“Okay—”
“Absolutely not.” Owen shook his head. “You are not taking Ava into that place. It is a pen of vipers. I’m sorry about your friend. I’m sorry. But you are not in any way taking Ava in there as a trade.” He leaned forward and looked at me. “I won’t risk it. End of story.”
It was odd, to feel completely calm about the idea of using myself as collateral, and then to compare it to the panic in his eyes.
“You can come in the back while he’s distracted.” Mavis’s words were quiet. “There are two guards at each door and one that stays with Marcus. If I’m at the front door with Ava, you can take out the back guards quietly and slip in. You know the house and how to get in, where to hide. It would be simple.”
“No.” Owen stood up and pulled his wallet out. He threw a few bills on the table and held his hand out to me. “Ava?”
“We should talk about this.” I crossed my arms.
“I promised to never lie to you.” The words were a growl as if he hadn’t wanted to say them in front of Mavis. “If you go in there you will get hurt.”
“I could get hurt walking down the street.” I frowned at him.
“I’m not talking about a random drunk driver or tripping on a curb.” His green eyes flashed angrily. “These are people that would hurt you. They won’t hesitate to torture you or even—” He stopped and made a horrible face. “If they are selling sex slaves then you know what they are capable of.”
“They’re already after me. They’ve shot at me, Owen. They chased our car through traffic.” I crossed my arms. “I want to know why. Why me? Are they after Tess? I can’t just hide away. I need to know what is going on.”
“Ava.” My name came out as a forceful grunt just before he pulled the chair back out and dropped into it. “This is not so simple.”
“Sure it is. This is a pretty simple plan that will work.” Mavis sat up straighter in her chair as if smelling victory. “Simple is the best. You taught me that.”
Owen watched me from under his furrowed brow, but didn’t respond. I could tell that he was thinking it over, deciding what could go wrong and what could go right.
“We don’t have to do it today,” I reasoned. “We could take a look, see if there is anything you don’t like and then come back tomorrow.”
“We’re not doing anything today because we’ll have to get you ready.” Owen frowned at me.
“What are you thinking?” Mavis smiled.
“She can’t carry a gun.” He leaned forward. “They’ll frisk you. Anything you have on you will be found.”
I nodded, but my stomach dropped. The idea of walking into the enemy’s base without a weapon seemed like very bad idea.
“And there is no guarantee that they will let you stay with Mavis.” Owen watched me closely. “And guards that work for sex slave traders are not to be trusted with the merchandise.”
“Stop it,” I said. I didn’t want to focus on what could go wrong. “We make plans.”
“You can’t plan for everything, love.” Owen shook his head.
“Marcus likes pretty girls,” Mavis suggested. “We put her in the right clothes and he’ll make sure to show up.”
“Won’t he suspect there is something wrong if he already knows I’m with Owen?” I fought the urge to chew on my thumbnail. I didn’t want either of the professional killers to know how nervous I was.
“That part’s easy. You ran away.” Mavis shrugged. “You were scared and tried to go it on your own.”
“And you were there to sweep me up?” I took a deep breath and looked at Owen. “It could work?”
“It could, but you have to know that no plan ever works just the way you think it will.” He shook his head and stood up. “We’ll meet back here tomorrow. Mavis, you have my number?”
“I do.” She cocked her head to the side. “Do you want to do some surveillance?”
“I know the house. Looking at it again isn’t going to change the layout.” He walked around to my side of the table and held his hand out. I let him help me stand and took one last drink of the orange juice.
“Very well.” Mavis didn’t stand, just sipped at her tea. “What time, then?”
“Just after the lunch crowd.” His fingers clasped mine warmly as he pulled me to the door. “Bring your purse.”
“Of course.” Mavis smiled. “Nice to meet you, Ava.”
I smiled, not sure if it had been nice to meet her or not. Owen walked quickly down the street, tugging me along with him. From the set of his shoulders and the way people melted out of his way, I knew he was angry. His fingers weren’t rough on mine, just firm as he guided us through the crowd.
I didn’t say anything, not wanting to turn his ire in my direction. When he ducked into a quiet alley and turned to look at me, I felt my blood pressure rocket. Gone was the gentle man that had offered me sliced apples and teased me about my romance book. I was staring into the eyes of the man that killed people for a living.
“Owen?”
“Why? Why would you agree to go in there with her?” He stepped toward me and I took a step back. “With a woman that is suggesting she use you as bait? What part of that sounds like a good idea? You don’t even know her.”
“I—”
“You could be killed, Ava. I’m trying to protect you and you offer yourself up as the sacrificial lamb!” He took another step toward me, but I had nowhere to go. Cool brick and the hard edges of the pistol pressed into my back.
“It’s—”
“You don’t belong in this mess. You’re going to get hurt.” His eyes bored into mine. “I’m taking you to another safe house and locking you up there. I’ll come back in the morning and deal with Mavis.”
“The hell you are!” I shoved his shoulder. “You’re not locking me up anywhere! I’m in this, Owen! I’m at least going to help get myself out of it. And what about Tess? I still don’t know if she’s in danger.”
“I don’t care about Tess!” He growled the words. Slapping his hands against the wall, he barricaded me between his arms and glared down at me. “I care about you!”
My heart thumped hard against my chest as I stared up at him. Cared about me? How had that happened? I opened my mouth and shut it, not sure how to respond.
“Damn it. In a few short days you’ve turned my entire life upside down. You’re everything I’ve always avoided.” His words were quiet, but there was a desperation underlining them. “You’re too good for me and I’m the death of everything that makes you perfect. You should be running in the opposite direction and instead you look at me with those big eyes and easy smile and I…” He shook his head as if lost.
“Owen.” My stomach clenched tightly as my mind tried to understand what he was telling me. “I care about you, too.”
“I’m wrong for you, Ava, but damn if I can help the way I feel.” His hands moved to cup my face and his lips touched mine in a fierce declaration of need.
There was no thought, no internal struggle or worry about the outcome. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back with every bit of me. His mouth begged my lips to open, his tongue a hot stroke of desire. I groaned as the sharp angles of his body pressed into mine. He fit against me perfectly, not too tall, not too short. Everything lined up just right. Letting go of my face with one hand, he reached down to grab my hip, moving me so that he could press closer against my core.
I fisted my hands in his hair, desperate to hold onto his kiss. It was wild and hungry, something that would consume me if I let it. And I wanted to let it. Never in my life had a man kissed me in such a way; as if he was drowning and I was air. I grabbed his bottom lip between my teeth and gently tugged until he groaned. His fingers tightened on my hip and I slid one hand into his jacket to trace the muscles along his midriff.
A loud wolf whistle broke the bubble we had been in, and Owen pulled back to look in my eyes. He was hungry for more, but I could also see the guilt creeping back into his gaze.
“This isn’t over.” I stared up at him, my chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. I fisted my hand in his shirt so he couldn’t move away. Now wasn’t the time, but we were going to have to figure out whatever was between us. “And you’re not locking me up somewhere to keep me safe.”
“What else am I supposed to do?” His eyes flashed with frustration. “You’re intent on getting yourself killed.”
“Am not.” I glared at him. “I want to help.”
He leaned back just a little. “This isn’t your world, Ava. People die and they don’t come back.”
“I know all about death.” I frowned. “You don’t own an exclusive license on the term. Orphan, remember? I know what could happen, but damn it, it’s better than sitting around and waiting for someone to find me. I’d rather go out because I was doing something, rather than flinching in the dark.”
He watched my face. “You’re tougher than you look.”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.”
“I’m sorry.” Closing his eyes, Owen rested his forehead against mine. “This is complicated. I don’t do complicated.”
“Tough.”
He chuckled and pulled back. “You’re difficult as well.”
“Would you have it any other way?” I winked at him as I straightened my shirt. The material hung so low you could see my bra after our game of back alley tag.
“Right.” He looked around the alley. “We should head back.”
“Excellent. People will shoot at us and there will running. Lots of running.” I flourished my hand toward the street. “Allons-y!”
“Did you just make a Doctor Who reference?” Owen raised an eyebrow.
“What? You know about the Doctor? But you don’t know about the Notting Hill movie?” I tsked.
“Of course I know the Doctor.” He put his hand on the small of my back as we walked. “I’m quite fond of the Daleks.”
“You would be.” I chuckled.
“Well, I do exterminate for a living.” He lead the way out of the alley and back toward the underground. He was making an effort to relax, but I could still see the tension gripping his jaw.
“So, where are we going now?” I stuck my hands in my sweater pockets and kept pace.
“We’re going to see Marcus.” He looked straight ahead.
“I thought you told Mavis we were going to do it tomorrow.” I stopped walking.
“So trusting.” He turned and looked at me with dark eyes. “You are a rare person, Ava.”
“Is that a nice way of calling me stupid? Or whatever you Brits say? Daft?” I rolled my eyes.
He snorted. “No, you just aren’t as jaded as I am. That’s not a bad thing.”
“So we’re going to Marcus now?” I watched out of the corner of my eye as we maneuvered around people. “And how are we going to get in? Grappling hook? Disguises?”
He looked at me like I had grown an extra head for a moment before busting into laughter. I would have enjoyed the sound if it hadn’t been directed at me.
“No. We’re going to do as Mavis suggested. You’ll be my hostage and I’ll offer you as trade.”
My feet froze and for a moment I wondered if he would do it, give me to his brother, but then I remembered the look in his eyes. He wasn’t going to give me to anyone.
“I thought you said that was a bad idea.”
He turned to look at me. “That was before I was the one going in with you.”
“But what if they just shoot you?” I didn’t move. It suddenly felt like a horrible idea. “There’s a price on your head as well. A much bigger one.”
“Marcus is the boss, so no one touches me besides him. And he’ll want to talk. He’ll know I have a good reason to be there since I could have much more easily waited to kill him when he left the house.” He wrapped his fingers around mine and pulled me with him. “We can’t stand out in the middle of the street, even with all of these people. It’s too risky.”
I let him pull me down another road, through the stands and around the shoppers. I was still thinking through how this could possibly work when he stopped next to a small shop. He looked at the table out front, showcasing fresh fruit.
“Are you really hungry?” I asked.
“I didn’t eat anything.” He tsked over a basket of fresh berries. “But no. However, the house with the dark brown door and large man standing out front is my brother’s home.”
I fought the urge to turn and look; instead I picked up an apple and stared at the peel. “What now, sneaky one? With your disdain for grappling hooks and fake mustaches.”
“Do you trust me?” His eyes locked on mine.
I didn’t respond immediately. He’d asked me that several times now. Did I trust Owen? Did I know that he wouldn’t do anything to hurt me? My gut told me yes, but it was the sincerity in his eyes that made me respond out loud. “Yes.”
“I promised to never lie to you.” He looked at another basket of berries before handing them to the shop attendant to buy. “This is going to be dangerous and people will die. I will do my best to make sure that we aren’t among them.”
“Okay then.” I tried to calm my racing heart.
“I’m not always like this, Ava.” He looked between us and I knew he meant how he treated me. “I’ve never hidden what I am and what I do, but you haven’t seen it in action.”
“I understand.”
The employee handed Owen the basket of berries and his change before moseying off to help another shopper.
“You need to give me your gun.”
“Right here, on the street?” I looked around us. “You’re the daft one.” I smiled. “Ha! I said daft!”
“Not here. Come with me.” He pulled me into a small clothing shop and pushed me toward the back. “Wrap it in your sweater and we’ll put it in my bag.”
Grabbing a shirt from a random rack, I headed toward the back where the fitting rooms were located. I pulled the curtain closed and spun in a circle. There was a full length mirror, a hook, and nothing else. I hung the shirt on the hook, checked the curtain one more time and ripped off my sweater. Throwing it on the floor I reached behind me and tried to pull the gun out of the holster without shooting one of my buns off. It wouldn’t budge, so I had to unbutton my jeans. Peeking over my shoulder I tried to pull the pistol and holster off at the same time, but it was stuck in there good. Becoming frustrated, I yanked as hard as I could. The gun and holster came free from my pants and spun in the air. Whipping around, I tried to juggle it between my hands, but was terrified my finger would catch the trigger.
With a loud clunk, the gun hit the floor and I squeezed my eyes shut. As soon as I realized it hadn’t gone off and that I hadn’t been shot, I scrambled to pick it up from the floor and wrap it in my sweater. Really, I knew better. Guns didn’t just go off when they were dropped, but it was hard to fight that immediate reaction.
I looked in the mirror and took a deep breath. My face was pale and there were circles under my eyes. I had slept well the night before—being exhausted had a way of making sure you did that— but nightmares had made it difficult to truly rest. A tap on the wall next to the curtain made me scramble around and shove the sweater-wrapped gun behind my back.
“Someone’s in here.” My voice was too high.
“Everything okay in there?” Owen’s voice was quiet.
“Yeah. I’m just finishing.” Grabbing the shirt from the hook, I tucked my sweater under my arm and pushed the heavy material out of my way. “Didn’t fit.”
Walking over to the rack I replaced the shirt and turned to Owen. “Ready?”
“Are you?” He placed a hand on my cheek.
“Yeah.” Sure I was ready. Why wouldn’t I be ready to march into the house of the man that wanted to hold me hostage? Pfft. I shrugged and handed him my balled up sweater. “Here, put this in your bag, will you?”
He took the hidden gun from my hand and stuck it into his bag. “Let’s go.”
Placing a hand on the small of my back, he guided me out of the shop. “Do as I say. I don’t know what Marcus has gotten himself into, but I have a feeling it’s ugly.”
“Gee, you think?” I fidgeted with my shirt as we walked. It kept falling forward, the neckline revealing more cleavage than I wanted.
“Leave it.” Owen’s eyes dipped down to the top of my breasts.
“What?” My eyebrow raised in annoyance. Now wasn’t the time for him to be telling me how to dress. In fact, never would the perfect time for him to tell me how to dress.
“It’ll work to our advantage.” His eyes moved up to my face. “It will make you look vulnerable and distracting.”
“Vulnerable?” I sneered. “That’s the last thing I want to look like!”
“It’s always better to be underestimated, Ava.” He reached over and grabbed my arm, his fingers tightening enough to make me glare at him. “I’m sorry, but we have to make this look right.”
“What the hell are you doing?” I pulled on my arm but he didn’t let go.
“I’m taking you to my brother.” Without missing a step, he marched directly to the front door of the house he had pointed out earlier.
“Owen.” I pulled on my arm a little. “You’re hurting me.” Being restrained was starting to make me panic, despite my brain’s reassurances.
With a quick movement he threw his bag at the feet of the man standing guard on the steps. “I need to see Marcus.”
“Yeah, and I want to be King.” The man shrugged lazily, but I could feel his eyes sweeping my body. “So what?”
“Tell him his brother is here and that I want to make a trade.” Owen pushed me forward, but didn’t let go.
I looked up at the man gripping my arm. His eyes were hard and cold. I swallowed. I liked it much better when Owen was fighting a smile or looking at me with a slightly confused expression. This Owen was distant and rigid as if his stare would cut through metal.
The man spoke into a little piece of plastic attached to his shirt. We stood there, my heart beating so loudly I knew everyone could hear it. I glared at the man on the steps as he leered down at me.
The Accidental Assassin (Assassins #1) Page 13