30. Sienna
Chapter 30
Sienna
There wasn’t much information given surrounding my test. Colby just stated that Dustin had given him the date, time, and location and that we would have to improvise once we arrived. He didn’t seem too phased by the lack of details, which led me to believe that improvisation was typical for this line of work.
I couldn’t believe I was going through with this. It was easy to brush off the idea of killing someone when it was simply that from the start, but now that I was walking into my task in real time, everything just felt so much more daunting.
It was like getting cold feet before walking down the aisle at a wedding, except I wasn’t even considering running. I was nervous, yes, but I was determined all the same.
I wanted to prove to my husband that I was more than just a pretty little thing in hot pink heels. I was his wife, and like Bria and Tessa, I was nothing short of fiery and fierce.
“Are you ready, love?” Colby’s voice broke my train of thought as he stepped up behind me and wrapped his arm around my waist. Was I ready? “I’ll be with you the entire time. You don’t need to be afraid.” He added, gripping my chin and tilting my face upward to meet his.
“I’m not.” I insisted. “I’ve been ready for this since yesterday. I can handle this on my own.”
“I’m allowed to assist you, and I will—”
“Don’t.” I rushed out, my hand wrapping around his wrist. “It will be easier for the both of us if I do this alone. If I need your help, I’ll signal for you, but really… I can do this on my own, Colby.”
His lips pressed into a hard line as he fought to hold back all the words he had for me. This was no time to argue, and he knew that.
Another reason I didn’t tell him I was doing this on my own until now is that if I had told him last night or this morning, it would have become a fight, and I didn’t want that to be my last interaction with him, not if I could help it.
He pulled me tightly against his side as we stepped into the Neon Palms Casino and made a beeline for one of the bars on the casino floor—The Olive Pit, a cocktail bar specializing in creative and unique martinis.
I wore the same black mini dress from the night at Fallout, along with a pair of new, simple, strappy black heels. I was to assume the role of a cocktail waitress, serving drinks to the poker tables as the guests played.
Colby pulled out an empty chair for me at the bar, and I sat as he glanced around the room as if looking for someone.
“There he is.” A male voice came from over my shoulder, and I turned to see Nick approaching us. “Sienna.” He nodded to me before clapping my husband on the back of the shoulder. “Didn’t think I’d miss your wife’s big moment, did you?”
Colby gave him a weak smile, still not coping well with what I was about to attempt this evening. Honestly, I was handling it far better than him.
“Good to see you, Nick.” He sighed. “Thanks again; I know you didn’t need to be here.”
“Ah, it’s nothing. The Nashville blokes will get along just fine without me. I’ll catch them on the next trip.” He winked without a hint of remorse.
Colby had mentioned that Nick loved to travel and took the offer every chance he got, but it sounds like he passed it up this time. But for what? For me?
I was grateful for him to be here for Colby. I sure as fuck knew that he would need him. Nick had been his only support system since he moved here. I barely knew Nick, but from Colby’s stories, I knew he was a good man.
Nick was almost as attractive as my husband. His baby blue eyes, long blonde hair, and tattoos that peeked out from the top of his shirt always caught my attention. Unlike Colby, he favored blue jeans and a loose white button-up, where he intentionally left the top two buttons undone to show off his chest tattoos.
It truly baffled me to see that he was single. A man that looked like him usually didn’t stay that way long.
“So, has he arrived yet?” Nick asked, signaling the bartender and rubbing his hands together.
“Over there, table twenty-four.” Colby gestured out to the crowded casino floor.
It would seem nearly impossible to remove anyone from this place without someone catching on. Luckily, we had already considered most of our options, and isolating the target off the floor would be the easiest way to take him down.
The casino was packed full of guests, but then again, it meant that disappearing after the fact would be far more manageable for us.
“Seriously?” Nick gawked. “The guy looks like he is barely twenty-one. Who the fuck is he?” He asked before turning his attention to the bartender. “Two dry martinis with extra olives and a lemon drop for the sheila.”
“Jameson Ashburn. Dustin said he was just some kid involved in a large contract killer organization. I guess they’ve been establishing themselves in various cities nationwide and are attempting to set up a headquarters here next. He wants him taken care of before they can destroy the empire he’s worked so hard to create.”
I couldn’t help but overhear their conversation, eavesdropping as I peered out from the bar towards the table where Colby mentioned my target, Jameson, was sitting.
“Sounds like your wife got an easy one then; no need to question her moral compass with the likes of him.” Nick chuckled, grabbing his martini off the counter and taking a sip. “Killer versus killer. I’d take that kind of task any day.”
Hearing one of them speak so eloquently about what they did in their line of work always surprised me. Even Bria and Tessa made my test sound like nothing more than a day spent lounging by the pool or at a spa.
I tipped back my drink, needing the liquid courage to get me through what I was about to do, and grabbed my husband’s hand off the bar, squeezing it tightly in mine.
His attention snapped to me, and he set down his glass before dragging a knuckle down the side of my cheek.
“You’re going to be brilliant, love.” He smiled in an attempt to reassure himself more than me.
I knew I could handle what was about to happen out there, but buried beneath his calm demeanor, he was reluctant to let me go alone. Colby trusted me so much that it crushed me on the inside.
Nick would hold him back. Keep him safe while I handed Jameson over to his fate.
Before I lost my nerve, I picked up the empty service tray at the far end of the bar and made my way down the steps toward the row of poker tables. A few other waitresses were on the floor, and I was dressed similarly to them, leaving nothing to suspicion for the gambling guests.
To play the role more convincingly, I served two of the tables first, running back and forth between the bar and casino, my husband giving my ass a playful squeeze each time I strolled past him.
When I approached table twenty-four, I tried my hardest to avoid direct eye contact with Jameson.
“Can I get anyone here a drink?” I offered as I watched the dealer sweep all the cards off the table and slide them into the shuffler.
I internally rolled my eyes at myself for the weak-ass impression I gave. My nervousness affected my ability to appear flirty and approachable, the two traits I needed to attract Jameson's attention.
Taking the hint from the table’s silence, I turned to leave, concerned as to what the fuck to do now. I couldn’t lure him away from the table and casino floor if he weren’t even remotely interested in me.
I may need to reevaluate this situation with Colby…
Just as I had moved to step away from the table, a hand shot out and gripped my wrist tightly, jerking me backward.
“Excuse me!” I growled, inadvertently glaring at the man who had dared to touch me. There goes Miss Flirty and Approachable… Fuck.
“Interesting choice of jewelry—for a casino waitress,” Jameson smirked as he inspected my ring. “Tell me, is it common for women around here to wear obsidian?”
How did he know what kind of stone it was? I could barely tell when I first saw it. I jerked my wrist out of his hand, resisting the urge to glance at the bar, hoping my husband didn’t see Jameson grab me.
“That is none of your business, Sir. But if you must know, they were family heirlooms.” I snapped, attempting to play ignorant, hoping not to give him even more reason to press me with questions.
“It’s a very unique choice in stone. Why don’t you enlighten me with its family history?” He spoke, grabbing my wrist again and pulling me into his lap. I bit back a whimper, feeling even more uncomfortable than before.
Calm down, Sienna; maybe this is just his fucked up way of flirting… you have a test to complete; he’ll be dead soon enough.
I tensed as I felt his hand creep its way up my back, my jaw clenching at all of the unwanted contact.
“I need to get back to serving the other players on the floor.” I gritted out, glancing around my surroundings to see if anyone had taken notice of what he was doing to me.
“Four other waitresses are serving the tables here; you won’t be missed,” He assured me, and I felt as if I had stopped breathing. My lungs were tightening, closing in on themselves, and my throat was turning dry and numb.
How did he know how many waitresses were working? Had he been paying that close attention to his surroundings? What other observations had he made from me?
“When you work in a similar field to mine, you learn to keep your eyes open at all times.” He murmured, dragging his cold lips along my shoulder, a shiver trailing down my spine from his touch. “Don’t want anyone sneaking up on you, creating an unfair advantage now, do we?” He added, ignoring the game being played at the table with me in his lap as I tried my hardest not to glance over to the bar.
“Are we working alone, little dove?” He asked, wrapping an arm around my waist, taking my left hand in his, and rubbing my ring with his thumb. “How would your husband feel knowing his wife was sitting in the lap of one of his biggest threats?”
I swallowed a dry lump as I locked eyes with Jameson. My lips parted, but I found myself unable to speak.
“That’s what I thought.” He snarled before wrapping his arm around my chest and lifting me to stand with him. I dropped my tray to the floor, two glasses spilling and shattering on the rug.
He tightened his hold on me, my back pressed firmly up against his chest. I could feel the cold bite of a knife at my throat, my pulse racing as I struggled in his grasp. No, no, no, no… fuck… how did he know?
There were screams and shouting from startled guests as guns were drawn, and the casino floor was filled with dark green law enforcement uniforms.
“Let the woman go, Jameson.” A deep, authoritative voice called across the room, and his grip tightened on me further. I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing I wasn’t here.
“I don’t fucking think so.” Jameson hissed. “If you want to keep this woman alive, you will turn a blind eye and let me the fuck out of here, Officer Landon.”
Breathe, Sienna… Breathe…
I couldn’t hear anything over the two shouting at one another. Most of the floor surrounding us had cleared out; we were the only two standing within a fifty-foot radius.
“You know we can’t do that. Perks of being a wanted man.” Officer Landon crooned, and I opened my eyes to see him aiming his handgun directly at us, my stomach twisting at the sight of the barrel.
This was it, wasn’t it? The moment I had been dreading?
My frantic eyes searched the bar on the opposite end of the room for the one thing that could comfort me: Colby .
Tears welled in my eyes as they locked onto my husband’s bright blues that I loved so fucking much.
He appeared almost frozen in time, with Nick holding him back against the bar.
I couldn’t breathe, my chest growing tighter with every passing second.
“You’ve got to the count of three to release her, Jameson. We aren’t fucking around with you, playtime is over, and you’re coming with us.” Officer Landon started. “One…”
“I’ll gladly slit her throat before you pull that fucking trigger, Landon.”
Let me go, let me go, please just let me go…
“Two…”
“Do you want this woman’s blood on your hands tonight, Officer? Are you willing to sacrifice such a pretty face just to get to me?”
I didn’t dare tear my eyes from those of my husband’s as I inhaled deeply, dropping my hand to my side and pressing my palm firmly against my thigh. I released my held breath and mouthed the words ‘ I love you’ before closing my eyes and surrendering to my fate.
Three…
Bang!