09-21-2022, 11:42 PM
For now, Adrian was still hooked to Natalie’s intrigue, but she was incorrect about his mood. He wasn’t bored. He was on the cusp of deciding whether or not the remainder of their conversation was worth the effort. He’d not wanted to come away from the night empty handed. In Manifesto, he might have left with more than one venture to add to his portfolio. Not that contacts weren’t valuable, and the daughter of the Custody was indeed a prized hub of information for the future. Adrian was willing to walk away with nothing except a future ally, but he preferred more. So what did he want out of this? It certainly wasn’t to be a sub-contractor.
He scrubbed his chin thoughtfully. It was a quick that he hated about himself, feeling like it made him look like an old man. As soon as he realized it, he thrust his hand into one pocket. Truthfully, he didn’t really know what he wanted beyond spending more time with her. There was no doubting that he was attracted to Natalie, but it was more than the enticement of a pretty face. There were plenty of mindless, pretty faces in Manifesto. He was drawn to her. An unaccustomed feeling. One he didn’t really understand, or like, per say. His curiosity over it was enough to justify the night’s dwelling.
Adrian’s approach to the game Natalie referenced was blunter than she probably expected. He wasn’t one to mince words without reason. Then again, his bluntness was always a carefully chosen tactic as well.
“You like me,” he told her. There was a smugness lightening his expression, but the confidence verged on charming more than cockiness.
“I think you wanted to show this to me because you want more than an investor, which you can get from anyone. I think you want someone unafraid to pull the strings of Moscow’s powerful. I am tempted, I admit, but I don’t know to what end,” he said, plainly wanting to know the long-game.
Once more, he approached. If she would but play the card he alluded to wanting, she would probably get the answer she desired. All she had to do was show the hand. There was no hint of the effect a second rejection would cause. He probably didn’t know himself.
He scrubbed his chin thoughtfully. It was a quick that he hated about himself, feeling like it made him look like an old man. As soon as he realized it, he thrust his hand into one pocket. Truthfully, he didn’t really know what he wanted beyond spending more time with her. There was no doubting that he was attracted to Natalie, but it was more than the enticement of a pretty face. There were plenty of mindless, pretty faces in Manifesto. He was drawn to her. An unaccustomed feeling. One he didn’t really understand, or like, per say. His curiosity over it was enough to justify the night’s dwelling.
Adrian’s approach to the game Natalie referenced was blunter than she probably expected. He wasn’t one to mince words without reason. Then again, his bluntness was always a carefully chosen tactic as well.
“You like me,” he told her. There was a smugness lightening his expression, but the confidence verged on charming more than cockiness.
“I think you wanted to show this to me because you want more than an investor, which you can get from anyone. I think you want someone unafraid to pull the strings of Moscow’s powerful. I am tempted, I admit, but I don’t know to what end,” he said, plainly wanting to know the long-game.
Once more, he approached. If she would but play the card he alluded to wanting, she would probably get the answer she desired. All she had to do was show the hand. There was no hint of the effect a second rejection would cause. He probably didn’t know himself.