Switchblade

Chapter 18: Playing Nice

Tati heard knocking on her door.

"Get dressed!" the man yelled then walked off.

She sighed since she had to actually start following directions now. But she got up and looked at the clothes on her bed.

Killian let her shower after she finished breakfast, so all she had to do was find what she wanted to wear. And what was actually her size.

She saw a lavender set that came with long thigh high lavender socks. She groaned at the idea that she had to keep wearing this in front of perverted grown men that don't respect women. But now she did it to get rid of Killian.

She stripped down to slide it on and wondered if Taylor would ask to do her makeup again. She didn't care if she had it or not. She mostly agreed to not seem rude.

She slid on the second sock and heard a knock on her door.
"Yes...?" she answered politely.
The key went into the doorknob so she knew it was Killian.
He opened it and saw her standing there in her attire.
"Shit..." he huffed.
She almost told him to shut up but instead she kept her mouth stitched shut.
"You got dressed without a fight?" he questioned.
"Yes..." she answered gently.
He stared at her face as she refused eye contact with him.
He ignored it.

"Let's go." he stated. He held the door open wide so she could lead the way.

Tati quickly grabbed a hoodie and pair of sweatpants to wear on top of her uniform before heading out. She planned to get fully dressed in the elevator.

~•~

The two arrived at the club and got out of the car.
They walked past the two bouncers standing at the entrance.

"Go get changed." Killian instructed.
"Okay." Tati followed directions and walked to the locker room.
He watched her with furrowed eyebrows.

She stepped down the hall and entered the room she was supposed to.

"Hey, Tati!" Suki greeted in the midst of the rest of the women's conversations.
"Hey, Tati." said Mariah with a smile.
"Hey." Tati replied.
She went to find a pair of shoes and change clothes.

As she stripped down to her uniform, she noticed that Taylor wasn't in the groups of women that walked in and out of the room. Or the ones that were getting dressed.

"Taylor isn't here?" she asked as she looked through the shoes.
"No, she's sick."
Tati nodded.

All she could find that was good enough were clear heels. She took note of the colors they had so she wouldn't go through another problem where the shoes didn't match her outfit.

She strapped the tall heels on then stood to leave.
In her way stood Chelsey.
"Move." Chelsey commanded.
Tati stared at her and waited to be moved.
Chelsey just continued to stare.
"That's what I thought." said Tati before she walked out of the locker room.

Killian was waiting like usual.
"You know where to go." he stated.
Tati began to walk off and felt a firm hand slap her ass as she did.
Her jaw clenched as she tried her hardest to ignore it and keep walking.
"Hm..." Killian noticed.

The two walked inside of the room.

Tati was about to head over to the bar until Killian pulled her back. He made her stand in front of him.
"Greet your customers." he said lowly onto her neck.
His hand held her waist and her body tensed the second it felt his touch.
The men stared and waited.
"Hi..." she said dryly.
"Oh, you can do better than that..." Killian assured her.
His hand went to the side strap of her lavender panties and held it cupped in his first two fingers. They slid side to side, feeling the thin fabric, trying to get a reaction out of her.
Tati took a deep and shaky breath. "Good evening, everyone. Let me know if you need anything..."
"Good to see you, Tatiana."
"Evenin', dollface."
Some of the men responded while they played their card game and the others eyed her and smoked their cigarettes.
Tati's ass pressed against Killian's crotch in the meantime. He held her hip underneath the panty strap. His fingers were just a millimeter away from the crevice between her thigh and private part.
"Atta girl. Go stand over there and wait to be called." he instructed. His hand left her underwear then slid to her ass to grab a handful.
Tati's fists clenched and she was regretting her idea as she walked off.
He watched her continue to not do or say anything about the way he treated her. And internally he admitted he was annoyed.

He went to sit down amongst his coworkers.

"Got her to act right?" Dominic asked.
"No. She's toying with me." Killian took out his cigarette carton.
"Toying with you how?" asked Soren.
"She knows I like it when she talks to me like she's suicidal." He put a cigarette between his lips and the carton on the table. Then reached for his lighter. The thing flicked open and he held it close, listening to the sizzle of the paper. He inhaled and closed his lighter before placing it back into his suit jacket. He held the cigarette in two fingers and exhaled. "She's bein' respectful so I'll leave her alone."
The men at the table chuckled.

"First time you ain't get the one you want by flashin' her a smile, huh?" asked Kolson with a snicker.
"This must be a tough time for you." Dominic added as the men laughed some more.
Killian put the cigarette back between his lips and inhaled. He watched her get situated behind the bar.
"Now you know what it's like to be one of us common folk." Silas spoke up and the men laughed some more.
"Shut up." Killian said through exhale.

"Tatiana!" Soren called.
"Yea?" she answered.
"Mind bringin' me a glass'a whiskey?"
"Make that two! One on the rocks." Dominic stated.
"Gotcha."

She set out two glasses to get ready.

"Don't get too upset, boss. The girls in the main area look good too." Silas stated.
Killian kept quiet and just smoked in thought.
"They don't look Tatiana good." Dominic chuckled.
"I'm tryin' to make him feel better, asshole!" Silas argued.
"But don't lie to him." Kolson stated.
"That's a level'a sexy you don't run into too often." Mikel spoke up. "I'd be pissed too. But I know my limits."
The men chuckled.

Tati walked over with the two drinks on a tray she found under the bar.

She held it in between Dominic and Soren. They grabbed whichever was theirs.

"Anything else?" she asked the table.
"Got any peanuts or pretzels back there? I'm starvin'."
"I have peanuts." She nodded.
"Bring over a bowl."
"No problem."
"And a glass of bourbon."
"Alright." She turned to walk off.

"Tati." Killian called as he put out some of his ashes.

Tati froze.

The men looked at her.

"Tatiana." she corrected. Reminding him that they weren't close and she didn't want him to think that they were.
Killian grew a smile and put the cigarette back between his lips. "That's right. Tatiana." he corrected teasingly then inhaled.
She could hear the mockery in his voice.
"Bring me a glass of whiskey." he said through the blow of smoke.
She didn't answer but walked back to her bar.

"She's gonna strangle you in your sleep one day." Soren stated and looked back at his cards.
"He'd probably get a hard on." said Kolson and the men laughed but Killian didn't deny it.