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+----- Thread: watch my blade ricochet | jamie (/showthread.php?tid=1268)
watch my blade ricochet | jamie - Katerina Nikolau - 09-02-2026
september 2, 1923
somewhere in london
somewhere in london
Katerina looked around, standing on the small platform the bar’s owner dared to call a stage.
It was fine, she thought, trying to convince herself. She’d known it from the beginning. Without her father’s money, she would have to take any job that was offered to her, and not all of them would be winners.
(This one certainly wasn’t.)
She sighed, her shoulders slightly slumped. Then, she sat on the piano’s bench. Smoothing some curls away from her forehead, she brushed the keys of the piano with the tips of her fingers. It was old, worn out. Kate chewed on her lower lip.
A quick glance at the bar told her that she wasn’t the main show—but merely an entertainment. Background noise. Her heart sank.
Rolling her shoulders, she prepared to play. She had done this a million times, ignoring the sadness that ran through her bloodstream like poison. This was no different.
Closing her eyes, she began to play. The melody was upbeat, fast. Some of the patrons stood up and began to dance. The corner of her mouth turned up in the faintest of grins, even though her eyes remained melancholic.
The time went by fast, almost like a blur. For once, she was glad she had downed two glasses of whisky before going on stage. By the time the next performer, who was supposed to replace her, came over to the stage, Katerina Nikolau was sunk in a deep haze—far away.
She stood up, gliding gracefully towards the bar. Her dress was long, beaded, red. It plunged dramatically at both the neckline and back, leaving her tan skin exposed. Perhaps a little too risqué for a lady, but nothing unusual for a performer.
Kate had to remind herself of that as she sat down on one of the stools, feeling all kinds of glances on her. She had always hated that—the googly eyes. More often than not, beauty was not only her best asset, but a punishment.
Before she could even order, the bartender slid a drink in front of her. Kate’s eyebrow raised. She opened her mouth to say something, but the man caught her before she could utter a word.
“It’s from the gentleman over there.”
He pointed with his finger at the other side of the bar, and Kate’s eyes followed him. Right there, a man who couldn’t be older than she was was smiling at her. He was blonde, with messy hair and a boyish grin that probably earned him attention everywhere he went.
Kate clicked her tongue, quickly looking away.
What could he possibly want? To know the depths of her soul, or use her for her beauty and then leave her to rot, like a bouquet of roses? The obviousness of the answer almost made her scoff.
Well, she wouldn’t indulge. She wouldn’t give him what he wanted.
Grabbing the cup with one hand, she took a sip, purposefully staring at the bottles in front of her.
RE: watch my blade ricochet | jamie - Jamie Ziegler - 09-03-2026
★★★
So this was home now, London. Jamie did like it here, despite the smog and the threat of constant downpours on the horizon. There was just so much to explore, so much untapped possibility.
But as twilight fell over the city, Jamie found himself hankering for something familiar. So, after a quick pitstop by his and Mel's place to gargle some baking soda and try to make his hair look somewhat presentable, Jamie went looking for a drink.
Thankfully, England seemed to have escaped the stupid drought that plagued America. Jamie slipped into a respectable looking bar-- or public house-- sorry, pub-- and made a beeline for the bar. Just a nice pale ale for now. The night was young.
He sipped and swiveled as a jaunty tune started up from the back of the room. Jamie smiled to himself, and nodded along to the rhythm, fingers tapping on his thigh. Gee, whoever was playing-- that was genuine talent. Not a note was missed, and the piano seemed as if it was singing. It reminded Jamie of his own fiddle playing. He should pick it up again, he was probably pretty rusty by now--
Then his gaze landed on the pianist herself, and the world came to a standstill.
She was gorgeous, a total knockout. You'd have to be blind to think otherwise. Bronzed skin, dusky hair, perfect full lips. But more than that, she was lost in the music, and she looked entirely at home up on that ramshackle stage. The way she played was hypnotizing, fingers flying across the black and white keys like it was nothing.
Another familiar thing made itself known: A fluttery warmth in the center of his chest, like Cupid himself had struck Jamie square in the heart. Then she stood up from the piano bench, dark waves brushing her cheekbones, and god-damnit, that dress, the crimson cascading over her body...
Shit-- she was coming over to the bar. It was now or never.
Jamie abruptly slammed his glass down on the counter, making the bartender jump.
"Hey!" Jamie hissed, waving the guy over. He leaned in close and cupped his hand around his mouth. "Hey, do me a favor, will you? See that girl, the pianist? Her next drink's on me."
The bartender's mouth twitched at the corners, but he nodded politely. " 'Course, sir. I'll see to it straight away."
The pianist sat a few seats down from Jamie. He watched the brief exchange with bated breath. It was as if his whole body was tuned into her every move. The way her lips parted in confusion-- oh lord, how could something so minute be so alluring? Then, finally, she looked his way.
Jamie grinned at her, turning up the charm. Her turning away didn't bother him in the sliightest. Only egged him on even more. He waited a second, then scooted down until he was in the seat next to her.
"That was some mighty fine playing," Jamie said, as casually as he could, even as his heart threatened to beat out of his chest. "Leagues better than whoever's on now, I'd say. How long have you been at it?"
He leaned imperceptibly over the bar, just enough so that he was in the woman's peripherals. Unfortunately for her, it would take more than the cold shoulder to ward him off.
★★★
RE: watch my blade ricochet | jamie - Katerina Nikolau - 09-03-2026
She let the silence between them simmer uncomfortably for a second before glancing sideways in his direction. Long eyelashes batted with the movement, casting shadows over her high cheekbones.
A beat passed. She faced forward for a second time, taking another sip.
If silence wasn’t enough to discourage him from his pursuit, perhaps words would.
Kate perceived the shift in his body as he leaned in slightly, and she did the same. Soon enough, their shoulders were touching, the soft beaded fabric of her dress brushing against the roughness of his collared shirt.
Her rosy lips curled into a mischievous smile. She turned her head slightly, her eyes meeting his. They were light—blue or maybe green, she couldn’t tell. Memories from another life traveled down her spine in the form of a chill, yet she managed to keep her composure.
“Tell me,” she said slowly, her voice low. “How many—”
Her gaze drifted to his lips, the gesture intentional and pointed.
“—times have you tried this trick with women, and how many times has it been successful?”
The smile disappeared, and so did the familiarity in her tone. She squared her shoulders, scoffing at him as if he were nothing but dirt beneath her heel.
“I’m going to guess you’ve tried a lot, yet failed every time.”
That is a lie, a voice almost hummed in her ear. He was handsome—that she couldn’t deny. His smile was bright, his face pleasant. And even under the dim lights, she could make out the firmness of his biceps. She rolled her eyes, pissed at herself for even thinking about that.
There was a time when she would’ve jumped into his arms at the slightest drop of attention, misreading it as love. And if there was one thing she was sure about in this life, it was that she was determined never to be that girl again.
“Beat it. I’ve had a long day."
RE: watch my blade ricochet | jamie - Jamie Ziegler - 09-03-2026
★★★
Perhaps the wish for the woman to look at him was an ill-advised one. Jamie's eyes widened slightly when she smiled. It was barely veiled disdain wrapped in red velvet lip pomade. Strangely, the expression seemed right on her face. Despite feeling like a bug under a magnifying glass, something loosened low in the pit of Jamie's stomach.
His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. She had a point; he had struck out several times before. His smile flickered, momentarily. Ouch, lady.
"Aw c'mon, don't be like that," Jamie chuckled. "What trick? Am I not allowed to perform an act of selflessness?"
He met her eyes again, and his smile returned in full, like he was daring her to look away again. " 'Sides, I ain't a total failure. I mean, you're sitting here talkin' to me and everything. If we continue on like this, it could be a full conversation."
More silence. Jamie shrugged and sat back, to give the lady some personal space. Mel was always telling him that he had a tendency to come on a little too strong. But he was a man on a mission now. And he was more than happy to talk enough for the two of them.
"Sure, you probably have better things to do than hang around a bum like me. But maybe that's good, see? Life's about taking chances." He studied her expression, eagerly. "For example... I reckon you don't play these kinds of spots often. No offense, but you look way too dolled up for this part of town."
Jamie ran a hand through his hair. "What do they say around here? Posh, or something?" Now there was a patch sticking up on the back of his head. "It suits you, real nice. Look-- My name is Jamie. You don't gotta give me yours or anythin'."
His smile softened at the edges, as did his eyes. Clear blue of a cloudless sky. "I just know that I'd hate to be drinking alone on a night like this."
★★★
RE: watch my blade ricochet | jamie - Katerina Nikolau - 09-04-2026
Their eyes met for a second time. Warmth crashed against ice, yet she didn’t look away, and neither did he.
Instead, she raised an eyebrow slightly. As he laughed, Kate couldn’t stop the corners of her mouth from tugging into a brief, short-lived smile. Quick to hide it, she concealed her lips behind the wine glass, limiting herself to observing him.
He continued, and she didn’t say a word. Instead, she watched him shrug and lean back. Her dark eyes twinkled with something mischievous as she sipped, waiting for him to make the next move.
She would never admit it, but he had piqued her curiosity.
His next words managed to steal another smile from her, even if it looked more like a grimace. She rolled her eyes.
Her fingers brushed against the ruby pendant that sat on her chest like a throbbing heart, twirling the delicate silver chain. It was one of the few things she hadn’t had the heart to get rid of back when she had to sell a good part of her glamorous belongings to afford staying in Paris. Her breath hitched, almost unnoticeably.
It took her less than a second to regain her composure. Her expression turned back to something that hung dangerously between mild amusement and disgust as he continued talking.
A second silence floated between them. She turned to face the bar, ready to cut the conversation short. Then he said something that made her glance sideways at him, her expression softening for a fraction of a moment.
“I don’t mind being alone.” She looked at him again, this time locking her eyes with his.
A pause. It almost seemed like she was about to leave him hanging. Part of her wanted to. Yet, as she watched his expression soften, her ice started to melt in response. Just slightly. Just for tonight.
(If he thought he had a chance with her, however, he very was mistaken.)
“Katerina.”
RE: watch my blade ricochet | jamie - Jamie Ziegler - 09-04-2026
★★★
"Ah! There's a smile," Jamie crowed, ever the opportunist. "I knew I wasn't totally falling flat." He finished that last bit with a nervous, fluttering laugh, which he quickly turned into a perfectly normal cough. Blame it on the alcohol. Even though his ale was only a quarter gone.
It wasn't his fault that he was in such intoxicating company. Plus, the exasperated amusement (or something like it) was a reaction Jamie knew all too well. It was a look that he'd gotten from his mother, sister, and years of professors. Almost like a calling card at this point.
He followed her fingers as they grazed the rubies at her throat, along her fine collarbone-- then he snapped back up to her face. He'd never seen such deep, rich brown eyes before, ones that might swallow you whole if you weren't careful.
As she spoke, Jamie leaned forward again, almost instinctively. Then came the second victory of the evening.
"Katerina..." He echoed. Then again, tasting the name on his tongue. "Katerina. That's a real peach of a name. I'd expect nothing less."
Jamie leaned back again. He had always had trouble sitting still, but now it was especially difficult, for obvious reasons. His mind was abuzz with questions, but he forced himself to hold his tongue.
"So... does that mean we can be alone together, Miss Katerina?" He snorted. " 'Course, that is, if you'll have me." He finally closed his hand around his pint glass again and raised it to his lips. The foam and fizz had died down a little, but the stuff still tasted good and earthy.
"I'm kind of alone for the first time in a while," Jamie admitted, after a brief silence. "Well, my sister's here with me, but we're fresh off the boat." It was breezy to talk about himself, even to a complete stranger. How else would he air out the thoughts in his head? "If you couldn't tell already by the accent. Think I've heard the guys at work call me 'yankee wanker' behind my back."
Jamie had to give the lads credit there. It was a particularly funny little saying.
★★★
RE: watch my blade ricochet | jamie - Katerina Nikolau - 09-04-2026
“A real peach of a name?” she asked, her amusement growing more notorious, and yet somehow even sharper. “I was right—you are a terrible flirt.”
There was something in Jamie’s attitude that made her uneasy. Every time he won himself any points with his easy smile, he lost them in the same breath with the way he talked to her.
She had picked up on it almost instantly; he was dazzled by her beauty. Nothing more. If she gave in to his charms, he would not care about her tomorrow. Not in the way she had always hoped for someone to do so. It didn’t matter. She had given up that expectation many years ago, her heart still bruised after one too many desperate attempts.
(But it didn’t mean she would give him what he so clearly wanted.)
Katerina finished her glass with a long sip, then motioned for the bartender to pour her another one.
Then, she turned around to face him. The movement was sharp, quick. Menacing. The smile that curled up her lips was one that belonged to a predator. She watched him, apparently patiently, as he tripped over his own words.
“I could tell,” she said coolly. “That accent of yours is making my ears bleed.”
She leaned in just slightly, curls falling over her face, framing her visage.
“Listen to me, Jack. If you want me to believe, even for a second, that you’re interested in anything about me but a quick way to get me to whatever hovel you’re staying in, you’re doing a terrible job.”
Kate turned around. The bartender poured the glass of red wine for her, and she grabbed it with long, delicate fingers.
“You’re free to stay and keep trying, but you’re going to find yourself alone in your little pallet, staring at a moldy ceiling, and you’re going to wish you’d tried your tricks with a girl who was more of an idiot.”
RE: watch my blade ricochet | jamie - Jamie Ziegler - 09-04-2026
★★★
Jamie at least had the decency to wince at Katerina's harsh tone.
"Only Pop calls me Jack..." He muttered, scratching the back of his neck. "And my accent ain't that bad..." In some cruel irony, his voice cracked a little as Katerina leaned in. He instantly clammed up and held her piercing gaze.
If anything, this was doing even less to deter him. Katerina was looking at Jamie like he was shit on the bottom of her shoe, and yet, his infatuation grew deeper still. Now this really was quite odd... Did this make him some kind of deviant?
Before Jamie could ponder that realization any more, he was at Katerina's mercy again. Shucks. He shook his head, laughed softly and held up his hands in mock surrender. "Hovel-- I'm not that backwoods, don't worry. We managed to get a pretty handsome appartment nearby."
He knew he was probably being too lenient with this woman. If it were Mel or his mother, the playing field might have been a bit more leveled out. Katerina might have had someone real to reckon with. Maybe Jamie was getting too soft, or maybe it was the obvious rose-colored glasses. And then, growing up around assertive, sharp-minded women had perhaps warped Jamie's perception of what was enough to take.
Who knows what truly goes on in the mind of a strapping young hopeful?
All in all, he didn't move a muscle. Stayed right where he was, trying to stratagize another way to see that pretty smile again.
"I could try my luck with other girls, sure," Jamie parroted. "But I was drawn to you. Couldn't help it. And hey, I ain't got a say at all in what happens tonight." He paused, sipped at his ale. The residual foam clung to his upper lip; a poor substitute for the hair that refused to sprout there.
"If you'd let me get a word in--" He added quickly, before she could retort, "It was your piano playing. I meant what I said, Miss Katerina. You have a real zest for that stuff; it's like watching magic be performed." Jamie set his glass down and examined the nearly-faded calluses on the tips of his fingers.
"I used to have that kinda zest, I guess," He said, quietly now. Golden hair fell into his eyes as he lowered his head. "For fiddle... and other magical things. Or at least, I used to have more of it."
★★★
RE: watch my blade ricochet | jamie - Katerina Nikolau - 09-05-2026
His voice cracked. Kate bit back a smile, even though the smugness couldn’t be hidden from her eyes.
Her gaze stayed on his face, locked and piercing as he awkwardly tried to explain himself. She raised an eyebrow, looking absolutely unimpressed by him.
Instead, she said something else—something that would hopefully deter him from talking to her. It didn’t work. This boy was stubborn as a mule. A younger, more naïve version of herself would’ve fallen right into the trap like a bee to honey. Now, she knew better.
Or maybe she thought she did.
Her eyes narrowed. Then, they drifted down to his mouth again, this time noticing the foam moustache that had formed on his upper lip. She pressed her lips together—hard. The laughter died in her throat.
Then, she opened her mouth to say something else, but he interrupted her before she could even argue. It softened her, even if just a little. He had paid attention to her music—to the only thing that felt like it entirely belonged to her. That made her turn completely on the stool, facing him as she sipped her wine.
His voice grew lower—quieter. The soft scowl between her eyebrows eased away. An unwanted thought appeared in her mind as she noticed the way his golden locks cast shadows across his forehead.
Maybe this one could work.
She chewed on her lower lip, shaking her head. It wouldn’t. It couldn’t. Perhaps her tough act was nothing but a façade—perhaps the girl who dreamed of being loved the way she loved was still there somewhere. Yet the facts didn’t lie. All love had ever brought her was pain—humiliation.
Not to even mention, whoever had said that this could be love? It was clearly nothing more than lust.
It wasn’t a crime—lust. But it wasn’t what she wanted. Not for herself, who seemed to always misread it as something bigger, more important. She winced, suddenly feeling uncomfortable in her own skin.
Jamie would be nothing but a stranger the moment she left her stool, but the wounds she had buried under alcohol and stage lights would still exist in her scarred heart.
“I don’t do one-night stands,” she said, her voice softer around the edges this time. “You’re wasting your time.”
RE: watch my blade ricochet | jamie - Jamie Ziegler - 09-07-2026
★★★
Jamie thought he saw those honey-brown eyes crease at the edges. Then he realized what exactly Katerina was starting at.
"Oh-- I.. Right, s-sure," He stammered (actually stammered, like an idiotic schoolboy), wiping at his mouth. "Of course not...."
Warmth bloomed in his cheeks despite his best efforts to keep it at bay. He wasn't expecting her to be so blunt about it; most ladies preferred to tiptoe around the topic. But at the same time--
"You're dead set on assuming the worst of me," Jamie murmured. He puffed his hair out of his face and cast his eyes down at her slender hands, where they rested on the bar. "Why's that?"
As soon as he asked the question, he knew the answer. The world was still not so kind to the fairer sex, and Jamie had seen the callousness of men firsthand. His own father had tried to smack the softness out of him, but despite everything, it had stuck around. For better or for worse.
Jamie wet his lips with his tongue and forced himself to think for a moment. "Anything I can do to clear my name?" He asked, eyes twinkling over at Katerina. "Something tells me that you ain't as disinterested in me as you say."
He shrugged, as nonchalantly as he could. His drink was almost finished, and as much as his fingers twitched to order another one, he held himself back. "But sure. I also know when to call it quits. Just say the word, and I'm out of your life. For good this time."
Jamie flashed a grin and raked his fingers through his hair in what he hoped was a roguishly charming manner. "You're gonna be missin' out on this handsome face-- but I'll understand fine."
Oh, it did kill Jamie to utter those words, especially after the fool he'd made of himself. However, if there was one thing his schoolboy days had actually taught him, it was that harassing a girl and carrying on usually did more harm than good.
And yet, Jamie just couldn't keep the hopefulness out of his voice, or help looking over at Katerina over the rim of his glass.
Perhaps it was entirely childish to put money on miracles. But what was one last-ditch effort, a shot in the dark?
★★★
RE: watch my blade ricochet | jamie - Katerina Nikolau - 09-08-2026
Katerina stared at Jamie as he tripped over his words, an amused smile curling up her lips. If he was hoping for mercy, he wouldn’t get it—not from her.
“You’re red,” she pointed out, as if it wasn’t already obvious.
His question, however, made her face turn more serious. She tapped on the glass with her fingers, letting the silence linger between the two of them before she replied. Then, she waved her hand, dismissing the whole thing.
“It’s all men want,” Kate said simply. “Don’t think yourself important. I haven’t paid enough attention to you to treat you as an exception—for better or for worse.”
Silence fell over them a second time, but Katerina didn’t mind it. From there, she could hear the soft notes of the musician performing in her place, following the melody with the tapping of her fingers against the glass.
Then, Jamie interrupted her thoughts—again. This time, with a question she didn’t quite know how to answer.
So she lied.
“Nothing.”
Glancing sideways at him, she caught a glimpse of his gesture. Golden locks fell over his forehead again, and Kate almost found it charming. Not in the way Jamie would’ve wanted, however. To her, he resembled more a bird ruffling his feathers than a movie Casanova.
“That I appreciate.”
Katerina’s focus went back to her wine glass. She grabbed it and took a sip, her mind racing.
Maybe, in another life, she would’ve allowed him to stay.
Then, just as she was hoping he would get up and leave, someone else entered the scene. Suddenly, she could feel an unpleasant aftertaste on her tongue.
A man, holding a bouquet of roses.
Katerina winced, trying to hide her face behind the glass. However, he seemed to notice her. With a goofy grin—that had none of Jamie’s charm and twice his insistence—he started walking towards her.
Katerina’s eyes widened.
In the snap of a second, she turned around. Both hands cupped Jamie’s face.
“Follow my lead. And not a word. You’re still not getting lucky,” she hissed.
And with that, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his.
RE: watch my blade ricochet | jamie - Jamie Ziegler - 09-09-2026
★★★
There was was some traitorous little voice in the back of Jamie's mind that prayed for that all-powerful, ever-elusive thing called fate to come around and take one for the team. But, c'est la vie.
Or something.
With a small sigh, he rose from his barstool and fumbled in his pocket for his wallet. "You’ve got my hands tied. won't waste any more of your time." Gee, he hoped that he actually had enough for this damn tab. A pint, a whiskey, and a glass of red wine... That stuff didn't come cheap, nowadays more than ever.
Finding a crisp bank note in the innermost fold of the wallet, Jamie pressed it onto the bar.
"Well, good evening to you, Miss Katerina." But as soon as he made to turn around and vacate the premises, her hands grabbed hold of his face and yanked him back down to eye level.
"Wh-- hang on," Jamie grunted, or attempted to, since Katerina was effectively squishing his cheeks together. "M-maybe an explanation, or someth-- Mmph!"
It was safe to say that this had escalated very, very quickly.
At first, the kiss was all sorts of awkward and haphazard. Jamie stared, heartbeat roaring in his ears. Their lips were crammed together most unceremoniously. But she was soft, somehow, so soft, impossibly soft.
Shit, holy shit, oh, sweet baby Jesus--
Jamie took a great, shuddering breath in and closed his eyes. His hands came up to grasp hers. Lord, that just made it worse. Now all he could cling onto was Katerina's perfume and the taste of her-- sweet red and cigarette smoke-- all swirling together into a heady, biting cocktail for the senses.
She had removed his ability to form coherent thought, and Jamie would have been mortified, had he the capacity to do so. All that remained in his head was a kind of warm, fuzzy nothingness, tinged at the edges with a smidgen of confusion. And strangely, it wasn't an entirely unpleasant sensation.
God! What in the hell was he thinking? This wasn't proper. They were in public, for crying out loud. And drunk too, probably.
With a surprising amount of reluctance, Jamie pulled away.
But not completely. His fingers were still wrapped gently around Katerina's wrists as he lowered her hands from his face. He blinked a couple of times, as if waking up from a dream. He looked a right mess, with his pupils blown wide, blue eyes like dinner plates. Katerina's crimson lip rouge was smeared around his mouth.
Not to mention the flush staining his cheeks and creeping towards his ears.
"What are we-- you doing...?" Jamie breathed. He couldn't help but let out an incredulous laugh, low and raspy. "Gosh, chrissakes, you're crazy..."
★★★
RE: watch my blade ricochet | jamie - Katerina Nikolau - 09-10-2026
Jamie’s hands covered hers with a sweetness she hadn’t expected from him. In almost immediate reaction, her lips parted, deepening the kiss. He tasted like alcohol and something else—something dizzying.
Her whole body shuddered in his arms, almost as if she didn’t remember what it was like to be held like that.
Then, after a second or an eternity, Jamie pulled away. His eyes were wide, surprised. Her lipstick was all over his face, proof of the sin they both had committed—yet only one of them would ever be held accountable.
Katerina’s eyes flicked around, catching glimpses of the judging stares of men who dared to judge her while being in the exact same lousy bar. She shrugged, pushing some curls off her shoulders.
She had already heard it all, anyway.
Not suitable. A bad match. Unladylike. Loose skirts. Rebellious and problematic, running away from the protective hand of a father that society deemed nothing but elegant and picture-perfect.
After spending too many nights racked with insecurity and pain, she had finally learned to shake it all off.
Why should she care about being a good match when she knew she would never be married?
Her gaze drifted back to him. His fingers were still grasping her wrists, and Katerina didn’t make a single effort to set herself free. Instead, she offered him a minxish grin, batting her long eyelashes.
“Do you see that man over there?”
With her head, she pointed at the man holding a bouquet of roses. He didn’t look sad, but disappointed. As if Jamie had bought the first watch he had been trying to get his hands on for a while. Katerina rolled her eyes—sharply.
“Most men don’t respect the word of a lady in the same way they respect that of another gentleman.”
He let go, and she stood up. Smoothing her skirt, she reached for her glass and finished it before looking at Jamie again.
“It was a pleasure meeting you, John. I owe you one.”
And, without another word, she turned around and disappeared through the door into the foggy night.
RE: watch my blade ricochet | jamie - Jamie Ziegler - 09-11-2026
★★★
The whispers that followed Katerina were nothing short of scathing.
Uncouth.
Egregious.
Downright disgusting, unthinkable.
And did you see the neckline on her?
Jamie exhaled sharply. He found himself white-knuckling the side of the bar, still reeling. She was right, he knew that, and yet he was struggling to wrap his head around the whole thing. It was like Katerina had stolen some piece of Jamie away and taken it with her.
Clarity slowly returned to his being, though, and he fixed the would-be offender with a look that could kill. "What're you gawkin' at?" Jamie snapped.
The man turned the same color as the roses bunched in his fist, and turned away, muttering to himself. Good riddance.
Jamie sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose with two fingers.
John...
God-damn it, and she'd said it with such a bewitching smirk, like she took pleasure in playing with Jamie's heartstrings. And he had stood there and taken it, like a damn fool-- he didn't mind it either, kind of wanted to experience it again-- Hell. what had gotten into him?
Jamie finally followed Katerina's path out of the door. This wouldn't do at all. He needed to get home as soon as possible, never mind Mel's inevitable lecturing. A good night's sleep might help his thoughts settle... Though Jamie had a feeling that dreams would not provide the escape that he was looking for.
Not at all.
★★★