Smitten Kitten

chapter seventeen

     THERE HAS TO BE  a cut-off level for the amount of karma that can be thrown at one person in a weekly period. And I'm positive I've hit that limit at least three unfortunate events ago.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" I ask, a polite smile frozen on my face.

Nikki stands with her arms crossed over her chest, eyes narrowed and lethal, all-too familiar. "Twenty-one hundred dollars. You owe me twenty-one hundred, and you're going to send it to me. Right now. Don't think I don't know about your little job."

"Job? Never heard of her."

She doesn't laugh, and the scowl engraved on her face deepens. Spiritually, I can feel her murdering me in the most gruesome of ways. It's pretty terrifying, to the point where I hold a palm to my chest, making sure that I'm still alive and in one piece. Which, thankfully, I am.

I can make no promises for five minutes in the future me.

Her crossed arms hare now emphasized with a tap of her shoe, rhythmic and homicidal. I swallow. My gaze falls behind her shoulder and across the hotel room where Nat is innocently sipping a mimosa, pearly sash draped along her body and honey blonde hair cascading down her shoulders. When she meets my eye and then looks to Nikki's 5'4 and somehow still intimidating figure, Nat shoots me a sheepish shrug.

I look back to Nikki, and my nose crinkles. "Okay, okay- you caught me. I have a job now. It's true. Maybe we should cheers?" I lift my mimosa hopefully, but then immediately regret the decision. "No cheers, got it. Money. Okay. Let's talk."

"Did I not make myself clear? Twenty-one hundred dollars."

I nod my head, sucking in a deep breath, the zeros still ringing in my head. "You did throw around that number. I did hear that. Now, let me throw this out there-"

With my mouth open and ready to make some sort of weak defense, I look to her face, and my resolve begins to wilt. Something like a conscious has the feeble excuse of money being tied up at the bank evaporating from my mouth before I can even get it passed my lips. Instead, my shoulders slump.

"Fine," I relent, heaving a tired sigh. "You got me. I'll do it."

"Fine?" Nikki echoes, eyes widening a fraction as her arms fall to her side. "You're actually going to pay me back?"

My brows furrow. "Don't look so surprised, okay? I have some decency." I ignore her lady-like snort while hauling my over-sized faux leather bag onto my lap. "Listen, I don't know who you think you're talking to about twenty-hundred dollars right now-"

"I knew it."

"But," I continue, holding up a hand and preventing any more low-blows to my character from slipping past her mouth, "I'll give you 500, to tide you over, and the rest I'll pay back as soon as I get settled in my new place. You can literally hunt me down for it. I'll even tell you where I live. Or Nat will, because apparently she can't keep her mouth shut about anything."

At her name, the girl of the hour perks up, lifting her glass with a wolfish grin. "If you've got time to talk shit tonight, you've got time to take a shot."

Before I can react, Nikki's stepping into my line of view, arms characteristically folded over her chest as if she's already predicted my response. Her lips thin.

"Now."

I nod, not even thinking to protest, and then begin fishing my phone from my purse. Nikki's hawk-like gaze is unwavering as my thumbs brush along the glass screen, and with a heavy heart, I show her the confirmation of the e-transfer as soon as the deed is done.