Private Tales Money of Clandestine Means

[Inara Irren]

Inara was tired but she wanted him more than she wanted sleep. She dropped the towel that she had wrapped around her body and stepped forward towards Max.

"Is that so?"

She pulled his towel off in a single movement before grabbing his hand and leading him out of the washroom.

 

[Max Kouser]

Max normally awoke before first light and was already productive.
But he'd been thoroughly exhausted by yesterday's killing and the evenings lovemaking.
He slept in well after the sunrise and might have slept till the afternoon if his habit of waking up early didn't compel him.

He awoke around the ten o'clock hour in Inara's bed. He could hear the church bells announcing the hour in the distance and he listened to the tolling till the final notes faded.
He then opened his eyes to take in his surroundings.

 

[Inara Irren]

At some point during the night Inara had cuddled up against Max. When he stirred, she slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him with a small smile.

There was a part of her that still panicked at the thought of the new direction their relationship had taken. She was not worried about what people thought or even about her father but she was worried about Max. He was a reckless wildcard and that both worried and excited her.

"Good morning," Inara said before she shifted so she was laying a little on top of him so she could look at his face.

 

[Max Kouser]

"Good morning,"

He smirked as her weight let him know she was still in bed before his eyes landed on her and her voice registered.
"If you say it is, then it must be true."

He appreciated her closeness. Sometime during the night he must have got under the blankets with her.
He reached a hand towards her face but hesitated... It wasn't so simple to forgive someone... Forgiveness was never a one time thing, he had to keep forgiving her in his head until it stuck.

He caressed her face, his thumb tracing down her cheek.
"What are you thinking about?"

 

[Inara Irren]

"If you say it is, then it must be true."

Inara just let out a soft chuckle at his words. She could have easily fallen back asleep right here on his chest as she felt his heartbeat under her hand.

"What are you thinking about?"

She leaned into his palm slight and closed her eyes. He touched her so gently...sometimes.

"This. Us. The future." Inara said with a sigh.

Yes, they had made a deal last night. It was a strange way to start a relationship but they were both business minded...him more so than her.

"If you truly forgive me and want me or if you just really wanted to fuck Marcus' daughter..."

 

[Max Kouser]

"This. Us. The future." Inara said with a sigh.

Yes, they had made a deal last night. It was a strange way to start a relationship but they were both business minded...him more so than her.

"If you truly forgive me and want me or if you just really wanted to fuck Marcus' daughter..."

He shook his head.
"It's you I hated, not Marcus.
No, I fucked you because I wanted to hate you, I thought you were to blame all along and to be so thoroughly wrong made me angry."
The memory of his anger and the wrongs done to him made him tense and for a moment, he wanted to put his hands on her throat... But she wasn't to blame, so for the second time that morning he forgave her.

"Fucking Marcus's daughter doesn't do me much good... Not unless you and I set our ambitions a little higher..."
His expression wasn't hard, but she could tell that his mind was on business.
"... That aside. Lord Clydus is going to be visited in his townhouse soon after we get back to work, and his guards won't be able to do a thing. He'll receive a very clear message which he will comply with, or face complete ruin which may include being disowned by his father and exclusion from his inheritance."

He took his hand from her face and laced his fingers under his head as he gazed at the ceiling, visualizing how they will teach Lord Clydus a lesson with a neutral expression.

"He'll fall under our thumb, or he'll lose everything. I think that should compensate him for cutting you open, bruising you, putting a knife in your leg and shooting me, getting blood on my favorite suit and messing up my hair."
He spoke in complete seriousness.

 

[Inara Irren]

"It's you I hated, not Marcus.
No, I fucked you because I wanted to hate you, I thought you were to blame all along and to be so thoroughly wrong made me angry."

"Fucking Marcus's daughter doesn't do me much good... Not unless you and I set our ambitions a little higher..."

Inara just stared at him with a look of exasperation in her hazel eyes.

"Such a romantic," she said as kissed his bare chest softly.

"... That aside. Lord Clydus is going to be visited in his townhouse soon after we get back to work, and his guards won't be able to do a thing. He'll receive a very clear message which he will comply with, or face complete ruin which may include being disowned by his father and exclusion from his inheritance."

"He'll fall under our thumb, or he'll lose everything. I think that should compensate him for cutting you open, bruising you, putting a knife in your leg and shooting me, getting blood on my favorite suit and messing up my hair."

"I have never had a man avenge me before," Inara winked at him. "I like how you act like you didn't enjoy killing all those men. I am starting to figure out what you really did for my father before I got here."

 

[Max Kouser]

"I have never had a man avenge me before," Inara winked at him.

He looked down at her laying against his chest.
"This is as much for the Syndicate as it is for you. We run a scamming racket, but that doesn't mean we face consequences when we get caught, it means we are the fucking Syndicate and we do what we fucking want."

"I like how you act like you didn't enjoy killing all those men. I am starting to figure out what you really did for my father before I got here."

He grinned evilly at her, "And maybe you figured out why Marcus naturally came to me first the minute you came into his life. He puts me in charge of protecting everything he holds close, that's how much he fucking trusts me."
He enjoyed every second of it. His hands didn't shake whenever he killed a man, it wasn't because killing meant nothing to him, but because it meant everything to him.

But it wasn't just the killing... He knew for a fact that at least three of those men are still alive, including Clydus's man.
It was the terrorism he relished as well! The power that he gained through fear!
One man would have to drink his food through a straw, the other will be blind and horribly scarred on his face... And Clydus's man... Well, he could look Clydus in the face, but nobody could look him in the face save from a certain angle.

The wonders of healing magic could only repair so much.

His grin vanished as quickly as it appeared.
"I never fight the same man twice... When I win, I win all future battles."

 

[Inara Irren]

"This is as much for the Syndicate as it is for you. We run a scamming racket, but that doesn't mean we face consequences when we get caught, it means we are the fucking Syndicate and we do what we fucking want."

"I was joking," Inara said with a small shake of her head. He needed to learn how to relax and laugh a little. He was so uptight all the time.

"And maybe you figured out why Marcus naturally came to me first the minute you came into his life. He puts me in charge of protecting everything he holds close, that's how much he fucking trusts me."

"Then why were you so mad at me? You know my job is sitting behind a desk most of the time, right? I do not get to go out and kill people. I think you would have been quite bored with it."

"I never fight the same man twice... When I win, I win all future battles."

"Max, do you ever relax?" Inara asked finally. "Do you have fun? Besides killing people!" She quickly added on the last bit.

 

[Max Kouser]

"I was joking,"

Max shook his head.
"No, you weren't. You said nobody has ever avenged you before, that obviously wasn't a lie, Inara."

"Then why were you so mad at me? You know my job is sitting behind a desk most of the time, right? I do not get to go out and kill people. I think you would have been quite bored with it."

"I did just fine with desk work until you came along. I hade to work my way up to get to where I was, and that meant that I sat behind a desk and made things happen from there. I was damned good at it too."
Making people fear him was the easiest way to control people, he could do that himself or he could ride on the terrifying reputation of the Syndicate. Earning respect took longer but it also made people listen to him, so he earned a lot of fear and respect on his road to the top and he used both to control people.

Really, his love of killing and terrorism could be summed up in one thing: The Love of Power.
Killing was power over the lives of others, terror was power over the will of others.
What the Syndicate had was power, and he wanted as much as possible.

"Max, do you ever relax?" Inara asked finally. "Do you have fun? Besides killing people!" She quickly added on the last bit.

He smirked at her.
"Of course I do. I fuck when I'm horny, I drink when I want to get drunk, I smoke to think, I attend parties when I want to socialize and dance and then fuck again.
Inara, this little piece of Alliria is part of the Syndicate empire, where you and I are lords and ladies. We work to keep it that way, but we can do whatever the fuck we want the rest of the time."
He glided his hand up from her naked hip to her bare breast on his chest.
"Fucking you is yet another thing I now get to do for fun. And I fully intend to fuck you every opportunity we get.
But for now, we need another bath, and I need a cloak so I can go home and get dressed. We have a lord to ruin and more scams to run."
He rolled them over so he was on top and let his weight crush her into the mattress a moment as he pressed a kiss to her lips before climbing out of the bed and walking nude to the door.

 

[Inara Irren]

"No, you weren't. You said nobody has ever avenged you before, that obviously wasn't a lie, Inara."

"I meant that I was giving you a hard time. I was," Inara paused searching for the right word since joking hadn't been it. "I was trying to make you laugh, Max."

"I did just fine with desk work until you came along. I hade to work my way up to get to where I was, and that meant that I sat behind a desk and made things happen from there. I was damned good at it too."

Inara thought it was best to not comment. She hated sitting at a desk but if she said he could have her job, he would just get upset again. Better to be quiet.

"Of course I do. I fuck when I'm horny, I drink when I want to get drunk, I smoke to think, I attend parties when I want to socialize and dance and then fuck again.
Inara, this little piece of Alliria is part of the Syndicate empire, where you and I are lords and ladies. We work to keep it that way, but we can do whatever the fuck we want the rest of the time."
He glided his hand up from her naked hip to her bare breast on his chest.
"Fucking you is yet another thing I now get to do for fun. And I fully intend to fuck you every opportunity we get.
But for now, we need another bath, and I need a cloak so I can go home and get dressed. We have a lord to ruin and more scams to run."

He had a point. She had just seen him angry more than anything else. Hopefully that would change now.

"Yes, bath and cloak," she agreed and scooted out of the bed once he had walked off.

A while later, they were both clean and she had found a cloak that he could use to get home without getting arrested for walking around nude.

"Are you coming back here when you are ready?" Inara asked as she handed him the cloak.

 

[Max Kouser]

"Are you coming back here when you are ready?" Inara asked as she handed him the cloak.

He accepted the cloak and wrapped it tightly around himself to cover his nudity.
"No. I'll return your cloak when I see you at the office. I have some stops to make on the way to start things rolling."
He glanced over his knives and weapons still laid out on her table. He took only his knuckles and slipped them over his fingers.
"I'll be back here tonight to collect the rest when I have pockets again."
He looked at her meaningfully.
"Marcus doesn't hear about yesterday, and he doesn't hear about us, not yet. Are we on the same page?"

 

[Inara Irren]

"Marcus doesn't hear about yesterday, and he doesn't hear about us, not yet. Are we on the same page?"

Inara nodded. Of course she was not going to tell her father about yesterday and she certainly was not going to tell her that she and her bodyguard were together. That was a conflict of interest if there ever was one.

"I will see you at the office, Max," she said before she disappeared back into her room to get herself dressed and ready for the office. She could only hope that she would not run into Marcus and he would not ask her about yesterday.

Once she thought she was presentable, she set off to the office to wait for Max. Luckily, she did not run into her father and she settled herself behind her desk to start some paperwork.

So. Much. Paperwork.

 

[Max Kouser]

"I will see you at the office, Max,"

He grunted and went out the door.
He kept to back alleys and streets to travel discreetly.
The breeze on his exposed parts was an uncommon sensation and not an overly pleasant one. But it was a necessary precaution to avoid suspicion, nothing to be done about it.

He found his way back to his lodging quickly. He disarmed the traps and let himself in, he finally enclosed himself in his own little fortress of safety.
Everything was in place, none of the traps or alarms have been triggered.

His place was plushely furnished and well kept, a high class home in the middle class levels of Alliria.
He changed into a fresh grey suite and finally properly groomed himself, meticulously combing and cleaning his hair and skin. No sign of blood or dishevelment remained, his hair styled to the side.

Finally he opened a wooden box and refilled his cigar case with fresh high quality cigars.
Immediately he lit one up and took a long drag on it, as if trying to clear his lungs of the inferior cigarettes he had yesterday.
He dragged so hard that he felt the smoke burning his lungs but he endured, coughing up smoke a little to complete the purge before taking a regular drag and letting the smoke drift up to the ceiling from his mouth.
He sighed and let the smoke pour back out of his lungs as he could feel the stress leaving his body.

He nearly lost her twice yesterday... That wasn't like him.

He crushed out the cigar and left it smoldering in the tray. He reset his traps and left his house. He got his horse from the local stable and got to work.
He made several stops on the way to the office, enlisting the employment of several individuals he trusted with the jobs he gave them.
His last stop was at the office where a stable boy took his horse and a tip and Max strode through the building to once again come full circle and stand in front of Inara in her office, only this time he didn't practically kick the door down.

The first thing he saw was a mountain of paper, the second thing he saw was a disheartened Inara doggedly working through them.
"Boss, this a good time?"

 

[Inara Irren]

"Boss, this a good time?"

Inara looked up from the papers when Max spoke and gave him a small smile.

“Yeah, come in, Max,” she said with a wave of her hand.

She, honestly, had no idea how much time had passed since she had entered this office but she was on the verge of falling asleep.

She hated sitting behind a desk so much.

“Did you get what you needed?”

 

[Max Kouser]

Inara looked up from the papers when Max spoke and gave him a small smile.

“Yeah, come in, Max,” she said with a wave of her hand.

She, honestly, had no idea how much time had passed since she had entered this office but she was on the verge of falling asleep.

She hated sitting behind a desk so much.

“Did you get what you needed?”

He nodded and shut the door behind him.
"I've got people laying down the groundwork as we speak."
Normally bribes would be tried first to get protection to stand down, but Max wasn't feeling so charitable. He went straight for the throat, kidnapping and threatening family members, threatening personal injury or ruin if family weren't available. He could imagine at least a few of Clydus's guardsmen getting his shins kicked in at a tavern as they spoke.

"They'll let us know when they're ready to begin the final "negotiations" with Clydus. It may take a few days to get to everyone on his staff, but it'll be worth the wait. I'll want to be there, and I assume you would as well."
Let someone else hold the garrote this time, it made little difference to him.

He looked over the mess on the table and at how stressed she was over the work.
He could help her with her work, or he could "help" her with her stress... But then very little work would get done.
He pulled up a chair and an extra pen and ink and commandeered two of the stacks she was working on.
He worked silently and efficiently, keeping everything in order to fit seamlessly with the work she'd already completed.

Most of the paperwork were reimbursement receipts, regular expenses of some of the con men who worked under their department. Other paperwork included signing off on gambling winnings, fixed horse races, rigged underground fighting rings, the beast fights were growing in popularity as well amongst the underworld and could be rigged just as easily as a normal fight.

For a long moment the only sounds in the room were their two pens scribbling on paper.

 

[Inara Irren]

"I've got people laying down the groundwork as we speak."

Inara nodded at his answer then turned her attention back to her paperwork. She was thankful for the network he had built. She needed him as more than a body guard and she was glad they were past the hatred part of their relationship.

"They'll let us know when they're ready to begin the final "negotiations" with Clydus. It may take a few days to get to everyone on his staff, but it'll be worth the wait. I'll want to be there, and I assume you would as well."

She stopped writing and looked up at Max again.

"You assumed correctly, Max." She said in a deadpan.

Inara watched him pull up a chair and take two of her stacks. She was now extra thankful for him.

The silence was broken when her office door was opened without a knock or announcement. She looked up to see her father glowering at her before his attention shifted to Max and his frown grew deeper.

"Good, you are both here," Marcus Irren said as he shut the office door behind him.

Inara could not help but tense as she set her pen down. "Yes, Marcus?" She asked with more respect than she had ever used with anyone else. She had refused to call him father in the office. It was not happening.

"What the fuck happened with the weasley Lord Clydus yesterday?" Inara looked at Max and then back to her father.

 

[Max Kouser]

Good, you are both here," Marcus Irren said as he shut the office door behind him.

Inara could not help but tense as she set her pen down. "Yes, Marcus?" She asked with more respect than she had ever used with anyone else. She had refused to call him father in the office. It was not happening.

"What the fuck happened with the weasley Lord Clydus yesterday?" Inara looked at Max and then back to her father.

Max didn’t show any sign that he acknowledged that Marcus had entered, except to look directly at Inara with a meaningful expression that said “work with me”.

Max had been running this scenario in his head all morning.
He pushed his chair back and stood to face Marcus.
“Sir, if you’re referring to the reason the fleet offer didn’t go through, the one in one-hundred chance that it would go wrong occurred. He heard that the fleet sank before I arrived, and turned down the offer.”
There was a chance Marcus didn’t know any details which is likely why he was here, so if he didn’t know, then there wasn’t a reason to let him know that Inara was present as well. No need to assume what he knew.

He met his bosses gaze evenly, his expression indicated that he was as angry about the turn of events as Marcus was.
“Lord Clydus likely didn’t know he was dealing with the Syndicate before he had his men draw swords on me, I’m making sure he’s aware of that fact as we speak, sir.”
If Marcus knew Max understood one thing, it was that the Syndicate had a reputation that couldn’t be stained without severe consequences. There was a certain amount of grace in this day and age, heroes and powerful vigilantes were practically around every corner, so when things go wrong it could be understood as unavoidable. Who could stand up to literal dragon slayers on the streets?

So a simple tip-off was relatively good fortune in many cases, which is what Max was starting to suspect the more he thought about it.

 

[Inara Irren]

Inara did not speak and she almost let out a sigh of relief when he stood up and address Marcus.

“Sir, if you’re referring to the reason the fleet offer didn’t go through, the one in one-hundred chance that it would go wrong occurred. He heard that the fleet sank before I arrived, and turned down the offer.”

“Lord Clydus likely didn’t know he was dealing with the Syndicate before he had his men draw swords on me, I’m making sure he’s aware of that fact as we speak, sir.”

Marcus was silent for a minute before he turned his dark eyes on Inara. Max had done a perfect job of telling the truth without telling all of the truth. Thank the gods he was a quick learner.

"Were you there, Inara?"

Inara stood slowly and nodded.

"Is he accurate in his recollection?"

"Yes, he is," Inara answered her father.

Marcus looked satisfied at both of their answers but there was still something on his mind. Inara had not known him long but he was not great at hiding his emotions around her.

"Is there something else?" Inara prompted.

"I heard there was something else that happened later in the day and I am just wondering if Max is going to lie to me about it when I ask him in order to protect you," Marcus answered and Inara immediately felt sick to her stomach.

Fuck.

 

[Max Kouser]

Inara did not speak and she almost let out a sigh of relief when he stood up and address Marcus.




Marcus was silent for a minute before he turned his dark eyes on Inara. Max had done a perfect job of telling the truth without telling all of the truth. Thank the gods he was a quick learner.

"Were you there, Inara?"

Inara stood slowly and nodded.

"Is he accurate in his recollection?"

"Yes, he is," Inara answered her father.

Whew… if that was all then they actually pulled it off!
Max wasn’t looking forward to a fight with Marcus if it came down to it…

Marcus looked satisfied at both of their answers but there was still something on his mind. Inara had not known him long but he was not great at hiding his emotions around her.

Shit… Marcus knew more, Max could tell he wasn’t done yet!

"Is there something else?" Inara prompted.

"I heard there was something else that happened later in the day and I am just wondering if Max is going to lie to me about it when I ask him in order to protect you," Marcus answered and Inara immediately felt sick to her stomach.

Fuck.

Max quickly murdered the panic that momentarily rose in his chest. He had to be on his toes.
“With respect, sir. Protecting her IS the job you gave me.”
Indicating that if lying achieved that goal, he’d do it.

He’d known Marcus for a while, and while this caring father shtick was new to him, he felt he knew the man pretty well, they’d shared some laughs in the past and Max had always been willing to go above and beyond when it came to working for Marcus.
“You can ask Inara, She’s never been safer since the day you put her under my protection.”
Which Inara herself learned fairly recently. If she hadn’t been an idiot she wouldn’t have gotten hurt in the first place.

How the hell did he know about anything that happened afterwards?
Max was fairly certain that nobody followed them or even tailed them… What did Marcus know? What was he getting at?

 

[Inara Irren]

“With respect, sir. Protecting her IS the job you gave me.”

Marcus let an evil smirk cross his face but he did not speak yet. He enjoyed letting the tension grow.

That was the look that Inara never wanted to see when it was directed at her. She was still rigid as she waited for the other shoe to drop. For whatever Marcus was going to do to her and Max...well...mostly Max.

“You can ask Inara, She’s never been safer since the day you put her under my protection.”

Marcus did not need to ask Inara. He knew that his daughter was safe with Max and Max would die before he let permanent harm come to Inara. He just enjoyed fucking with the man sometimes.

"I am glad you are understanding your new, infinity more important role here, Max," Marcus said before turning to leave.

He only made a few steps before he stopped and turned around to look Max dead in the eye. "Oh and if Clydus happens to die while you are politely informing him that fucking with the Syndicate and Marcus Irren's daughter was a poor choice...I will not be upset..." He let the words hang in the air and then he was gone.

Inara let out the breath she had been holding as soon as the door clicked shut. Her heart was still racing as she looked at Max and just started laughing. She couldn't help it. She had been terrified that Marcus was going to kill the man.

 

[Max Kouser]

Marcus let an evil smirk cross his face but he did not speak yet. He enjoyed letting the tension grow.

That was the look that Inara never wanted to see when it was directed at her. She was still rigid as she waited for the other shoe to drop. For whatever Marcus was going to do to her and Max...well...mostly Max.



Marcus did not need to ask Inara. He knew that his daughter was safe with Max and Max would die before he let permanent harm come to Inara. He just enjoyed fucking with the man sometimes.

Max wasn’t getting the sense that they were in trouble, and that smirk all but confirmed it. But still, one couldn’t be too sure.

"I am glad you are understanding your new, infinitely more important role here, Max," Marcus said before turning to leave.

Max relaxed… until what Marcus said sunk in and panic entered his eyes as Marcus turned to leave.
“Wait just a min…!”
Max tried to protest but Marcus turned and spoke again.

He only made a few steps before he stopped and turned around to look Max dead in the eye. "Oh and if Clydus happens to die while you are politely informing him that fucking with the Syndicate and Marcus Irren's daughter was a poor choice...I will not be upset..." He let the words hang in the air and then he was gone.

Inara let out the breath she had been holding as soon as the door clicked shut. Her heart was still racing as she looked at Max and just started laughing. She couldn't help it. She had been terrified that Marcus was going to kill the man.

Max’s heart sank.
"I am glad you are understanding your new, infinitely more important role here, Max,"
Damnit. He was too zealous, made it seem like he was content with where he was. Sure, he didn’t hate her and he didn’t mind protecting her, but he didn’t want to remain beneath her!

He couldn’t join in Inara’s laughter, he stared at the door where Marcus had disappeared, considering the option of running after him and explaining his position to his boss… but that wouldn’t do any good.
A little dejected he turned back to the desk and sat down, picking up the pen he couldn’t decide if he wanted to kill or fuck something.
But his expression was not hidden, he seemed more disturbed by this turn of events than if Marcus had told them he knew they fucked last night.

 

[Inara Irren]

Inara noticed that something was wrong with Max immediately. She walked over to his chair and leaned against the desk in front of him so he had no choice but to look at her.

“What did he say?” She asked as she studied his handsome face. “He basically told you good job and didn’t get mad that I got kidnapped and tortured on your watch…”

She thought that had gone exceeding well. Max didn’t agree though. She could easily see that.

 

[Max Kouser]

Inara noticed that something was wrong with Max immediately. She walked over to his chair and leaned against the desk in front of him so he had no choice but to look at her.

She got right in his face, he scoffed and tried to laugh it off but she wasn’t relenting.

“What did he say?” She asked as she studied his handsome face. “He basically told you good job and didn’t get mad that I got kidnapped and tortured on your watch…”

She thought that had gone exceeding well. Max didn’t agree though. She could easily see that.

He looked away from her and folded his arms.
“He said, “good job Max, I should keep you where you are, apparently your good at this, no need to promote you.”.”
He twisted the pen in his hand.

He sighed, “That’s what I get for being a fucking “Yes Man”. I should have kept my damned mouth shut.”

 

[Inara Irren]

“He said, “good job Max, I should keep you where you are, apparently your good at this, no need to promote you.”

“That’s what I get for being a fucking “Yes Man”. I should have kept my damned mouth shut.”

Inara looked at him with an incredulous look and reached down to grasp his chin and make him look at her.

“Max, I can guarantee you that is not what he meant,” she started. “He meant that he would accept your lies if it meant you were protecting me. He meant that he trusts you so fucking much that your insubordination is allowed. He meant that you are the second most important person in his organization and the third in his life.”

Inara leaned in and kissed him softly. Marcus was a man who left much unsaid. You could read between the lines based on the look on his face and his tone when he spoke. His tone had been one of pride in Max.

She was, of course, right…for the record.

“He gave you permission to kill a Lord in spite of any possible blow back for fucks sake!”