His eyes finally meet mine. “I will.” He nods his head with certainty.
“Whatever you want to do to me when you find out, it’ll be on hold until she’s safe.” He nods his head once again, keeping my gaze.
“I’m a man of my word, Kade. Now out with it.”
My chest tightens with anxiety. My hands dig into the armrests even though my gun is burning in my waistband, begging me to take it out. I won’t though. I need Gabriel’s help. If for nothing more than to make sure I can leave here without a tail and get Olivia safely back home. “Stone received information,” I start and then readjust in my seat, exhaling deeply. “Information that implicates me as a cop.”
Gabriel clucks his tongue. “Do you know when and how he received that information?”
I’m caught off-guard by the question, but I take a moment and then answer him honestly. “A little over two months ago, one of his men was discovered to be an undercover cop and at some point, information that linked the two of us together also pointed to me being a cop.”
“I could see how that would be a serious problem.” He presses his lips into a thin straight line. “He knew you were here, and yet he said nothing to me.” I nod my head once. It was only discovered two days ago, but it was confirmed tonight. “And you are in fact a cop?”
I hold his gaze and nod once. My heart slams against my chest.
“She isn’t. She’s innocent.” I'm quick to remind him that she has nothing to do with this.
“Of course she is. And I’ll make sure we get her home since that’s what you want.”
A small bit of gratitude washes through me. My angel is safe.
He leans forward and squares his shoulders and asks, “What else do you want, Kade?”
I shake my head and I take in a short breath. Once she’s safe, I don’t know what I can do. Gates told me to abort two days ago. But I couldn’t leave yet, not if the report was false. I couldn't waste this chance..
Intel was collected between Ricky and Vic. They were planning my execution. Two days later and the only plan I have now is to get her home safe. Beyond that, I abort or I'm dead. I can't let that man live though. There has to be some justice, no matter how small. I can't leave and do nothing.
“I like you, Kade. I’ve always had a weak spot for you. When I found out about your friend, I hurt for you. I still do.” My blood chills at his confession. My brow furrows and then my grip tightens on the armrests. He lowers his eyes to something on his desk and fiddles with it, but I can’t tell what it is.
“You knew?” I wasn’t told anyone else knew. As far as the department knows, it was only a conversation between Ricky and Vic. And now Vic is dead.
“Of course,” Gabriel answers easily. “It’s my job to know who’s walking through those doors.” He clears his throat. “I almost killed you on day one.” He holds up his hand and says, “No offense, Kade. I was just doing my job. But then I thought, maybe I could form a much-needed partnership. After all, you being a cop means that Ricky is your enemy, too.”
“I’m listening.” Although my heart hurts at the memory of James, hope fills my chest. We have a common enemy, and that can only work in my favor.
“Do you know who I don’t like?” he asks me with a glint in his eyes. “I don’t like Ricardo Stone. I don’t like what he does, and I don’t like how I’m inherently associated with him.”
“I can understand how that would reflect poorly.” I keep my voice even and wait for him to continue.
“I’d like him to die, Kade.”
I nod my head once, relief flowing through me for the first time since I stepped into this office.
“His business is bad for my business. I want him dead, and I want all of his business gone. If that means I have to deal with you,” he points his finger at me and then holds it in the air, “one last time before we part ways with no ill feelings, I think that can be arranged.”
“What deal are you offering?” I ask him. I don't have anything to bargain with, but I need to know the terms if I'm going to make a deal with the devil.
He gives me an asymmetrical grin and says, “I have enough information on his contacts and operations that if they were to get into the wrong hands, or the right hands, well it would do me well to see that happen.” Gabriel smiles at me and relaxes in his seat. “He dies, and everyone in this business knows that you did it and I had nothing to do with it.” He holds my gaze. “And the information I give to you, you got from him.”
“Is that all?” I ask. For the first time in years, I feel like I've made progress in this case. I'm focused on revenge and finally ending this.
“That, and the fact you’ve never met me or my Talia. You’ve never been here, and you don’t know what they’re talking about.” He leans back in his seat. “I want this to be a win, win, win for me, Kade. If you make that happen, we’ll part dear friends.” He gives me a wide smile and says, “In fact, I’ll owe you one.”
“I’ll make sure it happens,” I say. I’m eager to accept his deal and finally see a way out of this. But first I need Olivia away from all this. I need her safe. For all I know, Stone will kill me before I can kill him.
Or Gabriel will, once I’ve done his dirty work for him.
Olivia
“I’m sorry, angel.” I think I hear Kade’s voice, but my eyelids are so heavy. I feel his small kiss on my forehead. I try to get up so I can kneel for him, but my body doesn’t quite respond. I moan out for him, but they aren’t the words I want. My head falls to the side.
“It’ll wear off soon.” I hear his voice, but I don’t understand.
“I promise you, I’ll keep you safe.” I can feel his body carry me away, but I don’t know where to. I can feel a cold breeze on my face, and the sounds of car doors opening.
Outside? Are we leaving? I try to ask, but I can’t.
Kade sets me down against leather, and the sounds of a car starting make me realize we are leaving. I want to ask where, but I can’t.
I try to roll my body and ask him, but I’m so heavy.
His hand cups my face and he kisses me. His comforting touch puts me at ease.
“Sleep, angel,” I hear him say. I’d nod my head if I could. I want to sleep. My body’s so tired.
As I drift off into a deep sleep, I swear I hear him say, “Forgive me, angel,” and even softer, “I love you.”
But I’m not certain of anything. It all feels like a dream.
My body stirs with the need to wake up. I've been asleep too long.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Ugh. My head hurts so much.
I try to lift my body off this hard mattress, but my body is sore and the bright lights make me wince. Beep. Beep. Beep.
What is that noise? My head’s killing me.
I slowly open my eyes and my body tenses. What the fuck? I’m in a hospital room.
“Kade!” I call out as I bolt upright in the seat.
My head’s so dizzy I nearly fall back. I grip onto the cold steel bars on either side of the bed to steady myself. A nurse rushes in through the door, followed by another.
“Miss, please, lie back.” She puts her hands on mine and I look around the room as she lays me back against the bed. I don't fight her, but I'm scared. What the fuck am I doing in a hospital?
“Where am I?” I ask her as easily as I can.
“You’re at Union Hospital. You were admitted early this morning.” My heart beats faster as I try to recall what happened. But I don’t know. I don’t understand.
“You had some drugs in your system, including rufilin. Can you tell me if you recall anything about last night?”
My body tenses as I shake my head. I don’t understand what’s going on.
“I don’t,” I say as I stare at the back wall.
Is this my freedom? He drugged me and left me at a hospital? Is he gone? Tears prick my eyes. He didn’t even say goodbye.
I begged him to leave, but I didn't want this. This hurts. My hea
rt literally hurts.
The nurse pulls up a stool next to the bed as the other gives me a small smile and closes the door behind her. She seems less anxious now that I’m not trying to escape.
“We were able to identify you from your license that was in your pocket, but could you tell me your name?”
“Olivia Bell.” My voice is even and low. I feel distant. He left me. That's all I can think.
She nods her head and places her hand over mine. I can see sympathy in her eyes.
“You’ve been missing for quite a while.”
Her hand pats mine.
“Can you tell me what happened?” she asks in a sweet voice.
I stare at her, not trusting myself to speak.
He left me. The last thing I remember is him pulling my back into his chest. He held my hand and kissed my neck. And then... he had to go? I don't remember. It's so fuzzy. I can't remember.
“I--” I swallow thickly, but I can't speak. I shake my head.
“It's okay,” she says, and there's nothing but sympathy in her eyes.
“A missing person’s report was filed. The police will be here soon.”
I don't want to see them.
“I need a minute, please.” I barely get the words out.
She taps my hand and gives me a sad smile. “We’ll be right outside. Just press this button if you need anything.”
I nod my head and wipe the tears from under my eyes I didn't even realize had escaped.
After a long time, reality slowly registers.
My throat closes and I cover my face as I lose all composure.
I don’t stop crying until I hear a knock on the door and the police walk in.
Kade
I’m walking into a setup, and I know it. I have nothing to lose though.
I’ve got a vest on and three guns on me. I’m going with the one with the silencer first.
I shut the door to the car and take a look over my shoulder.
Gabriel and Andrew are parked across the lot at a café. They know it’s going down. My heart beats chaotically in my chest, trying to escape. Andrew is Gabriel's right-hand man. He doesn't know everything, but he knows enough. I saw the surprise in his eyes though. I felt like a traitor.
It'll be worth it after today though.
Gabriel may kill me the second I walk out of those doors. If I walk out. But if he gives me the paperwork and I can pull this off, everything will be worth it.
I could’ve called my handler, Gates. I could’ve been pulled. But I keep thinking about James and Olivia. If I leave now, it was all for nothing. His death and everything I put her through would be meaningless. Gabriel won't give me the papers until Stone is dead. This has to happen.
Gates wanted me out when he called. He said we had to abort. My boots crunch on the gravel as I walk up to the old packaging center. Ricky bought it for cheap, and his office is in the back.
No fucking way. Not after Gabriel offered me this deal. If he’s telling me the truth.
She’s safe. And that’s what matters.
I push open the double doors and take a look around. A few men are playing cards on a cheap table to my right. One’s smoking some skunked pot, and the scent fills my lungs.
I don’t know who all knows I'm undercover. Intelligence says it's just Ricky. So I'm taking my chances. But it could be all of them. I nod at the men and they give me a nod back, and one even a quick wave.
I hope I’m right. I walk down the hall and all the way to the back. With each step my heart beats louder and louder knowing I’m walking to my death… unless I kill him first.
Being back here reminds me of what happened that night.
I thought about it the entire drive back up here. What would've happened if she’d never walked down that alley? I never would have met her. I never would have ruined something so beautiful. But I also wouldn't have gone to Gabriel. She's a bigger part of this than she'll ever know.
I stop in front of the closed door to his office and hesitate before knocking. I could still run. I could leave and never look back.
But I have to do this. I knock on the door twice with the back of my hand. Knock. Knock.
I can feel the sweat on my brow and I wipe it away as I hear him say, “Come in.”
I take a deep breath and turn the knob. It opens slowly with a creak, and Ricky’s right where he always is, smoking a cigarette behind the old desk. I take a quick glance around the room. No one else is here. I shut the door with a loud click and look at the man who thinks he’s about to kill me.
“Have a seat, Maddox.” The way he says my last name makes me want to cringe. It’s like he’s poking fun at it. He knows that’s not my real name. Barrow’s my real last name. How many times has he done that? How many times has it slipped by me?
I take a seat across from him and let the leather jacket I'm wearing slide up some as I sit back. My hands slip into my pockets, but the right one has a hole at the bottom. My hand slides through and I grip the butt of my gun.
My finger rests on the trigger.
“Kade, I have a few problems with the order coming up.” Ricky leans back in his seat, his fingers in a steeple and taps his pointer fingers against his lips.
“We need virgins. They get the good money.” I keep my eyes on his and nod.
“These used up cunts aren’t bringing in what they used to.” Every word that comes from his mouth disgusts me more and more.
“Did you see Vic yesterday?” he asks me. “He's supposed to be on the lookout for buyers, but he hasn't gotten back to me since he was on his way to you.”
I play it off smoothly and say, “Didn't see him yesterday. Maybe I left a little too soon.” He doesn't believe me. But it doesn't matter.
He leans forward and I follow suit, pulling the gun out slowly.
“Well, I’m gonna need two men to round up the product, now that that fucker, what was his name?” he asks me with his eyes narrowed.
“Who’s that?” I ask him. My heart beats faster. James. I know that’s who he’s talking about.
He gives me a wicked smile as he nods his head and snaps his fingers. “That’s right,” he says as he pulls out a drawer to his desk.
My heartbeat slows and I pull the gun out. The metal slips against the leather, but I'm quick and efficient. Aim. Fire. Two shots. Both to the head.
The silencer is barely heard as his body jolts with each shot and he falls back in the chair, sagging with two neat bullet holes dripping blood down his face. And the gun he’d picked up from the drawer falls to the thin-carpeted floor with a low thud.
I push back in the chair and it topples over. Done. That fucker's dead. It's about time. If I die right now, at least I contributed some good to the world. I've sure as shit done my fair share of bad. But I'm done.
My heart beats rapidly and adrenaline surges in me as I leave the office, locking the door from the inside and closing it tight.
I walk out as casually as possible, waving goodbye to the fuckers playing cards and walk across the lot to my car.
Gabriel’s standing outside the driver's door and as I unlock the car, he opens it for me.
“It’s done?” he asks.
I nod my.
“He’s dead. Two bullets to the head.”
Gabriel smiles and hands me a large manila envelope.
“I don’t believe we’ll ever see each other again.”
“I don’t think we will.” I answer him with the same tone as I slide into the driver’s seat and start the car. I make sure to do it while he’s there, just in case. He closes the door and takes in a deep breath as I put the car into reverse.
I place the envelope on the passenger seat. I don’t know what’s in it, but I don’t plan on looking until I get to the safe house.
“It's been fun, Kade. I'm sad to see you go, but I think it's for the best for both of us.”
Again I nod. And I have to agree.
Our heads whip around to the packaging center as I h
ear a dim scream of anger and then another. They found him.
“Time to go,” Gabriel says with a smile. “Best of luck to you, Kade.”
“Same to you.” We lock eyes before parting ways. As I drive out of the lot, I see Andrew give me a short wave from his truck across the road. I return the gesture and drive off. I’m still waiting for a bomb or a bullet.
I anticipate my death the entire three-hour drive to the safe house.
It doesn’t hit me until I get there and park and look through all the documents that Gabriel handed to me, that it’s finally over. It's really over.
Every contact, first and last name, alias and locations are all in neat, organized columns.
I lean back in my seat and rest my head against the cold window.
It’s over.
The hurt and hollowness in my chest doesn’t move, and I stay in the car longer than I should before I gather the strength to go in and call Gates. I’ll take pictures of the evidence and send them to him… just in case.
I get out of the car slowly and follow through with the orders Gates gave me days ago.
I sit at the desk in the back room and dial the number.
The phone rings and rings.
Finally, a man answers.
I give him the code words, and it’s done.
My mission is done.
The only thing I want to do is to run to Olivia. I need to know if she’s okay. I need to make sure she’s alright. But I could never do that.
The world I’ve been living in vanishes before my eyes. The reality sets in.
Everything I did to her plays through my mind in slow motion.
I fell in love with her, but she should hate me for what I've done.
Olivia
I look over at Cheryl hesitantly. I’ve been home for a few days now. But I haven’t left my room much. I haven’t talked to my parents. They keep telling me they’ll be there when I’m ready. But I don’t see how I could ever be ready.
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