Page 31 of Pretend
“Do you want to see how blind I am, Frankie? Do you want to test this theory? Do you want to see if those rumors are true, Zeke?” Daegan smiles, his canines digging into his bottom lip.
Frankie’s drunk, and instead of shutting his mouth, he tests Daegan further.
“Whatever you have in mind, Creature. Let’s see ‘Mr. Best Sniper in the military’.” Frankie throws air quotes with his fingers above his head. “I’m game. Can you even see me?” Frankie laughs, but no one else chimes in, with the exception of another guy in Frankie’s circle. He’s short and wears a beanie with tattoos all around his neck.
“Are you sure you’re game?” Then Daegan pulls out his knife. A sharp, thick, shiny blade glints across the neon cattle lights of El Devine, and I feel like I’m the only one strong enough to say something.
“Zeke, stop this! Gabe!” I turn around, desperate for help, my chest heaving. Where the hell is Winters?
I’m hoping Gabe has already called security on Frankie.
“Let them be,” Gabe orders from behind me.
Daegan is smiling ear to ear, his eyes crinkling with excitement and adrenaline.
“I’m not a coward,” Frankie shrugs, getting into Daegan’s face.
“Slaughter,” he orders, and as if Kane can read his mind, he hovers over Frankie, pushing him towards the counter and making him face my direction. He tightens his hold on him, locking him into the chair so he can’t run. He holds his wrist, forcing him to plant his palm down on the bar hard.
Daegan grabs Frankie’s wrists, and he grits out, his throat hoarse and dry, “What the fuck! Let me go!” He wiggles, but Kane overpowers him easily.
“You said you were game, Frankie…and I love to play.” Daegan smirks, “Try not to move…or do.Please, do.”
He starts stabbing the spaces in between his fingers fast and hard. I gasp, holding my hand over my mouth. Gabe chuckles behind me, shaking his head.
Frankie starts wailing like a baby, realizing he can’t escape his current fate. He doesn’t struggle, like he’s fearful if he moves an inch, Daegan will miss. Zeke has his mouth dropped open, as is mine.
Everyone is stunned with shock. No one dares to try and de-escalate the situation anymore.
Then Daegan doesn’t bother looking at Frankie’s hand anymore, not bothering to see if he’ll stab him or miss. Instead, he looks straight into Frankie’s watery eyes and laughs wickedly.
“Do you think the rumors are true still, Frankie? Huh?”
“No! Please! Stop! You’re fucking insane!” Frankie’s eyes circle with desperation.
“Aww, you flatter me,” he continues, but this time, he increases his speed, the counter taking every blow. The only thing everyone can hear is Frankie’s pleas and dark snickering coming from Daegan’s throat.
Frankie struggles to claw out of Kane’s tight grip, but Kane holds him down and smirks.
Suddenly, Daegan stops but holds the blade in between his index and middle fingers. The blade is still stuck into the wood. He managed to do all of that without nicking Frankie’s skin.
“This will be the last time you come into El Devine. Do you hear me, Frankie?” Frankie nods erratically, sweat forming and dripping down his face. “Apologize to Alessia for touching her.” Daegan tilts his head in my direction.
My chest rises and falls with each intense breath.
Frankie looks at me, blinking fast and nervously. He’s flushed and embarrassed. A crowd of sailors and marines circle them, laughing.
Frankie reads the room, and then he lets out a hard, breathy scoff. He doesn’t want to back down.
“Fuck no, I’m not apologizing. She’s begging to be touched and slapped with the outfit she wears!” Zeke turns away from Frankie, shaking his head like he wants nothing to do with him.
Wow. I have no words.
“Thank you.” Daegan spits with glee. He takes out the blade from the wood in one swift pull, but Kane doesn’t let him go. He still holds him down, restraining him despite Frankie’s desperate wiggling. Everyone in the bar is confused, including me.
My palms are still pressed to my lips.
“For what? I didn’t apologize to that slut.” Frankie spits, his saliva flying out of his face as he fights Kane’s hold.
