A Dark Beginning: A China Dark Novel by Paula Hawkes

attracted to taking and owning pictures of her, ones that her husband had never seen and didn’t know were being taken. If that became public in any way it would certainly take a little explaining, but China had some ready prepared ideas should that unlikely event ever occur. The photographs were to be a secret present for her husband.
    There was no misconception in China as she got ready for work that morning, taking a little extra care with her hair and make-up, carefully selecting her work outfit, one of her best, smart and just the right amount of sexy, just in case.
    Later that day China left work a little early to go to the café for her coffee. Devak quietly served her; he seemed so much quieter these days. She had hardly noticed before but today, as he silently brought her drink to her table with only the slightest of polite smiles and the barest nod of the head in acknowledgement, she realized that she hadn’t spoken to Devak in nearly a week. She rested a hand on his arm as he placed the cup on the table.
    “Hello, Dev,” she said. “How are you?” She instilled as much kindness and concern in her voice as she could. He looked down at where she was touching his arm, his eyes sad. He withdrew his arm and looked her in the face, regaining his composure.
    “I’m fine thank you, lady.” But there was none of the usual friendliness in his tone of voice. Perfect civility of course, but devoid of any emotion other than a barely detectable tinge of melancholy. He withdrew back into the dark recesses of the café, and China felt a stab of sadness herself as if she had just lost something important.
    Mark swaggered up at the usual time, the broadest of grins on his face. This annoyed China for reasons she didn’t know at first. Then she realized she was annoyed because the smile was one of knowledgeable arrogance, as if he knew he had won an important point in the game.
    “We’re all set up,” he said. “How much time have you got?”
    His continued smug grin annoyed China even more, especially as she couldn’t help her body’s reaction to how handsome his smile made him look. Anger and lust were a potent mix.
    “Surely you didn’t mean today? Not now?”
    “Why not? Do you have to get back?”
    “I might. Er, I don’t know. Possibly,” she said, blustering, looking for an excuse but not sure she wanted to actually use one. “I suppose we could do it today, if we’re quick.”
    “Hey. Never rush an artist. Come on, you can drink the coffee while we work.”
    China stood up a little too eagerly for her own liking, straightening her clothes and throwing some money down on the table to pay for the coffee. She left the cup on the table. After all it wasn’t a take away cup. Mark hadn’t thought of that, she told herself with a touch of resentment. Feeling rather peeved that she wasn’t getting to drink her coffee she let Mark take her hand and pull her reluctantly down the street.
    “Where are we going?”
    “The landlord of the pub I work at lets me use his upstairs room for my work.”
    China stopped dead in the street. “Wait. We’re not doing this outside?”
    “No. My work needs full control over light and background.”
    China thought about her promise to herself as she had sat watching the news on Friday. Exactly how was this ‘being more careful’? She would be alone with a man she barely knew. But then she reminded herself that she had already been alone with him when he had helped her with her ankle the week before. It wasn’t as if Mark was a killer. That was a ridiculous thought that even the most cautious side of her couldn’t entertain. He had been kind to her the last time they were alone, and he hadn’t taken advantage, although she secretly believed she might have let him if he had tried. Maybe that was what was worrying her, not Mark’s actions, not his strength, not any criminal proclivities he might have, but her weakness of will in his presence. She was potentially