“You have a bad feeling about everything.”
“Well, not everything.” I winked at her.
She slid her hand down my stomach and fondled my prick under the sheets. “Oh yeah? Do you have a good feeling about this?”
“I got a great feeling about that.”
We kissed as I grew hard in her hand.
She pressed her soft lips to my ear and whispered in a sexy French accent, “La petite mort.”
Chapter Eight
Vanessa
Sawyer dropped me off at my place. He put up another fight about letting my drive myself to campus, but in the end, he let it go. I packed a suitcase full of clothes, cosmetics, and toiletries. At this point, I guess I was practically living with him. We hadn’t discussed anything long term, but I wanted to be prepared in case I stayed there indefinitely.
When I got to college, the main lot was full and I had to park in one of the satellite areas to ride the bus. No big deal—I’d allowed for enough time to make the class. I could maybe afford to skip the rest of the week, just to let the dust settle, but Sawyer was going to have to be OK with me getting back to my routine. I still had my own future, as well as my sister, to think about.
The test itself was a breeze. The subsequent courses in Biology would only get more focused and more difficult, but the intro stuff piggy-backed off a lot of what I had learned in high school. Luckily, I was able to finish the exam early.
In fact, I was so excited to be done I forgot to call Sawyer. I handed in my test and rode the bus back to the satellite lot. It was still the middle of the period, so it was pretty desolate on the bus.
As I walked to my car across the gravel lot, I had the strange feeling that I was being watched. I got goosebumps as I made my way to the car. Even though I told myself I was being paranoid, the feeling didn’t go away.
I should have listened to it.
Just as I reached my car and put my hand on the door, someone grabbed me from behind.
I tried to scream, but a large hand covered my mouth. I kicked and flailed. But it was no use. My assailant was much stronger than me. They dragged me to a van and tossed me inside. As the door slammed shut, I caught a brief glimpse of two men—the gangsters who had shown up to Castaldi’s.
They got in the front and cranked the engine.
“Let me go!” I screamed. That’s when the one in the passenger seat pointed a gun at me. I shut up real quick.
“I’m afraid we can’t do that.”
“What are you going to do to me?”
“Don’t worry,” said the driver. “Gallo just wants to have a word with you. This will all be over soon.”
He looked over his shoulder to back out, but before he put it into reverse, I heard a thwip, followed by the sound of glass breaking. The look on the man’s face went from shock to vacant as a trickle of blood rolled down his temple.
“Oh fuck fuck fuck!” said his partner, trying like hell to duck out of the way.
But it was too late. Another thwip and he slumped over, instantly dead.
My heart pounded in my chest as the van door opened, flooding the vehicle with sunlight. In silhouette, I saw him.
Sawyer.
He reached out his hand and I took it. I embraced him and cried into his shoulder.
“Shh.” He said, petting the back of my head. “You’re OK.”
I wiped my tears and kissed him.
He held my shoulders and looked deep into my eyes. I saw something there I didn’t expect to see.
Fear.
“Why are you here, Sawyer? How did you know?”
“Something’s been bugging me and I finally figured it out. Castaldi’s laptop. They snatched it when we were under the bed. Let me guess—you used your student email to respond to his ad?”
Shit.
“You’re absolutely right. How could I have been so stupid?”
“Don’t beat yourself up. You don’t think like a criminal because you aren’t one. These losers have probably been watching the lots for any sign of you. It was only a matter of time.”
“If you hadn’t...Jesus, Sawyer. What were they going to do to me?”
“It doesn’t matter. You’re safe now. Take my car back to my place. I’ll clean up here and drive yours.”
“I’m not leaving you alone!”
“Vanessa, you need to listen to me. Here are my keys. We don’t have time to argue.”
Too frightened and stunned to resist, I did exactly as I was told. As I sped away in his car, I glanced in the rearview and saw him moving one of the bodies to the back of the van.
What the fuck have you gotten yourself into, Vanessa?
Chapter Nine
Sawyer
I dumped the bodies and scorched the van. Something I’d done way too many times in my life. When I got back in Vanessa’s car, I was overwhelmed by something I hadn’t felt for a long, long time.
Fear.
Fear of losing her.
The car was full of reminders of the precious life which had almost slipped through my fingers. Her books, her hair ties, her scent. Visions of her being tossed into that van would haunt me for the rest of my days. Thank god I got there when I did.
Something else was creeping into my thoughts with absolute clarity. One, indisputable realization.
I couldn’t do this anymore.
Not if I wanted a life with Vanessa. Those two things...they were fundamentally in conflict. No matter how careful I was, her life would always be at risk. And if her life was at risk, I couldn’t preform my best, thus endangering her even further. It was only a matter of time before I slipped up, before I made a mistake I couldn’t fix.
I couldn’t stand the thought of losing her. There was only one way out. One course of action. And it was a fucking stupid one.
I texted Vanessa and told her I was going to be out longer. I didn’t explain. Just wanted her to know that I was alive. I told her to stay put and said I would see her soon. Then, I drove her car to Lake Davidson.
It was about an hour away, and I was lost in thought the entire drive. What I was doing was a huge gambit, one that might cost me my life, but it was the only way to build a life with Vanessa.
I drove up the curvy, mountainous road to the large cabin overlooking the valley. A turnaround stopped short by a heavy iron gate was guarded by two meatheads with MP5 submachine guns. They eyed me and readied their trigger fingers as I parked the car.
I didn’t take it personally. They were just doing their job, which was to protect the man inside the house at all costs.
Gallo. Castaldi’s boss. Head of the family presently at war with my client.
They didn’t know who I was, but as I stepped out of the car and walked fearlessly toward them, they had a pretty good guess about the size of my balls.
“Hold it,” said the one the one on the left, who had a nasty scar running down the side of his face. He pointed his weapon at me and I froze. Put out my hands to show I came in peace.
“Easy,” I said as calmly as possible. “I’m here to see Gallo.”
“Yeah?” said Scar, sizing me up. “And who the fuck are you?”
“I’m the guy who killed Castaldi.”
Gallo handed me a whiskey and sat down across from me as logs crackled in the fireplace.
“You’re insane, you know that?” he said, sipping his drink. Looking casual in a yellow polo and faded jeans.
“So I’ve been told.”
“You took out one of my best men.”
“Best men? You’ve got his laptop. Castaldi was a creep.”
Gallo stared at me long and hard, knowing I was right but not wanting to admit it. “Doesn’t matter what the man was, he worked for me. I’m gonna come down hard on your boss. He’s gotta know that right?”
“He does. And to tell you the truth, I don’t give a fuck.”
Gallo laughed. “You really are crazy.”
“What’s crazy is going after an innocent college girl
who’s got nothing to do with your bullshit feud.”
He paused, something clicking. “You kill more of my guys?”
“I did. Because they were gonna kill her. And I can’t allow that.”
“Now you’re here to kill me.”
“You’re a smart guy, Gallo, but you got that part twisted. I’m here to make you an offer.”
“I don’t negotiate with assassins. You’re an errand boy, hiding behind a designer suit and a gun.”
“What if I told you I’m not a hitman anymore?” I glanced at my watch. “As of two hours ago.”
“Well, now this is getting interesting, isn’t it?”
“Leave the girl alone. And let me walk.”
“And?”
“And I let you live.”
Gallo stared at me for a long time before bursting into laughter. “You let me live?”
“That’s right.”
“I like you, hitman. But fuck off with that bullshit. There have to be consequences. You and the girl set my guy up, and someone’s gotta pay.”
“She didn’t set anyone up. The thing between her and Castaldi...that was a business arrangement. Pure and simple. Wrong place, wrong time. Nothing more.”
“So I’m just supposed to let you go? Let you get away with it? I have to send a message, you understand.”
“I do. But unless you’re willing to take me out right now, which I wouldn’t recommend given the fact that your people just attempted the murder of a civilian, one who will go to the police the instant she realizes I’m missing, you’re going to have to find a more creative way to send that message.”
Gallo sipped from his whiskey, considering. “So, what, you get away with it and I end up with a target on my head for the rest of my days?”
“Not if you forget about the girl.”
“Maybe the girl comes here, helps me forget? I saw the pics she emailed to Castaldi. An ass like that could make me forget about the whole fucking war.”
I squinted my eyes at him. “Don’t say another fucking word about her.”
“I think someone’s got a crush! Ain’t that, like, against your jedi code?”
I wasn’t getting anywhere, so I decided it was time to play the other card. Getting Gallo off our backs was only part of the problem. My own boss would never let me go that easily. Especially after he caught wind of my meeting with his rival.
“Let’s just get this done, Gallo. The girl and I, we walk. Free and clear. I keep my bullets away from your skull. And I’ll sweeten the deal with intel on certain vulnerabilities you might find interesting.”
“You’re ratting out your own client? Sounds like a death sentence to me.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. Especially if you don’t fuck things up, as you’re prone to do.”
“You’re testing my patience, friend.”
“Are you interested or not? I’ve been to the hideout. The turf war could be over by the weekend if you act fast.”
He swirled the whiskey, probably wondering if he could trust me.
“Think about it,” I continued, “you can be out on that yacht, enjoying your strippers and martinis without a care in the world. And after that, you double your market.”
“How do I know you’re telling the truth?”
“You don’t. But if I’m not, I don’t stand much to gain, do I?”
Chapter Ten
Vanessa
I sat on the couch at Sawyer’s house, still shaking from being abducted, but also from witnessing three murders in less than a week. On one hand, I was extremely grateful that he had saved me. I also had to admit that, somewhere along the way, I’d fallen in love with this man.
On the other hand, Sawyer was a killer. And I wouldn’t even be in this mess in the first place if it weren’t for him.
How could I stay with a man who lived and breathed violence? And wasn’t it only a matter of time before one of us got killed? Actions have consequences, and from what I’d seen in the movies, gangsters weren’t the type to forgive and forget.
As I sat there chewing on my nails, my knee shaking a millions miles a minute, I made one of the toughest decisions of my life.
I had to walk away.
As soon as I made the conscious decision to leave, I felt devastated. That week had been one of the most tumultuous of my life. I’d gone from virginal bookworm to wannabe prostitute to kidnapping victim in a matter of days. Normally, a big exam would have been the most stressful thing about my week, but now that Biology test seemed trivial.
I hated to leave Sawyer. The mere thought of his strong arms, his protective nature, and those eyes that grew more and more soulful by the day, made me want to climb into his bed and never leave.
But I couldn’t risk my future. Or my life. Leave it to me to fall in love with an assassin. What I really needed was to know that everything was going to be OK. If that meant breaking both of our hearts, then that’s the way it had to be.
There were, of course, some practical things to consider. For one, Sawyer had my car and most of my clothes. For another, the Gallo family was still after my head. Especially after Sawyer took out those two assholes in the parking lot.
Going home meant risk, inconvenience, and, worst of all, losing the one man who had ever made me feel special.
But staying was too dangerous.
He was too dangerous.
My mind was made up. I called for a ride and waited to get picked up, hoping Sawyer didn’t show up in the meantime. Because I knew if I saw his face, I wouldn’t be able to go.
I couldn’t even bring myself to leave a note.
Chapter Eleven
Sawyer
As soon as I pulled into my driveway, I felt like something was wrong. Just a gut feeling, but my gut was usually right.
The good news was that Gallo had taken my offer. Yes, I sold out my boss, and maybe that made me a rat, but it’s not like he wasn’t a scumbag, too. They could all go to hell as far as I was concerned.
We would probably have to move. There was too much history, too much bad blood in this town. Convincing Vanessa to relocate wasn’t going to be easy. But I’d already decided we could wait until she was done with school. We’d need to stay on our toes, but if Gallo used what I gave him to finalize his hold over the territory, there wouldn’t be anyone left to come after us. At least not in the short term.
I had it all planned out. She’d finish her degree, then we’d move somewhere and start a life together. Maybe out west.
I was eager to tell her that we were free, but as I walked through the front door there was no sign of her.
Oh no.
I raced through every room in the house, panicked, calling her name. “Vanessa! Vanessa!”
But she was gone. Vanished, without a trace. No note. No text. And, thank god, no signs of struggle.
My first thought was that Gallo had betrayed me. That the entire time I was sitting there making my case, he’d sent two more goons out to finish the job.
Then I came to my senses. There was only one reasonable explanation, and in some ways it was more difficult to accept than the idea that she’d been taken against her will.
She’d walked out on me.
Either way, I had to know for sure. I got back in her car and sped across town to her place.
When I got there, I threw open the car door and raced to the front of the house. I knocked, loudly, three times.
No answer.
Fuck, maybe someone had gotten to her.
My heart fell into my stomach and I felt a surge or adrenaline coursing through my veins. I couldn’t lose her. Not now. Not ever.
I kicked in the door and cried out for her. She didn’t answer, so I pulled my gun and cleared each room, making my way to the back.
That’s when I heard the shower.
I knocked on the bathroom door, preparing myself for a potential trap. When there was no response, I opened the door and crept toward the shower.
With my g
un held out in front of me and my finger on the trigger, I reached out and tore open the shower curtain.
Vanessa screamed.
I lowered my gun and grabbed her, squeezing her wet body tight against my chest.
“It’s OK, it’s OK. It’s just me.”
She pushed me away, pounding on my chest.
“What the fuck is the matter with you?!” she yelled.
I put the gun down on the counter. “I’m sorry. I thought you were...I thought maybe...”
She could see how terrified I was and that calmed her down. Water from the shower was pooling on the floor by my feet.
“I’m fine. I should have left a note, but I knew the longer I waited I wouldn’t be able to leave.”
“Why did you leave at all?”
“Because I can’t do it, Sawyer. I can’t live a life built around violence.”
“I can’t either. Not anymore.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that I quit. I’m done. I made things right, and now we’re safe.”
“Are...are you sure?”
You can never truly be sure, but what this girl needed more than anything was to know that she didn’t have to worry.
“I’m sure. And I’m sure of another thing, I don’t want any kind of life that doesn’t have you at the center of it.”
Her eyes went soft and she hugged me, soaking my shirt.
“I love you,” she said.
“I love you, too.” I held her face in my hands and kissed her. She grabbed my tie and backed up, pulling me into the shower with her. Water poured over us as I pushed my body against hers, pinning her against the shower wall.
I let my hand roam over her smooth curves, grabbing her firm tits and feeling my cock grow hard as I teased her nipples under the water. Our tongues danced, our lips sliding effortlessly to accommodate our eager mouths.
She ripped open my shirt and I pulled it off, throwing it thoughtlessly to the floor. Then her hands were on the buckle of my belt, working frantically to open my pants.
Little Deaths Page 3