These Violent Ends

Chapter Ten

"You aren't serious?" I ask, looking down at the plate of oysters before us. "It looks like snot." I say.

"Here," he says before taking my hand. He pries my pointer finger out from my soft fist and sets my finger tip on the slimy mucus. I jump back, pulling my finger with me. "No way in hell." I say.

"Tess look it's not that bad." He says. He takes the shell into his hand and shoots it back, making slurping noises. I say "ew" over and over again as I laugh. "See? Slight hint of snot, but, it's snot too bad!" He says.

"Oh god no," I say again, laughing. "Bad joke, bad joke!" I cry. He hands me a shell but I try push it away. "I can't that's so nasty!" I say.

"Just one shell?" He asks.

"No!" I say, laughing.

"I insist,"

I finally give in and take ahold of the shell. "It's not going to, like, bite me will it?" I ask.

"Oysters can't hurt you. Unless it's not cooked right. You really can't tell to be honest." He says.

"Oh great!" I say, laughing. Finally, I take the oyster and shoot it back. And I regret it. Imagine just pure slime and fatty substances in your mouth. COLD too. Yeah, I won't be doing this again.

I get it down and grab ahold of one of the shots Jason also ordered and I shoot that back, burning my throat.

"You're a horrible person." I say.

Then the rest of the food arrives. They place a board in front of me, a small fork, and a small wooden mallet. And then they toss mounds of crab legs in front of us on the table. I look up at Jason, laughing. "We shall dine like barbarians." I say.

Jason digs in. I slowly grab a crab leg and slowly bring it to my board. "Where is your sense of adventure, Tess?" Jason asks, sensing my hesitation. I look up at him, rolling my eyes. I take the mallet and take a hit to the joint, getting a nice crack. I manage to get the sweet and salt red meat out of the shell. All intact. I look at him as I hold it up.

"This is supposed to be challenging?" I ask. He smirks before handing me some warm butter to dip my crab in.

"So, are you going back to work any time soon?" Jason asks. I take a bite of my crab, butter dripping on my chin. I wipe it off with the back of my hand. I know, I am just such a lady.

"I would rather not go back to work. I only ever worked at that place because of Caley. Plus she got me hired there." I say.

I mean the pay is nice and so is the benefits. But a receptionist job isn't really my style. It was Caley's, not mine.

"You?" I ask.

"Eh," he says. "Construction is fun. You should join you may like it." He says.

I snort. "You just want me to be your eye candy." I say.

"No," he says putting his scotch glass down. "I wanna fuck you in the construction zone."

I pause, involuntarily pressing my legs together. "Really?" I ask, mumbling almost.

"No one would hear us over the sounds of the equipment." He says.

I roll my eyes. "Perfect place to fuck someone and kill someone." I say, laughing. Too soon?

Jason laughs, "And she's morbid, I love it."

His eyes trail away and look behind me. I start to turn but Jason reaches his hand for me. "Speaking of, that man back there has been staring at us since we got here." He says. My heart drops.