Troublemaker

Check Please

I guess you could say I've been preoccupied lately with having my ass handed to me. Matt and I have been getting a lead on the Russians after we stormed their little hideaway unannounced. And throwing them out of windows helped too. Matt took me to some apartment where I met the woman who helped him out the dumpster.
"I'm Claire"
"I'm hurt"
Being slashed all over my body I wasn't in the mood for introductions. Claire finished stitching me and started on Matt as I laid on her couch. I started to catch my breath as they both started talking.
"You worried about me?"
"What if I were? "
"I would tell you I'm a big boy and not to be"
"Right that's why you keep ending up here"
"Maybe I just like the sound of your voice"
Hearing them flirt back and forth made me more annoyed I just wanted to sleep now. "Just kiss already damn" I growled they both giggled and turned to me.
"I wouldn't want to intrude on you both. And I didn't know you had a sidekick"
"First we're not a thing you can have him for all I care. And two I'm not his sidekick if anything he's mine"
Matt held the gauze to his stitched up wound laughing a bit.
"Aw you're breaking my heart"
"And you're breaking my temper. Excuse me."
I sat up slowly and headed to the fire escape. They made me think about Charlie and what happened at lunch. I dialed Charlie's number waiting for him to answer as I took off my mask for air.
"Hello?"
"Hey Charlie it's Z"
"Hey Z it's kinda late"
"I know I just wanted to say sorry about the other day. And I wanted to know if you wanted to have dinner this week?"
I held my breathe waiting for a answer too scared of what he would say. I glanced at Matt and Claire talking seeing that Matt was ready to leave.
"I would love to Z"
"Great um Brassiere at 8?"
"Sure meet you there. Bye"
"Bye"
I hung up and let my breath go just breath. Matt tapped me ready to leave. I leaned my head back into the apartment "It was nice meeting you Claire. I owe you" I said smiling. I hope she likes jewelry.

●●●

I haven't been paying enough attention to the shop making me feel a little bad about it. I took the day to put a little love in the shop with the new shipment of plants coming in I had something to keep the pain off my mind. I had a nasty cut on my chest from the Russian prick that almost caught my neck. I wore my hair curly again to keep attention away from my wounds and wore my nude skirt that fit tight that went down to my ankles and wore a black bodysuit underneath it. I was finishing up a order for a client it was a few dozen daffodils for a funeral. I was putting on my sweater when I heard the bell ring. I turned around and saw the last people I wanted to see after last night. Shit Russians. I felt my heart skip a beat the shorter man was the guy I fought last night he had few cuts on his face. He brought a taller man in a leather jacket with tattoos on his hands and had a scar across his eye like mine. I walked behind the counter keeping my cool "Hello gentlemen how may I help you?" I said sweetly. The taller guy came up to the counter smiling back at me staring at my scar. "I need some flowers of course lovely" he replied in a russian accent I maintained my cool as he leaned into me putting both hands on the glass counter.
"What did you have in mind?"
"How about perennial sunflowers?"
"Whatever the lady prefers"
I walked over to the fridge taking out the sunflowers as they both stared at me in the reflection. I handed the flowers to him. He put his hand around mine taking the flowers as his friend watched me. I smiled taking my hand back. My sweater started to slip off my shoulder exposing my stitches his friend looked directly at it. "How did a pretty thing like you get that?" He asked as I pulled my sweater back on.
"A shipment of cati fell on me that's all"
"I'm sorry about that beautiful."
"It's alright"
I quickly rang up the flowers "that'll be 10.00 dollars" I said I reached for the 10 dollar bill but when I tried to pull it away he wouldn't let go.
"I see we share the same scar. How'd you get yours"
"Just a little playground fight"
"A woman that can fight huh? They don't make them like that in Russia do they brother?"
He finally let go of the bill as I placed it in the register. They walked out smiling. Brother? Fucking Russians man.

●●●

I never seen my self like this before. All dressed up with make up I kinda missed being like this. It was a little after 8 when the taxi pulled up to Brassiere. I hopped out the taxi wearing my long black dress with a slit on the side that stopped mid way of my thigh. I walked in the restaurant browsing over the small crowd of couples. I stopped when I saw a man in a black suit with a royal blue bow tie. His hair was in a small bun with a blue ribbon in it that made me smile. I headed over to him Charlie was squinting out the window cleaning his glasses with a napkin. "Don't you clean up well" I said tapping his shoulder he looked up at me putting back on his glasses. "Hey Z. You do very well too" he said pulling my chair out for me. We started to to glance at our menus deciding what to eat. "Can I say something? " he asked as my heart dropped. I never feared those words before.
"What?"
"When I left the home I never thought I'd see you again. I left after you did well because there was no reason for me to stay. I just can't believe I'm sitting here with you again."
"That means a lot. I'm just so happy to have you back in my life again. You make me feel more... At peace you know?"
Pouring my feelings like that felt like weight came off me like I was going to float out my chair. Charlie held up his glass filled with red wine to me making me hold up mine.
"To new beginnings"
"New beginnings"
We clinked our glasses together taking a sip of wine. We smiled at each other and for the first time my stitches didn't feel that bad. I felt my world slowly fall back in place as if a piece was missing. In that moment my phone rang making me frustrated as hell. I took it out my clutch the caller ID read "Matt M." I looked up at Charlie with a apologetic look.
"I'm sorry. It'll just take a moment"
"It's fine. I'll order us some bread"
"Thanks"
I stormed off into the bathroom opening all the stalls making sure no one was inside. I answered the call
"Look Matt it better-"
"They took Claire"
"What!?"
"The Russians they took Claire to some taxi company I'm going to get her"
"Where is it I'm coming with you"
"No you can't. Where ever you are stay there and watch your back"
"What? No Matt? Matt?!"
Son of a bitch. He hung up on me I never felt so pissed. You better not fucking die. I collected my self before going back out to the table. I stepped out the bathroom and headed back to the table.
"Sorry about that"
"It's okay trust me"
I looked back at my menu while spotting Charlie staring at me. I occasionally looked above my menu at Charlie who was already staring at me. We held eye contact for a while but was interrupted by the sound of shuffling. We both turned around to see a man in a suit with glasses being pushed a man with a bruise and cut on his face. Shit why is here? It was the shorter russian that came to the shop earlier with his brother. "Sir I need to speak with you" he said trying to approach a taller man with a bald head that was heavy built. He sat with a woman with short brunette hair. The Russian was being held by two men as the bald man escorted the woman out of the restaurant.
"Wanted to tell you my brother and I greatly accept-"
"Wesley will take care of you"
The man wanted to get out of the restaurant quickly as possible as if the Russian was being more than a nuisance. I turned to Charlie
"Who is that?"
"That's Wilson Fisk. He comes by the jewelry store sometimes. I try to sell him cufflinks but he insists on wearing the same ones"
My heart dropped I was a few feet away from the man who's name when spoken causes you to kill yourself. Even headbutt sharp metal rods eye first. Why are the Russians working with him though?
"I'm having the filet mignon how about you?"
"Oh um the ribeye sounds good"
Great I made myself sick.