Faux Vows, True Desires

Keith could feel the warm current of interest flowing from Darlene's gaze.

"You've shelled out a pretty penny to have the folks at Cipher Detectives hunt me down. Now that I've come to you tonight, why don't you claim back that hefty deposit? It's a serious chunk of change to just leave on the table."

"Should I get it back and give it to you?"

Darlene was silent.

She just wanted him to reclaim the deposit, cancel the job, and preserve the reputation of her detective agency.

She had no desire for the money.

"Keith, I helped you out, really, it was no big deal, I don't need a reward. That amount of money is too much."

Keith didn't even look back this time, his voice deep, "Forget it. Cipher Detectives took my case and my money, and they did put in the work for quite some time. The deposit can stay with them as payment for their efforts."

Darlene remained silent.

Her agency did take deposits, but they also had a policy in place the deposit would be returned to the client if the job couldn't be completed.

Keeping the deposit meant the agreement was still active, and they would continue to investigate for the client.

"Since you are so insistent, I'll gracefully accept, and the deposit is mine."

After washing the dishes, Keith stepped out of the kitchen and stood before Darlene.

Close contact brought them nearly nose to nose, and Keith picked up a faint scent from her, grateful for his keen sense of smell.

This soft fragrance, it was vaguely familiar.

Recalling his sister's suspicions that Darlene might be the mysterious masked lady he had encountered, he found it hard to reconcile the gentle Darlene with the spirited masked figure.

Aside from his mother and sister, the only other woman's scent he knew was Darlene's.

Cecilia never wore perfume; her natural scent was all there was, except maybe a whiff of shampoo after she washed her hair.

Cecilia, though skilled in some self-defense, was no match for a true fighter in Keith's eyes, so he had ruled her out from the start. That left only Darlene.

scoffed: Lucinda was

ahead, Lucinda was typical of

someone call Cipher Detectives to cancel the job, get the deposit back, and transfer

cracked, "I have a thing

you the cash. Do you want to pick it up,

you can drop the money off. I'll be

she frequented the place, it would be

it unsafe for her, though still safer than

new to Darlene, but this was the first time it had brought

"Deal," Keith agreed swiftly.

sigh of relief, her agency's

saving my life the

formally expressed

act of kindness is worth a great debt, let alone saving a life. If you ever face trouble, need my help,

Keith made a promise.

"Like I said, it

still, you

me your lifesaver is an overstatement, though saying I gave you a hand, I can live

of being his lifesaver, dreading the possibility of him offering

the most capable woman I've ever

It's getting late, and I should head back. Thank you for the pasta, it was delicious." Darlene was ready

but praise for

"I'll walk you out."

this, he moved towards the window, assuming Darlene

reaching the window, Darlene had already gone out

Keith was left baffled.

the front door, blatantly challenging the Blue family's security

easily slipped into a guest room and out the window, evading Keith's night

a legendary thief, had taught her well. The kind who had stolen from the world's rich and famous without ever getting caught. Her ability to move like a shadow

thief, after all, theft is theft. So she chose the detective

by the time he emerged from his room, Darlene was

was filled