Pros & Cons

by Sydney Logan

  “He’ll find me. You know he will.”

  “Oh, I’m counting on it. I’m hoping by then I’ll have convinced you to join my team. And then you can convince him. Or not. Ethan’s really not my priority, to be honest. It’s you I want, Jenna. I’ve wanted you all along.

  I struggle against the rope biting my wrists. “And this is how you show it? By lying to me? By tying me to this chair?”

  “You wouldn’t listen to me otherwise.”

  I don’t tell him he’s right.

  “Well, let me save you the speech. I will never work for you. Stavros. Never! And when Ethan gets here—”

  It’s the last sentence I’m allowed. Marcello places duct tape over my mouth.

  Stavros walks toward me. He doesn’t touch me, but he hovers above me, smiling wickedly.

  “And when Ethan gets here, I’ll kill you both.”

  Time passes slowly.

  I have no idea how many hours I sit here. The shadows are my only timepiece as the walls continue to darken. What little light filtered through the stained glass disappeared for good ages ago. All I know for sure is that it isn’t dawn, and I’m all alone.

  I’m not by myself, but I’m most definitely alone.

  Stavros is nervous. I’m not sure why, but the more he paces up and down the aisle, the more confident I become that Ethan is getting closer. He’s mumbling . . . not in Greek but in Italian. I assume so he can talk privately with the twins. I can’t quite catch it all, but the bits and pieces I do understand make me grateful for the two years of foreign language my mother forced me to take in high school. Maria and Marcello seem to have grown bored with his ramblings and have fallen asleep on adjacent pews. The guards come in from time to time but stay mostly outside. I’m glad, because I’ve just discovered a very important thing about Maria.

  She sucks at knot tying.

  Twist.

  Tug.

  I have no grand escape plan. My only goal is to get free and to get the hell out of this church. My cell phone’s still in my pocket, and I thank God that I turned it on silent before leaving the house. Stavros and the twins really have so much to learn about kidnapping. You always check your prisoner for any electronic devices, because, as he said earlier, cell phones are so easily manipulated.

  And tracked.

  I pray Cara is tracking mine.

  Light begins to trickle in through the dusty windows.

  Twist.

  Tug.

  “It didn’t have to come to this, Jenna,” Stavros says tiredly. After hours of bumbling Italian mixed with a little Greek, we’re now back to English. “We could have been the most successful organization in the world. I would have protected you—both of you—if only you’d been loyal to me. But you wish to remain my competition, and I can’t allow that. I won’t.”

  Twist.

  Tug.

  “Maria and Marcello have potential,” he continues quietly. “But look at them now. They’re asleep, Jenna. Asleep! Unbelievable.”

  The duct tape across my mouth keeps me from replying, but I get the feeling he’s not really looking for conversation. I’m actually beginning to wonder if Stavros isn’t losing it.

  “Since we’re being honest with each other, I feel as if I must admit something.” Stavros stops pacing and looks directly at me. My hands freeze. “All of it was for you. Ethan is very skilled, but you . . . you are the brilliant one. Everyone knows that. Even Ethan.”

  I’m not feeling too brilliant right now. I walked right into your trap.

  Stavros begins to pace again, giving me the chance to work on the knot. The rope finally loosens.

  “And while I’m confessing,” Stavros murmurs, “it was I who planned the explosion in New York. But things didn’t go exactly as I’d hoped.”

  I knew he was behind the explosion, but hearing him confess is more than my heart can take. Tears start to trickle down my face, and I bow my head. I refuse to let this lunatic see me cry.

  Suddenly he’s there, kneeling before me. He places his hand along my chin and gently lifts my head.

  “You see, Sweet Jenna, my intention was to kill them all. Then you would have been alone, and you’d have had no choice but to work for me.”

  Agony rips through me, and I close my eyes as the traitorous tears begin to fall uncontrollably. Very carefully, Stavros removes the tape from my mouth.

  “I don’t understand.” My voice is rough and dry. “Abby was never meant to go into the building.”

  Stavros nods. “That’s true. But I knew she’d follow Coop inside. That’s why there were three explosions. The first was merely incentive to get your partner into the building. The second was to kill them all.”

  “And the third?” My voice is a weak whisper.

  “What’s that American expression? Third time is the charm?” Stavros smiles coldly. “I was just covering my bases.”

  He begins to pace again.

  “What made you think I wouldn’t run into the building, too?”

  “I knew that was a possibility. You remember Dean?”

  Dean, the paramedic who was first on the scene. The one who wouldn’t let me out of his sight.

  My stomach drops.

  “Did you know paramedics are woefully underpaid? I didn’t go into specifics with Dean. I didn’t have to. I merely paid him to keep you out of the building. In his mind, he was just doing his job. Of course, he grew suspicious of my motives when your friends were found dead, but if I’ve learned anything, it’s that money is the perfect remedy for a guilty conscience.”

  Twist.

  Tug.

  Keep him talking.

  “Where is Dean now?”

  “I assume sipping mimosas in Mexico. He’s being well taken care of. Dean kept a precious commodity safe for me and remained silent when questioned by the authorities. I reward loyalty.”

  Stavros protected me, but only because it was me he wanted all along. In his eyes, Ethan, Abby, Coop, and even Dean, were just collateral damage if it meant he could own me in the end.

  “Since you’re confessing, what about Coop and Abby? Did they really take a bribe from you?”

  He smirks. “I tried. You’ll be happy to know your friends were loyal to you . . . until the day they died.”

  I bow my head and smile. Of course they were.

  “I must say I thought I was prepared for everything. What I didn’t anticipate was the growing affection you and Ethan have for each other. I couldn’t have predicted that.”

  “Ethan loves me,” I whisper.

  Stavros smiles up at the Virgin Mary in the glass. “Yes, he does. Maria was able to intercept some of his more affectionate text messages, which is how we learned you are with child. What a tragic ending to what could have been a beautiful love story.”

  I swallow nervously. “It doesn’t have to end tragically, Stavros.”

  “Oh, but it does. Especially now that I’ve confessed my deepest, darkest sins. I have to kill you now, Jenna. I have to kill both of you.”

  He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a gun.

  It must be mid-morning. I can’t be sure, but the sun has risen in the eastern window and has already changed position.

  Is Ethan close?

  I try to remember how many miles separate Kentucky and Greece, but my mind is foggy with exhaustion and fear.

  I want sleep.

  I want food.

  I need to pee.

  My hands are free, but I still keep them behind my back. Not that it matters. Stavros isn’t paying attention to me. He’s too lost in his own insanity to notice. He’s started mumbling in Italian again, and he’s pacing the aisle like a caged tiger. I can’t quite translate all of it, but it seems the idea of killing me is actually bothering him a little. This should make me happy, except for the fact that he keeps pulling the gun out of his pocket, just to remind me that shooting me is still the plan.

  The twins are awake now. Their laptops are open, and more than once, Marcell
o jumps out of his pew and glances out the windows. He and his sister whisper in Italian and stare constantly at their computers.

  With my hands loose, I’m desperate to caress my stomach. The gesture has become like an anchor to my heart that keeps me calm and hopeful and sane. But I know I have to stay still. I can’t let them know my hands are free.

  Not yet.

  Suddenly, Maria’s head snaps up. With wide, fearful eyes, she looks at me, then to Stavros.

  “Qualcuno sta venendo,” she says softly.

  Her voice is void of emotion. It would send chills down my spine if her words didn’t make me so happy.

  Venendo.

  Coming.

  Someone is coming.

  The three of them rush toward the windows, and it’s at this point my two years of Italian become completely worthless. Maria and Marcello yell rapidly, shouting over each other. It suddenly dawns on me that I haven’t seen the other guards in ages. I can’t believe Stavros had been so confident in my cooperation that his only protection now are these two idiots—one of which can’t even tie a decent knot.

  With the three of them still screaming and staring out the windows, I reach into my pocket for my cell. I quickly scroll through my apps until I find the voice recorder. After pressing the button on the screen, I quickly shove it back into my pocket and place my hands behind me once again.

  “I told you he’d find me.”

  Stavros spins toward me.

  I smile.

  “Are you a religious man, Stavros? If so, I’d hit my knees. Not that it matters. I don’t think a couple Hail Mary’s are going to save your sorry soul.”

  “Shut up!”

  No longer afraid, I jump out of my chair. Maria gasps when she sees that my hands are free.

  “You asshole! You killed Abby Moore. You killed Cooper Donovan. You went after Ethan’s parents. You even went after my aunt. You kidnapped me!”

  “Yes! Yes!” He’s screaming now, pulling at his hair and dropping to his knees. Maria and Marcello watch him with wide eyes. Suddenly, Maria’s eyes snap to mine. A slow, sinister grin creeps across her face.

  “Prendi la pistol,” she says to her brother.

  Take the gun.

  But Marcello doesn’t get the chance. Stavros lunges for me, knocking me to the floor and pinning my hands above my head with one of his. With a menacing smile, he pulls the gun out of his jacket and rubs the barrel against my cheek.

  “Sweet Jenna,” he whispers.

  Shots ring out.

  I scream.

  His body lurches against mine and his eyes grow wide as another gunshot echoes through the church. Stavros gasps, and his eyes roll back in his head. I grab the gun out of his hand before shoving him onto the floor and rising to my feet.

  “Jenna!”

  It’s his voice—Ethan’s sweet voice that I love so much—but I can’t concentrate on it.

  Not yet.

  I have to end this.

  “Miss York, please drop your weapon.”

  An unfamiliar voice. Maybe a cop? He sounds official.

  Doesn’t matter.

  I gaze down at Stavros, broken and bleeding at my feet.

  “Baby, please drop the gun.”

  Ethan.

  But I can’t drop it. Stavros had planned to kill us all.

  I lift the pistol.

  “Jenna, please drop the gun.”

  Dad.

  I’ll have to thank him for teaching me how to shoot.

  “He killed Abby and Coop,” I whisper.

  “We know, Jenna. He’s going to prison for the rest of his life.”

  Shane.

  The room begins to move in and out of focus, but I can see Stavros perfectly. He’s not moving. Is he dead? Or just unconscious?

  Unconscious isn’t good enough.

  “Jenna,” Ethan’s voice is distant but oh so clear. I sway, and suddenly, his arms are wrapped around me. “It’s over, sweetheart. Give Shane the gun. I don’t want you to hurt yourself or the baby.”

  I shake my head and raise the gun again, taking aim. “But we’ll never be free. He’ll find us. I won’t let him hurt us anymore. I won’t.”

  A single gunshot rings out, but it’s not mine.

  Stavros’ body jerks spastically until he finally stills. With a loud scream, I drop my gun, which Shane promptly picks up and tucks into his jeans.

  We all look around for the shooter. Gabe promptly walks over to Shane and hands him his weapon. Then he walks over to me.

  “There, sweetheart,” Gabe says softly. “I killed the bastard. He’ll never hurt you again.”

  Life can change in the blink of an eye. It’s mind-blowing, really. One minute, you’re a con artist, traveling the world with your best friend. You’re nothing but a common criminal, but you somehow justify it in your head because you only steal from the rich and give the stolen goods to other rich people. Your life revolves around getting to the next job, avoiding your disapproving parents, and flirting with a brown-eyed beauty you occasionally run into during your travels. You’re a guy, so you only have one thing on your mind. The very last thing on your mind is falling in love with her.

  But then you do.

  And just like that, your life is changed forever.

  She’s smart. She’s strong. She doesn’t put up with your bullshit, and she’s your equal in every sense of the word. She’s the other half of your heart. The other half of your soul. So when someone takes her, and hides her, it’s enough to drive you completely insane. The world ceases to exist. Nothing matters, except that you find her and then destroy whoever is responsible for taking her away from you in the first place.

  If I learned anything from Coop, it’s that love makes you a little crazy.

  I didn’t get it then.

  I get it now.

  Jenna sighs softly in her sleep, and I gently brush her hair out of her eyes. Her hand rests on her stomach—a strange new habit I’d noticed but didn’t really give much thought to until she told me the news. Even I have a hard time keeping my hands off her tummy now. I can only imagine how impossible it’ll be when there’s actually something to feel.

  She’s been asleep for nearly sixteen hours. Despite my father’s efforts, I refuse to leave her for a minute. I’d called him immediately because it was obvious she needed a doctor, and I only wanted the best. My parents made the four hour trip from Nashville in only three, and my usually stoic mom began to weep as soon as I told her about the baby. I’d smiled apologetically to Hank and left him to deal with my mother while Dad and I headed to Jenna’s room.

  Her blood pressure is up, and she’s dehydrated, but according to my father, Jenna and the baby are just fine. And that’s despite the fact she’d fainted right after Gabe turned himself in to the police.

  Gabe.

  My pilot. My friend.

  I can never repay him for what he’s done. We have no idea what the FBI will do to him. It makes me sick to think he may go to prison. Shane promises he’ll do everything he can to keep that from happening, but I have my doubts he can do much. Stavros Peri was murdered in cold blood with too many official witnesses around to pass it off as self-defense. For now, my only hope is that Gabe’s granted bail, and I will pay it happily.

  I rub my face tiredly. Truthfully, I’m exhausted, but I’m too wound up to actually sleep. More than once, I’ve considered climbing in next to Jenna, but I’m too afraid to wake her. It’s pointless, anyway. It’s not as if I’d be able to close my eyes.

  All I want to do is look at her.

  The flight back from Greece was the most terrifying experience of my life. We couldn’t reach anyone back home for ages, and when we finally did, they were shocked to realize that Jenna had snuck out of the house. It took us hours to pinpoint her location, but Cara finally found her cell signal, and we headed there as soon as we landed. Hank had alerted the local cops, and I’d never been so happy to see a caravan of blue lights when they finally arrived at the abandon
ed church.

  I’ve seen a lot of dangerous things in my life. Scary things. Things I hope to someday forget. But nothing compares to the vision of Jenna with a gun in her hand, aimed at the man we both wanted dead. It was terrifying to think that, at any moment, some cop with an itchy trigger finger would try to play the hero.

  My entire body begins to shake under the weight of the memory, and that’s when she whispers my name.

  “Ethan?” Her fingers wrap around mine as they lay across her stomach. “What’s wrong?”

  I wipe my eyes. I hadn’t even realized I was crying.

  “Nothing’s wrong, baby.”

  Her beautiful brown eyes are gazing up at me, full of worry and concern. Very carefully, I bring her hand to my lips and press a kiss against her palm.

  “The baby?”

  “The baby’s fine.”

  “But you’re upset.” Her voice is raspy, and I reach for the pitcher of water Mom had placed on the bedside table. I fill the glass and carefully bring it to her lips.

  “Drink slowly, sweetheart. And I’m not upset. I’m just tired, that’s all.”

  She nods and sips the water.

  “How do you feel?” I ask when she lies back against the pillow.

  “Tired. How long have I been asleep?”

  I shrug. “A while. Probably not long enough.”

  She frowns as she watches our entwined hands. I know that look. She’s trying to put the pieces together.

  “Everybody’s okay?”

  I take a deep breath. I have no idea how much she remembers.

  “Stavros is dead.”

  Her forehead creases. “Did I kill him?”

  I shake my head.

  “Damn. I really wanted to do that.”

  I chuckle.

  “Is he the only one?”

  “The only one?”

  “That’s dead.”

  “Yes, just him.”

  “Did the police shoot him?”

  “You don’t remember?”

  She frowns. “No . . .”

  Her voice grows weak again, so I offer her more water. While she drinks, I try to find a way to explain what happened in the church without upsetting her. Her blood pressure is high enough.