Switchblade

Chapter 16: Warning

Denise woke up the next morning and began to get ready for the day.

She looked at her phone as she brushed her teeth and saw multiple notifications. Two missed calls and a voicemail.

The number was unknown but she decided to click on the voicemail while her phone rested on the counter, maybe it was the man who continued to demand money out of her.

"Mom, it's me. I'm okay, don't stress. You don't have to sell the restaurant."
She turned the volume up.
"He gave you six months to get the money, no raise in interest. Just keep working to get it like you did the last time but you don't have to sell the restaurant! Just get the 50,000 that's all."
She put down her toothbrush as she thought.
"Please don't sell the restaurant. He doesn't hurt me. Just think of it as I'm on vacation. Don't sell it."
The voicemail ended.

Denise quickly spit into the sink. She grabbed her phone and started dialing.

"Hello?" David answered.
"Hi, um good morning, I don't need your help anymore."
"I'm sorry?"
"With the restaurant. I'm not selling it. I'm keeping it."
"Oh?"
"But thank you for your patience and kindness." she stated.
"Yes, of course. I hope all works out for you."
"Thank you. Have a good day."
"You as well, Ms. Waters."
She hung up and rested with her hands on the counter. She thought about her next moves.

~•~

Killian walked into his uncle's office wearing a black compression shirt, navy blue sweatpants, and with his knuckles still wrapped.

"What are you doing?" Doc asked.
"You told me 9am. I workout from 7 to 9, it's either this or I show up late. And I ain't lettin' you shoot me in the foot." Killian explained.
Doc pinched the bridge of his nose. "I heard you got some girl you're watchin'."
"Yea." he answered as he began unwrapping his knuckles.
"Why?"
"Her mom owes money. Got her here as ransom."
"You've resorted to kidnapping?" Doc asked.
"You wanted me to break the old woman's legs?"
"And if the girl gets let free how do you know she won't run her mouth?"
Killian continued unwrapping his hands in silence.

"Where is she? Bring her in here." Doc instructed.

Killian slapped the wrappings onto the desk then walked out of the room.

Tati was laying on the floor again, still restless as she hadn't slept like the night before.
She hoped her mother saw the message she'd left.

She heard someone slide a key into the doorknob but she refused to sit up. She just assumed it was just Killian.

Which it was.

He opened the door and rested his arm against the doorframe.
"Get up." he commanded.
"Why?"
"You have somewhere to be."
She lifted her head to look at him with a confused and bothered expression.

Then she saw him standing there in a tight short sleeved shirt. She averted her eyes to not be caught staring and even rolled them before she just laid back down. Ignoring his very nice physique of large biceps, strong forearms, broad shoulders, six abs, small waist, and large pecs.

"Drown." she instructed.

Killian didn't feel like arguing with her.
He walked inside and towards her.
Tati flinched when she felt two hands grab onto her waist.
"What the hell are you doing?!" she yelled and attempted to peel at his fingers. She was quickly thrown over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"MOTHERFUCKER!" she shouted. "PUT ME DOWN!"
He walked out of the room and shut the door, not paying her squirming and yelling any mind.

"LET ME GO, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" She forced the sides of her fists into his strong back.
He didn't bat an eye while they waited for the elevator.
"LET ME GO! FUCK YOU! PUT ME DOWN!" she shouted. He stepped into the metal box once its doors opened.

"I FUCKING HATE YOU! I'M GONNA BEAT YOUR FUCKING ASS!" she yelled. He pressed the floor button.
The elevator went down.

They arrived on the proper floor and got out with Tati still shouting and swinging. She kept attempting to kick him but it was useless without the help of her hips.
People in the hallway watched the woman squirm as he carried her on his shoulder. He did so casually with one arm around her waist and the other with its hand in his pocket.

He put her down once they made it to Doc's office door.

She stared up at him, angrily.
He looked down at her but his glance was interrupted by a slap across his face.
He sighed with a turned head and a surprised smile on his face.

"Carry me again and I'm gonna kick your ass." she threatened.

He grabbed her jaw roughly and pulled their faces close.

They stared into one another's eyes.
"What're you gonna do, hit me?" she asked.
"You treat me like you really hope that I do." he responded.
She didn't answer.
"Is that some kinda kink for you?"
She was quiet still.
"Hm?" He shook her face. "Get the man with more power than you who's stronger than you and crazier than you to wanna slit your throat?"
Her eyes looked away.
"Look at me." His hand pulled out the knife he always carried in his pocket right next to her bedroom key. It flicked open and slid gently down her cheek.
She shakily brought her eyes back to him.
"You called me crazy for kidnapping you but I don't think you know what crazy is or else you wouldn't keep testin' me." He held the knife so the point poked into her cheek.
She still hadn't said a word but he could feel her shaking.
"Apologize for threatening me."
"N-..." She cleared her throat. "Not for slapping you?" she asked.
"No, I liked that part." He smiled.

She looked away again.

"Are you gonna make me repeat myself?" He forced the knife in further.
"I'm sorry for threatening you..." she said reluctantly.
"Good girl."
He closed the knife and put it back in his pocket.

She felt his hand let her face go and he grabbed onto the door handle instead.
He turned her around to walk into the office.

Tati saw the older man sitting at a desk. His head lifted to see them and she flinched when she heard the door close.

"What's your name, girl?" Doc asked.
She was annoyed by the term 'girl' but she recently learned to pick her battles.
"Tatiana..." she answered.
"Your face is bleeding."
She lifted a finger and touched her cheek, feeling the wetness. She looked at it and saw a red dot.
A thumb swiped across her face. "She's fine." Killian said after he cleaned it up.
She didn't know he had actually made an incision.

"Tatiana, I heard you're here for business reasons."
She didn't answer.
"I brought you here so you could look me in my eyes while I say this."
Killian held her face gently in his hand to make sure it faced his uncle as he spoke.
She took a deep breath but didn't fight him.
"When you leave here...if...you leave here...you tell no one what you saw. You don't talk about your experience here. You don't tell how many men you met. You don't even tell them what color the walls are." he stated.
Tati continued to hold eye contact.
"Because if you leave here, and anything changes, I'll know who caused it. And I will not have a hard time finding where you live. Where you run to. Or where you moved. And I will harm a lot of people to get to you." he promised.
She took a deep breath.
"I'm sure you're not idiotic. You look like a smart girl. I don't think you'd underestimate what I'm telling you, but just in case..."

Doc's eyes looked at Killian.

Killian took his knife back out and flicked it open.
Tati flinched but her face was still in his hand. He turned her head to the side and gave a quick slice. She winced at the cut on her jaw.

Doc went into his drawer and pulled out a folded handkerchief. He held it at Tati. Killian let her go.
Doc waved his hand for her to grab it quickly.
She walked over to him and took it.
"It'll heal." he stated.
She held the cloth against her jaw to stop the bleeding.

"You may leave."

Killian held the door open and Tati turned around to walk out.