Page 62 of Signed, I'm Yours!
I recognize how ironic it is that I’m telling him off for something I do regularly, but hey, supervillains are nothing if not contradictory.
“I apologize, sir. Mister? What do I call you?”
He seems genuinely baffled by that question and I guess it is time I set some rules in this partnership. It would also help to tell him how much I’ll pay him for his work.
“That’s very generous, Sinister,” he exclaims after I’ve laid down the law.
“Is it?” And here I thought a hundred thousand was a poor monthly salary. “How much did The Phantom pay you?”
Kevin dismisses the question with a chuckle.
“You don’t have to worry about him. He’s out there doing his own thing.”
I study Kevin for a minute. Has The Phantom come back for him? Is he lying to me?
“Fine. One-fifty, but that’s as high as I can go,” I tell him. I won’t have no supervillain steal my sidekick from me. Not when I’ve found the perfect guy.
“Oh.” Kevin nods and stares at the fruit bowl on the kitchen island for what feels like three hours.
Weird.
As if he’s too scared to look me in the eyes. I mean, I know I’m a formidable villain, but he’s my sidekick. All I need is for him to respect me and do as he’s told.
“What would you like me to start with, Sinister? Any feds you need to shake? Taxes to evade? Loans you’d like forgiven?”
“Those all sound great, but I’ve got a far more pressing issue,” I start.
My family first. Then crime. Right!
“Um…we got a problem.” Jack, enters the room behind me, wearing my pink robe—which is way too small for him—staring at his hands before he looks up at me.
“What?” I grab him by the wrist and push the sleeve up to find my signature.
The last thing I need right now is for it to be gone. I’m not ready to find out how much of what’s happened between us would continue if he’s no longer under my thrall, starting with calling the cops on me.
But no. My signature is still there, brighter than any of his older tattoos.
“What?” I ask him.
“Bob has told the entire office about the party.”
“What party?” But before he can answer, I remember.
The engagement party.
“Crap.”
“We need to do something,” he says.
I nod.
I had hoped I’d be done with Jack and the signature before dealing with the consequences of my lying, but what if this thing lasts longer than expected?
“Kevin.” I turn to my sidekick and purse my lips. “How are you at planning engagement parties?”
CHAPTER 12
JACK
