Dangerous Games

A DEAL BEST LEFT REJECTED

The brush scraped against the rough tile with each furious jerk. Kali worked tirelessly, scrubbing every inch of grime and stain until the floor and walls were spotless and reflective. Then she cleaned the toilet and flushed that, stepping back after to look at her work. Since five in the morning, she meticulously cleaned and vacuumed every inch of her apartment. She made sure nothing looked untidy or out of place. Working on her apartment kept her busy when she wasn't actually working. She liked keeping busy these days to keep from remembering the dramatic events of the past. Gosh, how she got annoyed when she thought about that.

The gloves snapped off, and she threw them into the bucket and then set it outside on the terrace. When she got back in, she opened all her windows to allow some air in, then settled on the floor by one of them to watch the city in silence. When she first arrived in the state, she had so many dreams. Fresh out of university with so many prospects and hope. Her younger sister June had stayed back to finish high school while she worked to send her money. Losing their parents had been difficult, but they both worked to remember them well and live their dreams just as they promised. It had not been easy, and they still faced so many problems that only grew with each year that passed.

"Where are the dreams now?" Kali whispered, her breath misting against the glass.

A tear threatened to fall, but her bell rang out in the apartment, and she threw her head back. In silence, she held her neck and waited for the tears to fade. When she opened her eyes again, she made quick work of the stains on her cheek. The bell chimed, and she sighed, understanding that the person was not going away.

She stood from the floor and rushed to open the door, her face falling when she saw who had rung the bell.

"I don't think you forgot what I told you the last time we met." She spat after she noticed Ysabel. "Leave my house. There is nothing for you here."

"I would like to talk to you." She lifted her hands in mock surrender, her smile gentle but deceptive. "This would greatly benefit us both. Of that, I can assure you."

"Oh really?"

Kali smiled just as she banged the door shut, insulting Ysabel under her breath. Once the door was closed, she stuck out her tongue childishly and kissed her teeth with a sceptical eye roll.

"Okay, since you want me to say it... Corey Bother's Loans."

Kali flinched and turned to the door, looking at its wooden frame in surprise. She relented and opened the door halfway, trying to keep her expression neutral. "What are you playing at."

"Let me in because I don't want to discuss this in the hallway."

After a moment's thought, Kali finally stepped aside, allowing Ysabel to enter the room. She closed the door and walked in, not bothering to offer Ysabel a seat; it didn't look like she wanted to sit.

"Say what you want quickly."

"Right, straight to the point. I got acquainted with the brothers years ago when I first helped Richard pay off his debts." The surprise must have been apparent on her face because Ysabel began to subtly nod. "That's right, Richard had depts. Bigger than the ones I hear you have. You see, he was always in the habit of spending more than was in his pockets, and I could always support his lifestyle."

"I didn't open the door to hear your revolting history. I want to know what all this has to do with me."

"The brothers and I became good friends. Well, not friends, acquaintances. So, after our first meeting, I decided I needed to know more about you. In the midst of that, and to my surprise, their name came up, and I looked into it further. You owe the brothers over four million dollars. Now, that's a round sum."