When the whip fell to the ground, Sal kicked it away so that she couldn't reach it. When he let her go later, he'd give it back to her. But for now, she didn't need to know that. Instead, Sal's hand slid from her neck to her shoulder and pushed her down to the ground.
"Sit and stay until the boys come. It shouldn't be long and I have no interest in keeping a knife at your throat for ten more minutes."
He leaned back against the trunk of another tree and folded his arms, keeping the knife in the open so that she was always reminded that he had it.