Alice adjusted the pale blue dress she'd just purchased, smoothing the fabric over her thighs as the limousine glided through Gotham's midday traffic. The shopping bags at her feet contained carefully chosen pieces—all designed to make her look younger, more innocent. More like the schoolgirl that Jarvis had fallen in love with all those years ago when he'd been her counselor at Gotham High.

  She caught her reflection in the tinted window and smiled softly, remembering that day at the mall when everything had changed. She'd been seventeen, sitting alone at the food court, angry at her parents for what they'd done to him. They'd called it inappropriate, said he'd maniputed her, but Alice knew better. What she and Jarvis had was real—pure love that her parents and the school administration were too blind to understand.

  Then suddenly, there he was, walking toward her with that gentle smile she'd missed so much during those awful months when they'd locked him away. He'd found her, just like he'd promised he would. And when he'd asked her to come with him, to start fresh somewhere new, she hadn't hesitated for a second.

  "Waylon," she said, her voice carrying that sweet, lilting quality that had always worked on men, "what do you think about that new girl? Tammy?"

  Waylon's massive hands tightened almost imperceptibly on the steering wheel. Even in his bck chauffeur's uniform, his size was intimidating—six-foot-eight of pure muscle, with skin that had an unusual, almost scaled texture that made most people uncomfortable. But Alice had never been most people. She saw the pliability beneath his imposing exterior, the way he looked at her with such devoted loyalty.

  "She seems nice enough," Waylon said carefully, his deep voice rumbling through the partition. He'd learned to be cautious when Alice started asking about other women.

  "Too nice," Alice murmured, running her fingers through her blonde hair. Tomorrow she'd have it styled in those perfect ringlets, maybe add some blue ribbon. Anything to keep Jarvis's attention where it belonged—on her, like it had been in those precious moments in his office when he'd made her feel so special, so understood.

  Alice's expression darkened. Her parents had never understood her the way Jarvis did. They'd been so quick to believe the worst, so eager to destroy something beautiful. But she'd proven them wrong by choosing love over their narrow-minded disapproval. She was happy now, happier than she'd ever been living under their suffocating rules.

  "Don't you think she's a little... forward? The way she looks at him?" Alice continued, watching Waylon's reaction in the mirror.

  Waylon's eyes flicked to the rearview mirror, meeting hers briefly. "If you say so, Miss Alice."

  Alice smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. Waylon was so wonderfully simple sometimes. Strong, loyal, and completely devoted to her. Especially after giving him her famous blowjobs that she was known for in her videos. He'd do anything she asked—had done anything she'd asked. The st three girls who'd gotten too close to Jarvis had simply... disappeared. Accidents, mostly. A slip on the stairs here, a runaway there. Waylon was very good at making her problems disappear.

  "We might need some new talent soon," Alice said, pressing her face closer to the window as they stopped at a red light. "Jarvis is always talking about expanding the business."

  The sidewalk was busy with midday pedestrians, but one pair caught her attention—a nervous-looking woman in her thirties walking hand-in-hand with a small girl, maybe ten years old. The woman kept gncing around anxiously, clutching her purse tightly against her side.

  Perfect, Alice thought. The woman looked like she could be easily handled, and Alice had gotten very good at spotting weakness.

  "Waylon, slow down," Alice said suddenly. "Pull over by that woman and the little girl."

  Waylon's jaw tensed, but he obeyed, easing the limousine to the curb. Alice powered down her window, putting on her brightest, most innocent smile—the same one that had first captured Jarvis's attention in the hallway outside his office.

  "Excuse me!" she called out, waving. "You look like you could use a ride!"

  The woman—clearly a nanny by her practical clothes and the way she hovered protectively over the child—stopped and looked nervously at the expensive car.

  "Oh, I don't know," the nanny said, instinctively pulling the little girl closer. "We're fine, thank you."

  "Come on," Alice insisted, her voice dripping with false concern. She'd learned from Jarvis how to read people, how to find their weaknesses and exploit them with just the right words. "The lunch rush is crazy, and these streets can be so overwhelming for a little one. I'd hate for you to get caught in all that chaos."

  Alice could see the internal struggle pying out on the woman's face—the practical part that knew better warring with the part that was tired, worried, and maybe a little desperate. It was the same look her parents had worn when they'd tried to convince her that Jarvis was dangerous. They simply couldn't understand what real love looked like.

  The nanny looked down at the girl, who was staring wide-eyed at the fancy car, then back at Alice's sweet, trustworthy face.

  "Where are you headed?" the woman asked hesitantly.

  "Wherever you need to go," Alice said warmly. "Really, it's no trouble at all. I just finished my own errands, and I love helping people when I can."

  Waylon had already gotten out and was moving around to open the rear door, his massive frame drawing curious stares from passersby. The nanny's eyes widened slightly as she took in his size, but Alice's cheerful voice drew her attention back.

  "My driver doesn't bite, I promise," Alice ughed, the sound musical and disarming. "He's a teddy bear, aren't you, Waylon?"

  "Yes, ma'am," Waylon rumbled, though his expression remained carefully neutral.

  Alice watched as the woman's resolve finally crumbled. The little girl was already tugging toward the open door, fascinated by the plush leather interior, and the nanny's practical concerns about navigating the busy streets won out over her instincts.

  "Well... if you're sure it's no trouble," the nanny said, allowing herself and the child to be guided toward the limousine.

  "No trouble at all," Alice purred, scooting over to make room as they climbed in. "I love helping people. My boyfriend always taught me that we have to take care of each other in this world—especially those who need it most."

  As Waylon closed the door and the limousine pulled back into traffic, Alice's smile widened. Sometimes the best opportunities just presented themselves, and Jarvis would be so proud of her initiative.