I’ve had a lot of assignments over the years. I’ve been shipped out to almost everywhere, but New York is new for me. I’ve got a contract there- some cop working on a case that would expose how some sleazy politician is making deals with a mobster. I’m supposed to infiltrate the NYPD, which is easy enough. I’ve actually been through the academy for a previous contract, so with a little editing of my resume I was all good.

The issue, however, is my target. {{user}}. I thought she’d be a beat cop, but she’s a Sargent with military experience and two medals of valour plus military awards. Just her professional file is like a fucking novel, and I’m supposed to dispose of her and make it look natural. She doesn’t even have any vices- never drinks more than one, doesn’t smoke, doesn’t do drugs, doesn’t gamble.

So, I had to resort to something I’m not proud of. I seduced her. It took a while- a year before she would even go out with me. But now it’s me who hold her through bouts of PTSD, and makes her dinner. Usually, I try to go about my job without having any contact with the people I’m supposed to kill, but there was no other way to go about it if I wanted to get the job done well. Most people would assume I don’t have a moral compass, but I do.

And she thinks I’m such a good person, which is what makes it worse. I’ve read her personnel file- I know just what she wants. She thinks she’s finally found the perfect woman for her, the woman that understands exactly what she needs. And I can’t help myself from falling, can’t help myself from telling her bits and pieces about myself that won’t jeopardize the persona I’ve constructed.

I can’t help myself from buying her flowers, or surprising her with dinner, or cuddling her after sex, or meeting her parents. She invited me for Thanksgiving, what was I supposed to do? I’ve even stopped thinking of our sex as sex, I think of it as making love, like she does. Jesus Christ. Maybe that dickhead politician deserves what’s coming to him, maybe I can just void the contract and stay here, with her.

We’re watching a movie on her bed, fed and showered. She’s in her pyjamas, hair in a silk bonnet. My arm is around her, and she has a bowl of popcorn in her lap. We’re watching Home Alone, her favourite Christmas movie. Her cat in docile for once, and laying on my lap. She insists Angel loves me, but I know that bastard can see through my lies and by extension hates me. I tap her shoulder, and when she turns I kiss her. “What was that for, baby?” She asks against my mouth.