Going to your hotel.
She finally texts me back.
Okay.
That’s it? No explanation? As I’m driving to the hotel, I try to think about what could be wrong with Anna. It was her first time having sex, maybe she’s freaking out about that. Anna seems too strong and confident to play the remorseful virgin, though. Is she freaked out because I told her that I love her? I thought girls were supposed to like it when a guy says that. Maybe she doesn’t love me back. That can’t be it. I can feel that she does. I just know it. Plus, I’m lovable as hell.
I’ve never been in love before and I don’t think she has either. I just need to reassure her that we’ll work through all these new feeling together. Maybe she needs reassurances that I want to be with her forever. Whatever she needs from me, I’ll give it. She’s too important for me to do anything else.
I finally reach the hotel and pull into an empty parking spot. Rushing through the lobby, I get onto an open elevator. I’m so frustrated, having to wait for the slow ass elevator to move up the floors. It stops on her floor and seconds later I’m knocking on the door. She answers it immediately with a blank look on her face. I grab her and kiss her passionately, putting everything I have into it. When I pull back to look in her face again, it’s not so blank anymore. Her cheeks are flushed and her eyes are sleepy. That’s more like it, baby.
Despite the aggressive kiss, my tone is gentle when I ask, “Why did you leave?”
She pulls away from me, obviously trying to gain her composure, probably her air of detachment too. I’m not going to let her. I shut the hotel room door and walk to where she’s standing, staring out the window. Grabbing her shoulders, I spin her around to face me again. “Gabriel, what are you doing?”
“Tell me what’s wrong,” I demand.
“Why would you think that something was wrong?” she asks coolly.
“Hmm, I don’t know,” I begin sarcastically, “Could it be that when I woke up this morning you were nowhere to be found?”
“So?” she asks. Clenching my fists, my frustration increases by the second.
I inhale and exhale deeply before answering, “What are you so scared of, Anna?”
She scowls. “I’m not scared of anything.”
“Why didn’t you tell me that you love me too?” I ask.
“You don’t love me, Gabriel. You don’t really even know me.” She has the saddest look on her face that I’ve ever seen. “You don’t know the real me.”
I carefully place my hands on either side of her face, feeling like I’ll scare her away if I don’t tread carefully. I can’t figure out what’s wrong with her. “Anna, I do know you. I love you.”
She pushes my hands away in agitation. “No. You don’t. Gabriel, there are things about me that you don’t know. Things from my past and things in my present.”
“I don’t care about any of that. I don’t care about any fault you think you have. I love you, Anna. No. Matter. What.”
“I’d like to believe that . . . ,” Anna trails off, looking unsure.
“Believe it. Anna, why don’t you tell me what you think is so horrible? It might make you feel better,” I suggest, hoping that she might finally open up to me, if even just a little bit. What could be so bad?
She instantly gets a guarded look in her eyes, body tense, tone firm, “No, never. It’s not anything that you could possibly understand.”
I realize my mistake and backtrack. “That’s okay, baby. You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to. Just know that I love you and I know you love me too.”
Anna turns away from me and walks to her bedroom door. She’s running away from me and our feelings for each other. I go after her and grab her arm, spinning her around. “You can’t run away from it, Anna.”
She yanks her arm out of my grasp and for a moment I think she’s going to hit me. “I can do whatever I want.” Walking past me to the couch, she’s running away again.
I grab her around the waist from behind and pick her up off of the floor. Carrying her into the bedroom, I drop her down onto the bed, pressing my lower body down on hers. “I love you and I want you to tell me the truth. Say you love me too.”
She does a move that I’ve never seen before and flips me onto my back. “I don’t love you.” If that’s true, why is she refusing to meet my gaze?
I jump on her again and press my whole body weight down, pinning her forearms under my own. I bring my lips down to hers and whisper, “I love you, Anna, and I know you love me too. Please tell me the truth, baby.”
Her mouth opens as if to say something then she closes it as her eyes start to water and she starts blinking rapidly. She’s trying to hold back her tears and, even though I don’t really understand why she’s crying, it pains me to see it. “You don’t understand,” she whispers earnestly.
“I don’t need to understand anything. I just need to hear it,” I softly whisper back.
She closes her eyes and the tears fall down her face. “I love you, Gabriel.” Jeez, she says it like she’s confessing to murder, but I know how to make her feel better. Sliding my hand along soft skin, I slip my hand under her skirt and start pulling down her panties. Her eyes fly open. “What are you doing?”
“I’m going to make you feel much better,” I tell her and throw her panties on the floor.
She doesn’t say anything as I run my hand back up her thigh and rub my fingers against her. She just moans. Once I have her on the edge, I gently remove the rest her clothes. Quickly, I shed my own clothing. Now it’s my turn to moan as I move over her. She feels so perfect. Pure male satisfaction fills me when she climaxes minutes later whispering brokenly, “Love you forever, Gabriel.”
I kiss her tenderly. “I know, baby.” I don’t want it to end, but it inevitably does. Afterwards, I pull her into my arms, cover us with a sheet and hold her until she falls asleep. Kissing her forehead, I gently disengage from her to go to the bathroom.
On my way back, I see a picture on the dresser. I walk over to get a closer look. It’s of two toddlers. The kids are cute, both with dark hair and eyes. I’m curious because Anna doesn’t ever mention her family. Her parents are living at the same hotel, but I’ve never even seen them. She never mentions any other family at all, except for an Uncle Simon. Maybe they’re cousins of hers.
I flip the picture over and on the back is written two names with ages.
Jackson Antoine Blanc, age 3
Annabelle Claire Blanc, age 1
Anna’s last name is Walker, not Blanc. Who are these kids? Cousins? Friends of the family? They must mean something to her, for her to keep a picture of them. I put the picture back down on the dresser and lay in bed with Anna, pulling her back into my arms, the children forgotten.
Annabelle
I wake up to the sound of my phone vibrating on the nightstand. Gabriel is wrapped around me from behind, sleeping and breathing deeply. Pulling on his discarded t-shirt, I quietly reach for my phone. Slipping out from under the sheet, I go out onto the balcony, shutting the sliding door behind me. There’s a warm afternoon breeze which beachgoers are taking advantage of down below. By this time, the call has gone to voicemail. It was Simon so I call him back.
“Annabelle,” he answers.
“Yes?”
“I just received information that Xavier Sanchez is already back in town. Finish it tonight,” Simon says.
“Consider it done,” I tell him, pressing the ‘end’ button.
Chapter 13
Annabelle
Opening the balcony door, I reenter the suite. Gabriel is standing there on the other side, now wearing his boxer briefs. “Who was that on the phone?” Glancing down at the shirt I’m wearing brings a pleased smile to his face.
“My mom and dad. They’re up in Orlando. They just wanted to check up on me.” While lying to him, I look right into his eyes. Giving him a peck on the cheek, I brush past him. “I’m going to take a shower. Will you order us some roo
m service?”
“Sure babe,” he answers from behind me, satisfied with my lie.
While in the shower a sense of panic comes over me. This is it. I’m going to lose Gabriel forever. A part of me wishes that I’d never taken this job and a part of me is grateful for it. This situation is so messed up. The job has to get done, though. Xavier Sanchez is a monster and it’s my job to rid the world of him. I’m the necessary evil.
I just wish there was a way to do this job and keep Gabriel at the same time. I love him so much. He’s becoming more important to me than anything else in this world, except my duty. Now I can see why Simon always lectured Jackson and me to never fall in love. He said that love is a weakness that those in our profession can’t afford. I think it’s just damn scary. I never imagined any person having this sort of emotional power over me.
Maybe there is a way to stay with Gabriel. Those in my profession can’t risk love, but if I wasn’t in this profession I could risk it. Do I want to give up this life for Gabriel? Is he worth it? Yes, absolutely and completely.
I step out of the shower and dry myself off with an energized feeling. All I have to do is finish this job, then I can tell Simon that I’m done. I’ll be free to be with Gabriel. I quickly dress in a denim skirt and tank top. When I enter the living room, Gabriel is sitting on the couch, flipping through the channels. Jackson wouldn’t like the thought of Gabriel on his throne. My brother is probably wondering why I haven’t texted or called to let him know that it’s okay to come back to the suite. But I won’t worry about that right now. Feeling somehow lighter now that I’ve made my decision, I jump on top of him. “Gotcha!”
He laughs, then gets a serious expression on his face and brings his forehead against mine. “From the first moment I saw you.” Aw, how can a girl resist that?
I wrap my arms around his neck. “I love you, Gabriel.” There’s a freedom in saying it now.
His stomach rumbles, but he ignores it. He starts kissing me but a knock on the door interrupts us. Good, my man’s hungry. Going to the door I answer it, expecting room service but see Jackson standing there. Wearing wet swim trunks, flip flops and a towel around his neck, he’s dripping water on the hallway carpet. “What are you doing here?” I turn my head back and see Gabriel flipping through channels again, oblivious to Jackson’s presence.
“Simon called,” Jackson whispers.
I sigh. “He called me too. I’m doing it tonight.”
Jackson looks surprised. “Really?” His skepticism is insulting.
“Yes,” I whisper harshly, glancing back again to see Gabriel now preoccupied with a soccer game. Jackson’s lack of confidence in me is annoying. He grins, turning around to walk away. “Jackson?” I whisper.
He turns back around. “Yeah?”
Butterflies flutter in my stomach as I tell him, “This is my last job.” I quickly shut the door before he can react. Chicken shit of me, I know, but I’m not ready to listen to his lecture telling me that I’m being a stupid girl.
Leaning back against the door, Gabriel looks at me quizzically. “It was just someone asking directions to the ice machine.”
Gabriel mutters, “Why didn’t they call the front desk?”
There’s another knock on the door and I pray that it isn’t Jackson again, wondering if he heard me right. I’m relieved to open the door to room service. I even give the guy a big tip. Removing the metal warming covers, I see that Gabriel ordered a giant Angus burger and chicken club sandwich, both served with French fries. I’m guessing the sandwich is for me. He smiles gratefully when I bring him his plate. Grabbing a couple of Jackson’s root beers from the fridge, we use the coffee table to set our plates on. Gabriel has switched channels to watch a surfing championship in Hawaii.
Watching his profile as he devours his food, I think that maybe this could work. Not that I’d ever imagined living a normal life, but with Gabriel it might turn out to be even more exciting than the murdering business. Guess I’m stuck with the name Anna Walker. It could be worse. Oh man, guess I’m stuck staying in high school too, until we graduate in May. I almost choke on a bite of my sandwich at that thought. Gabriel glances over at me, grinning when he sees that I’m alright. With a glint of humor in his eyes and a quick kiss on my lips, he resumes chewing the bite he was working on, turning his attention back to the game.
Yeah, if I have to quit for anyone, it’d be him. I suppose he’ll want to attend college next fall. I’m really not into the idea, but I saw a movie about kids in college once and it looked like it could be fun. There must be something I could study. Maybe there’s some sort of college degree that involves weapons design or I could go into criminal justice. Take care of criminals the legal way. That’d be kinda cool, maybe. Though, I’ve never been very good at obeying rules. I imagine laws will be even harder to obey.
Once we’ve both swallowed our last bites, I tell Gabriel that I want to go to his place and watch another movie from his massive collection. Before we leave the hotel, I grab a messenger bag and fill it with a backup plan. I still have the gun and silencer hidden in Gabriel’s closet but, when possible, it’s good to have a backup plan. A plan that includes an alternative method to commit the murder or the means for a quick escape.
When we get to his house, his mom and dad aren’t around. We watch a couple movies in his room, both comedies, and by the time we’re done, it’s getting dark outside. Gabriel takes me with him down to the kitchen to scrounge some food out of the fridge. With a chef coming in to cook every day, the leftover options are restaurant-worthy.
As we’re eating and Italian dish we warmed in the microwave his mom comes into the kitchen. “Hey kids,” she says with a joyous look on her face. I don’t know if I’ve ever had someone call me a ‘kid’ like that, even when I was a kid. Better get used to it, Annabelle, ‘cause you’re about to be normal. “Gabriel, your father’s home.”
“Again already?” Gabriel asks, obviously having his father home again so soon is an odd occurrence. At the mention of his father, my appetite is gone.
“Yes, he asked that I bring his dinner to his study, since he has so much work to do tonight,” she answers as she begins to put together a meal for Xavier.
Knowing that I need to get my job over with, I whisper in Gabriel’s ear, “I’m ready for dessert.”
Standing up so quickly that he almost knocks over the stool, he grabs my hand and pulls me off the barstool I’m sitting on. “We gotta go mom!” I laugh as he practically carries me up the staircase.
After we enthusiastically make love, I’m laying half on top of him as he yawns. “Put me to sleep the old fashioned way,” he mumbles and dozes off. All this sex is causing us to nap like preschoolers. I know that it’s too early for him to be out for the night, so I quietly get off the bed and get dressed. Retrieving the gun and silencer from the top of Gabriel’s closet, I pull the messenger bag over my shoulder. I slip a throwing knife from the bag and tuck it into the waistband of my skirt, underneath my tank top.
Xavier is overconfident when it comes to security inside his home. The place is surrounded by bodyguards outside, but in the house he’s chosen privacy over further safety. While inside, he seems to only keep one bodyguard with him. Good for me. Bad for him.
This is just too easy. Even after the job is done no one will suspect me. After all, seventeen year old teenage girls don’t commit murder for hire. Gabriel will tell everyone that I was in his room with him. It’ll be assumed that either one of the security men killed Xavier, or that an unknown person managed to sneak into the house and commit the crime. The teenage son’s girlfriend will never be suspected.
I feel a brief moment of guilt but quickly brush it back with thoughts of the horrendous crimes that Xavier has committed either directly or indirectly. I also think of Gabriel. No doubt a man like Xavier Sanchez would eventually introduce his life of crime to his only child, bringing his son into the family business. Gabriel is a good person and should be protected from hi
s father along with everyone else.
I stand outside the closed study door, listening for the sound of anyone else that may be inside. The solid wood door is too thick for me to hear any noise from within. I twist the silencer on and shield the gun from view with the messenger bag. Xavier is surprised to see me when I enter the room but his expression is welcoming. There’s a bodyguard standing behind where he’s sitting in the large office chair, wearing all black with a gun strapped in his shoulder holster.
Xavier smiles, relaxes back into his chair, wearing a white button down shirt and khaki pants. “Hello Anna. What-” Cut off by my bullet, I raise the gun and shoot his bodyguard between the eyes before he can react. The man drops back to the floor, his head smacking into a painting on the way down causing it to tilt diagonally. Xavier looks down in shock and begins to reach towards his desk drawer. Having already rifled through the room while I was here previously, I know what he’s after and there’s no way that’s gonna happen.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” The banal phrase works and Xavier reluctantly pulls his hand away from the handle. “Stand up slowly with your hands in front of you.”
Xavier complies, taking on a baffled demeanor. “What’s this all about? Why are you here?”
“I’m here for justice,” I reply, pulling a tape recorder out of the messenger bag with my free hand while holding his gaze. I place it on the desk between us and press the record button.
Xavier looks down at it, then at me questioningly. “What is that for?”
“It’s just a little reinforcement, evidence. Now, we don’t have much time, so don’t try stalling. I want you to confess your crimes.”
“Crimes?” Xavier gives me an innocent look. Innocent men don’t keep their cool this easily after watching their bodyguard get a bullet to the brain. There’s usually a little rambling, maybe a wetting of the pants, at least some amount of horror. Not that I deal with innocence very often, if ever.