Switchblade

Chapter 22: Toying With Prey

Killian headed to Tati's room and began to unlock the door.

He walked in with her next meal only to see that she was still asleep.

"Just gonna sleep all day and make me serve you like some princess?" he asked and set the food down.
He grabbed the breakfast he'd left previously and figured he'd just feed it to whichever goon was willing to eat it.

He heard her moaning awake and looked at the bed. She rolled onto her side and one eye blinked open.
"Why can't you ever knock?" she groaned and closed her eye.
"What's the point?" He leaned against the dresser. "You wouldn't have heard me anyway."
She didn't answer.
"Get up so you can eat."
"What time is it?"
"7 something."
"Pm?" Tati questioned as she sat up.
"No, noon."
She snickered involuntarily. "I hate you."
"Hate me while you eat."
She got up and walked over to him.

"What is it?" she asked while she rubbed over her eyes. "I don't know. I don't go get your food. I just bring it to you 'cause you'll murder anyone else." he explained and watched her hands begin to open the bag.
"I'm done doing that. You made it clear nothing's gonna happen to me. I know you won't kill me." She opened the to-go platter and saw it was a cheeseburger and fries. "It's more of a problem if I do run than if I don't."
"Slow learner but you got it at some point." Killian said and stared at the far wall.
Tati shoved him. "Go away."
He took a fry and ate it.
She punched him in the arm. "Quit being an asshole!"
"Damn, mama." he said and looked at her, acting offended.
She didn't answer and just looked back at her food and ate a fry as well.

"Why did you put me in that bed?" she asked.
"Was I supposed to make you sleep on the floor?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"If I sleep there it'll make me get too comfortable being here. I'm not running but I still don't like it. I don't want to get used to it. You still suck."
"That why you haven't slept for three days?"
She looked at him.
"You get real talkative when you're tired." he stated.
She looked back at her food and ate another fry.
"You think I smell good?" he smiled.
She looked at him, shocked. "No?! Who told you that?"
"You did."
"No, I didn't." she scoffed.
"Sniffed right into my neck like you wanted to lick me." he smirked and slowly closed the space between them.
"You smell like an animal. Get away from me."
"Called me pretty too."
Her eyes widened, too shocked to notice he'd taken her hand and gently pulled her to him.
"What else would you have said if I would've let you stay up a little longer, huh?"
"I would've said how I hate you and you piss me off." she stated.
"No, that sounds too much like when you're awake enough that you can lie. What would you say honestly?"

They heard a knock on the door.

Tati felt an arm slip away from around her waist as Killian went to answer it and she was shocked he'd even gotten that far. She didn't remember feeling him do it to begin with.

"They found him." Niko stated.
His eyes looked into the room and saw Tati standing there.
"Alright. I'll be down in five."
Niko nodded, glanced back at Tati, then left the room.

Killian faced her. "I'm leaving. Don't break anything while I'm gone."
"I've only planned to break your nose." she threatened.
"I like that passion. You gonna be that passionate when you kiss me too?" he asked with a straight face like it was a genuine question as he left the room.
Tati just stood there staring at the door as she heard him lock it.

~•~

The men sat in their suvs on the way to their destination.
Killian looked at the gps to see how much longer they had to go. They'd be there in two more minutes.

He took out a cigarette and his lighter.

"What made you wanna come tonight, boss?" Kanan asked.
Killian lit the cigarette between his lips and inhaled before he answered.
"I've been too quiet recently. Feel like I'm gettin' soft." he explained through exhale.

Killian continued smoking his cigarette as he took out wrappings for his fist and unrolled them.

Over his hand and between his fingers. A precaution he takes now after he punched a man in the jaw hard enough to sprain his own knuckles and leave that man missing three teeth and lying on the ground.

They pulled up into the apartment parking lot and found a spot.
"This is it." Niko stated.

The four of the men got out along with a few others who were parked across from them.

Killian stared up at the apartment complex as he finished wrapping the other hand. He took a puff of his cigarette with eyes on the second floor.
"Go." he commanded.

The men started walking in its direction. They split up to take either flight of stairs to the second story and met in the middle.
Killian watched Demetri knock on the door.
After a few seconds it opened and Demetri kicked it in further.

"Idiots better not have the cops called on them."

He flicked his cigarette onto the ground then started walking. His hands found his pockets and the one on the right toyed with the switchblade he kept on his person at all times.

As he walked up the stairs, he could hear the violence that occurred inside of the apartment.

He arrived and saw three of his guys on the floor in pain, three others still putting up a fight, and three others trying to ease themselves up but struggling.
He shut the door and locked it.

"You motherfuckers..." Killian sighed in disappointment and kicked one of the ones on the ground in his stomach.
The goon coughed and squirmed in pain as Killian walked off.

His men backed away, taking deep breaths, and let Killian approach without any obstacles.
Luckily, the men had gotten a few swings in. There was blood dripping down Segal's goon's face. Still they hadn't done anything that stopped him.

"Hm. You really are one big motherfucker." Killian stated.
Rocky threw a punch with his entire body that Killian dodged easily. He quickly pulled out the switchblade, flicked it open, and sliced Rocky's face mid dodge.
Rocky froze and touched the cut. He turned around to face Killian who closed the blade and put it back in his pocket calmly.

He sighed. "I don't hear crying. You live alone?"
Rocky grunted as he swung again. Killian dodged and hit him with an uppercut into his stomach then a right hook across his face.
"You got a face like a gorilla, I wouldn't be surprised." he insulted.
Rocky panted while leaned against his kitchen counter.

He lunged again and Killian moved to the side before forcing his foot into Rocky's leg.
Rocky screamed and took a knee as his thigh ached.

"Stop bullshittin' me and get up." Killian instructed.
He turned around to face the massive man then put his fists up to box.

Rocky got up with a limp but turned around and put his fists up as well.
Killian took a step forward and Rocky took one back.

Killian scoffed.
He moved forward again then immediately swung and Rocky blocked but Killian just swung his left fist. Rocky blocked that one as well, keeping both forearms locked in tight on each side to protect his head.
Killian aimed for his stomach now. Right, then left, then right again, and when Rocky finally lowered his arms, Killian gave him an uppercut into his jaw.
Rocky stumbled backwards.

Killian still stood there with fists up and ready.

Rocky shouted angrily. Killian kept a serious look on his face.
Rocky swung and Killian blocked then sent two quick right jabs into Rocky's nose.
Rocky screamed in frustration until Killian hit him with a left hook and made him run into the wall. He still stood there without a bruise or scratch on his face and his fists up and ready.
Rocky only grew more frustrated as the blood leaked from his wounds and his face was coated in bruises.

He took a final measure and charged at Killian with a goal to ram him into the kitchen counter, head slammed against the cabinets. But Killian went into his pocket, flicked his blade open, and stabbed.

The knife went into the center of Rocky's throat.
"You bored me, gorilla. I had high hopes and instead you toyed with me." He twisted the blade. "If you would have been decent, I would have let you live." he lied.
He pulled the blade out and let the giant man fall to the floor, blood gushing from his neck.

Killian crouched down and cleaned his knife up on Rocky's shirt. He stepped over the body and began to walk towards the exit.

"Get up. You're not done." he told his men and left the apartment.