked back up at Rhett. Rhett psychically made the doll tremble just for the theatrical effect. Hell, the doll even looked like it pissed himself already! Rhett loved the garbage pail kids series. He had them when he was a kid f*cking ages ago! It was no surprise that he collected them now, given his....Gifts.

Rhett turned back to face Martha. The grin touching his lips yet again. "What makes you think they're not already expert cave drivers? Hell, bet a few of them could teach a class or some sh*t. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA"  Rhett roared with laughter. He thought he was ohhhh so funny and endlessly entertaining. Rhett was just a ball of wire and nerves. He ran purely on impulse and what seemed most fun in the moment. Was it a side effect of his psychic mutation that he be so hyper, rude and overall impulse? Maybe, but he wouldn't change a damn thing if he could. Rhett didn't care about what was right or wrong. He had a loose set of morals he wouldn't cross, but for the most part Rhett was having a blast in life.

Rhett would never kill anyone, and he wouldn't mistreat a lady. The word lady being defined in bold print. He wasn't sure if Martha was a lady or a nightmare, but she was a dangerous cocktail.  A powder keg. Rhett wanted to light the match and watch her explode into a world of chaos he was just dying to introduce her too. Rhett's smile slowly disappeared and a look of seriousness took over his features once more. "Well if you're not interested....." Rhett started. He pulled out another wad of twenties. He was going to give this to Manny when he brought over some more car parts later, but screw Manny. This fish was just about on the hook.... He could see it in her twinkling eyes.

Why in the hell was she still there? Why in the hell was this man getting under her skin, this old f***ing gorger with the weird obsession with his ragtag band of dolls? What the hell was the awareness that slithered slowly from head to toe when his eyes raked over her. The virgin in her screamed inwardly, a constant beating of "What in the hell are you doing, letting this old man look at you like that. Stop it. You stop it now!" And then the vixen hidden under layers of proper upbringing was thrilled with him raking his eyes all over like he could see through her clothes.

She canted her head and said, "Well, that is interesting that you just insulted yourself, weirdo. Sticking dolls up in caves." She snorted and then leaned just a little bit closer, standing now almost between his knees with hers almost touching the bumper with her knees. She did something bold next, grabbing the money... All of it, should he not stop her anyways, and then she tucked the bills into his pocket, then she said even softer, "If I wanted your money, I would have taken the offer the first time."

Martha returned that raking look. He would soon figure out, most likely, that she was interested in something else he might have to offer, even if she didn't know what in the sam hill that was. "But I didn't... Tell me why you want me so bad, hmm? What is so damn special about me that you are starting to obsess like you can bend me like one of your barbies?" The air kind of... sizzled? Was that the right description?

She backed away a few steps, her fingers trailing innocently, inexperienced, unwittingly down on the way away from his pocked until lifting from his knee. "You and your dolls remind me of my family... And that ain't a compliment."

Rhett eyed the little mouse in front of him. He was enjoying the back and forth, the tit for tac. It was actually fun matching wits with someone who didn't take his crap. She was a girl who not only didn't shriek in horror at his toys, but she seemed for the most part not to bothered by them. Rhett raised an eyebrow as she snatched the cash.  'Atta girl....' He thought. Rhett was all but doing a freaking dance on the hood of his car. Money talks. She just wasn't a very good listener.

Then, something he didn't expect happened. She coyly slid the cash back into his pocket.  Her lips were close enough to his that he could imagine what they might taste like. Fingers trailing down his leg painted a very different picture. She didn't want his money. She wanted something else. Rhett looked around. As absurd as it might sound he didn't know if Judy was watching. Rhett's mannequin girlfriend. She was safely tucked away inside the warehouse. She wasn't likely to be spying on them. She wasn't actually alive, though Rhett thought of her as very much alive. And that gal was jealous!

Rhett thought he saw movement in the window of his warehouse.  That was enough to end the cat and mouse chase for the moment.  Clearing his throat Rhett scratched the back of his head and hopped off the car. "Honey, i could think of a whole mess'o reasons why you're special." He said. The dog wasn't to afraid of Judy's wrath apparently. He just couldn't help himself.

If she didn't want his money, she wanted something else. How far would he be willing to go to acquire her 'talents' for his own purposes. Rhett wasn't sure if he liked the feeling he was getting now. On the one hand, he was carefree. Rhett didn't give a woot about the rules or what was considered nice or fair. On the other hand. Rhett was raised as southern gentleman.  It would be terrible of him to take advantage of this girl's feelings for him to get job done.  Wouldn't it?  Rhett thought about it a moment.  There was an awkward silence for a few seconds as he pondered.  SO F*CKING WHAT?!? HAHAHAHAH.  Rhett thought still grinning.

Rhett didn't have much of a conscience.  What little conscience he did have had it's hands full with his various illegal ventures.  There's only so many fires that little angel on his shoulder could put out.  Sometimes things slipped through the cracks.  Things like using people. Rhett couldn't shake the feeling that Judy was watching him.  Judy was currently dominating his subconscious mind.  It was the thought of upsetting Judy that gave Rhett this uneasy feeling.  Rhett didn't fear many things.  Judy's wrath was definitely one of them.

Rhett whirled around once more, now standing beside his car.  He looked back up in the window and there she was.  Judy was peering down on them from the window.  She was close enough to be within range of his psychic energy and with him so worried about what she might think he inadvertently called her to come to the window and look at them.  Rhett shivered a bit and his cocky grin turned to an uneasy smile.  Judy stared down at them.  Her mannequin face expressing real human emotion.  Her palad features twisted into an expression of distrust and scorn. 

Rhett placed a hand on Martha's back and began to walk with her down the alleyway that was the entrance to his warehouse. Leonard followed them.  Rhett controlling him with a sliver of his unbusy mind. They walked back in the direction of the street.  "Look, don't take the money.  I get it."  Rhett said taking another look over his shoulder.  Judy was still staring at them.  The way that dolls eyes seemed to follow you around the room without even having to move.  In reality she hadn't moved since he called her.  She was out of his range now.  Rhett couldn't effect her accidentally or on purpose.  She had been just close enough for him to call her over by mistake and there she stood staring with judgement and anger.  Chilled Rhett down to his very bones.

"I'm a stand up guy!"  Rhett said cheerfully turning back to Martha.  He wasn't sure if she had seen the mannequin in the window, but he quickly guided her away from the terrifying sight all the same.  "I'm not looking to take advantage of you, but you know what it's like for us mutants. Sometimes it's better to stick together.  Your music just captivated me.  I was drawn to you, the way the sunset is drawn to the horizon.  I've never met anyone like you and you're a mutant like myself!  Something about you just makes me want to get to know you a little better."  Rhett explained.  He was laying the bullsh*t on thick.  He supposed there was a little truth sprinkled on top right next to the juicy cherry of his hot fudge, bullsh*t sundae. 

Rhett was interested in the girl for more than her power.  Her power was the man reason, let's not pretend it wasn't.  Rhett was a scheming old goat with some ruggedly handsome looks and enough charm to silver tongue his way out of most situations.  Rhett wanted her for a job.  It was pure and simple.  Just because she repeatedly turned him down didn't mean he was done trying.  Rhett was taking a different approach.  He thought maybe he'd catch more flies with honey than brimstone.  If he could just figure out what drover her wild, what really made her knees weak.... Rhett would do whatever it took.  The clock was ticking on the deadline of this job and he needed to either reel in his catch or find someone else who could help. 

It wasn't exactly like mutants advertised themelves though.  Rhett knew a few other mutants who could handle the job in a pinch, but they were assholes.  And they were unreliable.  He wanted Martha.  He didn't rightly know why it was so important to him.  He found himself thinking about what she said about them being Bonnie and Clyde.  As true and expression as he had ever heard.  That's exactly what Rhett wanted.  A mutant partner who was beautiful as she was dangerous and could match wits with his oh so charming personality.

She let him guide her away from the stare of the creepy thing that appeared in some window. Jesus, what in the hell was that thing? His hand was on her back and she was surprisingly not disgusted. No, she, who was forbidden to even date a boy, let alone be touched by a damn gorger man. But she didn't protest.

"I don't want trouble at all, Mister... And you are Trouble with a capital 'T,'" she said, and once they were away from the prying eyes of his "girlfriend," and he had stopped walking, she did pull away and look him in the eye. "I am a loner. Being around here would be like I never ran away from the Gypsy life... All your minions, man... And you bellowing... Yeah, I dunno." She shrugged and put some distance between them. She might be softening up to him, but she was still a damn innocent, untouched, pure... whatever. Her V-card was still firmly clutched in her hand and she had no intention of even encouraging a kiss. But there was that part of her, and it disturbed her since the man had to be, what, thrice her age? She wondered what he would do if she dressed up like a doll and then was aghast at herself.

Nope... Nopppe... She had to disentangle herself from this f***ing weird situation she had gotten herself into, with this old man who was getting under her skin. He wouldn't get her with his subtle attempts, anyways... It was all or nothing. She leaned back against the nearest support, thrusting her hands in her pocket and giving him that resting bitch face, but those eyes were all up on him and showing interest she shouldn't be showing.

"You ain't got what I am lookin' for. You and me, we're from different worlds. Where I come from, if you are a mutant, you are cursed. My family is loud and annoyin', and they treat me like a kid even though I ain't and tell me I'm getting to old to get married to a good gypsy boy just cause I aint 14 and married and lah dee dah. I just got rid of em, ya hear? I can't be givin' up my solitude when I just found it." And then she shrugged. Yup, she was a hard nut to crack and pretty words just weren't enough.

At this point, she pulled the elastic out of her hair, seeing as the riotous curls had escaped the messy up do anyways. She dropped it by accident, and it hit the wall behind her, so she turned around and bent down to get it, and boy did he get a view of what she was hiding under that baggy shirt of hers. When she straightened, he would also see that her curls went all the way down her back.

She wasn't even trying to get some oggling from him at that point, she just wanted to fix her hair before she walked back to her car.

With Judy out of his mind for the moment Rhett listened as she explained that they were from different worlds.  It seemed forced.  Sounded like something she had heard out of a movie.  Rhett didn't know much about her gypsie lifestyle.  He didn't much care either. As far as Rhett was concerned it was her past.  He didn't have much use for her past because it was behind her and all.  He cared about her future.  Their future.  They could make a lot of money together, cause a lot of chaos. 

She was just so innocent.  That kind of irked him.  She was pure as the driven snow and he was a wolf in sheep's clothing. As corny and cliché as it sounded they were from different worlds.  Rhett was from the planet Dontgiveaf*ck in the Watchur*ss galaxy.  She was from some place entirely.  Rhett rubbed his chin as they stood there on the street corner.  He had a real problem here.  She was turning him down on all fronts. 

Rhett was the type of guy who respected women.  Respect for the law?  Gimme a break! Respect for women however, that was just part of his ingrained morals that he could never let go of.  Rhett would casually toss out sly comments or sexually leading remarks from time to time, but for the most part he was harmless.  That's why when she bent over to pick up her hair tie Rhett took in an eyeful, but made no play for the booty.  Rhett instead stuffed his hands in his pockets and leaned against the wall with a heavy sigh. "You're going to give an old man a heart attack."  He joked. 

Rhett wasn't that old.  He was fourty five.  Not ancient, but by no means was he a young man.  Leonard walked over to Martha and yanked on her pants leg.  Rhett was still leaning against the wall.  He was well out of sight from the warehouse window now.  They were standing around the corner, completely alone.  Rhett's mind quietly instructing the hideous little creature.  Leonard was kind of cute, in an unsettling way.  When Martha turned around to see Leonard standing there.  Rhett made Leonard hold out a single flower.  It was a rare genuinely sweet moment from the old codger.  Rhett said nothing.  He simply smiled a tired looking smile as his eyes moved from her ass up to those entrancing eyes.  Weather or not he was being sincere was up to Martha to decide.

She eyed the flower, then Rhett, knowing it was the Puppeteer, and not Rhett who gave it to her. Hey, she didn't know he was only twice her age, but they didn't know much about each other at all. She took the flower and put it in her hair, "Thank you, weird dolly. That's so sweet of you!" The gypsy patted the doll gently on the head. She was lost, and gave said lost look when Rhett made the comment about her butt.

Martha saw that Rhett looked kinda worn out. She was kind of worn out herself. "Look, I don't know how else to tell you that I ain't no thief." She gave a shrug. "I ended up thievin a whoppin' ten dollars just so I could eat... Got some dude's wallet the way you asked me to get that phone... I took the money out, and pretended that I found the wallet, and the drunk son of a b*tch gave me $100 for 'finding' it. I went and shoved food in my face, and after I wasn't so hungry, I felt guilty. I ended up givin' the money to a homeless guy so HE could eat, and even then, it didn't make me feel any better. I don't like usin' my power for the wrong reasons." She held up her palms. There it was. "WHat happens if the cops DO catch us? I ain't never been in jail. You gonna bail on me, old man? You don't seem like the type to stick around when a girl is in trouble, you seem like it would be you and your dollies. How do I know you ain't gonna ditch me and make me pay for you draggin me into your mess?"

She wasn't yelling this, she was actually talking nicely to him now, trying to appeal to whatever decent side he had, which he did have one, he just didn't act like he did, "You want me to be your gal Friday in some crime spree but you ain't showin' me nothin' to make me think you are worth me bein' your gal Friday, worth all that guilt and worth stealin for. You asked ME to show you MY worth, and you're sitting there flashing money you probably stole off of some baby because you're that type of guy, to steal candy from a baby. You want ME to do stuff for you, and you want ME to put my morals away for YOU, but you ain't really doin' shit for me but handing me paper I don't want from you. I want a solid f***ing reason from you that would make me actually consider goin' to the dark side."

Rhett watched her take the flower. She seemed to like it. She was even a little less aggressive towards Leonard that was good. Rhett truly cared for his dolls. Not only because they were his tools of chaos, but because in all honesty Rhett was a pretty lonely guy. 

Rhett did what Rhett wanted. He partied he drank. He broke the law at the drop of a hat. The one thing Rhett couldn't do was handle being alone. Rhett had a crushing feel of being alone. He didn't feel so alone when he had his dolls to talk to and they talked back to him inside his cracked mind. He didn't feel so alone when Judy was with him. Yet, he craved a more human interaction. Rhett's eyes drifted lazily to the street as a few cars drove past. 

Rhett sighed again as all this Sh*t stormed through his head like a hurricane.  He didn't like showing weakness.  Rhett didn't like showing an emotional vulnerable side.  It made him feel more human.  Rhett was a mutant.  He hated feeling human in anyway, but he had human needs the same as anyone.  Rhett's eyes moved back over to Martha.  He had kept his eyes on the street as she questioned his loyalty.  When she finally finished talking his eyes were on her.

Rhett pushed himself off the wall and walked over to her.  There was purpose in his step.  Reaching his hands out he placed them on the wall on either side of her head as he loomed over her.  Rhett's eyes seemed do dance around her face.  They didn't sit still.  Rhett wanted to take in every delicate feature.  One hand moved confidently from the wall.  A finger found it's way up under here chin.  She wanted a reason why he wouldn't bail?  He would show her why.  She wanted to know why she was so special?  He would show her that too.

Rhett guided her head towards his lips as he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.  His eyes fell closed as their lips clashed.  She tasted sweet.  Like angels ought to taste.  Rhett wasn't sure what this was.  He felt no guilt over what he was doing to Judy.  Judy was just something to keep the loneliness at bay.  Rhett's other hand moved off the wall and found it's place on her hip.  He tried to show her with a single kiss just what exactly would make him stick around. Rhett never said a god d*m word, but he said oh so much at the very same time.

He had actually listened to her this time, rather than poo poo away her words. Then his hands were on either side of her head and he was looking at her face like she was something more precious than one of his dolls, and she could have... ducked her head, could have broken free of his little bit of a boxing in, but instead, she watched him come forward. His mouth was soon on hers, and she shuddered, not in disgust, but something she couldn't even name for the innocent she was. And of course, she stood there dumbfounded by this action, until she felt his hand move to her hip as if to try and pull her closer or something. Martha was transfixed.

She opened up to his kiss, not liking the taste of smoke but not caring either, because he was distracting her to some sort of madness. Were her legs supposed to feel watery? Was her belly supposed to clench? She knew nothing about this, for it was forbidden to her to learn about it before. Defiance was breaking into the scene... Not against him, but against the whole thing that trapped her within the Gypsy community even now after she was long gone. A f***ing gorger was kissing her, and older one, who smelled like stale smoke and tasted like an ashtray, but damn, what a kiss.

And the way his hand was on her face? She made a sound and ended up wrapping her arms around the man, learning quickly on the art of kissing back. Holy crap.

Suddenly, she wrenched away from him. It was too much for her senses, too much in just a moment. She managed to maybe walk away about ten feet before turning around and giving him a most bewildered look, lips all parted and swollen from his assault. Her cheeks were flushed and her dark eyes glittered with some inner fire, a fire he would know he stoked. Her heart was pounding, her brain swam, she was breathing hard. She was dumbfounded for a good minute or two before she kind of... walked slowly to close the distance again, then threw herself against him to catch and hold onto, her mouth crashing, once again, to his.

No sooner after she walked away, she was coming back for seconds. Rhett was like a god d*m virus. He slowly infected you until you became sick over him.  His loose relationship with morals seemed appalling, then appealing.  Something about him was just hard to shake.  Yeah he was an asshole, but he had fun.  You could see that he was having fun no matter what he was doing. 

Rhett returned the kiss, this time with much more fire.  Rough hands grabbed her waist and yanked her close.  Her body slamming against his as he leaned over her.  It wasn't gentle or sweet, it was passion.  Rhett was slowly realizing that she was more special than even he first thought.  Rhett's hands pushed under a layer of fabric.  Callused hands running over soft smooth skin.  He could do bad things with her, oh he really could.  Instead however, his hands fell away.  As quickly as he ignited the flame he put it out.  Rhett's lips pulled away.  He took a step back. 

The wry con man's mind was churning at a feverish pace.  So many thoughts ran through his head it was hard to keep up.  Rhett nodded towards his car and as if his silent command was not telepathic in nature, Leonard started to walk back to the car.  Leonard made it to the charger, turned off the radio, and stopped a moment to wave at Martha before he jumped as high as his little stubby legs would allow.  He grabbed the edge of the rolled down window and hoisted himself up into the car.  Leonard did a little summersault and landed in the passenger seat.  He then rolled up the window and fell still, motionless as Rhett pulled his mental influence from him.

Rhett watched all this with attention and care.  He wanted to make sure the little guy was safe inside the car.  He cared for his dolls as if they were his own children.  He cared for them the way a loving father would.  Rhett was  a father with questionable parenting skills, but hey no one's perfect.  Rhett turned back to Martha as the two of them stood alone.  He curled his fingers in the belt loops of her pants and yanked her close again.  He wanted to run his hands over her, but instead he settled for the satisfaction of what transpired.  "Let's get out of here."  He said.

Rhett didn't say to where.  He didn't say what they were doing.  He was leaving it an open ended invitation.  There were all manners of trouble they could find themselves in, not just of the illegal variety.  Rhett could see her tempted to explore the darker side of her once hidden nature.  Rhett wanted to shine a spot light on that.  He wanted to light up the pleasure centers of her brain in more than just a sexual way.  He wanted her to crave life like he did.  He wanted her to chase the thrill of something dangerous and exciting, short in point he wanted her to be more like him. 

Rhett could see the trembling of her pink lips.  He reached up a hand and placed it on her face. He allowed his fingers to gently roam over her soft cheek, his fingertips dragging across her lips.  As his fingers passed her lips they pulled her lower lip down slightly. She's just so f*cking innocent!  He thought.  He almost felt bad for corrupting her in this way, almost.  Rhett was the type of guy who took what he wanted.  Right now the only thing he wanted was to disappear for a few hours into something wonderful.  Something exciting.  His eyes danced over her face as he stood there.  His hand continued it's downward path.  Over her chin, across the gentle sloping curve of her neck Rhett's hand rested on her shoulder. 

"Let me show you one of my favorite places in the city." He said abruptly.  Whatever moment they had shared was gone.  The sexual tension slowly faded away as his face lit up with delight at some crazy idea that had captured his imagination.  Martha didn't seem to be sure about him.  If he was being honest or a bastard, if he was just a thrill seeking son of a b*tch or something deeper.  Rhett was a labyrinth of mysterious wonders.  He didn't let many people see a deeper more thoughtful side of him, but he had his moments.

Dear god, he had truly gotten under her skin. She felt him touch her, skim his fingers up her back and belly. He would find out she had an outtie belly button. He touched her face. She wanted him. She needed to tell him no. No, she wouldn't go with him... No. But she would go with him. "Okay," she said, thickly. Her eyes were heated, hooded at this point. Her mouth was still all red from the kisses and she felt him touch her like she was more precious than spun gold right at the moment.

She would let him take her where he would, she wanted him to show her things but she wasn't thinking about the whole, crime thing right that second, sure that he was distracted from that too. Her eyes watched him as she stood there trying to return from the haze he had dropped on her with the kissing and stuff. No wonder that sh** was forbidden... It made ya feel funny in places you weren't allowed to feel funny.

She nibbled on her bottom lip and waited for him to lead the way, intrigued, frustrated, wanting, and most of all... Curious.

The place they were going wasn't far. It was actually quite close. They were on the outskirts of the city. What Rhett liked to think of as the dying part of the city. Rhett was known in these circles. He was known by police and scumbag alike. The police didn't give him to much trouble. They knew that he was a street racer and they had busted him several times for it. They didn't know about his other, more nefarious activities.

Rhett slipped his hand into hers. He took hold of her hands as if she was already his girl. A bright beaming smile forced its way onto his face as he strolled down the sidewalk, happily pulling her along behind him. She wasn't one of his dolls. Rhett didn't wish to control her. That's what made her unique.  She was the one thing that he couldn't control. And he didn't even want to. Funny how that sh*t works isn't it? The human mind is a god d*m mystery.

Rhett pulled her along down the sidewalk. As they walked Rhett eyed any guy who tried to cast a passing glance over Martha. It wasn't like Rhett to be the jealous type, but he found himself protecting this jewel. She was something alright. He would die before he admit it out loud, but she was under his skin too. To much ego to conquer to actually get him to admit it though. Rhett liked to play things cool. Rhett liked to act as if he was unphased by the world around him and he alone shaped his destiny. It was mostly bullsh*t and bravado, but he liked to rule the world with his ego.

After some time they arrived at where he was taking her. Rhett pulled up to a railing and let go of her hand. Reaching in his pocket he pulled out a cigarette and stuck it in his mouth. Cupping his hands he lit the flame that sparked his addiction. Rhett blew out a cloud of smoke as he spoke. "This is it." He said pointing at a building with the hand that held the cigarette. It was a concert hall. Rhett wasn't a huge music enthusiast but he enjoyed the arts a little.

He liked this place because it was the last dying piece of culture in his dying district. Rhett was a cultured redneck swine, or at least he thought of himself that way. Rhett closed his eyes and took another drag of his cigarette. It was nearing 1pm.  He kept his eyes closed and just waited. Any second now... Like clockwork......

  The building wasn't soundproof. Not even a little bit. To many vandalistic little bastards running around this neighborhood. There was busted out windows. Hell, entire doors had been stolen from their hinges. Honestly! Who the f*ck steals a door?!?!?!?!? Rhett smiled as the sound of chellos, and violins, and beautiful orchestra came swimming out into the air. It was free music for anyone who stopped and cared enough to listen. Rhett thought she would appreciate it's beauty.

 Rhett wasn't lying about this being his favorite place in the city. It wasn't the music. Sure that was nice, but it wasn't what he loved about the spot. Rhett stuck the cigarette back in his mouth a moment. "Wait here a sec."  He said in a muffled voice. Rhett ran across the street, directly across from the building to a taco truck. It always parted here because the large orchestra that practiced here always got hungry and shambled out for a burrito lunch. It was just a good spot to park this time of day. The taco truck was the reason it was Rhett's favorite spot. Ok ok ok, so maybe he wasn't that freaking cultured after all.  

"Gimme 2 burritos the works Paco!"  Rhett said.  "Si Senor Rhett!"  The taco vendor replied.  "And don't skimp on the Guac!"  The guy in the truck laughed and soon handed Rhett two wrapped burritos. Rhett came here for the food, but he mostly ate here to enjoy the music between jobs.  Rhett walked back across the street.  A car almost hit him as he crossed.  Rhett simply smiled at him with a 'F*ck you grin.'  Rhett made it back to Martha and offered her one of the burritos.  "You could be in there ya know.  You're that good.  You ever thought about applying your music to idk a career path?"

Rhett took a big bite of his burrito.  He was honestly curious.  He was showing a genuine side of himself.  Mostly he was hungry, but he supposed this counted as a date?  Rules be damned he wasn't sure what this was, but he had her dancing in the palm of his hand.  He could probably tell her at this point that the sun was made of of cheese and she would just smile and nod.  Rhett didn't want something he could control.  He wanted something as feisty as him.  More than that.... He wanted to get to know the creature that had taken so much space in his brain lately.

He took her by the hands and walked with her, guiding her to a spot near an old building. It was something special to him, obviously, for her to stand there and wait for whatever was to come... And then she heard it... the first strains of orchestral magic came drifting out. Beautiful music caressed her ears like the fingers of a lover, and she stood as transfixed with the music as she had with his smooches. Annnnd thennnn the smell of food caught her attention. She liked food. She eyed the foil wrapped burrito and then said, "You gonna eat all that?" Hah!

She didn't take it from him unless he offered the second burrito. Martha was distracted again by the music, and she heard his question. "I came to New York to do that... To be in a place like that," she confessed and moved to sit down crosslegged on the pavement. Her eyes closed, she was taken to another place in her mind as the music wrapped itself around her like a blanket. "It was forbidden for me to play my violin in a group of gorgers, outsiders... It's all I ever wanted." That was a bit of honesty that kind of hurt her to say out loud.

She kind of got angry at herself for showing HER vulnerability, and then started to wilt a little in front of him, close off. "Thanks for bringin' me here but maybe I should go."