I Unintentionally Became Her Kitten Chapter 14: The Business Never Sleeps

I woke up to a ringing and confusedly picked my head up.

Alisha untangled herself from and rolled over, sighing heavily as she did so.

There were so clacking sounds before I heard her voice, tired and annoyed. “What is it?”

The voice on the other end was muffled too much for to understand but it went on for what felt like a long ti.

“Okay,” Alisha said simply after. “I'll take care of it.”

The voice went on again.

“Yes, I understand. Thank you for letting know.”

Another quick burst of chatter.

“Have a good night,” Alisha said with a sense of finality and hung up.

With a sigh she set her phone down again and slid out of the bed, reaching down to pick up her towel from the night before and wrapped herself with it.

I watched her go, wanting her warmth back in the bed with .

She went into the bathroom and pulled on one of those black robes before going and sitting on her couch.

I held my head up to watch her, curious about what she was doing and missing her company. She scowled at her phone screen which lit her face up with an eerie blue.

I slid out from under the blankets and the chill imdiately started to try and rob all of my forr warmth.

Alisha looked up at the sound of my movent.

“You can go back to sleep, Kitten,” she said. “I'll be fine.”

“I miss you,” I said and picked up my t-shirt from yesterday and then so pants, pulling them on to help keep out the cold.

She turned back to her phone until I approached and sat on the couch next to her, leaning my head against her side.

She began to try to pet while typing out a ssage with her other hand but it was awkward. I shifted further away from her and then curled up to rest my head on her lap.

She smiled and ran her fingers through my hair a couple tis before turning back to her phone.

“I'm gonna make a phone call, okay?” She asked

I nodded and let my eyes close as she rested one hand on my head.

She shifted to put the phone up to her ear. And mindlessly twirled a strand of my hair as she waited for the answer. The gentle pulling was soothing and I eased back into drowsiness.

I heard the other line pick up after several rings to a disgruntled, “what?”

“Good morning, Sergei,” Alisha said icily.

“Yes, Ms. Takeno. What can I do for you?” There was an undertone of grumpiness to his voice.

“I thought I was very clear about staying out of the North Block,” she said and continued twirling that one strand of hair.

“What are you talking about? I'm in bed, I was having a good sleep, even.”

Alisha’s scowl turned into a displeased smile.

“I'm not an idiot, Sergei. Keep your n out of the North Block. I'll start taking fingers every ti soone's found where they aren't supposed to. Is that what you want?”

“You think I care about fingers?” He grumbled.

“I'm talking about your fingers,” Alisha clarified. “I know how proud of them you are.”

There was silence on the other end. “And how is that fair to ?” He asked.

“I gave you orders. You haven't executed them correctly so I'm giving you a warning. Ignore the warning and you're going to get punished. Have I made myself clear?”

“Alisha,” he started to protest, talking sweetly.

“Have I made myself clear?” Alisha repeated.

“Eh– rm. Yes.”

Alisha held the phone long after the answer.

“I will do as you say,” Sergei continued.

“Which is?” Alisha asked.

“None of my n are allowed in the North Block. Under any circumstances.”

“Good,” Alisha said. “You understand I'm being lenient with you?”

“Yes, Ms Takeno,” he said. “Your patience is greatly appreciated.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Alisha told him.

There was hesitation before he agreed, “Yes, of course.”

Alisha hung up, still annoyed.

“Sergei’s kind of a jerk,” I said.

“Yes, he can be,” Alisha said. “But he does keep things under control as long as they’re in his favor.”

“But he’s lost access to whatever you call the North Block,” I followed.

“Yes, it was a necessary compromise.” She inhaled deeply, looking frustrated with the situation.

“What is the North Block?” I was barely awake but there was still so curiosity. It sounded like Sergei valued it imnsely.

“It's a territorial region we defined as starting right around where I found you and extending south into the main city. It’s only four city blocks long and wide but there's the main road that goes through there and the bus station where most of the city’s buses end up passing through,” she explained. “Which ans it's very accessible by a lot of people.”

“I see.” I didn't fully understand.

She stroked my hair a few more tis.

“It ans Sergei can have his n just hang out there to get sales. And that ans a lot with illicit trades. More often than not, soone has to know soone who is a street level seller.”

“Oh,” that did make it more clear. “So Sergei deals drugs then?”

“Among other things, yes.”

I didn't need to know what other things could be. Everything he could sell to make so money, I was sure. But Alisha supported his trade, so that ant that she too, dealt drugs and other illicit goods, or at least condoned them.

“What are you thinking about Kitten?” Alisha asked and poked my forehead. “You're making a face.”

“Does it bother you that your business hurts people?” I asked.

She looked down at with those grey eyes. “I don't know,” she said.

“Huh?” I sat up, slowly.

“If I wasn't in control it would just be soone else. People are people. Drugs and sex and violence are all part of what makes humans people. I'd rather regulate it than let it run wild.”

That didn't make much sense.

“Think of it as like a dam. It controls the flow so the torrent of water doesn't destroy everything in its path. I can't change the fact there's water on one side and trying to block it off completely will only make it build up until everything breaks. So instead, I keep most of it out and let what's necessary through. Minimal people get hurt, the animals still have a stream to drink from and an equilibrium can be maintained.”

“I see,” I said. I supposed that made so amount of ethical sense.

“It's still unpleasant sotis,” she said. “But I wouldn't have t you had I not chosen this path.”

That was right. I wouldn't have t her either if I hadn't decided to live in the streets.

She leaned down, craning her entire body to give a gentle kiss on the top of my head.

“You should go back to bed,” she told softly. “There's no reason for you to stay up.”

“I want to stay with you,” I said. “Are you going back to bed?”

She shook her head. “I have to organize so people to patrol the North block boundaries. I thought Sergei would get the ssage if I sent Matteo to stare at him all day but apparently not and I very much don't want to start a territorial dispute.”

“Mm,” I mumbled. “I'll stay with you. I an if it's just talking it shouldn't be a problem, right?”

“Okay, Kitten,” she said. She ran a hand across my cheek. “As long as you know the risks.”

I nodded. I was a liability the more I knew about her business. But I trusted her and I knew I wouldn't talk about anything I heard behind closed doors. I thought she trusted , too. Otherwise she wouldn't be so accepting of my presence.

I settled in as she typed on her phone and found myself feeling sleepy again. She did make a few more calls, and continued to play with my hair as I stayed curled up on her lap but it wasn't so disruptive to hear her voice. She could be very firm with people, but it almost felt safer that way.