Kiss Me if You Can — Chapter 10

HAA...

DID YOU REALLY HAVE TO BEAT ON THE CLIENT LIKE THAT?

MARK, COME ON. IT'S NOT LIKE C JUST TOOK THE HITS WITHOUT FIGHTING BACK.

JOSH GOT HIS FAIR SHARE OF PUNCHES, TOO. IT WAS A TWO-WAY STREET.

Beating someone up like this, seriously...

oh, come on. Did you not see Josh go all out on C?

THAT WAS SATISFYING AS HELL.

YOU SHOULD'VE GONE FOR HIS THROAT WHILE YOU WERE AT IT.

AND RISK ACTUALLY KILLING HIM?

we got everything on camera, right? I'm gonna go check the CCTV.

Popcorn's next to the fridge. Three minutes in the microwave.

Hell yeah, perfect. Thanks!

SO... HE'S NOT GONNA PULL THAT "I'M QUITTING" BULLSHIT FOR A WHILE, RIGHT?

THINGS SHOULD BE FINE FOR NOW.

LET'S JUST CALL IT A NIGHT FOR TODAY. I'LL HAVE A CALM CONVERSATION WITH C AND LAURA TOMORROW.

THEY SHOULD'VE REALIZED BY NOW THAT THIS SHIT IS SERIOUS.

YEAH, THANKS.

10

MORNING, ISAAC.

OH, JOSH. SLEEP WELL? HOW'S YOUR BODY HOLDING UP?

NOT BAD. WHAT'S C'S CONDITION?

NOTHING MAJOR. HE'S PROBABLY STILL SLEEPING.

IS THAT SO?

MAYBE YOU SHOULD'VE HIT HIM MORE.

IF I HAD, I'D ALREADY BE IN CUFFS.

JOSH, WHERE ARE YOU?

IN THE KITCHEN WITH ISAAC.

C'S LOOKING FOR YOU. HE WANTS YOU IN HIS ROOM NOW.

ME? WHY?

NO CLUE. HE JUST TOLD ME TO GET YOU.

YOU'D BETTER HURRY. THERE'S NO TELLING WHAT'S UP.

HAA... LOOKS LIKE I'M BEING SUMMONED.

WANT ME TO COME WITH?

NAH, I GOT THIS.

MR. MILLER, I'M COMING IN.

I HEARD YOU WERE LOOKING FOR ME-

WHY THE FUCK DIDN'T YOU COME SEE ME?

COME SEE YOU?

YOU SHOULD'VE BEEN HERE FIRST THING IN THE GODDAMN MORNING.

WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU DOING? WHY ARE YOU DRAGGING YOUR ASS IN JUST NOW?

...YOU WERE WAITING FOR ME?

TAKE A FUCKING GUESS. LOOK AT THIS.

...DO YOU WANT ME TO PUT MEDICINE ON YOU?

SHOULD I CALL MY LAWYER INSTEAD?

DO YOU WANT TO SETTLE THIS WITH CASH? OR WOULD YOU PREFER TO PAY WITH YOUR BODY?

YOU DID SAY I COULD HIT YOU...

JUST FIX IT.

SHOW ME YOUR ARM.

THE CUT ISN'T THAT DEEP, SO IT'LL HEAL FAST.

ALL DONE-

...!

HOW LONG HAS HE BEEN STARING AT ME?

AH...

DAMN. THAT BRUISE ON HIS FACE... I DID THAT.

...SORRY. GUESS I WAS STARING TOO LONG.

I KNOW YOU LOSE YOUR DAMN MIND EVERY TIME YOU LOOK AT ME.

YOU KNEW?

OF COURSE I KNEW. DID YOU THINK I WAS SOME KIND OF IDIOT?

I GUESS YOU DO, SINCE YOU KEEP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT.

I LIKE YOUR FACE, MR. MILLER.

IS THAT ENOUGH FOR YOU?

WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT ALL OF A SUDDEN?

WELL, I'M SURE THERE ARE SOME FREAKS OUT THERE WHO'D LIKE YOUR SHITTY PERSONALITY, TOO.

A FREAK?!

LET'S SAY YOU'RE AN... "ACQUIRED TASTE."

THIS PERSONALITY IS MINE, AND THIS FACE IS MINE.

YEAH, SURE. IT'S PART OF WHO YOU ARE...

BUT PEOPLE GET OLD, AND BEAUTY FADES.

DO YOU THINK ANYONE'S GONNA STICK AROUND ONCE THE ONLY THING THAT'S LEFT IS YOUR SHITTY PERSONALITY?

ANYWAY, I’LL BE GOING NOW.

YOU’LL GET OLD TOO.

OBVIOUSLY. I AM HUMAN.

IT'S NOT LIKE I REALLY CARE.

OH? YOU THINK PEOPLE WILL STILL LIKE YOU WHEN THAT PRETTY FACE IS GONE?

...WELL, PROBABLY MORE THAN THEY WOULD LIKE YOU, MR. MILLER.

JOSH, C'S GUEST JUST ARRIVED.

WE JUST FINISHED CHECKING THEIR ID. THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY TO THE LIVING ROOM NOW.

A GUEST?

WHO?

MR. MILLER, YOUR VISITOR IS HERE.

GRAYSON MILLER.

WHAT?

WHO THE HELL IS THAT?