Pet

Christina

    The apartment we were staying in was dark and musty, but the dreary Seattle whether didn’t help much either. It was mostly except for a couch and an old box style T.V. Everything was covered in dust and the counter tops were sticky. " Leo says we can stay for a few weeks. I need you to get the place together." I knew it to be a command and not a question, so I started throwing old plastic cups in to a trash bag then cleaning layer after layer of dust from the counters and small round kitchen table while Dom stood in the window looking down at the back alley. There were 3 hard knocks at the door. I looked to Dom for him to instruct me what to do. he held a hand out, so I stood in place while he walked to the door peered through the peep hole before opening the door for Mark and Lyle to enter. Knowing the two faces I went back to my task at hand. They moved to the small table that I had just cleaned and started discussing a plan they were working on. I didn’t much care to listen, so I moved over to the refrigerator opening it I was horrified. There was molded food on every shelf and the smell made my stomach turn. I knew better than to complain so I started working on the mess when I heard Mark say, “What about Kris.” I froze but didn’t turn around despite the fact I could feel all their eyes on my back making the hair stood up on the back of my neck.

 "Kris. come over here." Dom's voice was a little softer and I knew he was about to ask me to do something bad. I turned around and walked over to the table where on a piece of paper was a drawing. One paper had street names and route marked out. The other paper wasn’t as clear it had what looked like boxes and x's on it but at the top of the paper had Honeywell bank wrote on it. My throat was in my stomach I knew this wouldn’t be good and I didn’t want to be involved. what I didn’t have was choice. I just stared down at the table while Mark and Lyle went over the plans. apparently, I was to be the getaway driver. Suddenly Dom grabbed my hand "Well" he said

"I mean I guess."

"you guess?” he stepped back and looked at me hard a wrinkle between his eye brows. "it’s not something I need you to guess about. This is serious." he stepped toward me and i took a step back I knew what was coming next. "give us a minute." he never took his eyes off me, but Mark and Lyle took the papers and went into the next room. He grabbed and fist full of my hair and I winced in pain. I knew better than to react. "After everything I’ve done for you? if it wasn’t for me you still be on the street."

"I’m sorry I’ll do it. I didn’t mean it like that."

"Get the rest of this place together start on the bedroom. We’re having company later, and hopefully I won’t need you anyway.” I went in the bedroom where a small mirror hung on the dusty walls. It wasn’t that bad this time. There weren’t any marks on my face.  after finishing the bedroom, I walked to the small bathroom in the hallway. I expected it to be the worse, but it was surprisingly clean except for all the dust. By the time I finished it was dark outside and Dom and his cronies had been gone for a few hours. I sort of just sat there looking out the window at the alley below it was dark and dirty besides the rats in and out of dumpsters not much moved below. I heard the lock turn when the door flung open to the trio accompanied by a new guy I didn’t recognize and a few rough looking girls. more than likely they were girls that worked for Dom or this new guy. Dom had a few that traveled with us everywhere, but he almost always put them up in motels to do their dirty work. He had never made me work, yet and I prayed every day that he didn’t. He threatened to often, but never followed through, although sometimes he would send me to their rooms to pick up money or take supplies. As much I didn’t want to be one of them every time, I had to make one of those trips I did envy the little bit of freedom they had, and they were always dressed better than me.

 The new guy didn’t look anything like Dom, Mark, or Lyle. He carried his self differently. His hair looked like he actually washed it. His eyes landed on me after he scanned the room briefly. I looked away quickly not wanting him to get the wrong idea or before Dom saw me looking at another man. The girls and the new guy moved over to the couch while the trio made their way to the kitchen stocking the fridge with beer and bottles of cheap whiskey and setting bags of fast food on the table. I watched from the door having seen this many times before. After unloading a few bags Dom left the two to finish and walked toward me with two bags. “put this on." he handed me the bags one was a new outfit still with tags surprisingly, He usually brought me clothes that the other girls didn’t want any more, the other was a burger in a greasy brown bag I went into the bedroom and done as I was told. The shirt was a sparkly tank top and black leggings. I came back out, ignoring the party happening on the other side of the room and sat down in front of my burger. It was the best thing I had eaten in days. Dom came over and sat a glass down in front of me filling it half full of whiskey. "drink up “I looked up at him kind of surprised at how kind he was being suddenly. I knew something was up it just hadn’t hit me yet.

 " thanks”

“your welcome." he walked around behind me and I stiffened and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I was afraid of what he was going to do next. he leaned down and planted a few kisses on the side of my neck. I wasn’t sure what to make of how he was acting. I just smiled at him when he pulled back to look at me. without saying anything else he walked away calling all the guys in the room into the bedroom to talk about something. This was the first time I really looked over at the three girls that he had brought in with him. I noticed that one of them was Ruby. Ruby had been working for Dom even before I came along, and I saw her often on pick-ups. She was the only girl that didn’t treat me like garbage. She would always tell me “they’re just jealous because Dom thinks you’re too pretty to work the street, but you should be careful there are worse things.” I never really knew what she meant, but she was right being with Dom wasn’t any better. She was a little older than me, but not as tall and the deep red she kept her hair contrasted her light skin. She was always kind to me, and she loved to talk so she always let me know what was really going on with Dom.

“Hey Girl!” she said walking over to the table and sitting down next to me. “How are you? Haven’t seen you in a while. He been treating you okay?” I nodded.

“I don’t know if I like Seattle. I hope he doesn’t plan on keeping us here long. I want to go back to a city I know.” I nodded in agreement while the other two girls watched us snickering under they’re breath. “Do you mind?” she held out her cup and poured generously into it from the bottle that Dom had given me. “Does he always buy you big bottles of liquor like that?”

“Um. No, he doesn’t.”

“Uh huh.” She looked at me suspiciously. “I didn’t think so. Watch yourself.” I nodded not exactly sure what her meaning was, but I wasn’t stupid I knew Dom wasn’t being nice for no reason. We sat there and she talked animatedly for the next few minutes like normal girls. I enjoyed getting to see her. Before long she was drowned out by Dom and followers who came into the room laughing about something.

“What are you talking to her about?” he said walking up to Ruby and pulling her up to him.

“Nothing, Baby. Just a little girl chat. I was waiting on you.” Dom smiled and turned up his cup.

“Good. Go over there ill be right over.” I could never understand how Ruby managed to work Dom the way she did. I had never heard him say an unkind word to her. The new comer had taken a seat in an arm chair by his self, but every few moments he would glance at me. It made me feel uncomfortable, so I stood up to leave the room when Dom caught me by the arm.

“Where you going?”

“I was just going to go in here out of the way.”

“No. Stay and have a good time. You haven’t drunk much of the whiskey I bought you.” His breath was strong enough to me out. If he wasn’t drunk, he was close to it, so I decided not to push my luck.

“Okay.” I sat back down, and he poured me another glass of whiskey before I watched him go back to the little party, he had going on in the living room. That’s when I noticed the new guy eyeing me again. I knew that this was going to be trouble. Dom would beat us both. Mark and Lyle knew better they never even looked my way ever. I looked away but kept him in the corner of my eye.  He leaned forward speaking to Dom quietly. When I looked back up, they were both looking in my direction. I drank my whiskey, pretending not to notice. I couldn’t make out what they were say over all the noise, but I expected Dom to lose his cool any minute, so when he stood back up and walked in my direction I tensed. He walked around behind me running his hand across the back of my shoulders. "you see that guy over there? I need them on our team. I want you to make them feel...welcome." I turned and looked at him puzzled he couldn’t mean what I thought he meant.

 "What... why me?... I don’t know..." He squeezed my shoulder so hard I almost screamed.

 “you won’t disappoint me, will you?”

 “no." I want to cry but I knew that wouldn’t be wise. He sat the rest of the bottle down on the table in front of me.

"This is all yours. when your finished here you can wait in the bedroom." he gave an evil grin and strolled back over to his company sitting on the couch and taking one of the girls into his lap. I was sickened and my stomach ached. the burger that was so good a few minutes ago now disgusted me almost as much as he did. I had no idea how I was going to be able to get through this. I looked up at Dom hoping he would change his mind. He lifted his glass to me, took a drink and went back to hosting the w***e in his lap. I turned up the glass until it was empty, refilled and repeated until it was empty again. I took a cigarette from a pack lying on the counter lit it took a long drag and walked to the bedroom. I expected the new guy to be right behind me and I wasn’t far off. I sat down on the bed and stared at the floor while he entered, and the door closed.

            I was terrified and didn’t know what to do. I didn’t look at him hoping he would just go away, but he didn’t. He stood with his back against the door for a long while his hands shoved in his pockets, staring at me. Finally, he let out a sigh. “What is your name?”

“Kris.”

“How old are you Kris?”

“Twenty.” I swallowed hard trying to get rid of the hard lump in my throat.

“I remember twenty, fun age.” He was strange and the way he spoke was so different from Mark and Lyle. He spoke in complete sentences and pronounced his words right. “I hope you don’t mind me stealing you away from the party?”  I didn’t know what I was supposed to say to that, so I didn’t say anything. I just stared at the floor, still avoiding his gaze. He walked closer to me and stood at the end of the bed. “Don’t be offended Miss Kris, but you don’t look like your enjoying yourself?” His words angered me to my core. I shot him a look, looking him in the eye for the first time since he entered the room. Enjoying myself? Really? His face was full of apprehension. I fixed mt face afraid of what he might tell Dom. I wasn’t sure what I should say so I just shrugged. He nodded and pulled his hands from his pockets. “You shouldn’t be afraid of me. I have no intention to…hmm.” He cleared his throat “I didn’t want to be in there and you didn’t look like you wanted to either.” I watched his face turn a little red as he spoke. I still didn’t know what to make of what he was saying but felt I should say something.

“Thanks.” He smiled pleasantly

“Your welcome dear. Tell Dom what you must, but I would just enjoy a decent place to sleep.” He walked over and picked up the bottle of whiskey I had brought from the other room “Argh. How much could a decent bottle of scotch be?” despite his disdain he poured two glasses and handed one to me. I took it with no intention on drinking it. He sat on the other side of the bed and sipped his whiskey not saying anything for a while. “Do you like Seattle so far?”

“Uh. I guess so.”

“It’s a little too rainy, but otherwise a lovely city. You don’t talk much” I looked at him and smiled shyly. Hoping to keep his kindness where it was.

“Well, I am Liam and whatever you say to me stays with me.” He smiled and I nodded in agreement. He went on talking about nothing in particular for another half an while he sipped his whiskey. I had gotten a little more comfortable and had begun to sip mine as well as I listened to him talk. If I hadn’t been so afraid of him, I might have been pleasant.

“I hope you don’t mind if I sleep in here.”

“Okay.” I stood to leave but thought twice and turned as he was settling into the bed.

“You may stay if you like I promise you that I’m not one of those brutes.” He made a disapproving face toward the other room. I nodded and smiled at him sitting back down on the bed.

“Thank you.”

“Your welcome. Good night, dear.” He rolled over onto his side putting his back to me. I laid down next to him with my back to him and laid there until I was sure he was asleep before I let my self fall asleep. 

The morning after the new guy, Liam that Dom had me entertain I snuck out of the bed with Dom. Liam, Lyle, And Mark had left with the girls sometime in the early morning hours. I went into the tiny bathroom in the hall and turned on all hot water. I felt awful my head was pounding. Sinking down in the shower I started to sob my body heaving, I put my hand over my mouth trying to keep anyone from hearing. How did I let myself get here? What was I going to do now? I couldn't survive, not like this. I didn't want to live through another night like that. The next guy might not be as nice as Liam had been. It was the morning of the bank robbery. I could barely hold myself together I was so scared of what was going to happen, but I was more scared of what would happen if I didn’t do what Dom said. I could hear Dom in the bathroom getting dressed as I climbed out of the shower and got dressed. I went to sit in the other room on the couch while Lyle and Mark sat at the table going over what they were supposed to do.

"Alright let’s do this" I hadn't even noticed Dom enter the room. I stood with a sigh dreading what I was about to have to do. The lock on the door clicked and in walked Liam. “You’re not coming Kris. Liam is gonna do your part. I don’t need you.” I sat back down unable to suppress my sigh of relief. Dom eyed me irritated but didn’t say anything.