Escaping Christian

20: Touch

But then he caught sight of his face. And fury burned his retina's at the sight of him punching her.

"When was this." He seethed, wincing when Vlad the fucking Impaler landed another one to her nose. "Ivan."

"This was three days ago."

What on God's green earth was she doing with Vlad? Of all people in this world she had to be fighting him? The fight ended quickly leaving them to talk on the sandy shores of- where hell were they?

"What are they saying, where are they?"

Ivan stuttered and sighed before answering, "I don't know where. For some reason a lot of what's happening is clouding my vision. I can't get around it."

Katherine. She must be covering them.

"And I can't hear what they're saying."

What a great help he was.

The scene transitioned smoothly into the two of them having bloody coffee but wearing something completely different. Something akin to possessiveness replaced his fury. Christian knew Vlad. He had loved Florence as he did but Vlad was lucky enough to realise her flaws before Chris could.

Once upon a time they were friends but with Chelsea young, beautiful and a little too openhearted she was ripe for the picking. And if she hated him – the way he left her standing in that airport he'd hate himself – then the two had a lot in common.

Christian released Ivan's hands and said, "I need your phone."

With quick fingers he dialled the number, the person on the other end of the line would be easy enough to manipulate answers from.

He answered on the third ring. "'Ello?"

"Sam where's Katherine?"

"Balls, is this Christian? Well, at least you're alive. Chelsea will be thrilled!"

"Where. Is Katherine, I need to speak with her."

There was a long pause on the line before Sam cleared his throat. "She's out at the moment, I can take a message-"

"I know she's with Chels gallivanting around some foreign country probably sixty-five percent of the time trying not to get themselves killed. Give me her phone number."

Again, a long pause. "Chris, I-"

"Samuel." He barked.

"Jesus, fine. She has a burner I'll give you the number."

Sam reluctantly listed the string of numbers and Christian quickly hung up without a goodbye. The dial tone rang only once before she answered. "Hi it's your friendly neighbour from State Farm. This switch board is located in Switzerland; your call will begin to charge eight dollars per minute unless you hang up in three, two-"

"Cut the shit, it's me." He interrupted with a growl.

There was a pause. Christian tried to distinguish the background noise, even tried to latch onto the language that he could faintly hear but for the life of him he couldn't. They were passing too quickly or Katherine was passing them too quickly.

Finally, she spoke, "Well, you're alive which is great."

"Of course I'm alive. Where is Chelsea?"

"She's around somewhere. Two weeks and now you call for her? Well, you must have a life or death reason to be calling."

"Why was she with Vlad?" He asked impatiently. "And why were they fighting, has she lost her mind? He's a dangerous man and someone his age with his background shouldn't be around both of you."