Switchblade

Chapter 46: Assumptions Are Warranted

Killian sat stripping the damp hand wraps off of his knuckles after a long workout. He sat in the empty gym with his phone next to him on speaker.

"Best idea is getting Drake to tell us who it was." Kolson stated.
"He won't. He's too loyal to Segal and whatever Segal knows about Drake is too much leverage to betray him. Did Martin trace the call?"
"They couldn't. Son of a bitch knew what he was doing when he called. Number doesn't work anymore and it's not under a real name."
Killian sighed and put the wrappings in the trash. He sat there with his forearms resting on his knees. "Keep looking. I want this figured out by the end of the week."
"Not a problem."
He hung up.

~•~

Segal received a call as well. He answered it in his Bluetooth earpiece as he got in his chauffeured suv.

"The investigation on Cermak is at a halt."
Segal sighed. "What?"
"They couldn't find anything."
"AND THE OTHER SHIT THAT SON OF A BITCH HAS DONE?!"
"Wiped from the computers I'm assuming. It was clean when we got there. Even checked random flash disks we found. All of it was business related. Legal business that he can't get arrested for."
"That motherFUCKER!" Segal shouted and punched the door. He couldn't be surprised because he'd done the same. And obviously he wouldn't expect the biggest mob to have a dumb leader without a back up plan. It would've worked in his favor if they did though.

"What're they planning to do now?" Segal asked.
"They're looking through the assassination evidence. Things like bullet casings and what gun it might've come from. Then tracking down anyone who'd bought that kind of weapon or bullet in the past six months. It'll be extensive and it'll take a while."
Segal cursed under his breath.
"But that's more time for a new plan. They won't find anything, J was clean."
"If he wasn't I would've killed him. If he isn't...I'll kill him."
"Yes, sir."
Segal scoffed in anger once again. "Don't call me again until you've got good news. I'm tired of hearing about those assholes. It's pissing me off." he stated.
"Yes, sir."
Segal hung up the earpiece.

"That piece of shit." he murmured angrily.

The suv finally found its parking spot.

Segal's door was opened and he got out to walk inside.

"Mr. Segal!" yelled Samuel Clement.
He and Segal chuckled towards each other. "Clement. It's been a while. How have you been?"
"I've been just fine. I'm glad to have you. Lisa, get this man a coffee please." Clement instructed.
The woman at the front desk walked off.

"How've you been, Segal?" Clement asked.
"Busy."
"And still showed up on time? What a guy." Clement chuckled. "I'm glad I can be the one to help you with your predicament."
"I heard you were the man for the job." He was done with the fake laughing.
"That I am."
A coffee was held out towards Segal and he took it.
"Now let's head to my office." Clement offered.

~•~

Killian walked into the house and took his shoes off.

He saw Tati standing in the kitchen with food laid out on the plates.

"It's kind of late for breakfast so I made brunch. Which is really just steak with scrambled eggs that have spinach, feta and sliced cherry tomatoes because I don't really know what brunch looks li-..."
She stopped talking when she saw he was walking up the stairs.

She took a deep breath then followed behind him.

It was her first time being up those black steps and she was in awe when she entered his room.
His ceiling was even higher on the second floor. He had a large skylight in the center of it. It had the light from outside lit directly over his king sized bed. She didn't see him but she did see the giant flatscreen tv on his wall.
The walls were a dark grey color. The ceiling was black. It just reminded her of how he said he didn't like bright things.

She heard the shower turn on.

She looked in its direction and saw Killian as he was on his way to place his phone on its charger.

Tati gasped as the two saw each other at the same time.
Killian stood there in just a towel wrapped lowly around his waist.
"Why are you in here?" he asked.
"Because I wanted to apologize..." She lifted her eyes off of his toned chest, v-line, and abdomen.
"I heard you. Get out."
"But I feel like you didn't believe me."
"I don't need your apology." he stated.
"Well I'm giving it to you anyway. I'm sorry I assumed the worst. That's a very serious allegation and I just panicked the moment I woke up because I didn't remember anything."
He just waited for her to finish.
"I don't walk around being afraid you're going to do something to me. Not anymore at least. I'm just-..."
He stared at her.
"I'm just on guard around men that I know look at me sexually. I'm touched without my permission a lot. And...honestly you've been the culprit a couple of times. I know you're a criminal, I just didn't know where you drew the line. And I didn't remember taking off my own pants so..."
"Yea."
She looked at him. "I'm sorry. I know you're tired of all of these negative assumptions I have of you."
"Yes."
She took a deep breath.
"But I'm sure you don't think I've shown you anything else." he added.
"You have. You're not the one that bought me the inappropriate clothes. You made them get me sweatpants and hoodies. You memorize my food allergy. I know you say it's because I have to stay alive, but still. You brought me actually good food. Not like a ham sandwich-..." She remembered when he'd brought her just a ham sandwich and water. "You did that once."
"You pissed me off." he stated.
"But even while you were mad at me, you let me buy something from the store."
He didn't respond.
"You laid with me when I didn't feel good. I just say all of that to say that I know you're not complete garbage. You're not great. But you also aren't the worst person on the planet. It's very odd being familiar with you." she realized.
"How?" he asked.
"Because your wrongdoings are extremely wrong but your goods are really good. So I don't know how to treat you."
He looked away from her.

"I just wanna say I'm sorry again." she stated.
"Wait here." he instructed and walked back into the bathroom before shutting the door.

She was confused but she stayed like she was told to.

Her legs were tired so she walked over to the bed and sat down to wait.

Thirty minutes went by and the bathroom door finally opened.
Killian came out dressed the same as before. In a towel, except with damp hair and body.

He walked towards his closet and Tati got a glimpse of how massive it was before he shut the door.

She looked into the bathroom. It was large too. He had to turn corners in there. Around the size of a sports locker room. The shower had a glass door. It was a small room with the shower head coming from the ceiling and spraying directly down.

She heard the closet door open and looked back in its direction.

"Personal question." Killian began as he buttoned his pants with his shirt left open. "Do you ever have a good assumption of me?"
She sighed.