Page 37 of Encounter

Like I did something wrong.Fuck, you know you’ve done somethin’wrong.

Stepping back, I cleaned the blade on my pants while I forced my attention to my phone, dialing up Gregory.Focus. Focus on work.

“Yep?” he answered as promptly as always.

Slowly walking through the hallway, I tried to push the image of the piano out of my head. A melody sounded at the back of it somewhere, and I couldn’t tell if it was from smacking that guy’s head into the keys so hard, or a song Galen played. “It’s done. The gig for the Bulgarians.”

“Huh? Good. Where’s the money?”

“Corner of Saney Lane and Bradleygrove. House with red plaster. Apartment eight. I was told there’s gonna be some trouble, but that’s not our problem,” I mumbled.

“That’s right. Well, looks like that’s it then. I’ll relay the info. You take a rest now. You deserve it,” Gregory said as if he could sense something was off with me. “Come up and see us at some point,” he added in a more relaxed tone.

“I will. Speak later. Out.” As I ended the call, I hesitantly turned around to the body.Something’s fucking wrong with me.

Assessing the room, I made a list in my head. Clean up—ugh, fuck that shit. Get rid of the body. Remove the evidence.

Go home. Relax. Forget.

?

Stopping for some takeout curry on the way, I finally walked into my apartment, pleased by the idea that for the next few days, I didn’t have to bother with anything.

As soon as I closed the door behind me, the dark shadow appeared next to my feet, nuzzling up against my leg. “Missed you too, Kit.” Smiling at her, I rubbed her chin and ran my hand over her back. “Damn!” Looking at the amount of fur flying off her and on my hand, I was going to have to hoover up the entire apartment again.God, how I hate doing that.“You’re not getting any younger, ey? Gonna look like a Sphynx soon at this rate.” I gave her a smirk and somehow, the cat’s face looked like she understood, giving me a brassy ass wiggle in response.

Turning on the rest of the lights, I got a beer from the fridge and sat down on a couch with her next to me. After watching the football channel for a bit, my phone buzzed in my pocket with a message from Gregory.

I put the phone on the table in front of me. The thrill of getting the payment for a job well done was still there somewhere, but nowhere near as intense as when I first started. After so many gigs and so many digits in my bank account, it lost its meaning, like most things.

As I looked around the room with the bottle against my lips, my eyes wandered toward the desk. Frowning because of how predictable I had become, I found myself thinking about that file again. Pinned on the board above the table, it was there to remind me I was losing my damn mind.

I hadn’t seen or spoke to Galen since our first training session. I said I would get back to him, and I kept thinking about it, but like a coward, I kept putting it off. It wasn’t like me at all.

Why can’t I get it out of my head? Am I really putting such importance on a random date?

It was nothing more than a coincidence. It had to be.

Still, it affected me. No matter how much I tried to tell myself to be reasonable. In a strange way, I enjoyed spending time with that kid. Someone so far from the type of person I would be around. He was placid and quiet and cautious of everything in the worst way, as opposed to the kill or be killed, always on the go crowd I was used to being a part of.

Resisting the urge at first, I let myself grab the phone and after a few minutes of staring at it, I dialed up Galen.

It was already pretty late, but judging by the time he called last, and remembering what timeIused to go to bed at his age, I waited through several rings until he picked up.

“Hello?” he peeped, sounding like he couldn’t believe I called.

“Well, finally...”

After a moment of awkward silence, he spoke again, “What— What’s up?”

“I said I’ll get back to you when I can, so that’s what I’m doin’.” Pausing for a moment, I smirked, imagining that anxious face of his. Did I only feel drawn to him because of the coincidence, or was it that helpless quality he had? I wanted to help. I wanted to make him stop being so fearful and unsure of everything. Maybe after being the one to cause so much pain and fear to other people. “You still want to continue with the training? You ain’t under any contract.”

“I s-still want to. I didn’t think— I wasn’t sure if the offer still stands.”

I had to chuckle. “Didn’t say anything about bein’ done, did I?” Did he really think I was over it just because I didn’t get back to him right away? He had some serious abandonment issues to deal with.

Not so surprising, considering his background.

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