So, an in depth author feedback that I received in my email inspired me to do a three chapter arc on Prissy's past and upbringing. Not sure if this is one of the three or an intro to them. I hope you like it.
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Emotionless threats aren't as scary as most would think. They're off-putting, sure, and effective but often don't get the point across to certain individuals. Gleeful threats, however, are always scary.
I thought about this as I grinned at Ms. Crystal's ex husband, gripping his throat with one hand and holding the knife he had flashed her in the other. He had been waiting for her, beside her car, and had slashed her tires so she couldn't get away. If he had gotten too worked up in the shuffle of it all, he would have killed her in the heat of passion right there. Not on my watch.
I and I alone always walked her to her car at my mother's behest and once again, she was right to ask me to. My fingers flexed around his throat as my lips constantly fluctuated between manic smile and sneer. I could see too much white in his visible eye, the other covered by wiry blonde curls that thinned with age. I'm sure he was handsome at one time but his hate and misery seemed to be rotting him from the inside out.
"Oh ho ho... I heard you were a lawyer. Did your best to take everything from her and when she still hadn't come back... What was your plan?" I leaned into him, forehead to his. I'd learned that most of these men were homophobic as well. Invading his personal space was jarring for him. "Want to know my plan? Crystal, should I tell him?"
I called back to her playfully. She was silent and I knew I was frightening her as well. I'd apologize later or something if I could remember to. There was no guilt to weigh upon me or remind me.
"Well, Mr. Lawyer. I'm going to find the shittiest house with the leakiest dirtiest basement and I'm going to chain you to the floor. I'm going to open each one of those pretty fingers up like a goddamn blossom with your lovely knife, toes too. Then, every day I'm going to come back and make another incision. Sure, infection would take forever but rats should get to your first, right? It's going to be fun! We'll name the ones who come to nibble you together. Won't that be a blast?" I slammed his head against the wall of the parking garage to an audible gasp from Crystal. "Won't it, Mr. Lawyer? Tell me it's a blast!"
"I-It's a blast." His eyes were darting over me too fast. He'd seen it. He knew now.
I leaned to whisper giddily into his ear. "Come here again, come near her again, and I will make an incision in your lower abdomen and start pulling out your small intestines. Did you know I took medieval torture in college? I had the highest grade in the class. Should I be your tutor Mr. Lawyer?"
He shook his head and began to cry, tears streaming down a ruined face. I pulled back to watch him, fighting the urge to hurt him like I wanted to. He blubbered and kept shaking his head.
I grabbed his right hand and held it to the wall, releasing his neck to quickly stab through it with the knife. The tip broke against the wall. He screamed and I gripped his face with both hands.
I yelled to him, nose to nose but never screamed. "MY THREATS ARE REAL. MY PAIN IS REAL. NEVER QUESTION THAT! UNDERSTOOD?"
"YES!" He nodded very quickly and I let him go, watching him slide down the wall.
Suddenly it was all gone. All the manic joy and crazed excitement off like a light switch. I squatted beside him with a soft smirk. "You were very lucky tonight Mr. Lawyer. You were mugged but you survived and fought them off. Anything else you say that may or may not have happened doesn't exist. There will be no video recordings, no eyewitnesses. Only your hand, versus lawyers that went to schools and worked at firms that make you and yours no higher than a shitfly, understand?" I had to chuckle at the last part. I'd been seduced by my southern wife's turns of phrase.
"I get it." He stood up all on his own, as no one was going to help him, went to his car and left.
I hung my head and sighed. I didn't want to have to deal with her but I had to get her home. As I turned I was met with a sobbing hug around the waist instead of fearful cowering. I hugged Ms. Crystal and stroked her back until she pulled it together.
"Thank you Dylan. Thank you so much." She wiped her eyes.