Instead of long black hair, she had shoulder-length softly-curled brown hair. Her makeup was still dramatic, but stylish. Her eyes were green this time. She wore a black leather bustier, which displayed deep cleavage, making her look bigger-busted than the first time they had met her. The same pendant was around her neck, but it was empty this time. Her skirt was very short with a slit on the thigh. Her designer heels were expensive and very high. Easily, they understood why the crowd had parted for such a dramatic-looking woman. Her beauty was exotic and dangerous.
Reese was still wildly attracted to her, feeling herself getting excited by looking at her. However, that excitement turned to fear, and she began shaking as Ava bent over their table. As she bent over to look him directly in the eye, Harrison felt himself get quite excited by Ava. He too felt a small degree of fear as her eyes flashed with an animalistic anger at him. Her hatred of him was palpable.
Ava sat across from them. “Do you understand rules, Mr. Grantham? Do you?” She demanded.
“Of course, I do… I just…”
She curled her fingers around his hand on the table, digging her long nails in until they drew blood.
Harrison winced, but didn’t move his hand. “I want this called off. NOW.” His voice didn’t waver, nor did his gaze flinch.
Reese was impressed. This was the Harrison she knew.
“Motherfucker, I told you I call the shots. Do you think I am afraid of you because I am a woman? Fuck you.” She spat directly in his face.
Harrison snatched his hand from hers and wiped his face.
“It’s my life, not yours, bitch.” His anger was rising, and his face turned red.
“Correction, asshole. It was your life until you met me and contracted my services. It is nonrefundable, non-negotiable. Period.” Ava’s green eyes flashed with anger.
“Look, if it’s about the money, keep the first payment. I don’t care. I want out and I want this stopped. If you don’t…”
“What?” Ava grabbed his bleeding hand. “What will you do? Go to the police and tell them you wanted your wife dead, but now you changed your mind? Ok. Do that, Mr. Attorney. Let’s see how the law takes to that. You stupid fuck. It’s done.”
“Ava, I am asking you to stop.” Harrison pleaded with her.
Still holding Harrison’s hand, she held it up to her mouth, sucking the blood off of it. Ava licked her lips.
“Mmmm, tastes good.”
Reese stared at her with her mouth agape. She thought of the vial around Ava’s neck. Harrison sat motionless.
“Honey, I told you to close your mouth.” Turning to Harrison, “Mr. Grantham, she must give amazing head; she’s always ready for it. Or maybe she likes girls. Wouldn’t I love to know?” She gave a sly grin to Reese; her lips still stained with Harrison’s blood.
A rarity for him, Harrison struggled to find words. “Ava, please, all I want is for you to call this off. That’s it. We walk away, you keep the money I already paid you.”
Ava sat back in her chair, smoothing her hair. She appeared to be deep in thought as she templed her fingers underneath her chin.
Finally, she gave a deep sigh. “What don’t you understand, handsome? It’s a done deal. I told you to think about this before we agreed. I told you there was no going back. Period. Now, you have already wasted a great deal of my time.” Ava stood up to leave. Harrison reached out to seize her spider-tattooed hand.
Ava gave him such a piercing look that it sent chills down his spine. She violently jerked her hand away. “Don’t ever touch me again.”
Reese suddenly found her voice. “Did you kill Darrell Wyndham?”
Harrison shot her a stern look of warning. “Reese!”
Ava fixed her venomous eyes on Reese. “What the fuck are you talking about? I don’t know anyone by that name.”
Tapping into an unknown source of strength, Reese stood up and faced Ava, inches away from her. “Yes, you do. Darrell Wyndham. His wife was Julia Wyndham. We got your card from him.”
Slowly, Ava looked Reese up and down. A slow, vicious smile played on her full lips. “You know what I would like to do to you, Barbie?”
Reese swallowed and stood her ground. “Answer the question, Ava.”
Ava grazed her long fingernails lightly up Reese’s arm, sending chills through her. She rested her fingers lightly on Reese’s full breasts.
“I want to wrap you up in silk.”
Ava’s eyes continued to devour Reese. She caressed her breasts, then brought her lips to her mouth. Unconsciously, Reese began to feel wet with arousal. Despite her hatred of Ava, she felt her nipples harden at the other woman’s touch.
“Then eat you…” Ava’s tongue flickered out like a snake, licking Reese’s full red lips.
Harrison stood nailed to the floor watching the two women. In spite of his own dislike of Ava, he was incredibly aroused at the scene unfolding before him. It was as though everyone and everything else in the room had melted away and it was just the three of them. Harrison watched, entranced.
Ava boldly slipped her hand up Reese’s skirt. With great adroitness, her finger slid into Reese’s soaking wetness.
“Seems like someone here likes girls too. If you ever get tired of him, Barbie, let me know.” She smiled arrogantly. With that, she removed her fingers from Reese.
Ava brought her hand to her face and inhaled Reese’s scent. “I bet you taste amazing, Barbie.”
Reese felt her mouth go dry as she too was entranced by Ava. Realizing what was happening, she pushed her hands against Ava’s breasts. “Get the fuck away from me, bitch!” She yelled it so loud people turned to stare.
Ava laughed. “I’m only playing with you, Barbie. That’s what you are, isn’t it? A Barbie doll? A little sex toy for men to play with. Boo hoo. Too bad for me.” She licked her lips.
Reese glared at her. “Did you kill Darrell?”
Ava’s laughter stopped, and she looked down at the rings on her hands. Then slowly she looked back up. “I told you, I ask the questions.”
Harrison hissed, “I want this stopped. I will send Lisa away if I have to.”
Ava seized his face with her hands. “If you violate our agreement in any way, I will not only find her and kill her, but I or one of my associates will kill your entire family, including Barbie here. Don’t think I can’t do it. So my advice to you, Mr. Grantham, is to let me finish my job.”
Reese was shaking so hard the ice clinked in her glass. Harrison went pale.
“I know everything about you, Harrison Neil Grantham. Your parents, Rose and Harlan Grantham, reside at 741 Park Avenue in New York. Your brother, Michael Grantham, resides at 300 Astor St. in your subdivision. He has a wife, Jessica, and an infant daughter, Ivy. Your wife’s parents, Clarence and Jillian Batten, reside at 5000 Central Park West, New York, New York. You cannot run anywhere that I can’t locate you.”
Harrison was so pale he looked on the verge of passing out.
Ava shoved him aside. “Let me do my job, Mr. Grantham. Your life will be so much easier.”
Turning back to him, she reached her beautifully manicured hand into her cleavage. She retrieved a red card.
Placing it on the table, she casually slinked away. Her exquisite heels clicking as she did so.
Harrison picked up the card; his hands shaking.
“Seventy-two hours.”
His eyes met Reese’s as she swallowed a lump in her throat. She nodded grimly.
Seventy-two hours. The clock was ticking.
Chapter 24
Ava roamed her opulent hotel suite. Her occupation allowed her many luxuries, including this 2700 square foot suite. This had been her home for the duration of this assignment. She checked her clock. 1:30 a.m. Tick tock. Tick tock. She drummed her fingernails on her glass of Dom Perignon, her favorite champagne. At a hotel suite in Paris, she had once bathed in a huge two-person tub filled with an excellent vintage of Dom Perignon. However, tonight she was not in the mood to luxuria
te. She was sitting on her web, her mouth wet with anticipation for her next meal.
She rarely slept at night, choosing to prowl the nightclub scene in whatever city she was working in. Chicago nightlife was pleasing to her as she found a wide variety of interesting people to keep her company. Ava had very strong carnal cravings, and she had found a ready supply of attractive companions.
Stretching her arms, she readied herself to complete her job. She began packing her things into her Louis Vuitton luggage. After this particularly stressful job, Ava had decided to treat herself to a luxurious, extended vacation on a private island in the Caribbean. In her occupation, she rarely traveled commercially. Instead, opting to fly in private, chartered planes.
********
4:30 a.m.
Clasping her black lacy bra, Ava selected a black cire jumpsuit. It fit her like a second skin. She zipped it up then donned a pair of knee-high black patent-leather boots. Then she chose a chin-length platinum-blonde wig from her supply of many. Securing it to her head with bobby pins, she then applied hazel-colored contacts to her eyes. Slipping on a pair of horn-rimmed, clear-lensed glasses, she applied her black leather gloves to her hands. Additionally, she stuck several pairs of surgical gloves into her jacket pocket.
********
5:00 a.m.
Placing a call to the front desk to have the concierge come up to take her bags, she opened up a leather pouch. She surveyed the choices and carefully pondered the possibilities. Her gloved hands roamed the various implements, caressing each one before deciding on a long thin razor-sharp blade. She tucked it carefully into her black Birkin bag. Double checking, she ensured she had several plastic bags.
The concierge arrived to take her bags. Ava straightened her wig and applied a fresh coat of deep-red lip gloss to her lips. She smiled at herself in the mirror. Perfect.
********
6:00 a.m.
Ava slipped into her black Mercedes. Placing her Birkin bag on the seat next to her, she turned north to head to the Gold Coast.
********
A soft breeze stirred the filmy curtains causing bright, morning sunlight to stream through the huge bay window in Lisa Grantham’s lavish bedroom. She moaned softly as she felt the cool breeze caress her face. The sunlight bathed her in warmth. Opening her eyes, she stared at the clock.
“Shit!” She exclaimed, seeing the children were going to be late for the bus. Racing down the hall, she went to get the children ready for school. Twenty minutes later, she had them waiting at the end of the driveway for the bus. Twenty minutes… that was an all-time record for them! She smiled to herself, enjoying the unusually warm day for early March. The temperature was going to reach sixty degrees according to the weather forecast. How nice, Lisa thought as she opened the windows throughout the house. Since Harrison would be picking the girls up from school later, she decided she would surprise the girls with a special dinner. Lisa went upstairs and turned on the shower. She had plenty of time, no rushing this morning, so she decided instead to take a long soak in their huge sunken, marble tub. Removing her clothes as she ran the bath water, she stretched her arms and rubbed her neck. Lisa ran her fingers through the warm water and gently stepped into the tub. The bathroom filled with steam. Closing her eyes, she rested her head back.
********
Seeing a white Range Rover in the driveway, Ava removed the clear-lensed glasses and put on a pair of sunglasses as she parked her car in the back of the huge house.
Removing a sharp instrument from her bag, she slipped it into a black nylon belt she wore around her waist. She put on a pair of the surgical gloves and slipped a surgical cap over her hair. Noticing the windows open, Ava darted out of her car and underneath the expansive patio overhang. Her heart pounding in her chest, she felt excitement coursing through her veins. Cracking her knuckles, Ava slipped into the lavish home through a large window in the study. Stopping occasionally to listen, she stalked her prey like a panther slinking along the long corridor. Finally, as she approached the grand staircase, she heard the faint sound of water trickling. Her eyes widened. Perfect. The bathtub. Since she had been surveying the Grantham home for months, she knew exactly where the master bathroom was located. As she approached the master bedroom, she could definitely hear Lisa in the bathtub. Ava smiled to herself, and every muscle vibrated as blood pulsed quickly through her body. Her mouth went dry as she prepared to move in on her prey. Inching her way to the door, she felt herself overcome with desire, a growing wetness below. Her heart thudded in her chest; her breath caught in her throat. Pushing the door to the bathroom open, she was briefly blinded by the steam. Gradually, she removed the instrument from her belt; the shiny blade glinting in the light.
Spider devours fly.
Chapter 25
On the way back from his fishing trip, Harrison remained unusually quiet.
“Hey, man, what’s up?” his brother, Mike, asked.
Harrison shook his head. “Nothing. I’m just tired I guess.
Mike nodded. “But at least we got some good fishing in this weekend. I can’t wait to get Jessica to cook up some of this trout!”
“Sounds great. Better invite me over. Lisa won’t eat fish at all.”
Mike reached in the back to grab a cold beer and handed it to Harrison.
“Here. Better drink one more before we have to pick your girls up.”
Gratefully, Harrison drank the beer down. Normally, he didn’t care for beer, but on this day, any kind of alcohol was welcome.
Mike was quiet for a few moments as they drove along. “Hey, did you hear about that guy on the North Shore who got killed?”
Harrison froze, his beer in mid-air. “Um… yeah. I think I might have caught something about that.”
Mike turned to him. “Jessica knew him.”
“How well did she know him?” Harrison felt his mouth go dry.
“Not well or anything. She just knew him through the guy’s girlfriend, Natalia. She was an old friend of Jessica’s from college.”
“Wow. Small world.” Harrison gulped his beer down.
“Yeah. Natalia told her that the guy had been stabbed like thirty times in the back. Apparently, it was pretty awful.”
“Did she find him?”
Mike shook his head. “Nope. It was the guy’s brother who found him. Guess he had been dead for a few days.”
Harrison felt extremely queasy and light-headed recalling the horrific scene.
“That’s terrible,” Harrison agreed. “Do they have any idea who did it?”
Mike shrugged. “I don’t think so. The guy’s wife killed herself last year. Seems like he had been having a pretty hard time, then someone comes in and murders him in his own house. Scary. The place isn’t too far away from us either.”
Harrison nodded and sighed. He didn’t particularly feel like talking about this. All he could think of was the potentially horrible scene that awaited him at his home.
Recalling Darrell’s butchered body, he thought of Lisa. He felt vomit rise in his throat. “Hey, man, pull over. I’m going to be sick.”
Mike pulled over on the side of the highway. Harrison ran out into the field as his stomach emptied.
Pale and wiping his mouth with his hand, he slowly climbed back into the car.
“Are you ok?” Mike asked, noticing how pale Harrison had become.
He nodded. “Must’ve been that deli sandwich we had earlier. I’m okay now.”
“Well, let me know if you need to pull over again. Don’t want you puking in my car.” Mike smiled.
Harrison forced a weak smile and closed his eyes. Please, God, don’t let her suffer.
********
Meanwhile, Reese was out in California visiting her parents. Sitting on her parents’ deck, she looked out over the Pacific Ocean. The strong breeze whipped her blonde hair back. Feeling the warm sun on her skin, she wished Harrison was there with her. He should be here, she thought, safe in my arms. Reese shivered in the sunlight,
thinking of what was likely happening now. Lisa was probably dead. Sickened, she willed herself not to vomit. She missed Harrison terribly, but she couldn’t text him right now. She had to wait until he texted her.
“Reese, what are you doing out there?” She groaned as she heard her mother’s voice nagging her, again.
“Just laying out getting some sun, mom. You know we don’t have a lot of that in Chicago this time of year.” Reese adjusted her skimpy bikini top.
Meg poked her head out the door. “You know, Reese, you still look so beautiful in your bikini. You should go back to modeling.”
Reese raised her Chanel sunglasses to look at Meg. “I think that time is over for me, mom. I am quite happy doing what I’m doing.” Pulling her sunglasses back down, she leaned back on the chaise and continued to watch the tide roll in.
Was she really happy? She was involved in the plot to kill her boyfriend’s wife, and she just saw a friend killed. Really great choices, she thought. Recalling Harrison’s beautiful hazel eyes as they looked at her, she knew that despite all the obstacles, she would stay with him. Their love would endure forever, she believed.
She had to believe it.
Chapter 26
As Mike pulled his BMW X5 M6 onto Harrison’s street, they saw thick black smoke billowing into the air. Several fire trucks went speeding by them, and police cars were everywhere. Neighbors were standing outside on their front lawns, milling about and looking in the direction of Harrison’s home.
“What the hell?” Mike asked as they both looked around them in awe.
Harrison began shaking hard as they drew closer to his home.
When they approached Harrison’s house, they could see that it was his house on fire. Flames were shooting out of the windows, and thick black smoke poured out of the huge house.
“Oh, my God!” Harrison screamed. Before Mike could stop the car, Harrison jumped out to run toward his front door.
Several police officers blocked his way. “Sir, you can’t go in there.”
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