Chapter 12 -Partnership
1672 Words
Nikita
She was awakened to someone making noises inside the kitchen. Her head pounded and she rolled over groaning before falling onto the floor from the couch. She groaned again.
A gentle voice said, “Take it easy, let me help you up.”
An arm firmly grabbed her and helped her sit up on the couch. She put her hand to her head, hating how much it thumped.
“Take this, and drink this.”
She looked up to see who the voice belonged to. Killian held his hand out with pain reliever pills and a drink of water. She took them.
After several minutes and with her mind beginning to clear, she looked at Killian.
“What time is it?”
“Almost midnight.”
“How long have I been asleep?”
“For two hours.”
She took another sip of water and looked around. The white couch was placed in the middle of the room facing a TV above an electric fireplace. A glass coffee table sat in front of her. The walls were an off-white color and seemed to shimmer under the lights of the house. Outside of the large windows to her left, she saw a faint glow of pool lights.
“Is this your house?”
Killian sat down next to her. “No. It’s Cassius’s.”
She looked around amazed.
“Where is he?”
“He was afraid that you would be hungry when you awakened, so he went to get you dinner.”
Niki was surprised at his thoughtfulness. She pulled her legs up and realized that she was still only wearing her sports bra. She smelled like puke. Embarrassed and uncomfortable, she looked up.
“Um, can I have a shirt and would Cassius mind if I had a shower?”
“Not at all. His room is right up the stairs. First room on the left. I’m sure he wouldn’t care about whatever clothes you find.”
She stood up and Killian followed suit.
“Thanks.”
She turned and started towards the stairs, but was halted when his hand grabbed her wrist. She stopped and looked down at where his hand touched. She noticed for the first time a leather bracelet around his wrist. Killian let go. He looked directly into her eyes and she had a vague memory of finding his hazel eyes attractive.
Killian said, “What happened tonight?”
She looked down at her hands once again, feeling the pain of the evening come upon her. She folded her arms.
“It’s nothing.”
“You got drunk. That isn’t nothing.”
She gave him a hard look. “But I don’t see why that’s any of your business.”
He took a step closer to her. His voice was frustrated. “A hundred dollars and a missed contact says it is.”
“Hundred dollars?”
He stared her down. “Yeah. I paid a kid a hundred dollars to throw a brick at the window so I could get you out. I think I am owed an explanation for breaking a bar's window and punching a man.”
Her mind remembered a slumped body on the ground, Cal. She jerked her head up as if someone splashed cold water on her face. Oh no. She twisted to look at her shoulder blade where the red spider tattoo was displayed on her. Cal had seen her tattoo. She had exposed herself.
Niki began pacing. “Oh, this is bad.”
Never before had she been so careless, so stupid. This was why she never got drunk. Why she always kept herself guarded. He never got her name, but he got what she looked like and he mentioned he had seen her around. This jeopardized her role.
She glanced at Killian, who patiently watched her pace. She stopped in front of him.
“He saw my tattoo.”
Killian nodded. “Most likely.”
She rubbed her hands on her face. “That guy you punched is named Cal and he is part of DN.9. He saw me tonight, and knows what I look like.”
She began pacing again, cursing her stupidity.
Killian said, “Take a step back, Nikita.”
“Niki.”
Killian continued. “Niki. Why were you there at the bar by yourself getting drunk?”
She looked at Killian with the guilt of her actions fresh in her mind. Her emotions felt undone and she almost felt desperate to get the weight off. Usually Kace was the person who bore her guilt. But, it was so raw and she was feeling undone that Killian would have to do. Maybe Killian would give her mercy and report her to the police where she would get locked up for life, never having to hurt another soul again.
She looked at her hands. “I… I killed a family tonight.”
She took a glance up at Killian, who looked at her with no expression. Niki was surprised he didn’t react to her confession.
“I’ve never been asked to do that before. Usually it’s people who are criminals in the first place that I bring to their execution, making it easier to justify what I have to do. But tonight… it was different.”
Killian nodded. “What happened?”
She pulled her arms into herself. “An underboss started his own job. Money laundering, fraud, stealing money from the family. He had to be made an example.” She must still be drunk and tired, her emotions were out of control. If her father saw her now, he would have sent her back to the pits. She closed her eyes, steeling her nerves.
She opened them and continued quickly. “I am the boss’s daughter. I am The Executioner. You see me, your time is up. His family had to die along with him to send a message of what happens when you get out of line.”
Niki squared her shoulders and looked at Killian, daring him to call her the devil’s child.
Instead, Killian took her hand in both of his. He lightly touched his finger to the top of her middle finger. Her heart drummed harder at his gentle touch. Her hand tingled as he brought it down to her wrist.
“Cuore Puro.”
Quietly, she translated, “Pure heart.”
Killian nodded. “My mother used to do this to calm me. Those were her last words to me. Sometimes, our choice is taken away from us, but your pure heart, what’s inside of you, can not be taken.”
She looked up at Killian, who watched her with a knowing expression, as if he had experience. His kind look unnerved her. She withdrew her hand and Killian stepped away.
She looked around at the house and realized something.
“Cassius deserves better than me. He deserves an innocent wife, with a smile and happy bedtime stories to tell children. I feel bad he got that choice taken away.”
Killian bit his lower lip. “Yeah, Cassius is the best man I’ve ever known. His family took me in at sixteen off the streets. He’s my brother. But you will find Cassius’s kindness extends a long way. He may not understand, but he tries to. Cassius is the last person who would ever judge you.”
She drew in her lips. Cassius sounded like a guy too good to be true. But there he was, looking for food for her. And what was she doing? Trying to find a way to break off their arrangement so she could be with Kace. Kace was the one who knew her better than anyone else and he cared for her. Cassius deserves to be with someone just as kind and loving. That was why she needed to destroy the mafia.
She steeled herself. Down to business.
“I know you're a lawyer and I know you work with the police. You were the one to take down Fredrick Dreader and Garth Jenklin, both known crime bosses.”
He turned around fully folding his arms, narrowing his eyes.
“And how did you figure this out? Those were classified cases.”
She smirked, “A contact from the police force.” He lifted an eyebrow. “And I won’t tell you who.”
Niki walked towards him hoping he would help her. “I’m going to take down both DN.9 and the Crimson Spider.”
His arms dropped. “You what?”
“I have insight. I just need the law, and you can help me with that. What if I give you proof?”
“What about your father? What if you get caught?”
“I won’t.”
“But what if you do?” He walked a few steps closer to her, looking down at her. His voice grew low and gruff.
“He’ll send me back to the pits.” Her blood chilled at the mention of that place.
Killian looked up and closed his eyes.
“Back? Do you hear yourself, Niki? Most people don’t make it out of the pits once.”
“Then I had better not get caught.”
“How do you plan on getting into DN.9? You're marked.”
She smiled. “Do what I do best and extract. I have a contact. It’s all set up. I just need a lawyer.”
“You’ll be sending your father to jail.”
She shrugged, trying to dispel the coldness inside at the mention of the pits.
“I know a set mind when I see one. I’ll help.”
Niki felt hope fill her being for the first time in years. She could do this, and soon be free to live her life and be with Kace.
“Cassius will be home soon. You better get your shower.”
She turned and climbed up the stairs, hating the knowledge that she had just put Killian in harms way.
- Writer
