Kirk had demanded again. His voice didn’t waver, his stare didn’t stray. He kept his expression tight, his arms crossed, and his posture domineering. “Now, Gregory.”
And it had worked. There was a little more pushing and pulling from his ex, but soon the chubby little man had his phone in hand and was transferring the money. Really, the whole thing had been rather simple, which left Kirk to wonder why he hadn’t done it months ago!
Not that Kirk could relish in the moment for too long. Less than a minute after he exited the apartment building, Kirk was waving down a taxi and giving it his next destination: the business headquarters of one Alexander Ivanov.
It was an unusually pleasant surprise to discover that Alexander Ivanov was the exact kind of man that Kirk had been picturing in his head. He had imagined an overweight, large in size Russian man uglier than sin, with a rock-hard stare that could match Medusa’s. This was exactly what he got.
“I am surprised,” Alexander said when Kirk announced himself and his intention for being there. “I did not think that Lance had such friends as this.”
“He doesn’t,” Kirk said icily. “The vase?” he then prompted, as coolly as he could. “I want to see it before I make the transfer.”
“Ha!” Alexander chuckled and indicated for one of his men to fetch the vase. “You are not stupid like your friend.”
“No,” Kirk shook his head. “I’m worse.”
The vase was still in perfect condition, which Kirk was grateful for. But even still, he double checked every single square millimeter of the thing before finally getting ready to make the transfer. There would be no more risk taking here.
“And now that you have your money, we’re done – Lance is done.” It wasn't a question. “There’s not going to be another fee, a payment that you conveniently forgot to mention?”
“You dare to question my honor?” Alexander huffed, acting as if he were mad at such a concept.
“I do,” Kirk said without blinking.
He should have been scared. He should have been terrified! But he just wasn’t. And that was simply because he was too broken to care anymore. When considering that his heart currently felt as if there was a hand wrapped around it, squeezing it for all it was worth until it was ready to burst, Alexander seemed like the last person he needed to worry about. Barely an afterthought, really.
“Ha!” Alexander laughed again. “I am impressed. When I see you walk in, I thought you a lamb.”
“I am that.” Kirk picked the vase up and got to his feet. He wasn’t going to be hanging around. “But a lamb with nothing else to lose.” How true it was.
It was only just midday when Kirk left Alexander Ivanov’s hangout. And by the time that Kirk secretly dropped the vase off back in the museum, and then got home it was just ticking onto 1pm. Kirk was beyond grateful for this. He was going to need the afternoon and the night to himself. In a big, big way.
First, he was going to cry. And weep. And moan. And curse. And break things. He did a lot of it the previous night but hadn’t gotten it all out. It was going to be a messy afternoon, but God, Kirk needed it. He needed it because tomorrow, Kirk was going to have to go and speak to Lance face to face.
He had to tell Lance that the debt had been transferred to him. They could work out some sort of payment system that would see Kirk eventually get his money back. The details weren’t important right away. And he had faith in Lance’ business, so he didn’t think that would be a problem. It was just something that he had to get over with.
That would be the easy part.
Once he and Lance had sorted out the financials, Kirk was going to officially end their relationship. Just that thought sent a literal stabbing pain right through Kirk’s stomach. But he had no choice. A large part of him still loved Lance. Of course it did! But then there was that other part, that part that didn’t trust him, that was angry with him for what he had done... the part that hated him right now.
Right now, it was that side of Kirk that was winning. So, when Kirk got home from returning the vase to the museum, he fell into his bed, turned his television and music up really loud, and screamed