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“Nine,” he said when she just gazed at them.
“I can’t…cut you nine times, Bishop.”
“I forgot to tell you that if you don’t complete the directive, then I have to. Only the number is doubled.”
Her gasp flew out. “What? This is…is this a joke?”
“No. It’s a test.”
“I don’t understand how this helps me? How does cutting you helpme? Are you wanting me to be a violent person?”
“If you have to be, yes,” he said.
“Well, in arealsituation, I would happily cut anybody threatening you.”
He chuckled, lowering his head.
“And now you wantmeto be the one to threaten you?”
“Is that a no?” He reached and took the knife from the table, turning his arm. “That means you’re choosing to cut me eighteen times instead of nine.”
“Stop!” she shot out after the first cut. “Are you fucking with me right now? What is this, Bishop? Help me understand.”
He created the second cut on his skin.
“Stop! I mean it.”
He made the third cut.
“Bishop, I’ll walk out of here.”
“Do that and we’re over.” He slid the knife over his skin a fourth time. Then a fifth.
“Why are you doing this?” she strained before hurrying over and taking the knife from him. “You want me to cut you…fine, I’ll cut you.”
She knelt next to him, and he watched as the blade shook in her hand. She placed it on his skin, her gasps getting louder and faster before she finally threw the knife and scrambled a few feet away. “I won’t hurt you.” She shook her head. “I won’t. This is wrong.”
“Remember the first night we met? When you gave me the name of your hotel room? Because you’re just a nice and trusting person? Gullible? Naïve?”
“Yes, IknowI was gullible and naïve,” she said, glaring at him.
“Are,” he corrected. “You arestillthis person. Only now, you’re going to be over other people who count on younotto be gullible and naïve. Because we both know what can happen to women who are gullible and naïve, don’t we Ma Petite? They get abducted and sold into sex slavery. Only most of them don’t escape it like you did. Your kind, gullible, naïve ways will put more than you at risk now. Is that what you want?”
She wiped her tears and got back to her feet. “Of course it isn’t but this situation isn’t even remotely sane or similar to anything in reality, Sahvrin.”
“You can cut my pain in half by giving me the cuts. I have a second knife in my pocket if you choose not to cooperate.”
She stared at him then let go another sob and paced next to him. “I’m being punished for being kind?”
He eyed her for many seconds. “We both are. You are too kind to cut me and because of that I get more pain. As do you. Your kindness has a very ugly side, Ma Petite. Seems it cancuttoo. I wonder if we kept playing this game if it could kill. I’m betting it could.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, as if I would let it go that far.”
“Prove it,” he challenged.
She turned her back, putting her hands over her face.
“In the real world, Beth, your kindness can cost you. Your indecisions.” He pulled out his pocketknife and opened it. “Your sweet nature can bring blood and pain like you never imagined,” he seethed, on his tenth cut.
