The Confidence Game
Chapter 2
A/N: Hey guys so here’s Chapter 2, I hope you like it (let me know)! Summary: Living in a world of cons and lies has its benefits and being taught the tricks of the trade by the incredibly talented and dangerous Gajeel Redfox certainly has its benefits. But what happens when romance threatens to bloom in this hopeless world? And how do you separate what’s real and what isn’t in this convincing game of deceit?
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Levy McGarden tried to suppress the shudder that was creeping up her spine as Ivan Dreyar put his lips to her fingers, clasping her hand in his at the foot of the grand staircase.
She was accustomed to wealthy aristocrats but there was just something entirely unnerving about this man. Perhaps she was just out of practice, after all, it had been four long years since she’d been in the game.
“May I say you look ravishing in silver Miss McGarden,” Ivan purred, rousing her from her thoughts.
She looked up at him, smiling prettily, noticing a lack of warmth to his dark eyes despite his pleasant tone.
Ivan was not a young man but she wouldn’t have said he was old either. His well-trimmed dark, black beard told her he cared about his appearance, as well as the various golden jewellery he sported, including a white-gold, diamond encrusted watch that captured the light with every flick of his wrist. It must have been worth thousands.
“Thank you Mr. Dreyar,” she responded, allowing her more sultry smirk to slide into place, “you look very handsome, I quite imagine I am now the envy of every woman here.”
He laughed heartily, distracted for a moment, and Levy spotted a disturbance among the crowd. Disgruntled and dishevelled party-goers glared fiercely after the man who was barrelling through them, his path and intent clear.
Levy cursed under her breath, he never did have much control over his impulses.
“I really must get myself a drink of water, I’m suddenly not feeling so well,” Levy declared, eager to prevent the inevitable disaster.
“Oh my dear, allow one of my men to accompany you,” Ivan offered, his tone laced with concern but his expression once again lacked conviction.
“No honestly, that won’t be necessary, I shan’t be a moment,” she said, already turning away from him.
She headed for the second bar to the left of the one she had originally seen Gajeel Redfox at, and ordered herself a double vodka. A little stronger than what she was accustomed to, but if she was to make it through this encounter, she damn well needed it.
“Oi,” rumbled a voice behind her.
She ignored the fact that her heart had set to racing at that one, simple, enraging greeting.
After all this time? Seriously?
“Oi, Levy,” he started again, placing a hand roughly on her shoulder to turn her to face him.
“Who the hell do you think you are,” she hissed at him, her rage barely contained.
“Well what the hell do you think you’re doing,” he retorted, looking equally as angry.
“After all this time, after what you did, this is how you’re going to approach me!”
That shut him up.
“I don’t have time for you to just barge into my life and mess it up again Gajeel!” Levy accused, and much to her dismay, hurt seeped into her tone.
To Gajeel’s merit, regret lined his young face, but it flickered over his features so quickly, if Levy had blinked, she surely would have missed it.
“Lev..,” he began and her heart annoyingly skipped a beat at the nickname, “I did what I had to.”
Her eyebrows furrowed as the anger rose in her again, she reached for the glass of vodka and knocked it back, the liquid burning its way down her throat. She didn’t splutter but only because of sheer will. She couldn’t stand to see him smirk at her now.
“Sir,” she called out to the barman, “I’ll have another please.”
Gajeel’s pierced eyebrow quirked, but he said nothing.
“The fuck are you doing with that guy anyway,” he asked, his tone pinched.
“I’ll do what I want with whom I want, I don’t answer to you,” she fired back.
This irritated him, she could almost see the flash of anger in his eyes.
“He’s dangerous you know.”
“Oh, but aren’t all the attractive men?”
“I’m serious. Quit playin’ around.”
“And I’m serious! My business is my own Gajeel. You made that clear once before, you’d do well to remember it now.”
His mouth thinned, and a shadow seemed to fall over him. He leaned in, brushing back an errant curl, and she felt his warm breath on her ear, “he’s well known in the shady parts of town, just keep yer goddamn wits about ye Levy.”
And then he was gone, melting back into the crowd, and she let go of the breath she hadn’t been aware she was holding. She watched him retreat, a mixture of emotions clashing within her until he turned around, raising a glass in her direction before downing the stolen vodka in one smooth gulp. She should have expected nothing more, after all; he had taught her everything she knew about the confidence game.
“My dear, I do believe that gentlemen has stolen your drink,” a voice came from behind her.
She turned to the source, discovering a small, older gentleman, and smiled emptily, her emotions having abandoned her from just one draining conversation with the man she had fallen head over heels with four years before.
“Here, allow me to buy you another...“
Levy would never forget the night that would change her life forever. Having barely scraped by on the street for years, moving from orphanage to orphanage she fell into crime almost as a rite of passage. She found her innocent looks and sweet charm often allowed her to get around the most suspicious of people. She could charm anyone just long enough to steal a good watch or wallet and be on her way before they suspected a thing. That is of course, until the night in that dingy bar on the less sophisticated side of town.
It was a con she had almost perfected on gullible tourists and unsuspecting business men but she had always lacked true confidence. Always fearing the worst, it made her edgy and that guy had seen right through her. She still remembered the way his eyes, filled with fury, had paralysed her and then he had stepped in.
Of course the only natural thing to do was to go after the guy who had intervened, even after he had practically slammed the door in her face.
“Hey!” she had called after him, his large form already half way down the street.
He didn’t stop.
“Sir!” she called again, running after him now.
“I’m no sir,” he threw over his shoulder gruffly, raising a hand in a clear indication that he wanted to be left alone.
“Just wait,” Levy tried again, reaching out to catch his arm.
Quick as a flash and certainly faster than her brain could comprehend, her wrist was gripped in his hand and his dark eyes were boring into her own soft, hazel-brown ones.
Her mouth formed a perfect little ‘o’ and he sniggered at her.
“Leave me alone shortstuff.”
“I-I just wanted to say thanks,” she stammered, gradually regaining control of herself.
“Don’t mention it. Really. That was pathetic in there, give up the game kid or you’ll land in worse than that shit-show.”
Irritation sparked within her, “oh as if you’d know,” she accused, her eyes taking in the expensive looking black suit he was dressed in, he clearly hadn’t a notion of what it was like having to steal to get by and just how difficult it was.
“Oh believe me,” he smirked, holding his hand up and letting a necklace fall and dangle from his fingertips, her necklace, “I know.”
Levy gaped in absolute shock, her hands flying to her neck feeling for the necklace he now held.
“H-Hey-“
“You might want this too,” he said, a smirk playing at the side of his lips, as he handed her the black wallet she herself had just taken from the man in the bar only moments ago.
She hadn’t noticed a thing, and she couldn’t help being impressed despite his irksome arrogance.
“This is what a professional looks like Shortstuff, dabblers get punched in their pretty faces. Or worse.”
Levy’s lips pursed at his thinly veiled insult at both her height and what she was capable of.
“I’m not a ‘dabbler’ you overconfident jerk, and if you’re so impressive, well then teach me.”
She saw him struggle to hide his evident surprise at her demand, and blatant insult, and inwardly punched the air in triumph, delighted to take this guy down a peg or two.
“Look I aint kidding, I’ve been in this game a very long time. It’s not for the weak.”
Her anger flared and she stepped toward him, glaring fiercely up at him, “I am not weak.”
“But you do leave yourself wide open,” he said, this time tossing her bag back at her.
How the hell was he doing this!
The young man laughed at her reaction and Levy couldn’t help noticing how much softer it made his expression. This man seemed to be all hard edges and cold looks but Levy got the sense there was something much more to him. She blushed furiously as she realised he had stopped laughing and had noticed her blatant staring.
“What’s your name?” he asked, serious once more.
“Levy.”
“Well Short-arse, the idea is to grab their attention, hold it and make them believe you’re really focused on them,” he said, taking a step closer to her, and capturing her eyes with his. Levy absent-mindedly took a step back, wondering if this man’s eyes could possibly have a hint of red to them.
“Mark those with a blatant weakness. If they’re lonely - then you’re the only woman in the world who could take away that feeling. Insecure? Give them security,” he continued still advancing toward her, truly captivating in his intensity.
“Be confident. Get their trust and they’re all yours.”
Levy’s back touched the cool concrete of the wall, shaking her from the almost trance like state she had been in. The man smirked at her and she glared back, frustrated at how her wits had abandoned her in the presence of this man who simply exuded confidence.
“See you around Levy.”
With that, he turned on his heel and strode away from her, leaving Levy all sorts of riled up and then he made it worse.
“Oh, nearly forgot,” he called back to her, spinning round, holding up a small blue purse, her goddamn purse!
She would have laughed if she hadn’t been so annoyed and humiliated, in three quick strides, she snatched it out of his hand.
“You have some nerve-whatever your name is,” she said pathetically, distress evident in her tone.
“I grew up on these streets, and I have always been taken advantage of by assholes like you,” her voice wavered and a single tear slipped down her cheek.
The man looked completely taken aback and clearly uncomfortable as he avoided looking her in the eye.
“I, uh, I-,” he stammered, scratching the back of his head, his expression pained.
Levy couldn’t help the smile that jumped to her lips, “or so they always thought.”
Placing one hand on her hip, she held up the other, letting his watch dangle from her fingertips.
But to her surprise, the stranger smiled, his eyes glinting.
“Not bad kid. The name’s Gajeel, by the way.”
