Page 62 of Targeted By Vengeance

I shook my head. “Gabriel would never hurt me.”

“If he thought you were the enemy, he would.”

“But I’m not.”

“In their eyes, you are!” He grabbed my face and forced me to look up at him. “I warned you when we started there would be no coming back from this. Simone Nichols is dead. And so are the relationships tethered to her. Gabriel is no longer your partner nor is he your friend. When the dust from this settles, you are going to put a bullet in his head. Do you understand?”

I bore the intensity of his gaze, too stubborn to back down from it. “No, because it’s not that simple. If roles were reversed, would you kill Maria?”

A muscle jumped in his jaw as the thought crossed his mind. The heat burning off of him went down a few degrees, and his grip on my face loosened.

“Yeah,” I murmured, shaking out of his grasp. “That’s what I thought.” I walked around him, making a beeline for the passenger seat upfront. It was probably best I gave him some space for the rest of the ride.

“Simone,” he called.

I stopped, but didn’t bother to look over my shoulder.

“If you don’t kill him, I will.”

The darkness in his voice let me know it wasn’t a threat; it was a promise. And I needed to figure something out before he made good on it.

THE ASSASSIN

The rear door of the apartment complex creaked open. Footsteps accompanied the soft slam of the hinges as they hooked back into their locks.

“Was I too harsh?” I asked, reluctantly opening my eyes and looking over at my partner. I hadn’t followed her and Simone inside when we arrived back at the safe-house. Close proximity wasn’t going to do Simone and me any favors. Not after the words we exchanged in the van. I’ve been outside for the past hour or so, getting some air and recollecting myself. I needed to be in a calmer mood before I spoke to Simone again. I didn’t want to say anything I’d regret later.

A little, Maria signed. I should’ve taken a page out of your book and gave you the same ultimatum. Maybe we wouldn’t be standing here right now.

I rolled my eyes. “You’re not funny.”

Who said I was trying to be? She leaned her shoulder against the wall. You think she’s gonna kill him?

“Probably not.” Sighing, I rubbed my fingers against my temple. “So, we’ve got to shut him up before word gets too high up the ladder. If they know she’s alive…” I trailed off.

There was no doubt in my mind her godfather was going to finish what he started if he found out. Since she was already presumed dead to the public, he probably won’t let the information leave his tight circle. If he did, the questions around her death and her hit-list of FBI agents might expose his association to infamous criminals. And if his actions told me anything: he’d do everything in his power to prevent that from happening.

“She may not like it, but I’m just trying to protect her the best way I know how,” I continued.

Why haven’t you told her that yet?

I shrugged my shoulders, averting my eyes to avoid her gaze.

Maria dramatically tilted her head, maintaining eye contact and raising a brow in disbelief.

“I’m scared, alright,” I muttered. Saying it aloud lifted some of the weight that’s been lounging on my chest, but the ache was nowhere near gone.

Maria’s eyes softened. Of what?

“That she doesn’t feel the same way. Or that she’ll leave. I mean, we weren’t supposed to happen in the first place - let alone let it get this far. She knows there’s another option for her once all this is over - a quiet, peaceful life in Baltimore. What if she chooses that over one with me?” I shook my head. “God, I sound stupid.”

You don’t sound stupid. You sound human. Feels nice having emotions for once, doesn’t it?

“Nice? Feels like torture.”

She smiled. Because you haven’t told her yet. You’ll feel better once you do.

“But what if…what if she rejects me?”