I eyed the door. I could shove past him and make it out of there but I didn’t know what would happen to Suzie.
“I tried to do this the nice way.” He pulled out a long knife from the holster under his leather vest.
“These tactics are getting ridiculous,” I said. Occum thought his intimidation could work on me. He didn’t know what I’d already survived.
“Occum, babe, things were going well.” Suzie stepped between us. Kept her voice calm and charming.
Her action was unexpected. Why would she care if I got hurt when I was the one who wasn't doing what he wanted? I clasped her shoulders to move her to safety but Occum was faster than me. He grabbed her by the hair and ripped her away from me and into his grip. Time slowed down in that moment, but I still couldn’t stop him.
“You had one shot to do this," he spat at her, raising the knife to her throat.
“I—I—,” she gasped. Her eyes were wide but she didn’t struggle.
He wasn’t threatening me. He was threatening Suzie. As far as he was concerned she was the one who failed. Not me. Maybe he knew he couldn’t get away with hurting me, but…
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I reached for her but the blade twitched.
Suzie gasped and I forced myself back. I couldn’t make this any worse for her.
“She knew the consequences if she didn’t do her job.” Occum’s voice remained infuriatingly level.
Suzie’s face was devoid of all color. Her eyes were wide and unblinking.
“This is absurd, you can’t just—”
Suzie yelped as he squeezed her tighter.
“F-fine. I’ll think about signing. But-but I need time.” A stupid idea formed before I could stop it. “I want her. To come live with me. Till Christmas.”
“What?” he said but loosened his grip.
“I need a research assistant.”
“Research?” His eyebrows lifted. He looked between the two of us. “Is that what you call it now?”
Suzie watched the exchange with an increasingly confused expression. I didn’t have a plan. I wasn’t thinking. I just knew I couldn’t let her get hurt.
“Yes,” I said. “Three months. She comes to live with me. Exclusively.” I added on and almost winced at myself.
“Exclusively?”
“No G-Spot. No stripping. No others.”
For the first time since he grabbed her, Suzie looked like she was gonna speak but I gave her a subtle shake of my head while Occum used the blade to pick his teeth, lost in thought.
This was insane—this whole night was—but maybe I could protect her and get what I needed, too. I would have to talk it through with her, but now was not the time—even if she thought the worst about me in this moment. Her pallor had a greenish tint. Of course. Who wouldn't be sick at the thought of essentially being sold like cattle?
“Sign now. Prove it,” Occum said. “I brought the papers.” He touched his leather vest with the thumb of the arm around her.
“Let her go first.”
Occum shoved Suzie away. She stood staring between us, arms wrapped tight around her middle.
“Now sign,” Occum growled.
“No. I said three months. I don’t know that you won’t take her away right now.”
Occum seemed to play out his options. “Three months?” he asked again.
