The Accidental Assassin
Page 17
“Italy? I didn’t ask for a detailed itinerary. It’s their honeymoon. They’re probably holed up naked in a little villa somewhere.” Standing up, I went to look out the windows. “I think they were driving, so they could be anywhere.”
We were silent for a while, the only noise the sound of his fingers dancing across the keyboard. I was starting to feel drained, the insanity of the day catching up with me now that the adrenaline had calmed.
“I don’t like this.”
“Which part?”
“Any of it. All of it. This is a giant fuc—stupid mess.” Using my fingers I pushed the blinds open wide enough to see through. “I don’t have a passport, I don’t have any money—I have nothing.”
“That’s not true.” Owen’s voice rumbled through the room.
“What?” I shot him a look over my shoulder. “I’m baggage for you. Nothing but a hassle to give you a headache.”
“Not true.” He sat back from the little table in front of the sofa. “And you have a gun. I’ve found that those are just as helpful as money or passports at times.”
I smiled at him and turned back around to look at the gravel path in front of the house. I didn’t want to show him just how vulnerable I felt at that moment, but I could feel him watching me out of the corner of my eye.
“Ava, I’m not going to dump you on the street.” I heard him stand up, but didn’t turn around. “It may not be comforting, but you’re my best link to all of this and I need to know what’s going on.”
“Your handler can help you with that.” I shrugged. “Or your Facebook group.”
“No one has heard anything. Seems like the wires are too quiet right now. My contacts are antsy.” He had moved closer to me, but I still didn’t turn around. “Something is happening and everyone is on guard.”
“So, it is a Facebook group?” I glanced over my shoulder at where he stood. He was watching out the window with me.
“I’ll send you a friend request.” His chuckle did a lot to make me feel better.
“What will your likes be? Shooting? Maiming? Do you take James Bond quizzes and post your results? Which Bond are you?” I shifted so I was facing him.
“I guess you’ll find out.” He reached out and tugged a lock of my hair.
“I’m not ready to die, Owen.” I looked at him with steady eyes. “I just decided to start living.”
“I’ll never lie to you, Ava.” He lowered his voice like we weren’t already alone. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’ll do my best to make sure you get to live your life the way you want to.”
“Why?” I was always good at asking questions when I probably shouldn’t.
“I don’t know. Maybe I like the challenge of doing something different.” He paused. “Or maybe I just want to see you happy. I miss that smile from the café.”
I had no idea how to respond. Instead of saying anything, I leaned forward and kissed his cheek. His stubble brushed against my skin and I fought the urge to turn into him and nuzzle along his neck. I knew I should be ashamed for being attracted to a man who killed people for a living. Knew I should be trying to get away from him and running to the police. And yet…
And yet, I was still there, putting my trust in a man that I met while he was trying to kill another man. There was something seriously wrong with my decision making abilities right then, but there was nothing I could do to change how I felt.
BY THE TIME it was dark outside I was going stir crazy. There was a television, but nothing could hold my attention. Owen still hadn’t heard from his contacts and wasn’t saying much. I had a feeling that he was lost in his head. Maybe plotting to take down a government or steal someone’s ice cream cone. Okay, I didn’t really think he would steal someone’s ice cream, but I honestly wasn’t sure what was going on in that head of his.
I also wasn’t sure what was going on in my head. I went back and forth between trying to figure out what I would tell the police and how I could contact Tess without attracting unwanted attention. The pistol Owen had given me was sitting on the arm of the chair I was using.
My imagination got the best of me at one point and I wondered how many people that gun had been used to kill. But then the sensible part of me kicked in and I refused to worry about it. Those people were dead and I needed to protect myself. Callous? Maybe. Didn’t make it less true. And feeling bad about it did nothing but cloud my need to keep myself safe.
Besides, I’m sure they didn’t care.
Owen stood up from his spot on the couch and stretched. I watched him, my eyes traveling over his body as he twisted and turned. He wasn’t very bulky, built more like a swimmer. Tall and lanky with muscles that made my mouth water. I shouldn’t stare at him, but my modesty had run out the door when I decided the gun was my friend.
“Get some sleep.” He looked over at me. “You should try to grab some while you can.”
“I don’t think I can sleep.” I shook my head.
“Why don’t you go try? There’s a bed in the other room. I’ll stay out here and sleep on the sofa.”
“What if someone shows up?” A shiver raced down my spine.
“There are alarms and security cameras.” He turned his computer to face me. The screen was broken up into four different images. One of the front of the house, one of the back, another showing the narrow driveway that led down the side of the house and the last one was pointed at a barn of some sort just in front of a tree line.
We were silent for a while, the only noise the sound of his fingers dancing across the keyboard. I was starting to feel drained, the insanity of the day catching up with me now that the adrenaline had calmed.
“I don’t like this.”
“Which part?”
“Any of it. All of it. This is a giant fuc—stupid mess.” Using my fingers I pushed the blinds open wide enough to see through. “I don’t have a passport, I don’t have any money—I have nothing.”
“That’s not true.” Owen’s voice rumbled through the room.
“What?” I shot him a look over my shoulder. “I’m baggage for you. Nothing but a hassle to give you a headache.”
“Not true.” He sat back from the little table in front of the sofa. “And you have a gun. I’ve found that those are just as helpful as money or passports at times.”
I smiled at him and turned back around to look at the gravel path in front of the house. I didn’t want to show him just how vulnerable I felt at that moment, but I could feel him watching me out of the corner of my eye.
“Ava, I’m not going to dump you on the street.” I heard him stand up, but didn’t turn around. “It may not be comforting, but you’re my best link to all of this and I need to know what’s going on.”
“Your handler can help you with that.” I shrugged. “Or your Facebook group.”
“No one has heard anything. Seems like the wires are too quiet right now. My contacts are antsy.” He had moved closer to me, but I still didn’t turn around. “Something is happening and everyone is on guard.”
“So, it is a Facebook group?” I glanced over my shoulder at where he stood. He was watching out the window with me.
“I’ll send you a friend request.” His chuckle did a lot to make me feel better.
“What will your likes be? Shooting? Maiming? Do you take James Bond quizzes and post your results? Which Bond are you?” I shifted so I was facing him.
“I guess you’ll find out.” He reached out and tugged a lock of my hair.
“I’m not ready to die, Owen.” I looked at him with steady eyes. “I just decided to start living.”
“I’ll never lie to you, Ava.” He lowered his voice like we weren’t already alone. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’ll do my best to make sure you get to live your life the way you want to.”
“Why?” I was always good at asking questions when I probably shouldn’t.
“I don’t know. Maybe I like the challenge of doing something different.” He paused. “Or maybe I just want to see you happy. I miss that smile from the café.”
I had no idea how to respond. Instead of saying anything, I leaned forward and kissed his cheek. His stubble brushed against my skin and I fought the urge to turn into him and nuzzle along his neck. I knew I should be ashamed for being attracted to a man who killed people for a living. Knew I should be trying to get away from him and running to the police. And yet…
And yet, I was still there, putting my trust in a man that I met while he was trying to kill another man. There was something seriously wrong with my decision making abilities right then, but there was nothing I could do to change how I felt.
BY THE TIME it was dark outside I was going stir crazy. There was a television, but nothing could hold my attention. Owen still hadn’t heard from his contacts and wasn’t saying much. I had a feeling that he was lost in his head. Maybe plotting to take down a government or steal someone’s ice cream cone. Okay, I didn’t really think he would steal someone’s ice cream, but I honestly wasn’t sure what was going on in that head of his.
I also wasn’t sure what was going on in my head. I went back and forth between trying to figure out what I would tell the police and how I could contact Tess without attracting unwanted attention. The pistol Owen had given me was sitting on the arm of the chair I was using.
My imagination got the best of me at one point and I wondered how many people that gun had been used to kill. But then the sensible part of me kicked in and I refused to worry about it. Those people were dead and I needed to protect myself. Callous? Maybe. Didn’t make it less true. And feeling bad about it did nothing but cloud my need to keep myself safe.
Besides, I’m sure they didn’t care.
Owen stood up from his spot on the couch and stretched. I watched him, my eyes traveling over his body as he twisted and turned. He wasn’t very bulky, built more like a swimmer. Tall and lanky with muscles that made my mouth water. I shouldn’t stare at him, but my modesty had run out the door when I decided the gun was my friend.
“Get some sleep.” He looked over at me. “You should try to grab some while you can.”
“I don’t think I can sleep.” I shook my head.
“Why don’t you go try? There’s a bed in the other room. I’ll stay out here and sleep on the sofa.”
“What if someone shows up?” A shiver raced down my spine.
“There are alarms and security cameras.” He turned his computer to face me. The screen was broken up into four different images. One of the front of the house, one of the back, another showing the narrow driveway that led down the side of the house and the last one was pointed at a barn of some sort just in front of a tree line.
