Kill Or Be Killed

Chapter Sixteen

Scale Number: 1

After Caterina fell asleep, her breathing now coming out in slow even breaths, Kalayavan pulled the blanket up to her chin. He kissed her forehead gently, even in her sleep, her breath caught as she responded to his touch. Which only made him smile as he rose to his feet to slip silently from the room.

Although he was going to check in on Halrim before going to sleep himself, Kal wasn't sure he wanted to make that trip back to Heart. And a call wasn't the kind of thing one used in a situation like this. Sighing heavily, he rubbed his temples, it just meant he would have to drive back there in the morning.

At which point there was a fifty-fifty chance that he would have to kill his Prodezha next. If he hadn't already run back to the table in his intoxicated state. Just another thing he was willing to do in order to keep his woman safe. He was quickly coming to the realization he would burn down the entire world if it made her crack the briefest of smiles.

A dangerous thought since just a year ago he was one of the Table's loyal dogs.

Walking over to grab one of his burners from his own duffle bag, which he'd left on the couch when he'd first his Cat down. Dialing one of the only dozen numbers on the cell, he held it slightly away from his ear, waiting for the other person to answer. As soon as the other end connected, he didn't wait to be greeted, "It's Kal."

The sound of creaking bed spring told him that the man on the other end had been in bed still. He'd just woken up, "Uh," clearing his throat, the well connected mafia Don worked to collect his thoughts after being ripped from his dreams. "Kal? Kal who?" More moaning from his mattress indicated he was getting up. There was a muffled question in the background, followed by a heated, "Shut up bitch and mind your own business."

Kalayavan is exhausted, rubbing a hand over his face, not having enough energy to deal with Chris' impudence. "Christopher, I need a place to lie low for a while. You owe me after I took care of your problem back in twenty-ten." He shouldn't have had to explain himself to a lesser man, especially one who had been in trouble with one of his competitors. Paying for the entire family to be wiped out, clearing the path for the Don's success to control. Essentially building the foundation for the man's power.

Expecting an 'of course', or 'anything for you, friend', as a response. Only to receive complete silence at first, causing him to pull back the phone enough to make sure they were still connected. He returned it in time to hear Chris ask him, "What's in it for me?"

The Sepireer clenched his jaw, "Who the fuck do you think you are to demand anything from me?" His eyes darted to the door where Caterina was sleeping, stalking to the other room so he wouldn't chance waking her up again. "You've been playing boss far too long, kid, it's going to your fucking head." Having lived far longer than the middle aged human male, he didn't take kindly to being questioned. Unless it was by the defiant little kitten in the other room. This man, however, should have known his place. Which was under Kalayavan's steel-toed boot, "You better watch your fucking tone when you speak to me next time."

He could basically hear the man's frustration seeping through the line, but either way he ground out through his teeth, "What do you need?"

"I need a place to lie low for a few days with a guest," he said without more details.

"Of course, when should I expect you?"

"When I get there," he snapped, "I'll call you later with more details." Not waiting for a reply, he hung up.

His grip tightened on the phone, raising it like he might whip it across the second bedroom. Kalayavan closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself, not willing to break one of the only safe lines used for emergencies. Once he no longer had the urge to do immediate violence, he returned to the living area.