Switchblade

Chapter 26: Attempting To Go Back To Sleep

Denise sat in the kitchen counting all of the money she'd earned so far.

Adding up the money she made before Tati was taken, plus more money from the casino, and money from the restaurant, she had $23,712. And it hadn't even been a month yet.
She sighed in exhaustion but knew she'd have her daughter back by the three month mark. The only problem was some of that money had to go to her bills and the restaurant lease but it was still a great start. She'd even started only eating sandwiches and drinking bottled water to save money. She needed to direct every penny to saving Tati.
She just hoped they left her unharmed.

"This is all my fault..." she panted. She rested her forehead in her hand with her elbow propped onto the table. "I shouldn't have ever taken that loan..." she sniffed.

~•~

Tati woke up to knocking which did nothing for her headache.

"Go away..." she groaned.
The door began to unlock anyway.

The light flicked on.

Only when she covered her head with the blanket did she notice that someone had laid her down in the bed the night before.
She took the pillow and chucked it at the man that entered.
"Turn the light off!" she groaned.
He received the pillow to the face and quickly turned the light off.
"I brought you breakfast and medication for your hangover." said Warren.
She groaned.
"I'll just set it right here."
"Where's Killian?" Tati mumbled.
"He hasn't shown up yet. When he knows he won't be here to bring you breakfast, he leaves the key in the hands of whoever he wants to. Unfortunately, the high nine are all hungover out of their minds like you right now."
She grunted again and Warren left the room.

Tati rolled over to go back to sleep. But then she noticed she didn't hear a lock.

"I'm going fucking exploring..." she murmured. She sat up and felt her headache. "Right after I take my nap." She laid back down.
She sighed to relax and prepared to go back to sleep.

But what if they lock the door by the time I wake up?

She thought about it.

Her head still killed her but she thought maybe if she just took the medication, she'd feel alright.

But then I'd have to turn the light back on.

She thought about it.

Then she figured she could just turn on the lamp which would be dimmer.
Until she remembered Killian broke it the first day she arrived.

She groaned.

I'm just gonna risk them locking the door.

She got comfortable again to go back to sleep.
As she did, she started to remember the night before.

Her eyes shot open.

"I kissed him." she stated.
She rolled onto her back and stared in pitch blackness.
"No, no, no, noooo..." she groaned with hands covering her face. "Why would you do thaaaattt??!" she asked herself.
Her hands fell to her sides.
"I kissed him twice..." she whined.

Tati sighed in annoyance.

Her first kiss was no longer special.

Then she remembered how it felt. He was good at it. But she didn't expect anything less from a man who was wanted by everyone. She'd be more surprised if he was bad. You have that much practice, you're bound to get good.
She remembered his grip around her waist and his hand holding her face. She remembered the softness of his lips and tongue. She remembered how nervous he made her feel since drinking always made her an overthinker and introverted. It made her want to scream.
"I hate that motherfucker." she stated.

She tried to get comfortable again.
I'm not gonna be like everyone else. You're not just gonna get me in the palm of your hand like Taylor or Suki or the rest of them. Fuck you. I hate you and I'm gonna continue to hate you. I'm gonna hate you even harder than I hated you before. I don't want you to think you're winning or that you're getting even remotely close to getting anything from me other than a kiss I had to be drunk for in order to give you. I'm gonna try my fucking hardest to forget we were ever even that close in radius. Fuck you. Never again.

~•~

Killian woke up to the sound of his phone vibrating violently on his nightstand.

He rolled over to ignore it.
The vibrating was consistent but he was determined to act like he didn't hear it.
Then it stopped and his body relaxed.

But then it started again.

He sighed in annoyance and grabbed the phone to answer.
"What?"
"When will you get here?" Doc asked.
"I'm here. Didn't feel like drivin' home."
"We'll be coming up with a plan against Segal soon."
"Did he do something I'm unaware of?"
"He's still attempting to run us under the bus. Something needs to happen to him before he can do that. They won't find evidence that we were behind the assassination but they may find other shit we don't want them finding."
"Right."
"I want to see you in my office before the day is over with."
"Yea."
Doc hung up and Killian checked the time. It was 9:43am. So he figured he still had time to get extra rest in. He tossed the phone to the other side of the bed so he could continue laying there with his arms under his pillow and his eyes closed.

He dozed off quickly. Body limp in his rest with his face hidden away from the sun that shone through the window.
He was at peace as his mind started to dream.

"Wake up." he said as he entered Tati's room, her breakfast in his hand.
Only to see she was already up and dressed.
"Do you come here at the same time every morning?" she asked him.
"Sometimes I like to run on a schedule."
"Hm."
He leaned down for a kiss only for her hand to block his lips.
He was offended.
"Have you lost your mind?" she scoffed.
He looked confused.
"I told you that was the last one. Ever."
"Oh you were serious?" he snickered but still didn't believe her.
She looked at him and crossed her arms. "What made you think I was joking?"
"The fact you kissed me back the way that you did."
"And you thought this would be some cute hidden romance where you pull me off and fuck me in a broom closet? We act like we're keeping it a secret but really everyone knows because you enter the room calmer than you left and I'm still trying to adjust my top properly?"
He was slightly shocked.
"Come here." she commanded. "Look me in my eyes."
He leaned down to look at her with the help of her grip on his shirt.
"I'm not like the other bitches you keep trying to fuck and throw away. I'm not easy and I have respect for myself. You will never be good enough for me to throw away my dignity just to say I was in your bed. Fuck. You. You'd have a better chance in hell, whore. Now stop looking at me like you're picturing me in the nude, I'm not afraid to stab you in your eyes with a breakfast utensil."
She let him go and snatched the food before walking off.
Killian just stared at her.

Until his eyes opened as he laid there.

He blinked at nothing, in thought of what he'd just imagined.

He reached for his phone and checked the time.

11:02.

He sighed and sat up then kicked his feet off of the side of the bed. Shirtless body in pajama pants.
His hand ran through his messy brown hair and he thought about the dream.
"What the fuck..." he groaned.

Usually he just dreamt about someone killing him. This was an odd change of pace and he'd actually prefer the subconscious thought of being shot in the face.

He got up to brush his teeth and get ready for the day.