Threatening (Chapter-10)

My mouth fell open partially as I stared at the masterpiece that sat on his arm. It was the picture that I drew but it had been altered. A girl was sat on the spot, she was screaming as she cried behind bars. The wolf was sat on top of the mountain, but it had a bigger wolf standing behind it as it stared up at the stars. A chain was wrapped around the girl's throat which sent a freezing cold shiver shooting up my back as I turned my body around. 

"You see what I'm seeing?" He waited for me to answer him. I nodded my head, and he chuckled before moving to stand behind the sofa. Throwing a sandwich at me, he walked over while flipping a fizzy bottle of Pepsi around in his hand with something wrapped up.

"I got you a meal deal. I want you to eat it all." 

"Thank you." I mumbled before opening the sandwich up. Cheese and ham. He laid the drink and a cake down on the floor next to me before walking back over to sit down on the couch opening up a packet of crisps. 

"You're ok at drawing I must admit but I had to change it because the lines weren't the best." 

He was being kind, but I didn't know how long it would last for so for the first time I smiled at his small compliment. It did still hit a tender nerve, but he had got it tattooed on his arm. It had been almost two weeks that I hadn't smiled for. I always thought that I was bad at drawing, but it looked amazing on his arm and blended into the rest of his tattoos. I couldn't see all of the details because it was wrapped up, but I had an idea of what it was going to look like once it had healed. I was sad that I couldn't tattoo but I never did want to pursue it because my hands were always shaky. I had no self-confidence, I hid away from the world and avoided confrontations. My past defined who I was growing up. 

"We are eating out tonight. Going to a friend of mine. You are to keep your mouth shut. All they need to know is that you are with me and happy. Got it?" 

I nodded my head as he placed a crisp on his tongue. 

"Good."

The two men left the house and the two of us eat in silence. Well, I was just sitting there while he was checking his accounts on his phone. I didn't ask any questions and just sat there until I had finished all of the food and my drink. It was really nice and lined my stomach. Later on, that night we visited his friend's house on the next street. Kayley was friendly. She welcomed us in with open arms. She had brown hair and prominent blue eyes with a nice sun-kissed tan. Her partner who's name I didn't know smiled behind her as she opened the door. He had brown hair and brown eyes with the same tan. I didn't know where they were born and raised. 

"Yeah, we are happy." I gave them a fake smile as Darren glanced up at me eating with his head partially down. He was watching me and making sure that I didn't fuck up. Those were his words. He was squinting and looked tense. I shuffled on my seat feeling uncomfortable under his scrutinizing glare. 

"How did the two of you meet." 

Kayley asked and I looked at Darren. He sat up wiping his mouth. I didn't know how he wanted me to answer his question so I was passing it over to him trying to act as happy as I could. 

"She was shopping and so was I. We bumped into each other and bang. Here we are now."

"More information than that?" Kayley giggled and I watched as Darren's body language changed. It was tense and he looked uneasy. I knew that I would be the one who would have to deal with his bad attitude problem later on in the night. Still, I had hope that he wouldn't take it out on me. Who was I kidding. 

"Not important. You don't need to know. Drop it Kayley." He snapped. He was that bomb waiting to detonate. I brushed my hair over my shoulder before looking down at the red dress that I still had on. I felt like a tramp all while everyone else around the table looked presentable. My hair was still a knotted mess from the night before. I was a disaster. 

"Ok then. What's bugging you?" Kayley rolled her eyes and Darren shrugged his shoulders. 

"People like you who want to know other people's business. It has nothing to do with you so leave it."

"Your extremely snappy." Kayley crossed her arms. She was defensive but that didn't seem to bother Darren who laughed. 

"That's me. You should know that by now. Don't like it then you know where the door is." His smile faded away as he gave her a stoic expression. I shivered before rubbing the tops of my arms nervously. How can he say that? He's inside her house I told myself. None of it made any sense to me. 

"Yeah. I'm sorry."

Kayley apologized dropping her head down. Does he have something against her? I asked myself as I pushed a piece of broccoli inside my mouth. I brushed the potato to the side, and he slammed his hand down on the table. 

"All of it. Eat."

I preferred it when he left me to starve! He raised his eyebrows which told me not to challenge him and I nodded my head cutting the potato up. He watched as I eat it. Everything about eating was awkward for me. He poured some wine inside a glass for me, and I thanked him before taking a sip. Kayley sat there with her hands in her lap silently. He must have something on her I told myself as I watched her eyes water. She had gone from this happy welcoming woman to afraid within the matter of seconds. Her partner sat there silently not sticking up for her. 

"So, the latest transaction. All good on your side?" He asked Darren who nodded his head. 

"Yeah. Peachy."

Once again, his eyes were on mine. His eyes always told me a million words. What mood he was in or if he was going to possibly attack. I needed to figure out the looks he gave me because each one was a different version of him. I just needed to know which one was which.