Switchblade

Chapter 44: Wine Night

Killian was on the phone while Tati finished dinner.

"I want you to find out who he got to make up the story." Killian stated.
"Yes, sir. What then?"
"Then we make him turn his back on Segal. Nobody smart would do that unless they were forced to. He's gotta have a vendetta now because I bet Segal did some sick shit to him so when we find him we use that to our advantage like the intelligent motherfuckers that we are and we slap a wanted poster on Segal's forehead."
"Yes, sir."

"KILLIAN!!!" Tati shouted after fixing the plates how she wanted them to be.

Killian hung up the phone.

He left his room and walked down the stairs.
Tati was grabbing a bottle of water out of the fridge and went to sit down.

Killian did the same. Until his eyes caught the wine bottle sitting on his counter.
He picked it up and read over it.

Tati only got it for cooking purposes but when he read it, he realized it wasn't a bad choice in general. He went into his cabinet and grabbed two wine glasses then maneuvered towards the table and took a seat.

Tati chewed and noticed the glasses and wine. She looked at Killian who opened the bottle and began to pour.
"Why?" she asked after swallowing.
"What, are you sober all of a sudden?"
"No, but-..."
"Thought it would go nice with what you made. You don't want it then don't drink it." he stated and grabbed his fork to dig in.
She looked at the glass of red wine next to her plate then at him while he chewed.
"How does it taste?" she asked.
"You're gonna get the same answer every time. It's good."
Tati nodded and looked at her plate to keep eating.

She sipped the wine.
Mentally she admitted that he was right. The wine did pair nicely.

The two ate in silence a bit longer.

"Does my mother have your number?" Tati asked.
"No."
"How will she contact you if she has the money?"
"She has a different number. Just not mine. If she hasn't lost it, she'll call him and he'll tell me. If she doesn't, then I'll just go to your house in the sixth month to see if she has it."
"And if she doesn't?"
"Eat your food." he instructed and took another bite.

Tati didn't take that as a good sign.
But Killian only said it because he didn't know. Originally he told Denise he'd kill Tati if she didn't have the money by when she was told. But now he wondered if he'd still be able to.

He figured Denise would get the money so the thought didn't linger long.

They both sipped their wine.

"Question." Tati began.
"Not personal?" he double checked.
"No."
"What is it?"
"Can I use the pool...?" she asked softly as her fork poked at her food.
"You're supposed to be a victim."
"But I'm bored! I don't have a phone. No tv in my room. No game. I've played solitaire in my room way too many times. Can I please?"
He just looked at his plate while he ate.
"I won't ask you for another thing. I swear." she stated.
"You don't even have a swimsuit."
"Fuck..." she panted after he brought up a good point.

They continued eating and sipping their wine.

"You were right. The wine goes well." Tati admitted. "But there's not a lot left."
"There's more in the wine fridge."
"You have a wine fridge?"
"Yes. It's the drawer in the island."
"I didn't know the island had drawers." She stood up and walked over to the other side.

Low and behold there was a pull handle on one side she'd never noticed.

She pulled at it and out came nine wine bottles in staircase formation. The bottles were cold to the touch and Tati scoffed in admiration of the secret hiding spot.
She took one of them and brought it with her to the table.

"This one looks good." she said and sat back down.
"Why would you grab the unopened one?"
"It made me curious."
He ignored her and went back to taking the last two bites of his food.
Tati started opening the bottle.

She quickly drank the rest of her original glass so she could pour the new wine into it.
She took a bite of her food and then a small sip of the wine.
She moaned at her good decision.
"Try it." she instructed.
He sat back and looked at her.
She gestured for him to finish his original glass.
He sighed and did it before she began pouring him a second glass that was filled with the new wine.

She took his fork and put some of the salmon and rice dish from her plate onto it then handed it back to him. He ate it then sipped.

"Not bad." he agreed.
"Right?!" she smiled and ate another bite of her food.
Killian sipped the wine again.

"How are the other ones?" Tati asked. She ate the last bite of her food.
"Depends on personal preference."
"Hm..."
They both sipped again.

~•~

Third bottle of wine was halfway done as the two stood around talking and drinking.
They just wanted to try them originally but got carried away.

"This...is like...second place for me. I like the after taste. It doesn't just taste like alcohol afterwards. You know?" She sipped again.
"Yea."
She placed her glass down on the counter and just stood there.
"What?"
"Nothing. Just standing. Oh my god...What if we had cake?"
He snickered.
"Wouldn't cake be great? Never mind I don't feel like eating cake. Or making it."
"Why?"
"Too much chewing." She hazily sipped from her glass again.
He nodded as if she made sense.

Then he remembered something.

"You never answered my question." Killian stated and finished his fifth glass. Both were tipsy if not drunk but did their best to hide it well.
"What question?" she asked and took another sip.
"The feeling you got after I told you that you interest me."
She looked at him.
He was already looking back.

The question was originally interrupted when he received a phone call from Kanan. Something about their plans that the rest of the men had to be caught up on. Tati was happy he interrupted. It meant she didn't have to answer and led to her just fixing dinner. But she was stressed now that he'd asked again.
Maybe she'd luck out and get another intrusion?
No.

"It's a personal question. So you owe me an honest answer." he reminded her.
"I..."
She wanted to lie so badly. But giving the truth was her idea. This entire deal was her idea. She originally wanted to do it to get more information on him and his work but instead it was backfiring on her and she hated it.
"I don't remember." she stated.
"Are you lying?"
"I felt nervous."
"Why?" He poured himself another glass.
"Because I didn't know what else to feel. Am I supposed to feel good that you of all people might be into me? It would make me feel insane if I did."
"Then feel bad about it."
"I can't..." she answered.
He sipped from his new glass and she finished her last one she had.

He kept his eyes on her and she stared at the floor.

"I think you're funny." he stated dryly.
"How?" She looked at him.
"You just entertain me."
She was still confused but let it go.
He continued staring softly at her.
She looked back at him. "Stop that..."
"Stop what?"
"You're staring at me. I can feel it."
"Am I making you nervous?"
She looked at the floor and didn't answer.
"Personal question, am I making you nervous?" he restated.
She sighed. "Yea..."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
"Do you think I'm going to do something to you?"
"Maybe..."
"I'm not going to force you to do anything."
"I know. If you were, you would've done it already." she said when she remembered how he used to be towards her.
"So then what's wrong?"
She shrugged.
He moved closer to her.