Blood Money

20

Danielle is finally able to shut her door and lock it. "What are you doing here, Trevor?" She says without even looking around after turning on the light.

"You give a damn fine chase, Danielle, I'll give you that."

"You didn't answer my question, why are you here?" This time Danielle asks with the gun in her hand and the safety off.

"I didn't know you were here." Danielle snorts at that. She didn't doubt that. She doesn't leave a trace if she doesn't want to. "Cameron is rather thankful you didn't kill him, but he's not very happy either."

Danielle gives a sad smile, "I told him he shouldn't have gotten in the way. Was he harmed?"

"By you or the mystery person?"

"I already know what harm I did."

"No, he was actually given a bouquet of flowers and balloons by whoever you're chasing. Apparently they figure you did enough damage to him. That's why you did it, isn't it?"

"Too many have died because of me, Jeremiah almost did."

"And me. Or do you regret saving me now?"

"What do you want, Trevor?" Danielle says too tired for the games.

Trevor goes up to her and takes her gun away. "When this is over, come home."

"We've been over this before, Trevor. I don't have a home anymore. When your father died I lost my home." Danielle pushes away from him. "Besides, you hate me. Remember? I still have some bruises from your little demonstration."

Trevor goes over to her again. "Don't run away anymore, Danielle. Let me help you."

Danielle lets out a bitter laugh, "Yeah, just like you helped me in Jeremiah's city? With that kind of help I don't need enemies. But once this is all over I'll find you once more. Of that you can be sure."

"Danielle," Trevor starts but Danielle doesn't let him finish.

"Stop, Trevor. It's almost done now. Don't get in my way. If I'm still alive when It's finished I'll find you. Until then just stay out of my way."

"How close?" Trevor stills.

"Chet has my last clue. I am pretty sure where I'll be heading after here, but I still don't know who." Danielle's face turns cold. "Once I know then nothing will stop me short of death. So I'm warning you now, Trevor, you get in my way and I will destroy you."

"I have no intentions of getting in your way. Let me help you."

"No, you'll just end up dead. If anyone kills you it will be me."

Trevor looks at her and smiles as he gently places a lock of hair behind her ear. "Is that the reason you saved my life?"

"My second biggest mistake of my life. Look what it got me?" Danielle says coldly. She grabs the knife she has hidden behind her. 

Pressing the point into where Trevor can't help but feel it she slowly walks him back. "Get out of my apartment, Trevor. Stay away from me. I'll let you know when you can see me again." 

Trevor holds his hands up and leans over to grab his coat. He walks slowly towards the door.

"I don't hate you Danielle. It was just finding out your real identity after everything else that caused me to lose it. If you need me, you have but to call."

Danielle scoffs, "You know how I am with trusting people. You think that after what you did that I would call you?"

Trevor tries once more, "I know you don't trust me, but if you need me you can count on me."

"I've learned that I can't count on anyone. Just stay away from me, Trevor. Ask Jeremiah to do the same. I'd really hate to hurt him."

"He knows. He tried talking me out of coming here tonight." Trevor says with a hint of pouting in his voice.

"Jeremiah's a smart man. You should learn from him."

"For a scary ass assassin you..." Trevor abruptly shuts up as the knife is now pushing painfully into his throat.

"Never, say that word again if you want to live, Mr. Williams. Forget about that word and me in the same sentence. Better yet forget about me altogether. This is your last warning and you're only getting it now because of how much I loved your father. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," Trevor says trying not to move or even swallow. He feels sweat starting to collect over various parts of him. He wonders if this time he's pushed Danielle too far.

Danielle lowers the knife. "Get out." Trevor doesn't wait, he gets.

Danielle is too drained of tears to even cry at this point. She longs for the release of tears but there's nothing there now.

All she wanted to do was set that part of her life behind her. When she took the job at Max's office, she hadn't known then that he was mafia. She never would have taken the job if she'd known. 

The boys that raped her were all dead. She was able to match the DNA from the three that were in the system with photos. After that it wasn't hard to find out who the others were. The boys all screamed long before she was done with them. They were all begging her to kill them by the end.

She doesn't know why the mafia types always come after her, but they do. Even when she wasn't targeting them. Jeremiah is a prime example of that one.

She ends up having to take a sleeping pill in order to get any sleep. That's something she doesn't like doing because she doesn't eat at the right times and it's dangerous for her to miss meals.

The next day she's awakened by the doorbell. She slips on a robe and hurries to answer.

"Yes?" Danielle asks in confusion.

"Are you Danielle Williams?" Danielle feels ice go through her veins. The only ones that know her name are Trevor and Jeremiah.

"Yes?" She fingers the gun that she stashed in her robe pocket.

"These are for you." The man hands her a large vase filled with an insane amount of roses.

Now Danielle is even more afraid.

She takes the vase and closes the door and makes sure it's fully locked. She'll need to get this job done ASAP. She's been found.

There is no card among the flowers which just makes her even more sure that she needs to leave.