Making the Cut (Saving Dallas 2)

“Why are you doing this for me? I know you say it is because you are a fair man, but explain to me the bigger picture. A man of your stature and power doesn’t just give second chances to people like Luke.” Even in the dim light of the room I could see his eyes sparkle. He was enjoying this shit.

“I’m not giving a second chance to Luke. I am giving you a second chance. My issues with Luke have been settled. He got Frankie in exchange for you.” I felt like there was a piece of the puzzle missing. I saw Charlie’s smile grow as he watched my confused expression.

“I’m not sure I understand.”

“Just sitting here, watching you try and process this does something to me. It is why I do the things that I do. It is the thrill of knowing that I have you now, and although I might lose you, a part of you will always belong to me, just as you said Luke was a part of you.”

I stared at his evil smile, trying to decide if it was better to end this now or just keep my mouth shut. The pleasure of him not getting his way was almost as wonderful as the thought of seeing Luke again. Almost.

“It’s obvious that I don’t follow what you are saying,” I said, leaning back in my chair and crossing my legs, mirroring his posture. “You know I would do just about anything to have Luke in my life. I know that you are offering me a second chance, and I will be forever grateful, but before we go any further, I will not hurt anyone I love just to save myself. I don’t care how easy you make it for me. Tell me what you are offering and I will tell you if I am interested. If so, you can set it up. If not, we can leave for Mexico, as you suggested, as soon as the weather clears.”

Charlie let out a laugh. A big hearty laugh that was full of joy, or some shit. His laugh was just like his voice; it drew you in and I had to fight hard not to laugh or at least smile with him.

“Oh Miss Knox, you really are a shrewd business woman. What I would have given to have met you in a different time, under different circumstances. I believe in another life, we could have been best friends. We are not so different, you and me. It is the thrill of winning that makes us happy. I’m sure the club has changed you somewhat, but you still get that feeling of elation when you know you have won. When you want something, you said you didn’t use force, you simply wrote a check, but how many times have you desired something so much that you have stooped to an inhumane level to acquire it? How many of your six hundred million dollars’ worth of properties have you obtained by convincing someone that it was better for you than it was for them? How many families have you watched walk out of your office after signing over something that serves as a piece of history for them and nothing more than another win for you? This world is a corrupt place, but it is the people like you and me who always come out on top.”

My posture didn’t falter, my face stayed impassive, and if it wasn’t for the heavy beating of my heart, I don’t think he would have noticed how his speech affected me. He was right. We were the same. The only difference was, I was not a murderer.

“Jasper, bring Miss Knox and I a bottle of cognac. We have some business to negotiate.”

I was relaxed, with my heels kicked off and my feet propped in another of the dining room chairs. Charlie sat across from me, the cuffs of his white shirt rolled up to his elbows. A cigar dangled in one hand while he held an unfinished glass of cognac in the other. A half empty bottle of Courvoisier L’Esprit sat on the table between us. We had spent the past few hours going over my life’s events; from the time my mother was murdered, up until now. I told him everything about me, my likes and dislikes, my passions and desires and my love for Luke. For a little while, I escaped from reality and just pretended I was talking to a great uncle, or an old friend. Despite Charlie’s ability to kill with no remorse, or capture and hold people against their will, he was very easy to talk to. He listened intently to me. He was patient when I struggled with detail and offered an encouraging smile when I spoke of my parents and Logan. The cognac helped to dull the pain when I spoke of Luke and how I had fallen in love with him. He understood my trust issues and even defended Luke when I told him about how he had snapped on me that day at the hospital, telling me that Luke was under a lot of pressure and it was hard to trust people, especially women you were in love with. He talked about how difficult it was for a man in Luke’s position to make clear decisions when his heart pulled him one way, yet his instincts pulled him another. I was surprised at how much he seemed to respect Luke, but he used words like ‘people like him’ and ‘his kind’ reminding me that regardless of his praise, he still thought Luke was beneath him. When I was finished sharing my life story, I waited nervously for his proposal. I had no idea what he had to offer and I took a sip of my drink to help calm my anticipation.