by Peiri Ann
A plant’s scent caught my nose; near his window was a tall tree-like plant, healthy and green.
Admiring it made me realize I was sitting in Kyle’s apartment about to spill the beans. I wanted to back out, run from his apartment back home. But he walked back into his living room, clothed, face washed, and hair the same.
He sat on the other side of the couch and said, “What’s up, Spirit?”
“You mentioned something about beating you to the punch. What is it you have to tell me?”
He sucked in a deep breath as he faced me, tucking one leg under the other. “I don’t know how you’re going to take this news. But before I tell you, I just want to let you know that despite your assumptions I am a nice guy and will help out where I can.”
A slow panic started to sink in me. “What?” I asked nervously.
“When people do messed up shit to the wrong person, sometimes that person wants them dead. Often that person doesn’t have the balls to do it themselves and will hire someone else to do it. Most times they distribute a name to local… individuals who can contact trained assassins and sometimes amateurs to… murder you. Your name is on a hit list,” he added slowly, looking away from me.
I jumped up from the couch. “What!” Me! “My name is on a list? Why?”
He stood. “Who doesn’t know when their name is on a wanted-dead list?” he said slyly, eyeing me, as if he was on to me. He crossed his thick arms across his chest, raised his left brow, and narrowed his eyes. “Unless you’re mixed up in something you know nothing about.”
“I haven’t done anything for my name to be on a list.” I realized the way he said it that he was hinting to me. “You knew?”
He pulled me by my arm to sit back on the couch. “I know everything. Chill, I know what you did. I was trying to see if you were going to come out with it. Look, at some point in your line of work your name always comes up on someone’s list. But the real problem is, unlike how my name came up on yours—through an agency—yours came up on a benefactor’s list. That’s the worst list your name can come up on.”
My breath left my body. “How many people do you think have it?”
“Well, my friend told me he came across your name on the list he was given. He’s usually the first for his benefactor. Then if he doesn’t respond in the allotted amount of time, the name is passed on. As far as I know, depending on how bad this person wants you dead… it’s possible you can be on more than one list.”
“A benefactor’s list…” A benefactor’s list meant I was wanted dead by any means. And someone was giving a reward for my death. “How much?”
His eyes shifted left, then right. “He didn’t mention it. He just knew I knew the name and asked me about you.”
“You told him you knew me?”
“I told him I knew of you. I don’t know you.”
“Why are you telling me?”
He took a deep breath. “I know what you did, for me with my mother and my sister—your stall. I know your agency has a hit out on me. And I know you were given the assignment. I don’t know how long you’ve been watching me for sure, but I’ve never seen a professional assassin take this long to assassinate someone. So either you’re helping me or you’re really bad at your job.”
I leaned back on the couch. Of course I was not bad at my job. And I didn’t want to say that for the second time today. Of course I was helping him. But if I said, yeah, I was looking out for you, he’d want to know why. And I wasn’t ready to tell him.
“Why didn’t you tell me you knew?” I asked.
“What did you want me to tell you?”
“That you—”
Someone knocked on the door, cutting into my sentence.
“Wait, that’s probably Rick.”
“I’ll go.”
“No, wait. I want to talk about this. You looked out for me so it’s only right I look out for you, even though you hate me. And I need to talk about last night. You mind waiting in my room? We’ll talk in there. He’ll sit out here. ‘Cause he’s not going to leave.” He shook his head, rolling his eyes.
We stood and he pointed me toward his room as he went to the door.
Kyle pushed his room door closed, saying, “It seems like it’s a lot. But seriously it’s not. You’ll be fine, I’ll help you. It’s the least I can do.” He sat beside me on his bed.
I couldn’t believe it. “I’ve never been on a list and the worst… a benefactor’s list.”
“What did you do?” He looked up at me, tilting his head. His gaze caught my breath and I turned away from him.
What did I do? I wasn’t about to let him know. “I don’t know.” I killed some people…
He pinched his lips to the side of his mouth and chewed on their corner. “They say it has something to do with Denis Reynolds. His son and wife came up dead.”
I nodded, hoping to give the impression that I knew nothing about it and I didn’t care anything about it either.
“You need something?”
I shook my head.
“I thought you didn’t like to talk with body language.”
“I don’t.”
“Then use your words.”
“I have nothing to say.”
“Okay.” He stood and walked to the door. “Well, let me know if you need anything.”
I stood and met him. “If I treated you so bad, why are you trying to be so nice to me? Why help me?”
He gazed down at me and if I hadn’t known better, I’d have said there was a gleam of curiosity in his eyes, a secret I was being left out of. “I just happen to be a nice guy. And your friend is my friend. It’s only right for us to look out for each other. Like you’ve done for me.” His lips moved smoothly with words that sounded too sincere.
“I don’t deserve it. But thanks. Things were crazy for me already. I thought it would ease up if I kind of… backed off. I changed a few things around and now I’m going to be on the run, dodging lookouts, networks, databases, staying under radars.” I shook my head, becoming even more disappointed in the life I’d created for myself. “This shit, I thought I could manage. So many people have things all figured out by the time they’re my age, and I’m just lost. Lost and wanted dead.”
“You gotta deal with that shit. Don’t mope about it. Moping is just going to make you feel worse. You take the hand dealt and you play.” I looked up at him. “I mean, it makes sense to blame yourself. You did it. But don’t beat yourself up about it.”
He went on with his motivational spill, and I barely paid attention as I realized the heaviness I felt at home was lifted standing in front of him. Being in his space seemed so natural and I wanted to write it off to knowing him. But it wasn’t the same. It was this energy, his being in front of me, this close to him, his showing me he was concerned. It was what I had been trying my best to resist and avoid. And now standing here, I was submerged in him. It all had me turning into this person… this person that didn’t think before she acted.
This person that wound her arms around Kyle’s neck and brought him down to hug her. Then pulled him in to kiss her. This person that kissed him, grazing her tongue over his lips, silently begging for his by parting his mouth. This person that gave into all these bombarding feelings because deep down it was what she wanted and she had let it build up until the real her took over. So she was taking what she wanted, she was seizing the moment, and gulping the desire for Kyle Shultz. This woman that closed her eyes, and got lost in his kiss, saying yes as he said no.
Wait…No?
“Stop, Spirit.” Somehow, he’s over me, leaning away from me as I lay on his bed. “You’re taken and as much as I’d love to kiss you, or lay here with you and do this, you have a boyfriend and honestly… I wouldn’t want you if you can’t be dedicated.”
I sat up from his bed ready to let go of one of my lies. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”
He stood, backing away from me.
“I only told you that because I didn’t
want you to be attracted to me or for me to be attracted to you. I wanted distance between us. I thought me saying I had a boyfriend would do that.”
“Maybe it would have worked if you weren’t so hot for me.”
I stood up from his bed. “I am not hot for you.”
“Okay, Spirit. So do you have a boyfriend or don’t you have a boyfriend?”
“Why?”
“If you don’t, it changes things.”
“What changes?”
“You wanted me to fuck you last night,” he openly stated, completely off topic. “I should have known you didn’t have a boyfriend because of how I had to remind you about him. You’ve been playing me for a long time, Spirit. You’re a liar and you’re an assassin. You have the worst attitude and you’re… wait.” He reached into his pocket, grabbed his phone, and looked over it. Complete shock took his voice. “I gotta go. If you want, you can stick around here or go home.” He left the room, closing the door behind him. He yelled, “Juniper. We gotta go. Nixon’s home!”
“Nixon!” Anna exclaimed, running from the truck to where he was standing in the door.
I got out of the truck, meeting them. “What happened?” I was shocked to see him. He had more than ten years in the pen and his being out could only mean I was going to get some bad news.
“We need to talk,” he told me, walking into the house.
I followed behind him. Mom, Janet, Grimmer and Reagan were sitting around Mom’s living room. Nixon, Anna and I joined them.
“Why are you out?” I jumped right into it.
“Purcell got me out for a couple assignments,” Nixon said.
I thought back on Johnson begging me to come back for a new gig. “Like what?”
“They have been trying to get you back. My first is to convince you to come back; the second is to take out the Russian drug lord Melor. He has been too successful. There’s been talk about him expanding and they want to stop him before things get out of hand. He’s been laundering money, storing over a billion in offshore bank accounts. New drugs have been distributed and they’re the leading factor of death in a number of countries around the world. He is the head of the most successful woman-trafficking operation, and there have been gangs, individuals, major players and politicians turning up dead with his name tagged to the deaths. They need him taken out as soon as possible. Some guy who has been seen around town and goes by the name of Roger…” The name immediately rung a bell and I looked at Anna. A glimpse of recognition had shot across her face before it was washed away in her next blink. “We need to find him. He can lead us to him.”
“How can some small-timer lead us to this Russian gangster?” I asked.
“He’s not a small-timer. He’s just doing a damn good job at making everyone believe he is. But he’s heavy,” Nixon replied.
“What are you going to do about Valerie Harper?” Grimmer asked, changing the subject.
My eyes immediately shot to Janet. “What about Valerie Harper?”
Discreetly, I placed my finger to my lips, telling her to hush. And I silently begged Grimmer to close his mouth.
“Kyle got a name. It was Valerie Harper.”
“What?!” Janet jumped from her seat and charged over to me. She ripped me from the couch, yanking me along with her outside. “Kyle, you can’t!”
“Arch, I’m not. I’ve already talked to Spirit. Keep this between you and me though, okay?”
“How much?”
“Two million.”
“Oh my God…” she whispered. “What did she do?”
“Let’s talk about it later.”
“What do you mean, you already talked to her?”
“Can we talk later? We look a little suspicious talking outside. They may think we’re keeping secrets from them.”
“Later. Don’t forget.”
“Kyle, are you going to help?” Nixon asked once I sat back down. Janet made it her business to sit next to me.
I eyed him, wondering why they chose Nixon. He never worked for Purcell. The only training Nixon had was from the streets. He put in police work, a local detective, before he was booked but that was it. “Purcell let you out for this?”
“And will let me stay out if we succeed,” he said, rubbing his hands together. He was bulkier, he needed a haircut and probably a bath, but he didn’t stink. Anna started shivering beside him and he looked at her. “What’s wrong with you, Juniper?”
She looked at me and I discreetly shook my head. Everyone would know about her problem and Mom would probably die in her chair. She was sick enough; she didn’t need the extra stress. She probably shouldn’t have been sitting in here.
“Nothing, Nix. I’m going to go to the bathroom.” Anna stood.
“Go with her, Arch,” I told Janet. I was overprotective, not wanting any relapses, Anna was getting better and I wanted to keep it that way. Janet left, following her down the hall. “Mom, maybe you should go lay down. Reagan, help her to her room.” Reagan got up and helped my mom stand. She walked her to her room.
I wanted to get Nixon alone without seeming obvious. We try not to keep secrets from each other, but something was up.
“So, about Valerie Harper,” Grimmer requested again. I knew why he cared, if I took it that would put some more money in his pocket. But this wasn’t the right time to bring it up.
“Nothing,” I said.
“It seemed important.”
“It was; it’s not anymore. I’ll get back to you later.”
“Kyle,” Nixon grabbed my attention. “Your name was passed on to Purcell. If you don’t do this, you’re out.” I seemed unmoved, but I couldn’t believe my own family would put me down. I did quit Purcell, but the agency was still family. “I’m instructed to take you out if you do not comply. Johnson came by to tell me and warn me after Alan left to tell me this new information. You’re going to have to do it.”
A pang of threat stabbed me in my chest. “If I don’t do this, you are going to take me out?”
His head fell forward as he bent over with his elbows on his knees. “If you help out, I get one point five million as long as we do it right and get it done in their required time. If you don’t, I get two million. And I need half of the two million to clear my own name from the lists I’m on if I’m going to stay out of jail.” He lifted his eyes to me. “I need you to take this.”
He was taking the side of money over me, his brother. I wasn’t his real brother, but blood couldn’t have made us any closer. I stared at him. I’d been crossed… But I played it cool. “You see Chrissy yet?”
He leaned back into the couch. “Not yet. I wanted to get all of this out in the open first. So I could see my daughter with a clear head.” With a clear head… That’s bullshit.
“Johnson called me, he’s been calling me about this. I told him no, why would you think I would tell you any different? Purcell fucked me, and then they stuck me with a million-dollar bill. Why would I do anything for them?”
“You quit, Kyle. They didn’t fire you.”
“Close enough.”
Nixon shook his head and looked at Grimmer. “What’s the deal with this Valerie Harper you were asking him about?”
“Grimmer, keep that shit to yourself.” With the game Nixon was playing, this shit was about to get worse.
“His name is on her agency’s hit list. Her name came up on a benefactor’s list.”
“You son of a bitch,” I shot at Grimmer, keeping myself from standing up and punching him square in his eye.
Nixon smiled. “Who’s the benefactor?”
“Cunningham.”
“Grimmer, shut the fuck up!” I scolded. What the fuck, he was just going to tell him everything.
Nixon’s smile grew wider. “You know this woman personally, Kyle. Don’t you?”
“No.”
“When did you start working for Cunningham? How’d you come across him? He’s the best-paying benefactor out here. No wonder you don’t give a shit abo
ut working for Purcell. You’re good,” he gratified. The slick smile that twitched at the corners of his lips told me he was up to something. Being gone so long, locked up, had changed him…
“Kyle’s stayed good since working for Cunningham. He gets names that bring up wads of cash.”
Anger caused a rumble in my chest. “Grimmer, if you do not shut your goddamn mouth, you’re fired.”
“You get fired by him, I’ll hire you,” Nixon countered.
“Fuck that. You keep answering these questions and offering up my information, Grimmer, your name will be the next one to come across my phone.”
Grimmer got up. “I’ll talk to you all later. I have to go back to work. Kyle, call me if you need me.”
Finally, it was only Nixon and me. “What the fuck, Nixon?” I couldn’t think of anything else to say. This shit was the worst news he could have come back with.
“All you have to do, Kyle, is go in with me. One assignment. If you take it, we’re good.”
“And if I don’t, you’ll take me out?”
“I need the money, bro.”
“Don’t bro me.” I stood. “I can’t believe you. You’re going to choose money over family.” I was keeping my voice down to not alert everyone else in the house.
“You have one point five mil for me?”
I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes. “I would’ve, had you not just played me.”
He stood. “You got the money?” He glared at me, trying to see-through me like a window.
My nose turned up at him, repulsed by the man I thought I knew. “No.”
“Don’t be a bitch, Kyle. I have business to handle. You’re either living or you’re dying. You pick.”
I felt like he had punched me in my face, over and over and over again. Every single word was his fist ramming into me, throwing years of being friends and brothers down the toilet, saying fuck me and everything I did for him, saying fuck my mother and what she did. He just blatantly said money was more important and he was ready to kill me for it.