Safe With Me

Chap. 17: The Blade

• picture of Elle holding a knife above •

The sound of knives slicing through cloth and wool fill the dimly lit garage. Many of the men miss half of their knives throwing but Elle is a natural. Unlike half the men, her knives hits the target. When the blonde isn't looking, Jesse switches her knives for his.

From afar, Brody washes the cars with Happy and Alex. He smirks at how confident Elle is at knife throwing. Happy smirks at Brody's starry eyes.

"It doesn't seem right." Alex shakes his head as he polishes the hood of Ira's Jeep, "Chicks are too weak to be in a gang. Their emotions get in the way. She's too soft and skinny to even become a butch."

Brody glares at him. "Maybe you feel a little inferior that Ira didn't put a bullet in the gun."

"He never did that for any of us!" Alex exclaims angrily, sighing afterwards. "All I'm saying is that it just isn't right."

Happy shrugs. "I don't know. This girl has got a lot of guts."

Elle grabs one of the switches knives and throws it directly at Jake's target beside hers. She hits it on the second ring near the center. The short man with a blonde goatee claps her hard on the back, making her wince from her bruises.

"I guess we can call you 'The Knife'." Jake chuckles.

Elle smirks at the thought. She throws another knife, hitting the center of her own target. The men all put their knives down and walk out annoyed. Brody and Happy walks over with smiles on their faces. Jake helps Elle pick up the knives. The men had left behind for her to pick up.

"Pretty good, Kid." Happy nods, "The only other person whose that good with knives is Ira."

Brody's smug smile quickly fades. He glances at Happy but looks at the floor in thought.

"Yeah," Brody mutters softly to Happy "which could be a problem."

Jake smirks at the two guys, throwing a knife on a target. "I say we call her 'The Knife'."

"What's yours?" Elle asks Jake.

"I'm 'The Torturer'." Jake chuckles lightly as he hits his target. "My specialty is inflicting pain."

Flashes of her being tortured by nearly drowning in the icy, dirty water blinds her for a moment. Brody sees it in her eyes, how she lightly shakes. Elle catches him staring at her. She sticks her tongue out at him before throwing a knife in the center of a target.

Happy nods. "I'm 'The Negotiator'. My specialty is interrogation, both good and bad cop per say. How to get inside and turn people inside out."

Elle slowly turns, her brown eyes flickering to Brody. "And you're 'Jaw Breaker'? That's cute."

         Jake and Happy both laugh at her jab at Brody, who stares at her with a small smile. The dark skinned man looks to his friend with a knowing like smug expression.

           "I must say, that scar really does bring out the bitch in your face quite nicely." Brody casually walks out of the garage.

            Jake burst out laughing at Brody's words. Elle's cheeks turn bright red at the embarrassment and her anger. Happy cringes at the burn the blue eyed man put on the blonde. She throws another knife at a different target. Then another. One by one, Elle successfully throws the knives at the targets. Jake lets out a cheer of excitement. Happy heads out.

             "I think I prefer 'The Blade' better." Elle shrugs, "It'll come to me if I pass initiation."

               "Yeah, it's best you do." Jake nods as he collects the knives.

                  Elle's face scrunches up at his words. "What does that mean?"

                     Jake stares at her like a deer in the headlights. "Just as I said...it's best you pass initiation if you want to live."

                       "Want to live?" Elle scoffs, "Are you saying that if I don't pass initiation—"

                      Both Jake and Elle stare into each other's eyes. Realization of how serious her situation is dawns on Elle. If she doesn't pass initiation, each trial that she has to conquer, she will be exposed. Dominique comes to mind.

                   "I'll end up like Dominique?" Elle utters softly, looking to the floor.

                   "Worse." Jake nods, "Instead of Brody's cold hands wrapped around your neck, it'll be Ira's gun pointed in the center of that pretty face of yours."

                  Chills run up and down Elle's body, leaving her shivering in her boots. She struggles to find the words.

                        Elle gives the short man a look. "Brody strangled Dominique?"

                         "Yeah, it was the hardest thing he ever had to do. I don't think I could hurt Jaelynn and sleep like a baby though." Jake grabs a knife and twist it around in his hands, "But she broke the rule of trying to escape. Poor Dom didn't even stand a chance."

              Brody doesn't sleep like a baby. Elle bites the inside of her cheek.

                 "If anyone tried to escape, would they end up like Dominique?" Elle ask curiously, mostly out of fear.

                  "Depends." Jake shakes his head, "Gang members get it worse. Ira would skin is alive and leave us hanging before he decides to put a bullet to our skulls. You girls would get it easy though."

                    "Being strangled is getting off easy?" The blonde says in horror, "I'd hate to think what real torture is like."

                 "Listen, don't get it in Jaelynn's mind that this is fun for you." Jake says protectively, "She's young and naïve. She's like a wet behind the ears pup. She's easily influenced by whatever excites her and, well, you do. So..."

                "Of course not." Elle shakes her head at him, "I'd never do anything to hurt Jaelynn or any of the girls."

                "Well, I just hope you set the right example of what Jaelynn doesn't want." Jake's eyes are full of warning, Elle takes a step back from him. "Because if anything were to happen to Jaelynn, I'd fucking kill you."

                    Jake throws one of the smaller knifes, hitting the target in the center. Elle stares at the knife, fear filling her. The short man with a goatee leans in close to her, his voice low and dark.

                    Jake's lips brush against Elle's blonde hair. "And I wouldn't even flinch."

Hey readers! Thought I would publish one more chapter for the night before I went to bed. Tell me your thoughts about this chapter. Btw what time is it where you're at? I've often wondered this. It's 2:13 a.m. here in Cali. I hope all of you are safe during this time of sorrow and crisis. Be safe my Lovelies 🙏🏼😔