The Assassin
I thought Simone would’ve put up more of a fight when I towed her towards one of the private game rooms lining the hall.
Instead of trying to wiggle her wrist out of my grasp, she eased her hand up into mine.
Her skin, softer than velvet, grazed the callouses on my palm - and for a second, I wanted to drop her hand and bolt like a boy in over his head.
But, releasing her was not an option. Not when there was still a chance she could run.
I led her into one of the empty rooms. The red carpeting from the main hall continued to run inside. The golden walls glimmered underneath the small bulbs embedded in the ceiling. A small card table, made of glossy wood, sat in the middle of the room. Four cushioned chairs sat on every end.
Simone barely glanced at the decor. Keeping her eyes straight ahead, she walked to the chair farthest from the door and took a seat.
I lingered near the door as I closed it behind us, scanning the walls for the light switch.
Simone couldn’t see my face. And while that was for plenty of reasons, one in particular was starting to take the lead.
I wasn’t worried about her using the sight for a sketch or even to spot me in a crowd.
I was worried she wouldn’t like what she saw.
As if I should give a damn what she thinks.
I found the switch and noticed the dimmer attached to the side. I slid it down to make it dark enough to disguise myself but light enough for Simone to make out the shapes a few feet ahead of her.
“What is up with you and the dark?” She asked, sitting contently in her seat.
I shrugged. “More interesting things happen there.”
She rolled her eyes. “What are we doing in here?”
I dug into my waistband for the weapon belt hiding underneath. I felt around for my revolver and pulled it out. “We’re going to play Russian Roulette.”
She tried to play it off, but I caught the twitch of her expression. The subtle hint of surprise that tainted it. “You’re joking.”
“No.” I opened the chamber and poured all the bullets onto the table. “You want to pick the bullet or should I?”
“You’re a sick son of a bitch, you know that?”
“Don’t go insulting my mother now. She was a wonderful woman. Raised me to have manners.” I picked up a bullet, placed it in the chamber, and gave it a spin. With a flick of my wrist, it snapped shut, sealing one of our fates.
I set the revolver on the table and slid it towards Simone. “Ladies first.”
Her eyes fell to the gun, a million thoughts flying in them. In the twitch of her brows, I saw the doubt, the fear - the determination.
Squaring her shoulders, she reached across the table and grabbed the gun. A tiny tremble ran through her arm as she raised it to her temple. She sucked in a breath and held it. Then, she pulled the trigger.
Her chest shakily fell when no bullet came out.
She lay the gun down on the table and slid it across to me.
Without hesitation, I mimicked her actions. I stopped being afraid of death a long time ago. Playing this little game didn’t faze me one bit.
But, it was bothering Simone. She was trying to hide it, but the tremble in her arm was stronger during her second turn. Instead of holding my gaze, she closed her eyes. Her brows pinched together as her finger pressed down on the trigger.
For someone usually so bold in the face of death, her hesitation was confusing. Maybe dying by her own hand scared her more than someone else pulling the trigger.
Blowing out a breath, she quickly slid the gun over as if it were a spider that landed on her hand.
I took my turn. No bullet again.
Simone’s hand visibly shook as she reached for it. Moisture glossed over her eyes, making them shine under the dim light. She pressed the mouth of the gun against her head, her finger hesitating on the trigger.
Swallowing hard, she closed her eyes again.
I leaned in close, waiting to see if the bullet going through her head wouldn’t be mine. Something about the thought didn’t sit right with me.
I opened my mouth to stop the game and thank her for the fun. I wasn’t ready to see her die yet.
But the scratch of her chair against the floor stopped me.
I grinned as she rose from her seat and pointed the gun at me. “Oh, you’re a little cheater.”
“Shut up!” She yelled. The tension she’d been holding throughout the game was gone now, replaced with a rage that could burn an entire city down. “You are under arrest for the conspiracy and murder of-“
“You’re still mad at me for that? Baby, that is old news. At least come with some fresh charges.”
She glared at me. “I hope they throw your ass in solitary and throw away the key.”
“They’ll have to get me in a cell first. And that is not happening.”
I stood up, prepared to swipe my gun out of her hands.
She shot at me before I could even take a step towards her.
The bullet pierced through the fabric of my shirt and into the bulletproof vest I was wearing underneath. The impact from the force stung, sending me back a step. “Ow,” I said, sarcasm dripping from my voice.
“Shit,” Simone cursed as my eyes went from the new hole in my shirt to her. You’d think she’d learned by now that unless she aimed for the head, a bullet wasn’t going to do shit to me. Maybe she wasn’t ready to kill me either. Maybe she was enjoying our game just as much as I was.
She threw the gun on the ground with a grunt of frustration and made a break for the door.
I wrapped an arm around her waist as she passed and pulled her against me.
“Where do you think you’re going?” I asked.
I swung her around and pressed her against the wall, pinning her between my body and the plaster.
Leaning down, I placed my lips inches from hers.
So close that the wind from her breaths kissed my skin.
“We were finally starting to have some fun.”
Her lips trembled at the proximity. Wide eyes flicked back and forth, searching for mine in the darkness.
Pressed against my body, I could feel her heart beating rapidly, damn near bursting through her chest. Again, fear splashed across her face.
This time sprinkled in with a hint of pleasure.
As if she enjoyed the position we were in.
Shit confused the fuck out of me. She was supposed to claw at my arms or try to wiggle her way out. Not look at me with a slight purse of her lips and a dare to do something about it in her eyes.
Noticing my uncertainty, her alluring expression quickly fell, replaced by the fiery glare I was familiar with. Her arm cocked back, and her fist flew straight into my face. The scratch of the rings on her hand added to the impact of the punch, briefly stunning me.
She took the opportunity to wiggle out of my grasp and dart out the door.
I didn’t follow her this time. The goal for tonight was to scare her enough to run her out of this place. Right now, I have a legitimate job to handle.
I’ll deal with her later.