Noir (Tom Holland)

Six

  Tom kept his promise and didn't call me at all the next day. It made me feel a little empty, if I were honest. I stayed at the school for more than a half day and I got to say goodbye to Austin at the airport before he left again for Omaha. Katy finally got to schedule the blind date she had been wanting to do for months.

    I looked in my mirror, judging the outfit I chose. It was nothing too modest or revealing. It draped over my body, not really giving me a shape but it didn't make me look like a box either. It was olive green, one of the few colors that complimented my skin and was off the shoulder. I turned around in the mirror and looked at my ass, making sure it couldn't be seen. Katy had done my makeup and she did a hell of a job. The copious amounts of eyeliner she piled on to make the perfect wings ended up bringing out the brown of my eyes. It was the first time in recent days that I had felt like myself and I thanked her endlessly for this night.

I met my date at the restaurant. He was a nice guy, cute too. When he smiled he had dimples and his nose was a tad crooked to the left, but it made him more attractive. His name was Todd and he was most definitely my type, thank you Katy. 

"So, Andi," Todd took a sip of his water, "How long have you lived in the city?" The waiter came around and handed us our appetizer and before I answered him, I took one from the plate and took a bite of it. "About five years," I answered, still chewing, "I went to college here. I'm actually from Oklahoma." "No kidding! I'm from South Dakota!" he exclaimed, "Us Plains State people have to stick together." I laughed, "You're absolutely right. There's barely any out of towners around here. Why did you move here?"

The waiter returned before Todd could answer and faced me. "I'm sorry, miss, but there's a call for you in our kitchen. If you'll follow me," my smile faded. He told me he wouldn't call, I said internally. I stood up, flattened out my dress, and followed the waiter to the kitchen. It was busy, filled with chefs and waiters talking and making food. The phone was near the back and was ringing loudly. As I walked to the back, I felt everyone's eyes on me. I picked up the phone and answered, "This is Andi."

"Andi? What a cute nickname for you, Reese. Maybe I should call you that," Tom spoke dryly, "Maybe you'll answer." "You said that you wouldn't call!" I spoke quietly. I was nervous now. I expected him to keep his word, so I kept the flip phone in my apartment, but I see now that I would have to take thing everywhere. "And you believed me? You're more foolish than I thought," he snapped, "And because I like your presence, I'm giving you your only warning. Next time you don't answer, you'll be found in a ditch with nothing to ID you." Fuck.

"Okay, fine," I put my hand up in defeat, "What do you need?" "Tell your date something came up and get in the car that's waiting for you, you're mine for the evening, I'm afraid," Tom delineated and hung up. I put the phone back on the hook and turned to see the kitchen looking at me in bewilderment. I laughed nervously, "Boyfriend. Always on my ass." The waitstaff looked at me and then out the window at Todd, judging me for the actions I was implicitly lying about.

Going back to Tom, I grabbed my coat and apologized relentlessly. "I'm so sorry, but there's an emergency at the school and I need to go take care of it. Can I take a raincheck?" I took my wallet out and gave him the cash for my portion of the meal. "Uh...sure," Todd was trying to connect the multiple pieces I was suddenly giving him, "When are you free?" I hesitated. I didn't know when I was free. I thought I was free tonight, but apparently not. "I'll call you, bye!" I rushed out of the restaurant with the realization that I didn't have his number.

Hopping into the car, I sat in shotgun and said a very brief hello to Harrison. "Not a fan of Tom today, are we?" he said as he started the car. "Not particularly," I answered curtly and spent the rest of the car ride pouting about my lack of a free day.

"My, my, my, Reese! All for me?" his eyes scanned my figure as I entered his office. As usual, I sat down and crossed my legs, waiting for him to give me the assignment. "Are you giving me the silent treatment? For sparing your life?" he pretended to pout. "More like you said you wouldn't call and then you did the exact opposite. Now Todd probably thinks I'm a douche and the waitstaff thinks I'm a whore," I retorted.

"There's a plethora of excuses for my calling and you went with that one, darling. I'm afraid that's your fault," Tom shrugged his shoulders, "Besides, a woman of your caliber deserves better than Todd or whatever his name is." He waved his hand, dismissing Todd altogether. "I liked him," I said, "I think I deserve someone I like." "Maybe you do. However, this isn't why you're here," he opened a drawer and handed me a passport, "This is for you." I opened it and I saw my photo but with a different name: Reese Webber. "I knew that I would slip and call you Reese, so I just decided to make that your name," he explained as I read the fabricated information printed on it.

"What is this?" I asked, tearing my eyes away from the passport. "It's Thackary," Tom said, "You're going with us." "What's Thackary? Why do I need to go?" Tom got up from his desk and walked around the room, soon finding his place behind me. "It's the Thackary Gala held in Vienna. There, we meet with our suppliers, our patrons, and those of aristocratic status that we control. It's a lovely party, takes two days to celebrate," Tom placed his hand on my shoulder and walked to the opposite side of me.

    "And you think I'm elite enough for this gala?" I asked, looking at him. He chuckled and shook his head, clicking his tongue as he did so. "Not at all, Reese. You're going because there's a mole," he said and took his hand off my shoulder, returning to his desk. "That man you witnessed getting murdered? He was part of a rival organization that leaked my location the the police I hadn't bought yet. Several of my men were detained and we were forced to emigrate here. He bought my forgiveness until his money ran out and that's where you came in," he kicked his feet up onto the desk and cross his ankles, becoming more relaxed in my presence, "Javi, God bless his soul, was making weapons for that same organization, and he helped conspire my demise so that another could take my men and my place in the world."

"This organization's going to be in Vienna as well, you see. We play nice in public, but only for a short amount of time. I don't know who they control and who they've turned onto their side and I have no way of knowing. Except you," he pointed at me, "They know who my men are. We all have targets on our backs except you, Reese. To them, you're a ghost."

So this was why I wasn't dead yet. I was an outsider, someone unexpected to take down a whole mafia. He wanted me to go to Vienna, play house for aristocrats and get information for him to make his move and then what? Kill me once we get home? Once he gets what he wants, there's no reason to keep me around unless he needs someone to clean more murder scenes or have anxiety attacks before committing a robbery. After this, I was as good as dead.

    "No," I said and handed the passport back to him, "I don't want it." Tom took his feet from the table and leant forward and pushed the passport back to me. "I didn't ask what you wanted, Reese. I was merely informing you on what you're about to do," his voice was lower than I had heard before, had I struck a chord? "And I'm not asking you what you wanted either. I'm not going. I'll do other favors around here, but I am not going to Vienna," I was proud of how well I stood my ground. Well, I was proud and scared shitless.

Tom didn't break eye contact with me when he opened his drawer and pulled out a gun, placing it between the two of us. I glanced at it and then back to him. "You really think another threat with a gun is going to change my mind about this, Tom? I won't go," I stood up from my chair and headed to the door when I heard the gun click from behind me. I turned around and saw him with it pointed at me. "Don't you dare open that door, Reese," he growled, his voice holding more anger than I had heard before. For a moment, I considered leaving the door and sitting back down and apologizing, but it was only for a moment. Once I said yes to Vienna, I was dead when I got back. I couldn't. I couldn't do that to anybody close to me. So, I opened the door and left, appalled that Tom didn't shoot me, but I knew I still had a target on my back.

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~Not edited~