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Tatiana’s eyes widened, her nostrils flared, and her jaw tightened, but she didn’t step forward as her hands automatically slipped to her blades.
“We’re just going to talk. There’s no need for a confrontation,” Dr. Granger said quietly.
Ben appeared in the doorway. His eyes locked on Tatiana’s.
“I’ve just about had enough of your attitude. Am I going to have to take your knives from you again?” he said with quiet menace.
Doubt, need, and confusion flashed by in Tatiana’s eyes as she saw the resolve in Ben’s.
“Come inside and sit down,” Ben continued calmly.
Tatiana stiffly moved forward, and Ben stood aside, but his eyes never left hers as she entered the room.
Four chairs were lined up facing a single chair before the doctor’s desk. In the one closest to the door sat Evelyn. The chair next to her was empty, but Liliya had taken the next one. This left her sitting furthest from the door or next to the Sergeant. She chose the closest chair and sat.
Ben walked to the last chair as the doctor closed her door and moved to sit before her desk.
She smiled at them. “I’m Dr. Granger. I’ve been asked to help you with some issues that have surfaced as you work as a team. Today there was an incident in the waiting room of the Cardiologist’s office. It’s my understanding Ben was in the back preparing for a test when confrontational words were spoken between Ms. Sokolov and Ms. Pushkin. These words were spoken loudly enough that the hospital staff overheard, and rumors have begun to spread. Let’s begin with those words. Who’d like to begin?” She looked to Tatiana, but her jaw clenched.
Liliya sighed. “I will.” Tatiana shot her a surprised look, but the blonde continued. “We’d just left the lab area in the basement. While there, Ben indicated he’d have difficulty collecting a semen sample, so I assisted him. Tatiana and I have… training in such things. When we reached the Cardiologist’s office, Tatiana confronted me about my actions, my willingness to assist.”
Dr. Granger didn’t seem at all phased about Tatiana’s confession. She looked to Tatiana. “What was it about Liliya’s actions that you took offense to?”
Tatiana frowned, and her lips tightened.
When she said nothing, Liliya volunteered another fact. “She accused me of being a slut. Too willing to fulfill Ben’s needs.”
“He didn’t ask you to assist him! You jumped at the chance to be with him! You admitted to kissing him!” Tatiana snapped at her partner.
“I told you! Helping him expedited our way to the next appointment! The kiss was to help him focus! You know this! You have the same training! You have done this with many men!” Liliya yelled back, then her expression showed a cruel smile. “Why don’t you just admit you want to fuck him? Your jealousy is out of control!”
“LYING BITCH!” Tatiana screamed, jumping to her feet, her chair tumbling back as did Liliya’s. She kicked backward, sending Evelyn and her chair tumbling toward the closed office door. Blades were out, and the two assassins faced off.
Liliya was suddenly yanked backward to crash into the blinds covering the window.
Tatiana was facing Ben in full rage, and she froze. She cried out in pain when Ben grabbed her wrists and squeezed, forcing her hands to release the knives. As they dropped, she tried a counterattack, but Ben grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off her feet to slam her down on the plush leather couch against the back wall. She stared up at him in shock and desperation.
“You pull those blades once more in my presence against someone who isn’t a legitimate threat to us, and it will be your last. Do you understand me?”
She clung to his arm as she struggled to speak, so he loosened his grip on her throat.
“Y-yes!” she finally managed to gasp.
Ben continued to hold her down on the couch as he looked at Liliya, straightening her clothes from when he grabbed them to pull her off her feet. She looked back at his scowl. “You need to control your temper and tongue,” he said bluntly.
“Yes, Ben,” she said contritely and dipped her eyes downward.
He looked down at Tatiana and finally noticed how tight her grip remained on his arm. Her eyes were locked on his, and something was unsettling about the desperation in them. She almost seemed like she might be…
Ben stood up and released Tatiana’s throat. He felt a little ill once more. Not as bad as the time he’d punched her. He saw the beginning of the bruising on her neck and wrists, and his discomfort increased. He glanced over at Dr. Granger and saw her intense gaze as she watched him carefully. He sighed.
“Everyone out. I need to speak with Dr. Granger alone.” He saw the Sergeant was sheathing her own blades. “You okay, Evelyn?”
“Yes, sir–I mean, Ben,” she stammered. She spun and opened the door to step outside.
Liliya crossed the room and followed the Sergeant into the waiting room.
Tatiana gingerly stood up, collected her knives, sheathed them, and left with a glance back at Ben. She closed the door behind her.
Ben picked up the fallen chairs and dropped himself wearily in one before the doctor. “I’m so sorry about the violence. It escalated so quickly.” He shuddered. “It’s the only language Tatiana seems to understand. I’ve tried reasoning with her, but she just gets more sharp-tongued and hostile. She’ll settle down for a bit after this.”
The doctor paused for a moment as she gathered her thoughts. “How are you feeling about how you dealt with her?”
Ben smiled weakly. “I feel sick but not as bad as the last time. I only gave her bruises, not a concussion.”
Granger nodded. “Tatiana is fascinating, and I wish I could have her in private sessions to dig through the trauma that brought her to this place in her life. Without that background, all I can do is give an impression from the surface. It’s likely to be very inaccurate.”
Ben nodded as he suspected as much.
The doctor continued. “She appears to be a very troubled woman. Life was not easy for her, and this training she endured is likely the source of her troubles. Her trainers must have been quite brutal with her.”
“I believe so,” he agreed.
“Liliya was probably right with her claim about Tatiana. From her reaction to your manhandling her, she was highly excited and appeared to want you to take her right there on the couch.”
Ben squirmed. “I can’t rape her. I won’t. It’s probably all she knows. She wouldn’t understand tenderness. She’d recognize playacting, as that’s all she does.” He looked down at his hands which only moments before held a woman’s neck in a stranglehold. A wave of nausea passed through him again.
“What do I do? She isn’t settling in. She constantly challenges me and others. I don’t believe having sex with her would suddenly alter her attitude. Much like these bursts of violence, it would be a temporary patch. It’s moot anyway. I’m not going to rape her.”
“If she doesn’t work with you, what other options were available?” Granger asked.
“Maximum security jail and a life sentence.” He shook his head. “She’d run first and be hunted until someone managed to take her out. She really is one of the deadliest assassins in the world… and she’s stuck being a babysitter.” He paused to think about it. “A significant number of people would die if she ran.” He glanced up and caught the look on the doctor’s face. “I know, I know. Those deaths wouldn’t be my fault, but I’m not ready to inflict that upon the world.”
“Instead, you restrict the misery to yourself and those around you,” Granger said, and he scowled but couldn’t argue.
“We should have a temporary cease-fire for now.” He looked toward the door. “I gave her an ultimatum today. If I must deal with her again, there’s a good chance one of us won’t be walking away. Hopefully, that won’t be for a while, and we can develop an alternate plan in the interim.”
“Again, Ben, you don’t have to take this responsibility completely on yourself. You have a significant support base, especially with the army involved,” the doctor reminded him.
He nodded, then stood. “Thanks for seeing us on such short notice.”
She nodded to him as she rose and walked him to the door. He gave her a hug, then stepped out into the waiting room, where three sets of eyes turned his way. Evelyn’s held worship, Liliya’s an apology, and Tatiana’s showed confusion and desperate need. He didn’t have the strength to deal with any of them.
“Let’s go home. We’re done for today.”
Ben spent his weekend at home just playing with the kids and enjoying the weather. It remained unseasonably warm, but he wouldn’t complain as the long, cold winter months would be upon them soon enough.
The movers arrived first thing on Saturday morning, and shortly after the lunch hour, Beth’s home was empty of the bubbly woman’s and her two great kid’s belongings.
He gave the family hugs before they drove away for the last time. He felt a little sad about that but balanced it with the thought that she’d found love.
A second move also began on Saturday. Karen, Penny, and Frank assisted Jayden with carrying his boxes from his childhood home to move in with Karen. Ben saw the group making multiple trips between the two houses, talking and laughing. Karen looked happier than Ben had seen her in some time.
They finished sometime mid-afternoon and came over to thank Ben with hugs. Frank looked like he wanted to speak to him, but Penny held his arm too tightly. Ben expected he might get a visit from the young man later in the week.
Shelly came by late Saturday evening to present the sale offer for Rochelle’s home, and Ben agreed to the price. It was a little higher than he thought it should be, but Rochelle deserved, and likely needed, the extra funds. Shelly promised she’d have news on the sale by Tuesday. He’d arrange for another check.
Jayden dropped by Sunday afternoon to let Ben know he was officially moved out of his old home and thanked Ben for his help. He mentioned Frank would call him this week.