“I did. I do.”
“When? When were you planning on doin’ that?”
“I got home a half an hour ago, Kill. I needed to see Violet, and then…”
Ray stops talking. He swallows.
Killian speaks instead. “So, $5500, plus the sixty three hundred you owed Henny. I covered that for you, by the way, as a favor. This means you owe me eleven, eight. To show you I’m a nice guy, I’ll forego the juice if you pay within… say… seven days. If not, extra 20 percent.”
“Henny?” Ray asks, going sheet-white.
“Yeah. See, I could’ve filled you in on that favor I did you, but you’ve been dodgin’ me. And Henny.”
Ray blows out a breath.
“And we’ve only had -a couple reports from you, so really, you didn’t do the job you were being paid to do, meaning I could technically claw more of those expenses back, pro-rated. But I’m sure you read your contract, so you already know all this.”
“Kill,” Ray moans, shaking his head.
“What’re you doin’ here, Ray? You come back to get your girl and fuck off on your debts? Fuck me over?”
“No man, no. She’s gonna cash in her stocks and sell her car and then I’ll have more than enough for you. I was just comin’ to see her and talk to her ‘n then I was gonna come see you. I literally just got back. Shit went south. I can explain, but I’ll wanna do that privately.” Ray jerks his head at me and gives Killian a grave expression.
Killian faces me and looks me over. “You doin’ that Violet? Selling stuff to cover his debts? Be honest with me right here and right now without worrying about consequences from this fuck. He’s not going to touch you in retaliation for telling me the truth.”
“I don’t have –” I start to say.
“Violet!” Ray jumps to his feet and his eyes are on me pleadingly.
“Sit the fuck down,” Killian barks and Ray immediately sits.
“Tell him, Vi,” Ray pleads. “Tell him how we’ll have it in just a couple days. Couple days, max, brother. She’s got stocks and –”
“I –” I start, but Killian cuts me off by gently catching my hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze while shaking his head.
I stop talking.
“You don’t have to say anything else, Violet. I can see what the situation is here.” He looks to Ray and doesn’t let go of my hand.
“What if there’s another way you can pay me?” Killian asks.
“How?” Ray asks.
Killian gives me a lingering stare while Ray waits and then Killian smiles and then lifts my hand to his mouth. My heart stops as Killian drops a kiss on my knuckle. “Let me spend the night with your fiancée.”
I blink. Hard. What?
Ray blinks, too and then looks at me and lets out a heavy sigh.
Killian lets go of me and immediately backhands him, slaps him hard enough to knock him over. Ray is now on his knees between my couch and coffee table.
“Fuck that. You piece of fuckin’ shit. I wasn’t serious, Violet.”
I sit there, shellshocked.
“Would you have said yes, Violet?” Killian asks me.
I shake my head.
“Didn’t think so.”
Ray winces. “I wasn’t gonna say yes. I wasn’t–”
Killian raises his hand across his chest again like he’s about to deliver another blow and Ray braces.
Killian doesn’t follow through with the motion. He relaxes his posture and shrugs.
“You’re a piece of shit, Raymond. I’m convinced this beautiful girl here is in mortal danger right now in your company. That’s it. You’re coming with me,” Killian announces, and I’m thinking Ray’s about to go with him.
But I’m about to find out I’m very wrong.
“I’ve decided Violet is the marker,” Killian says. “Ray, you pay me what you owe me, we talk about you getting her back.”
Ray’s mouth drops and his blue eyes stare at me. They’re filled with panic, I think.
“You don’t look at her. Eyes to the floor, the wall, I don’t care. Don’t look at her. Pack a bag, Violet. Everything you’ll need for a week, no, two. Ray, you call me when you have my money. It goes longer than two weeks, I come find you and you find out the consequences.”
The door opens behind Killian. He looks over his shoulder.
“Susanna,” I breathe from my perch on the table, seeing her come into the apartment.
She surveys the happenings.
What took her so long?
“Meanwhile,” Killian continues, glancing at Susanna briefly but then finishing off with, “Violet’s off limits. No calls to her at work, no visits anywhere. The next two weeks, you forget any notion Violet’s yours. The next two weeks, she’s mine.” He holds a hand out to Susanna. “Killian,” Killian says. “But I already know you. Where from?”
She looks at him with interest and a half a smile before her eyes move to me and she nods, knowingly.
I stare in confusion.
“I’m Susanna Gagne. Yeah, you know me. I’m a teller at your bank. I’m also Violet’s bestie for the past twelve years until the last two when this bastard tried to get in the middle of that. Hey there Deathray,” she says snidely. “How not nice to see you.”
Killian’s brows rise. As do mine.
“What’s up?” she asks, eyeing me.
I blow out a shaky breath. “Uh…”
“What’s up,” Killian answers, “is that Raymond owes me a significant amount of money that he’s said he’s going to pay. For now, Violet comes with me as a surety. She’ll be perfectly safe at my place while he pulls that money he assured me he can get together. This is fine with you, right, Violet?”
“But she has a job,” Susanna says, studying him.
Killian shrugs. “She can go to work.”
“But she’s got me,” she tells him. “And this bastard kept her from me the past two years,” Susanna tacks on, “So I’m not backing off when my girl needs me.”
Killian smiles. “She can see you as much as she wants.”
Susanna purses her lips thoughtfully. “You got a nice pad? My bestie needs to stay someplace nice.”
I stare at her with shock.
“I do,” he replies. “I’ll take good care of her.”
“All right. Sounds good to me. I’ll grab my bag and head home. Text me tomorrow, bestie.”
I’m flabbergasted. And speechless.
“Call me, yeah?” she prompts.
“Yeah,” I manage, my voice a raspy croak.
She hugs me and gives me a squeeze and a look that says, we’ve got this.
“Ray?” Susanna leans forward. “Fuck you.”
“Fuck you too, cunt,” he says, glaring.
“Eyes to the floor, Iadanza and you do not fuck with Susanna either. Susanna, message Violet later tonight. She’ll give you my number. He fucks with you, you tell me.”
“You got it,” Susanna points at him with a smile and then she sashays to the couch beside Ray and lifts the cushion while Ray and Killian both watch. She lifts and then points her zapper at him and says, “Wish you’d have given me a reason.”