Call My Bluff

by Elizabeth Knox

  A soft knock on the door broke me out of my fantasy moment.

  “Yes?”

  “Are you decent?”

  “No, it doesn’t fit.” I answered him through the door.

  I heard him shuffling a bit by the door. “May I come in?”

  I looked down, I was in lingerie but I had already seen the man completely naked, this would put us on somewhat even ground, “Sure.”

  He walked in and greedily took in my scantily clad form. I couldn’t decipher what he was thinking, his expression was solid. A great poker face. He looked over to the dress still laid out on the bed, the tags and cloth hanger still in place.

  “You didn’t even put it on?” He asked.

  “I didn’t need to, that is not my size at all.” I laughed as I stood and glided as ladylike as I could over to where he was.

  “I think you are mistaken.” he said picking the soft material up from the bed. He took it off the hanger and made delicate work taking the tags off.

  “How are you telling me what my size is, it is my size you know.” I glanced away as I saw the tag fall down to the floor. I didn’t get a great look but there were far too many decimal places on the price for my liking.

  “If you would just indulge me?” He asked. He unzipped the dress and let it pool on the floor the opening wide enough for me to put my feet in.

  I shook my head and picked up my feet one by one to step into the gown. “You should be smacked for humiliating a woman about her weight, I am telling you I am too fat for this!” I hissed out as he moved the many layers of fabric from beneath my feet.

  He raised his eyes to mine, the gentleman now replaced with the beast, “Don’t you ever threaten violence on me again. I have killed women and will not fucking hesitate to do it again. Mind your fucking tongue.”

  I swallowed a breath, Kaja held back a lot when it came to me but I had to always remember that he was the same man who shot another man point blank in the center of his head because he had cheated him in a game of cards. He didn’t care about the witnesses or the retaliation. He was cold blooded.

  “Sorry, I just know this won’t fit.” I apologized looking away from his steel grey eyes.

  He relaxed his arms a bit, “You have no faith, I don’t make bets I think I will lose.” With that he pulled the material up and over my rounded hips and helped me maneuver my arm to get it into the one shoulder opening.

  He pulled me to the large, ornate full body mirror. The dress complimented my complexion perfectly, the length was perfect, the design was perfect, everything was perfect. I felt his fingers grasp something on the same level as the apple of my butt cheek. The zipper. This was the moment of truth. I sucked in a huge breath, almost praying now that this gorgeous dress would fit.

  “Breathe normally.” he whispered as he stood up straight, bending slightly so his full lips were next to my ear.

  I let out the breath and listened as the zipper glided slowly but easily up the dress with no effort on his part.

  The dress fit perfectly.

  He pushed the small cape train away from my body and let it flow to the side as it was meant, “Predivan” he whispered as he stared at me in the mirror.

  “What was that?” I asked a smile on my mouth and awe in the tone of my voice.

  He shook his head and took a step back from me, “No need to worry about that.” He reached around and turned me to face him, “Looks like you lost that bet.”

  I looked down at the dress and back over to the shoes that still waited to be put on, no doubt they would be the correct size as well, “Yes, I lost the bet.”

  “Are you going to honor your word?”

  “Yes, is there any particular song you would like me to sing?”

  He smiled bright, “Are you classically trained?”

  “No, I just started singing this way, but I do know quite a few opera pieces. It’s the only type of song I ever felt comfortable singing.”

  “Ok, tonight after it is all over with, sing me one full song. I don’t know any but I want to hear you sing, without holding back.”

  I nodded once. I could do that. I would hate every second of it but as far as payments go, this was more than doable.

  “Great, get your shoes on, I have a coat waiting for you downstairs. We should be on our way.”

  He didn’t wait for an answer, just walked out and went about his business. I looked into the mirror; it was unbelievable how much I had changed over the years. The weight I lost, the anger that I always held in my face, the constant calculation that my brain was always doing. I was tired of living second by second. I was losing myself I could feel it.

  I shook my head, trying to get rid of the pity party that was threatening to start in my mind. I had a job to do tonight and it had to be believable.

  The party was nothing like I had ever seen, socialites, government officials and even men and women of the law rubbing elbows with mobsters. I watched as Kaja walked in the room and everything seemed to drop away. Men that were standing in his way quickly moved, drinks were given to him without him having to ask and everyone was clamoring for just one second of his attention.

  “Predivan, stay here. I have a business matter to attend. I’ll come for you in a moment ok.”

  It was the second time he had used this word, but I had no idea what it meant. I reached up and threaded my hand into his hair, his own eyes following my arm in surprise. I pulled up slightly and kissed him on his scruffy cheek before I whispered into his ear.

  “What does that mean?” I let myself fall down from my tip toes.

  He raised his hand and brushed a tendril of my hair away from my face before looking deep into my eyes, “Gorgeous.” He winked at me and let me go before turning to go.

  I watched him go, an air of confidence and dominance around him. He chose a grey suit to wear and even though we didn’t have on the same colors we matched perfectly. Pretending to be close with him was so much easier than what I was expecting. He was charming. He held the doors open for me, introduced me to the people he did stop to talk to, asked if I was hungry, the small things that no one had done for me in a long time. Not even my own parents treated me like this.

  I finished the rest of the light champagne that was in my glass before placing it down and finding my way over to the ladies’ room.

  I never knew why most people think that the bathroom is the ideal place to start problems, but of course, as I fixed my dress in one of the luxurious stalls, I heard the slow deliberate clicking of high heel shoes. Two pair.

  “Did you see Kaja today?” The first woman said.

  “Yes, I can’t believe how gorgeous that man is.” The next woman said.

  “Believe it, and you know his face is not the only part of that perfect specimen of a body that is gorgeous.” They giggled loud.

  I took a deep breath in; I would not be jealous. I had no right to get jealous. I would . . . not . . . get . . . jealous.

  “Girl, stop it! You are so bad! How do you know what it looks like?”

  “Kaja and I have a long-standing relationship, he is just trying to make me jealous with that cow he showed up with today. You know teach me a lesson.”

  Cow? Did she just call me a cow! I gasp silently in offense, I stood straight in my size 4 gown and relaxed my body. There was no way I was going to let them get the best of me. I had been fighting with far worse in the last few years of my life to be reduced to a punk because of two catty women. I opened the door, letting them both get a good look at me as I walked over to the sink and washed my hands.

  I looked both of them in the eyes via the mirror but didn’t say a word to them.

  “Moo.” One of them said under their breath as I turned to walk away.

  That was the final straw.

  I turned and put on as fake a laugh as I could, “Yes, that is truly a hoot. I’ll make sure to let Kaja know. He may not get back to you for a while though. He will have his hands full with me, and I just love the way
he wrangles me. All night long.” I smile at both of them, the saccharine sweetness bubbling in the air. “You lovely ladies have a good night.” I turned and walked out, leaving both of them with their mouths open and their faces getting redder by the second. A second later I could hear their footsteps coming up quickly behind me as I stepped further into the main area, I guess it took them a while to either think up a retort or just want to fight. Either way I was ready.

  “Sabina? Where did you go, I was looking for you?” Kaja’s deep voice startled me. I turned to the side he was coming from and could see from the corner of my eye the two women stop right in their tracks. Just like the men in the party not even the women wanted to go up against Kaja.

  “I had to use the little girls’ room. Is everything ok?” I wrapped my arms around his waist and pulled him closer toward me. He came willingly but his face showed nothing. The man didn’t have one tell.

  “Nothing that you need to worry about, everything good with you?” He asked finally turning his head to the side and glancing at the women who had followed me out of the bathroom.

  “Penelope, is that you?” he asked shuffling us so that I was standing in front of him and his arms were wrapped lovingly around my waist. “It’s been quite a while, you look good. Very healthy.”

  I nearly dropped right there in a fit of laughter. The woman had just called me a cow, and now she was the one being called out about her weight and by the same person whose attention she was trying to get. “Well it was nice to see you.” He said point blank, that was her signal to leave, and just like a good little girl that is exactly what the both of them did. Walked right off.

  Once they were out of earshot, I laughed and turned in his embrace, “How did you know she was being a bitch to me!” I squeezed his waist and jumped a little, it was like we were completely in sync with each other. “I mean I could have handled it myself but I will never say no to back up.”

  For the first time since I met him he laughed, it was deep and sultry, he rubbed a thumb along the bare section of my back, “We all need back up from time to time. I happy I am was able to assist.”

  “That is a wonderful sound.” I said looking into his gorgeous face and suddenly wishing there were no other people around us.

  “What sound are you referring to?” he asked.

  “You laughing.”

  He smirked, “Consider yourself lucky, I don’t laugh with just anyone. Maybe there is something about you?” He moved in closer to my face.

  I don’t know when my joy and laughter turned into lust and need but sure enough all I wanted was for him to kiss me. I wanted him to ravage me, I wanted everything he was and I wanted it now.

  My inner brat tapped her foot hard as I pulled my chin up further letting him have full access to my mouth.

  “Beg.” He whispered harshly. His hand gripping hard on my waist and his cock getting harder against my midsection.

  I gasped, not because I was offended but because I was so ready to do it. I was ready to make a complete fool out of myself and beg him to take me.

  “Kaja, can I have one minute of your time please?”

  I blinked a few times and looked over his shoulder. A large man with what looked like a fresh bruise and busted lip stood timidly waiting for Kaja to turn around.

  “Michael, now is not the time.” Kaja barked at the man as he took a step back from me. I looked down at the hands that had just been gripping me with such a ferocity and could see that the knuckles were bruised. He did this to that man.

  “I know, I apologize, I just wanted to keep you in the loop about what is going down. Tonight, that is.”

  “What, tonight?” Kaja turned from me and went to go talk to the man. It was obvious something was not what they had planned on. I couldn’t be more grateful. He broke the spell.

  I let my fists ball up at my sides, I was laughing with him. I was playing around with him. I was his captive; he was not my fucking friend.

  By the time he finished talking business with the man I was thoroughly pissed off both at him and myself.

  He tried to come closer to me again but as he glanced at my expression, he thought better of it. “I take it you are ready to go?”

  “Yes.” I answered curtly.

  “Fine, right this way.” He put his hand out indicating that I should walk in that direction. I didn’t even wait for him to open the doors for me, I just wanted to get back into the house where I felt like I was on solid ground. I wanted to get back to my overly plush jail cell.

  The car was at the curb before I could even feel a real chill, again I wasn’t waiting for any doors to be opened for me. I hopped in and waited for him to get in.

  “Don’t be fucking rude.” He growled at me as he settled himself into the car.

  “Or what Kaja? What are you going to do? Beat my ass? Send me back to Felix so he can beat my ass? I am tired of playing this fucking game with you.” I yelled at him but didn’t get one muscle tick in response. “Whatever, can we just go please.” I sat back in my seat and waited, I crossed my arms over my chest and just focused on what I could see outside of my window.

  I couldn’t believe that I just broke down like that, I was completely out of my league with Kaja. Felix I could deal with and even the usual scumbags Felix loaned me to I could deal with. I couldn’t deal with Kaja.

  I looked in the side view mirror, my makeup was still almost as flawless as it was when I left the house but the anger that I had promised myself I would drop was plastered all over my face again. Something moving fast caught my attention and I eyed it in the side view mirror. There was a car that seemed to be swerving in and out of traffic. It was getting closer and closer to us but had not made it. Every time that a car cut it off, they would reroute and shoot up a different way.

  “That guy seems like he really is in a rush.” I said out loud breaking the hanging silence that had been in the car since the moment I had my melt down.

  “What?” Kaja asked glancing at me for a second before turning his eyes back to the road.

  “That car back there, the black one, he seems to be cutting everyone off. I guess he has somewhere to go.”

  Kaja looked into the rear-view mirror, his eyes darting back and forth from what was in front of him to what was behind him.

  “Jebote!”

  I felt the car lurch forward.

  “Kaja, what’s wrong, just let him get in front of us.” I was beginning to panic. The world was whizzing by too fast in the window now.

  “He isn’t trying to get by, he is trying to get behind us. Put your fucking seatbelt on.”

  I looked at the black cloth already pressing down on my chest and abdomen. “It’s on, you mean that person is trying to get us? Why? What did you do? Why?”

  “Hush, no questions.” Kaja answered.

  I looked back in the side view mirror and sure enough that car was still weaving in and out of traffic trying to keep up with us. Then there was a gap between all the other cars and us. The car broke free and taking what felt like a second to be right on the side of us. I looked to see who it was but I couldn’t. It was a man I thought, but he had on a dark hooded sweatshirt, baseball cap and sunglasses. Whoever it was did not want to be identified.

  “Kaja, what does he want?” I gripped the seat hard, fear settling deep within my gut.

  “I don’t fucking know.”

  Kaja pressed a few buttons on his interactive dashboard display but nothing happened that I could notice.

  A sound that I had never heard in my life rang out in the air.

  “Shit! Put your fucking head down!” Kaja screamed at me as glass exploded into the car. That same sound echoed again.

  *POP, POP*

  I didn’t need to look up, the man was shooting at us.

  Chapter Eight

  Kaja

  I couldn’t believe the fucking nerve of whoever the fuck that was. No one does this shit to me! No one!

  I had to keep my head together, Sabi
na was in the passenger seat screaming and crying and for the life of me I couldn’t tell her to shut up. She was scared and she had every right to be. She was being shot at.

  I weaved in and out of the light traffic but the person in the pursuing car kept right up with me. I knew that I only had one shot and that was to get to the exit and into the parking structures of one of the hotels on the strip and out the other side before they were able to catch up to me.

  The shots rang out again and I instinctively ducked when I heard a bullet ricochet off the metal of my car. I kept my foot on the pedal and did everything that I could to keep the both of us safe, it was getting harder the closer we got to the exit I needed to take. Then like a miracle dropping out of the heavens a large RV made its way onto the highway and I stayed near it for as long as I could using it as a shield, keeping it between me and the person shooting. About three hundred feet away from the exit I swerved dangerously around the large family vehicle and gunned it toward the off ramp, taking the curve at dangerous speeds.

  I could hear the screech of the brakes as I tried to keep the car on the road. Once I made it to the local streets, I didn’t slow down. I raced toward the parking structure, racing around the complex garage system until I came out clear on the other side and was sure that no one was following us. I rushed the rest of the way home and parked inside my garage. Only then taking my hands off the steering wheel. Only then feeling safe.

  “Sabina.” I called out to her, but she still had her head down and was crying and mumbling about not wanting to die. “Sabina, it’s over, look at me.” I tried to touch her hand but she swung out at me like a trapped animal. Her head popped up and she could see that we were in the garage, she barged out of the car, not even steady enough to step out on her on two feet. She fell down to her knees and crawled fast toward the stairs.

  “Sabina!” I jumped out of the car and tried again to help her. I picked her up, once she got to her feet she smacked my hands away again. “Woman I am not to be hit!”