Dagger

I was furious with Tiffany’s intrusion into our lives. I knew I’d made it very clear that I wasn’t interested in her. Not as an employee, and not as a romantic interest. It was difficult to believe that she was Whit’s sister, or that they shared parents and an upbringing. She wasn’t a bad-looking young woman, but her narcissism totally overwhelmed that. On her own, I couldn’t care less what she did, but she’d forced her way into my world. She had become a danger to Whit, and that wasn’t going to continue.

I contemplated taking Whit and walking away. I sure as hell didn’t need the money, and the studio had grown into something it was never intended to be. I’d never expected to meet Whit, and for that I would be forever grateful. Now, however, it represented a threat. I had only one way of dealing with threats. I put an end to them.

Whit had me enchanted. That was a word with which I’d never identified. She was smart, beautiful, strong-willed, and yet loving and submissive when she sensed I needed it. It never undermined her strength. It was more like a layer she could wear to comfort me, and then discard without another thought or diminishing her own sense of value. I knew she didn’t realize she could do that. My logic said she’d done that for years to maintain the balance between her sister and parents. She was a many-prismed creature, but her clarity never wavered.

For her sake, I would remain and clean up this mess. If I talked her into leaving with me, she’d likely become estranged from her sister and maybe even her parents. I couldn’t, and wouldn’t, let that happen—least of all from an event that I had initiated.

It was still pre-dawn, and I turned to look at her silhouette against the rising light. She was like a beautiful statue, locked into an unmoving pose that was cold and gray. I knew that with even one kiss, she would stir and all the rainbows locked into her soul would emerge and envelope me. It was part of what made her so attractive. She wasn’t passive with life. She took it on, dealt with it and reached beyond her comfort zone.

I kissed her hip gently through the sheet and carefully rose from the bed so as not to awaken her. We’d had quite the romp the night before, and I knew she needed her rest.

The studio was quiet in the morning light. I made coffee and went into my office, planning to look over the books. I sorted email and went over the figures in the bookkeeping program. They were due to be turned over to the accountant for quarterly taxes, but I’d always been a very hands-on supervisor.

I sipped my coffee and moved on to randomly browsing the Internet. Curious, I searched the high-end real estate available in coastal California. I favored the open floor plans with huge windows and an ocean view. The offerings seemed limited, most likely due to the real estate boom that had once again seized the nation. I wondered idly what sort of architecture Whitney liked. I stopped, again realizing I was investigating based on having her in my life.

“Whatcha doing and that coffee smells great!” Whit was standing in the doorway, a coy smile tugging her full lips.

“Preparing for the day’s class. Things are going well, and I think the guys are finally starting to get what this is all about. They started out thinking it was all about the sex, but I’ve kept talking about how control, anticipation, patience and planning lead to reward. It took a while, but now I’m hearing how they’ve applied some of the concepts to their business and personal lives. Finally, they get it!”

“Wish I could say the same for the women. They’re not motivated in the same way. It’s like one big gab session while they compare yoga wear.”

“Here, let’s grab coffee,” I invited as I came around the desk and gave her a morning-after kiss. I put my arm over her shoulders as we headed to the kitchen. “I want to talk with you about something.”

Her eyes snapped up to my face. I knew she was trying to anticipate whether this was an anger-based talk. I set her to ease, smiling and kissing the top of her head.

She refilled my mug and one for herself, and I sat down on one of the small tables, my feet propped on the chair beneath me. She was busying herself warming up a couple of blueberry muffins for us. I liked the domestic picture it created. “So…” I began, “I’ve been giving some thought to maybe buying a place. All by myself, living here on the studio premises just made convenient sense. The apartment you’re in was intended for my partner, but I expected it to be a professional relationship.”

She’d reached the table next to mine and sat down. She handed my plate to me before she began buttering her muffin, and it felt good to have someone be so considerate. She nodded. “Does this mean I’d be living here by myself then?”

That took the breath out of me. I hadn’t expected she’d see it as anything other than the two of us living together. I didn’t want to admit that my feelings were hurt, but in a way, they were. I thought I’d made my feelings for her clear.

“Well, it was just a thought,” I finished quickly, wanting to change the subject. I felt awkward, completely out of my element. By the look on her face, she hadn’t picked up on where I was going. I guessed that was a sign she didn’t think of our relationship with the same sense of commitment I did. Listen to me! I’m thinking like a lovesick schoolboy. I had to change the subject.

“If you need someone to go house shopping with you, let me know. I’m guessing you’re looking for something I could never afford, so this would be a once-in-a-lifetime treat. Anyway, I don’t have classes today. Anything I can do to help with yours?” she offered.

I looked for some sign of guile, but could see nothing but honest interest on her face. Maybe I was being too sensitive. Maybe it was simply too soon, just the wrong time and situation to bring it up. Regardless, it was a bad idea to talk about it now, so I would content myself with business as usual. I just didn’t want to take a chance on losing her, but I knew if it was meant to be, she wouldn’t be going anywhere.

“No, I’ve got it.” In my mind I was saying, the men are easy compared to relationships!

 “Okay, it’s up to you. If you need me, let me know. I’m going to take a swim in the meantime.”

I watched her walk away, and it felt like an opportunity lost. There were so many thoughts I wanted to express, and to share with her, but she was the focal point. I had to accept that time played a certain element in what was going on between us, and I needed to let things be for the time being.

I did some stretches and got ready for my class. I wasn’t sure whether Whitney knew, but I had been conducting mine in the nude. That was the core strategy of the studio, and while she wasn’t doing the same, someone had to.

I was in the men’s workout room, waiting for the students to arrive. They filtered in slowly, some of them still uncomfortable with being their natural selves. I understood this and gave them time, leading by example.

Most everyone had arrived and I could hear the low-toned chatter coming from the locker area. I decided to give them some inspiration, so I took up a pose that had me balanced on my head, using my hands to form two corners of the triangle of support. My legs were vertical and my toes pointed toward the ceiling. It was very similar to a handstand, with the exception that I balanced for short periods and then opened my legs to form a V shape, maintaining the upright stance. I had my back to the class, but the room was mirrored and therefore all of us were visible from any angle.

The door opened and I watched a pair of feet come into the room. I frowned, realizing no one had prompted him to take his shoes off on the mats. “We ask that you remove your shoes in this room,” I called out in a loud voice. The man continued to stand, either unable or refusing to hear me. I called out the request once again, but the body remained unmoving. Irritated, I pushed off from the floor and landed on my feet, turning toward the offender.

It was Malchevsky. Hot flames ignited in my brain, and I felt the fight-or-flight impulse consume me. I was immediately transported back in time, and even though this was my place, my nudity made me feel vulnerable. He allowed his eyes to slowly roll down the length of me, pausing at my groin. A smirk crept onto his face and he let the gym bag in his hand drop unceremoniously to the floor.

“I came for a little instruction, big guy,” he mocked me, jerking his hips forward and back to trigger a response. I knew the other students were watching me, waiting to see my reaction. There was a lot riding on what I was about to do and say.

“Mr. Malchevsky,” I greeted him with a flat voice. “I trust you are a member of the studio?”

“Sure, I am,” he smirked. “My partner and I just joined.”

“Fine. Since you’re a new student, allow me to give you the rundown.” I needed to assume control of the situation, as it was quickly spiraling away from me. I would deal with him, calm down, and figure out how to get rid of him later. I couldn’t let him see me sweat. “As you can see, this room is floored with mats for our workouts. For that reason, we request that all members remove their shoes and store them in lockers. You’ll find the locker room behind me.” I motioned with a swing of my head. “The concept of what we study here is based on yoga, enhanced with self-control and openness brought on by our personal nudity. We therefore ask that our guests also remove their clothing and store it in a locker, as mentioned, and that you respectfully go through our poses without making immature comments. At the conclusion of this class series, you and your partner will be invited to a communal night where the both of you will practice the moves you are each being taught. These are designed to bring additional enjoyment to the act of copulation. Therefore, it is important that your partner be someone who is not only willing to take part, but morally a true partner. We do not invite scandal or promiscuity in any sense. Do you have any questions?”

“What if I would like to trade partners with someone?” His voice was taunting me. I knew he understood the rules and yet couldn’t resist an attempt to piss me off.

“I thought I made that clear, Mr. Malchevsky. You will only interact with your own partner, as will the other members here. Now, if you have no further questions, please disrobe and store your clothing and shoes in a locker, and then join us here in the mat room.” At that point, I turned my head, thereby dismissing him from further discussion.

I watched him from the corner of my eye and saw his complexion turn dark. I knew he was debating whether to take me on here, or to lay low and take me later. This was my turf, giving me the obvious advantage. He considered his position and decided to comply; he would stay on to fight another day. He disappeared into the locker room and emerged a short time later, proudly naked.

The other men in the room could feel the tension between us. I went into a short lecture about self-control and staying in the present moment. For the others, it seemed to disarm the tension. For Malchevsky, it seemed only to increase it.

I put the class into a move that held them in a plank position with the elbows supporting the upper body. As Malchevsky took the position, I began to stroll between the rows of prostrate men, pausing behind him as I spoke. He could hear my voice in the proximity of his ass, but he couldn’t look around to stare me down. I knew it was eating him. I knew he wanted to snap to his feet and go for my throat, but understood he was outnumbered. He also knew I’d placed him in a situation where he couldn’t hide a knife or a gun. He was totally and completely vulnerable. We were exchanging blows of intimidation and words, both spoken and unspoken.

I sent the class through a few more moves, including one in which they would suspend their body above their partner and slowly, with supreme control, lower themselves until they were upon her. Insertion was optional, but the endurance it took was supreme. Malchevsky struggled with this one, collapsing a number of times onto his face.

“Mr. Malchevsky, don’t be disheartened. You’ll get the hang of it. Perhaps a little auxiliary exercise will help you strengthen those muscles?”

He said nothing, but I could see he was quivering with anger. I had to dial back my taunting, as the others in the room were feeling the negative energy. He wasn’t worth ruining my class.

When I finally allowed the class to end and the line of students dissolved into the locker room, he was the last to rise from the floor. He chose to sit upright, crossing his legs in a flagrant display of his cock. He was trying to claim my territory, but I wouldn’t allow it. I turned on my heel and went into the locker room to shower and put on some clothes. I saw him follow me from the corner of my eye. The room cleared quickly, as if was the center of Main Street at high noon and two gunfighters were facing off. I leisurely left the locker room, unwilling to intimidate, or to be intimidated. He was right behind me.

We emerged into the hallway, and there stood Tiffany. Giving me a lukewarm but triumphant smile, she walked up to Malchevsky and looped her arm through his in a claiming gesture. Now I understood how he’d found me, and this place. She’d gone over to the enemy.

What Tiffany didn’t understand, however, was that she wasn’t just tweaking my nose. She was placing herself in tremendous danger. Malchevsky had a history of violence, with women as well as men. He was part animal and part machine. She didn’t need to be mixed up with him.

I headed upstairs, looking for Whitney. I found her in her apartment, sewing some sort of sparkling ornamentation onto her yoga clothing. She looked up when I tapped on her doorway. “Hi!” she greeted me in a cheery voice.

“You have a minute? There’s a problem, and we need to talk. A puzzled frown crept over her face at my words.

“Sure, come on in, Dag. What’s up?” she asked, motioning me to sit down on the foot of the bed. She was leaning against a stack of pillows at the headboard and looked charmingly domestic. I thought again about my intentions earlier that morning, and felt as though I still wanted to, but shouldn’t, bring it up again.

“This is some serious conversation we need to have.”

“Okay…” She was waiting for me to continue.

“Do you remember the night we went to dinner and then sat at the lake’s edge drinking champagne?”

“Sure I do,” she answered, and put down her sewing, giving me her full attention.

“If you remember, I told you a little about the accident that caused the scars on my back.”

She nodded. “I remember.”

“Unfortunately, it’s become necessary for me to tell you the whole story. None of it’s classified anymore, but I had hoped to avoid burdening you with it. I don’t want you to feel that you’re not safe.”

“This sounds pretty heavy?” Her beautiful lips were open slightly in anticipation of what I was about to say. I wanted to kiss those lips, to calm them and to hold her against me. In this case, the best I could do for her was to give her information that she might need. “Go on.”

“Okay, here goes. There was this team member, Tim was his name. He’d had a premonition about the mission we were headed to, and I made light of it. We were diving shallow to reach an old U-boat that had been abandoned on a sandbar. It was involved in the drug trade, and while I don’t need to go into more detail, Tim was in charge of entering the control compartment and showing me and one other guy where to plant explosive devices. When we got there, the other guy, Malchevsky, had already beaten us there. He was supposed to stay behind me, but he ignored orders and went ahead of us. I called him out of the U-boat and he got behind me, farther than he really needed to.

“Tim went in, and within a minute there was an explosion inside the compartment. It killed him, although I didn’t know for sure he was dead until I had dragged him back to our launch. Malchevsky had been nagging on Tim, and it had put me on the defensive. I should’ve listened to Tim, but I didn’t. All I had in my mind was to get the mission accomplished and get Malchevsky off my back. The boat should’ve never blown. There was nothing on it explosive. I always knew that Malchevsky had something to do with it. I’ve just been waiting until I could prove that and bring him to justice.”

I watched her face and saw little reaction. I knew it sounded like some sort of spy book and she wasn’t sure how much she could take seriously. I didn’t blame her for that, but I still had to go on with the rest of the story.

“Recently, I’ve been getting closer. On the night I was out late, I finally managed to corner him in a bar near the old neighborhood where I grew up. Like I told you, your sister was following me, and even though I sent her away in a taxi, she tracked me to the bar. Malchevsky and I had a, shall we say, bit of a confrontation, and she was standing outside watching through the window. I didn’t see her until I was driving away in my car. I caught a glance of her in my rearview mirror. I went back for her, but I was pissed, I don’t mind telling you. That time I took her to a hotel, gave her money and told her to stay there overnight and stay away from my business.

“Well, this afternoon, who shows up in my class as a new student but Malchevsky. Apparently Tiffany thought it would be a good idea to go back to the bar and warm up to him. I don’t know what game she’s playing, but I have to tell you, Whit, this is a dangerous one. She led him here, to my home, and to you.”

“Do you think Tiffany realizes she’s in danger?”

“I hate to say it, since she’s your sister, but she would have to be a fool to not suspect it. I told her outright that it was dangerous and she should stay away. I’m guessing she has a habit of doing the opposite of what people tell her.”

Whitney nodded, dropping back against the pillows again with a deep sigh. “What do you advise I do?”

“First of all, I want you to stay the hell away from Tiffany if she is with Malchevsky. He is looking for a way to get to me, and it’s only a matter of time until she points you out and he sees his opportunity. As for Tiffany, you can talk to her about it, but I don’t want you to tell her the story I just told you. I don’t want her tipping Malchevsky off. Can you do that?”

Whitney nodded, but she didn’t look convinced. “Tiffany isn’t in the habit of taking my advice, you understand.”

“I can’t say that comes as a surprise, sweetheart. But I couldn’t not tell you, and you understand why, right?”

“So who is this Malchevsky today, and what does he look like?”

“Well, you’ll recognize him as being the guy that your sister’s hanging onto. He’s pure trouble, Whitney. He looks Slavic, maybe Russian. Probably about six-foot-one with a sturdy build. He’s smart, and he’s got nothing to lose, and that makes him dangerous.”

“What happens if Tiffany refuses to avoid him?”

“Then I want you to avoid Tiffany.” The words were hard, and she flinched as I said them. “Whitney, you have to see the danger here. He has killed before, and in my opinion he will not hesitate to do that again. As I said, I have evidence that could get him indicted for Tim’s murder. He’s desperate, and desperate people don’t play by the same rules as you and I. I offered him a deal, but he’d have to turn himself in for what happened to Tim. Let’s just say he didn’t take the deal. But he knows I have money, and nothing would stop him from kidnapping you for the ransom. I want you as far away from him as possible.”

“The thing is, as you’ve probably realized, Tiffany will do the exact opposite of what I tell her to do.”

I looked at Whitney, cocking my head as I contemplated what might be going through hers. “Don’t get any crazy ideas about using reverse psychology on her. You’d have to put yourself at risk to do that, and I won’t allow that, Whitney. I won’t allow you to get hurt.”

“Would this be a completely inappropriate time for me to say that I like to hear that tone in your voice?”

“No, as a matter of fact, it comes at a very opportune time. Look, I need to get this off my chest. This morning when I started talking to you about looking for a house around here, I wasn’t talking about leaving you behind.”

“You mean…?”

“What I mean is that I’ve gotten kind of used to having you around and it wouldn’t feel right if you were living here in the apartment while I had a big house. So, to be honest, I was hoping that you would go with me to find a new place, help me get settled in and there would be room for you there, too. You could have your own space, or you could share mine. That would be up to you.”

“Oh, Dag, I wish you’d said that this morning. I’ve been thinking about that awkward conversation all day, and it had me worried. I couldn’t see me staying here by myself at night, and I also didn’t want you to live far away. I just didn’t want to be presumptuous.”

I grabbed for her hand and pulled her toward me, hugging her against my chest. “Well, be presumptuous, sweetheart. For now, we are a pair. Got that?”

“Got it, and I love it.”

“Good. Then are you agreeable to helping me find a new place?”

“Are you kidding? I’d love to house shop with you! Do you have any idea where you want to look?”

“I’d like to go north a bit, get something overlooking the lake. How does that sound?”

“It sounds fabulous!”

“Okay, we don’t have classes tomorrow. What do you say we head out in the morning and drive up the shore?”

“I’ll be ready!”