by J Theron
He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. “I promise I’ll be safe.”
“I know,” she murmured as she lifted her head to kiss him on the mouth. “Now stop talking and make love to me.”
He pushed his jeans down before crawling over her and flipping her onto her stomach.
“You’re absolutely right. Enough talking,” he groaned as he trailed kisses from her neck over her back and to the curve of her ass. His one hand went around her stomach to cup her breast while the other moved lower until his fingers brushed over the wet heat between her legs. She tried to turn around in his embrace but he pushed her down with his body.
“I want you like this,” he murmured. “I need to possess you.”
Gabrielle moaned as Ryan entered her from behind. His one hand was under her stomach and he lifted her lower body from the bed as he filled her again and again. He rested his weight on his other hand that was outstretched next to her head and she placed her forehead on her forearms to lift her body up to meet him stroke for stroke. She had to bite down on her teeth not to scream when the orgasm exploded within her. She could feel Ryan shuddering and his whole body went limp as he collapsed on top of her after the last tremors left his body.
“Do you think we can stay like this? Maybe Carlos and Valentina won’t notice if we don’t come out of the room,” Ryan whispered in her ear.
Gabrielle turned around and immediately felt empty when he was no longer inside her. “Oh, they’ll notice. I have no doubt about that.”
He kissed her and she could feel him growing hard again. “I can’t get enough of you,” he groaned.
She pulled her head back and placed her palm on his face. “What did Carlos say when you met him earlier?”
“I don’t want to talk about Carlos.”
She laughed before saying, “We do however need to discuss this.”
“He said we should leave before dawn and continue heading to Riohacha. I tend to agree with him. His cousin is dead, but there are many men in his organization waiting to fill the unexpected vacancy in the chain of command and they will most certainly come after us. We’re sitting ducks here.”
“Were you able to get in touch with my father?”
“I couldn’t. The telephone lines are down. Apparently that’s something that happens frequently. The owner said it usually takes about two days for the lines to be back up. We can’t wait that long, though.”
She sat up and pulled the T-shirt over her head. “Let’s get some sleep then. We need to be rested if we’re going to have to travel tomorrow.”
“Maybe you should put on some more clothes in case we need to get away fast,” he said. “I like it when you’re naked in my bed, but it makes for uncomfortable travelling if you’re not wearing anything but a T-shirt.”
She smiled as she pulled a pair of cargo pants from her bag. “I agree, Captain Evans.”
Gabrielle woke with a start and she noticed that their room was completely dark. She placed her hand where Ryan was supposed to be and found the bed empty. She looked at the small room and when her eyes became adjusted to the dark she could see the familiar outline of Ryan’s tall frame standing next to the door with his gun ready.
“Get up and put your shoes on,” he whispered almost inaudibly. “Don’t make a sound.”
Her heart started racing and she knew immediately something was seriously wrong. When her shoes were fastened he beckoned to her to stand behind him.
“What’s going on?” she whispered close to his ear.
“There are men moving in the hotel and they’re checking the rooms.”
“How do you know?”
“Listen.”
She listened and apart from the sounds of the jungle around them she could hear the quiet footfall of men moving down the long corridor of the old hotel and doors being opened, because even though they were trying to be quiet, old doors always creak.
“How did they find us?” she asked, struggling to suppress the feeling of panic clawing its way into her chest.
“I don’t know, but I have my suspicions.”
She took a few breaths to calm herself and clear her head. “Carlos.”
“I think so.”
“Why?”
“Who knows? Money, revenge, jealousy. It could be any number of things with him.”
Gabrielle rested her forehead on his back. “Give me a gun.”
“Take the one around my left lower leg,” he whispered, never taking his attention from the door.
She went on her knees and lifted the material of his jeans to slide the gun from the holster around his leg. She felt safer when she had the Glock in her hands and quickly got to her feet to stand behind him again.
“What are we going to do? Can’t we go through the window?”
“I tried. The window has steel bars preventing entry from outside, but we can’t get out either. Our only way out is through the door.”
“Ryan,” she whispered.
“Yes?” he said as he turned to look at her face that was almost invisible in the darkness.
“I love you. I know you’ll get us out of this.”
“I love you too and I promise it’s going to be okay. I won’t let anything happen to you,” he said as he kissed her briefly on the mouth.
“Okay.”
He turned towards the door and lifted his gun. “Now, let’s get out of here.”
She stood behind him as he opened the door. He made a swift movement and the next moment he leaned around the doorframe and fired shots in rapid succession. He ducked back into the room as the bullets flew past his head.
“I got two. Three more in the corridor. When I fire around the door, drop to your stomach and fire from between my legs. Aim for the guy to the right on the count of three,” he whispered.
She nodded and watched as he counted down with his fingers. The moment he fired she dropped to her stomach and put her head around the door. She could see the man to the right in the dim light of the corridor and aimed for his chest. She fired three shots and watched in horror as the red stains appeared on his chest before he sagged to his knees. She could see him fall forward just as she pulled back into the room.
Ryan leaned with his back to the wall. “I got one, but there is one more in the corridor. He’s standing in the doorway of one of the vacant rooms. I’ll have to leave the room.”
“No! Please don’t.”
“I don’t have a choice.”
She watched as he moved around the door and into the corridor. His hands were up and his gun was aimed at the doorway where the last man was hiding. He did not make a sound as he inched along the wall. The next moment the man showed his face to take a shot. Ryan fired one shot before the man could pull the trigger and the stranger toppled forward with a hole between his eyes.
She wanted to go to Ryan when the door to the vacant room next to their room opened and was surprised to see Valentina step from the dark room into the light. Gabrielle was about to ask her if they were okay when Valentina suddenly grabbed Ryan from behind and put her gun to his head. Gabrielle watched in frozen silence as another man stepped from the room with his gun aimed straight at her heart.
“Don’t move Ryan, or my friend shoots your precious doctor,” Valentina snarled.
“What the hell are you doing, Valentina?” Ryan asked in a deceptively calm voice. Gabrielle knew that tone. He was like a ticking time bomb.
“Drop your guns. Both of you,” Valentina commanded.
The other man cocked his gun and took a step towards Gabrielle.
“Okay, just don’t be stupid, Valentina,” Ryan said in a soothing voice as he dropped his gun. Gabrielle leaned forward and placed her gun gently on the floor in front of her.
“I’ve had it with you, Ryan. For months you’ve been stringing me along, letting me think that we could be more than friends. You used me! Watching you drooling all over the doctor was the final straw. I used to think you were different. Now I know you’re
just like all the others. You use women and then discard them. So I contacted my friend here and told him where we were.”
“Are you out of your fucking mind? They’ll kill you!” he shouted, no longer able to control his temper.
“I loved you, Ryan. Now all I feel is hate. I want you dead, and I want your precious doctor to watch.”
“Valentina, please don’t do this?” Gabrielle sobbed.
“Valentina, please don’t do this!” Valentina mocked. “I’ll do whatever I want,” she said as she cocked her gun and lifted her hand to press the gun to Ryan’s temple. “Say goodbye to Ryan, Doctor. Not even you can fix a bullet to the brain.”
Gabrielle jumped forward as Valentina pulled the trigger. She expected the man with Valentina to shoot her, but instead she saw the man fall to floor followed by Valentina. She only registered the two shots after they were down. She turned her gaze to Ryan’s body on the floor and all she could see was the bleeding wound to his temple. He was lying completely motionless and she was about to drop next to him when the shooter stepped out of the darkened bedroom. It was Carlos.
“Gabrielle, we have to go!” he said as he grabbed her and tried to pull her away from the bodies on the floor.
She ripped her arm from his grasp and crouched on the floor next to Ryan. “I have to help Ryan,” she sobbed,
“He’s dead. She shot him in the head.”
“No. He can’t be dead!” she shouted as Carlos lifted her from the floor.
“There are more men outside. We need to get out of here now!” he said.
She could hear the men running up the stairs but she could not make herself leave Ryan. “Leave me here.”
“Over my dead fucking body, Gabrielle,” he said. “I’m sorry.”
It was the last thing she remembered before he struck her.
CHAPTER 17
“Gabrielle, wake up.”
Gabrielle opened her eyes slowly and for a second she was confused when she looked into the worried face of Carlos.
“Carlos. Where are we?”
“You’re safe.”
She struggled upright and noticed that she was in a small but neat hotel room. It took a few seconds when the last moments she could remember washed over her like an avalanche. “Ryan!” she shouted. “Where’s Ryan?” She knew she was becoming hysterical, but she could not control the nausea mixed with panic rolling over her.
“He’s dead, Gabrielle. Valentina shot him.”
“No, he’s not dead,” she sobbed, unable to stop the tears running over her face.
“I’m sorry,” Carlos replied simply. She could see the concern etched into his drawn features.
“I’m going to be sick,” she said before flinging back the covers of the bed. There was a small waste paper basket next to the bed and she grabbed it before she started retching. Her stomach was completely empty and the painful movements stopped after a few seconds. She fell back onto the bed and could not stop the painful sobs that wracked her chest.
“Please leave me alone,” she said in between the sobs that refused to subside.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” he said softly.
She turned her back to him. “You should have left me to die. I want to be dead.”
“There was no way in hell I would have left you there, Gabrielle and you know it. I know you feel that way now, but one day you’ll start to feel better.”
She twisted around and snarled, “You have no fucking clue how I feel, Carlos!”
He sat back as if she slapped him. “How do you think I felt when my bastard cousin shot my sister in the head? Her blood was all over my body!”
She turned away from him again. She was so consumed by her own grief that she did not want to speak to him any longer. “I’m sorry. Now leave me alone.”
She could feel when his weight lifted from the bed. He was quiet for a few seconds and then said, “I have to arrange our transport to Charlotte Amalie. I’m meeting Ryan’s contact in a few hours. I’m leaving a gun. If anybody except me comes through that door, shoot him in the face.”
“Where are we?” she asked, not bothering to face him and not actually caring about the answer.
“Riohacha. I’ve decided to stick to the plan.”
She shrugged. “Whatever.”
Just before he opened the door, she turned around. “Carlos?”
He stopped and turned to look at her. “Yes, love?”
“How is it that you were there to rescue me when Valentina shot Ryan? Why did she not kill you as well?”
“She thought that I wanted Ryan dead too.”
She sat up and stared at him. “Why would she think that?”
“Because I said so.”
Gabrielle flew out of bed and slapped Carlos across his face. He was momentarily stunned and she flailed wildly before he managed to pin her arms against her sides to subdue her.
“You bastard!” she shouted. “I’ll kill you!”
“Gabrielle, calm down!”
“I will not calm down,” she hissed. “You were in on it! You helped her! Even if you managed to convince her, the cartel wanted you dead!”
He shook her slightly. “Shut up and listen to me!”
She stopped struggling and focused on his eyes. She had to control the urge to spit in his face. “I hate you.”
He narrowed his eyes and shook his head. “Please let me explain?”
“Go ahead, then,” she said.
“I suspected something was off with her and I didn’t trust her. I pretended to hate Ryan because he left my sister and she believed me when I told her I loved you and wanted Ryan dead. She unfortunately managed to contact the cartel when I was out of the room. She’s had a small transmitter radio with her the whole time. I only realized what was going on moments before the men arrived and by that time it was too late to warn you without giving myself away.”
“Why didn’t the men from the cartel kill you the moment they saw you?”
“I told them I was infiltrating the CIA and that it was part of the plan. The men were low level enforcers.” Carlos shrugged. “They believed me. I can be very persuasive.”
“I don’t believe you. It’s all bullshit. She would never believe that you loved me,” she said mockingly.
He sighed. “She believed me because it’s true.”
She stared at him and for the first time she noticed a strange expression on his face. When she was completely honest with herself, she could see that he looked at her like he used to look at his sister.
He turned around after what felt like an eternity and walked through the door without looking back. She continued to stare at the closed door for a long time before turning on her side again. She closed her eyes and the agony that gripped her at the thought of Ryan was so profound that she was unable to imagine how she would ever be able to function in a world without Ryan in it.
“You broke your promise, Ryan,” she sobbed. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep. She knew that she would never be whole again.
PART THREE
“I hold it true, whate’er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most; ‘Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.”
Alfred Lord Tennyson
CHAPTER 18
New York, present day.
Gabrielle tried to ignore the insistent hammering on her front door. She pulled the covers over her head and pretended not to hear the banging noise. She closed her eyes when the noise went away. Her heart almost stopped when the covers were yanked from her body in a swift movement.
“This has got to stop, Gabrielle.”
Gabrielle stared at Carlos who stood at the foot of her bed with the duvet in his hand. He was wearing a gray suit and he looked ridiculous with the blanket in his hand. “How did you get in, and who the hell are you to break into my house!” she shouted.
He shrugged. “You’re not answering your phone.”
“Go away!”
“When was the last tim
e you had a bath? You stink.”
“Go to hell, Carlos.”
“It’s been three weeks. You have to stop this. Ryan wouldn’t want this.”
Gabrielle shot from the bed and glared at Carlos. “Don’t you dare say his name.”
He sighed and sat on the upholstered chair next to her bed. She could see his gaze travelling around her room and she could not even muster embarrassment at the state of her surroundings. Dirty clothes were scattered around the room and the dishes from her last four meals were piled on the chest of drawers. She looked at her T-shirt and sweatpants and realized that she hadn’t changed her clothes in three days.
“Your father asked me to come over and talk to you. He’s worried to death.”
“If he’s that worried, he should come himself.”
“It’s a bit difficult, him being in Russia and all, but you would know that if you bothered to pick up your phone.”
“I don’t need you or my father to hover over me like schoolgirls. I can take care of myself.”
“I can see that,” he replied quietly.
“What do you want from me?” she asked wearily. She did not have the energy to fight with him.
“I want you to take a bath, put on some clean clothes, and come to dinner with me.”
She swiped her hand over her face in exasperation. “Okay. Fine. Then you have to promise to leave me alone.”
He held up his hands. “I promise.”
“Wait for me in the living room. I don’t want you in my bedroom.”
He nodded. “I understand.”
She waited until he walked through the door then pushed it shut. She frowned at the absence of a lock on her bedroom door, because she didn’t trust anybody anymore, not even Carlos. She walked to her en-suite bathroom and undressed slowly, almost unable to muster the energy to pull her T-shirt over her head before she got into the shower. She barely had the energy to lift her hands to wash her hair and face, but she managed for a short while after which she had to stop for a few seconds because her chest became so constricted that she struggled to breathe.