Page 10 of In You

"You know, not to be a dick or anything, but that's kinda…

" I trail off, forcing a sheepish look on my face.

"Can I have that end piece? I like my meat well done, and the deeper you cut into that, the pinker it's going to get.

I'm afraid if I see a lot of blood on my plate it might make me physically ill.

So that piece is perfect." I smile. "Lucky me. "

Calvin turns surprised eyes towards me, but he quickly masks it with a nod. "Sure thing, Lance." He finishes cutting off the sections, and then hands Camilla the fork. "Here, make their plates while I get the whiskey."

She averts her eyes from his, taking the long fork in her delicate hand.

As he walks across the room to the sideboard, she begins to plate his first. I watch carefully as her fingers tremble as she attempts to do this one handed.

He's a dick for forcing her to do anything for us when she's the one with a broken arm, but I keep my mouth shut because I don't want to lay it on too thick after throwing her a bone regarding the temperature of the meat.

He comes back to the table with three crystal tumblers gripped in one hand, and a decanter of whiskey in the other. He puts it in the center of the table and then sits without a thank you to her for serving him, and as chance would have it, she comes to my side next, making my plate.

Joseph makes small talk and I half-listen, rubbing my thumb against my lips as she reaches repeatedly past me, taking about three times as long as normal because her broken arm is slowing her down.

My nose scrunches as I get a whiff of her scent, and pity runs through me.

No matter how clean she looks, how her skin may gleam, or even how beautiful her hair might be in its updo, I'm not fooled in the slightest. My nose knows better. She stinks.

She smells like hot, days old sex and musk covered in a flowery scent.

The thought of this vile man finding pleasure between her legs has got my blood boiling, but I keep my eyes purposefully averted from hers, or anything that has to do with her as I begin to eat silently, not adding much to the conversation.

My thoughts wander, focused entirely on the child that's somewhere in this house.

She disappears back into the kitchen, only coming back out later when we're done to collect our plates, which again takes forever because she's one-handed.

Other than bringing in the lamb and food, Calvin doesn't move to help her.

More of his callousness is coming to light in the wake of food and drink.

Once the table is cleared, we start our game, and light up our smokes. She comes back in to refresh our whiskey, and I wonder if she ate standing up in the kitchen. My dead heart squeezes uncomfortably for her, because she's much too pretty to eat alone.

I keep my eyes on my cards, feigning interest that isn't there.

Cigar smoke lingers heavily in the air of the dining room, adding weight to an already oppressive atmosphere that quite frankly looks like is drowning her alive.

I tsk and throw another hundred dollar bill on the growing pile of money on the table.

She tries to suppress a cough into her shoulder as she refills my glass, but her wrist jerks, spilling the contents on the wooden table.

I feel the vitriol from Calvin, as well as see it in my peripheral, though I don't dare stare blatantly.

My hand shoots out as she coughs again, grasping her thin wrist in my fingers.

I catch her short inhalation of breath, lay my cards facedown to help hide her reaction, and pluck the decanter from her fingers.

I need to get her out of here so she won't be caught in the line of fire.

"Her smell is offensive, my friend," I say nonchalantly, giving her a quick glance and a jerk of my head to back away. Calvin's eyes land on me, and he frowns. "Do you not allow her to bathe?"

Calvin's eyes go wide at being called out and he shifts a tiny, uncomfortable movement in his chair. I look over at her, trying to give her a gift disguised as chastisement.

"Please go wash up before you come back and serve dessert," I say as I look up at Calvin, reaching over to pour him two more fingers of whiskey, then Joseph's as well.

Showing him I'm more than happy to take over where she left off.

She backs up quietly. I don't turn my head to see her reaction.

I just need her gone. "Does she usually not bathe before cooking?

I sure hope so, because I don't want to get sick. Religious reasons, you see."

Though his eyes are stunned at my words, they're sharp on mine as she retreats, disappearing out the door and off into the hallway without a word.

Thanks to my keen sense of hearing, I hear the shower start in a bedroom down the hall, and the steel of the gun in the band of my pants begins to burn as if it's as impatient as I am.

Hopefully my interference, though embarrassing, will help to give Camilla a small sense of comfort even if it's just for tonight. I will save her from this.

Soon, I will exact her revenge.

Normally when I kill, it's quick. I don't normally draw this out the way I did him.

But in taking my time with Calvin, I've unearthed others close to him who are engaged in nefarious activities and I hardly ever take down a kill without dragging a few more along with it.

I don't feel validated unless one client's death yields roughly four extra bodies, and this particular case afforded me six last night, and two tonight.

Unfortunately it doesn't redeem me in the slightest.

Not feeling the need to talk, or even give him a chance to explain himself, I take out my gun with its silencer and shoot him clean in the head.

Turning, I ignore the shocked look on Joseph's face and treat him to the same even before Calvin's head has a chance to face plant on the table.

Leaving them bleeding out, I stand up quickly and head through the door, confident the shower is still running, and quickly make my way downstairs looking for Cunty.

I burst through the basement door searching a bland, unassuming rec-room littered with a few dog toys, a dog food bowl, water bowl, and a dungeon door that's cracked.

Where is she?

A quick look inside shows me it's empty. I race through the basement one more time, looking for anything I'm missing, but it's useless. I can't find a child, or a dog. I know my intel was correct, so what the fuck is going on?

By the time I go upstairs the shower is off. I have a split second to check the backyard for the dog before a decision has to be made. But before I can even have time for plan b, I hear the bathroom door open, and I go to hide, intending to watch Camilla.

And kill her, if need be.