“I suppose then it wasn’t just some random enemy of yours. It does make a lot of sense now you mention it,” she responded curiously.”
Harrison paused and he detected a delicate question coming his way. And there it was again, that burning stare delving into the side of his head. “I still have some unanswered questions that I think you need to come clean with me about a few things,” she stated.
“Fire away!”
“I want to know… why are you doing this? Why and assassin? How come there’s not a Mrs. King?” she indicated staring directly into his eyes.
“Okay… I’ll just come right out and say it. I used to be part of a special ops team and one of our missions went bad a couple of years ago, then I left the military. That’s about it. I’m still looking for the bastards that compromised our team. I made it out alive, but… I don’t have a clue about my commanding officer or the rest of the team. And until I do, I’ll keep doing what I’m doing. Someone has to account for it and the government certainly aren’t talking.”
“Oh… that sucks!” she responded with a blank stare.
Harry proceeded to explain everything, even down to the nightmares he’d been having for so long.
“Gees... so… how did you manage to escape?”
“As far as I know I’m the only one that made it out alive. I do know that something went down that day and I’m still determined to find out what. And as far as escaping from those animals… that’s going to have to wait until another time.”
Blake stood up and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her not knowing what she was going to do next.
He wondered if he’d done the right thing by telling her. It could have been a dangerous decision knowing that it could come back to bite him in the ass. But somehow still… it felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders and knew that in some way he would have to trust this woman he’d only just met.
Silently she stood there waiting. A puzzled look plastered across her face, and for a moment it looked like she was about to confess her secrets. But didn’t.
“Get to bed early. We’ve got some planning to do for the job in the morning!” Harrison said as he leapt up and left her standing there at the table with a confused look on her face.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Blake’s eyes opened suddenly to the sound of a pistol been cocked. She’d known only too well what that sound was. Over the years being an associate with a mob boss had its perks when you were in the good books, but now she was a wanted woman and god only knows what torturous, vile things they were going to do to her now.
The early morning sun peeked in through the closed curtains, giving just enough light to make out the furnishing and a reminder of where she was.
Abruptly she sat up and scanned the room. Her heart missed a beat when she noticed a figure of a man sitting in the antique tapestry chair next to the bed.
Blake’s eyes darted to the Smith & Wesson pointed directly at her, and the man’s face she tried desperately to recognise.
Slowly her eyes adjusted to the sudden awakening and she began to search her brain for an excuse for a way out. “How… how did you get in here? And how did you find me?”
The mobster was silent, all but a rustling noise as he shifted in the seat.
The un-welcome guest cleared his throat and said. “It wasn’t too hard. You can be so stupid sometimes.”
She paused for a moment. “Hey… we could work something out! This guy is loaded. I’ll pay you whatever you want. I’ll disappear and the boss will never have to know. What do you say?”
The intruder stood up and walked around the large four posted bed toward Blake’s side, still with his face hidden in the shadows. “You know… this isn’t going to be easy for me. I did take a shining to you the first time we met. You should have just done as you were told. Now I’m going to have to clean up this mess!”
Blake sat there nervously with the sheets tucked around her, knowing she was dressed only in her birthday suit. This guy obviously knew who she was and she frantically scrambled for some kind of recollection in his voice. I don’t have a weapon and don’t have a hope in hell in running for it. Maybe… just maybe I can talk some sense into this lunatic. Come on woman, think.
“No there’s no place to run now!” The intruder said raising the Smith & Wesson just a couple of feet away and pointed it directly at her head.
She took a deep breath knowing her life was just about to come to a ghastly end. Her heart was in her throat making it hard to swallow. She shook franticly unable to hold a firm position, nearly collapsing under the pressure. Blake closed her eyes hoping it would make this useless situation somehow better. She waited, only to hear her heartbeat to the countdown with just seconds to go.
Blake sucked in her last dying breath when the stranger’s voice broke the uneasy silence, “By the way… your boyfriend’s next!”
Suddenly she popped open her eyes. Rage ran through her like a freight train. “No,” she shouted.
Something came over her. Like a woman possessed she pounced from the bed toward the guy, only to knock the gun out of his hand, and to the floor just as it went off. But knew the fight wasn’t over just yet as she detected her attacker take a step back, but still standing.
Suddenly Blake felt the cool breeze whisk just past her left ear as she swerved to avoid a closed fist, driven toward her. Stunned she deviated to the right, just narrowly missing another.
With only a vague shadow that danced through the dawn light she threw a first punch. Detecting no contact she swung another. This is crazy she thought as she decided to go in for the tackle.
Unexpectedly she heard more gunfire as they both careered toward the floor. Unaware of what had just happened she quickly sprung back up onto her feet, ready to fight to the end.
Relieved when the light suddenly hit the room and Harrison stood in the doorway with a smoking Glock in hand.
She heaved a sigh of relief. It wasn’t her lying on the floor with a fatal bullet hole to the scull, but that of the lifeless body of her attacker.
“Huh… does that make us even?” Harry suggested as he walked toward them, stopped and stood over the body. “Friend of yours?” he added.
“It’s a bit hard to tell with his face blown to bits,” Blake retorted as shock began to set in.
“Are you complaining?” he asked plainly.
Leisurely she turned toward him, oblivious to her bare state. “No… he’s no friend of mine. And no, I’m not complaining,” she responded.
A little muddled she noticed Harrison glance up and down at her with a sassy grin. “Well… you certainly do attract some savoury types. Had enough excitement for one day have we?”
Blake glanced down to realize she was naked finally. “Oh… well I didn’t have time to get dressed,” she snapped with a sudden urge to throw up, but desperately tried to keep her composure.
“Um… you’re looking a little green around the gills, everything okay?” he asked with a mocking tone.
“Wait a minute, she said as she made a mad dash to the bathroom.
After emptying the contents of her stomach, she stared at her pale reflection in the mirror. Huh… he’s not going to get away with it that easy. I’ll show him.
Blake charged out of the bathroom, gently took him by the hand and nudged Harry toward the adjoining doors to his bedroom. With a mischievous tone Blake said. “Do you really think we should clean that mess off your good rug first?”
“It can wait! I can’t!” He responded as he grabbed her around the waist, dragged her into his room, lifted her up onto the bed and laid a passionate kiss on her awaiting lips. “You’re not going to shrug me off that quickly Miss Forbes…” he whispered in her ear softly.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Thunder roared outside causing Blake to wake suddenly. She turned to notice Harry was missing, and the bed empty, but the warmth of his body was still indented in the sheets as she ran her fingers a
cross them.
It was mid-morning by now, but the room was dark with the heavy curtains still pulled across the large bedroom windows, with just a splinter of light peeking through the edges. She smiled as the recollection of this morning’s love making swept across her thoughts.
But the smile didn’t last long as a sudden wave of panic shook her and she quickly jumped out of bed. The thought of her legs been broken and fingernails been pulled out one by one didn’t really appeal to her, but surely that’s what Mr Smith was going to do to her when he finds out she’s still alive and still has the chip in her possession. She grabbed the throw rug sitting on the end of the bed and wrapped it around her waist. Okay… get a grip on yourself; I’m sure Harry isn’t going to let anyone harm you!
She was suddenly startled when the bedroom door unexpectedly swung open to find Harrison standing in view, holding a tray of food. “Bloody hell are you trying to give me a heart attack?” she roared.
“What’s your problem?”
She felt the sudden urge to grab him and never let him go, but let it pass. The last couple of weeks have been extreme indeed she thought. Threatened and shot at. Dragged away by the arm from the most gorgeous assassin she’d ever met in her life and shot at again last night by one of her own so called friends. It definitely was trying, but she couldn’t think of a better person or man for that matter she’d rather be with.
He glanced at her inquisitively she noticed, but didn’t say anything.
“When I woke up and you weren’t here… well I guess... it doesn’t matter now. Breakfast, thank god, I’m starving.” she announced and changed the subject while taking the lid off one of the plates. She stole a piece of bacon and shoved it into her mouth. Sculled down a glass of juice and patted her bloated stomach like she hadn’t eaten in a week.
“Huh... well I’m glad you have an appetite. I guess all the fun we had this morning between the sheets had made you a little hungry.”
“Sorry… I guess I get a little strange when I’m nervous.”
Harrison shook his head with a calm look splashed across his face. “No need to explain. But I hope you don’t plan on wearing my throw rug around all day, do you?”
“Um… no, But… if you prefer I could just get around in my birthday suit?” She said and untucked the rug from her waist, swung it across the room and stood naked in front of him, and all the while still picking from the tray of food as he balanced it with one hand.
** *
Unconcerned Harry placed the tray on the bedside table, moved over to the window and pulled the curtains across letting the full sun shine in, leaving Blake guessing to what he was going to say or do next. He glanced at her briefly and found himself aroused once more at the sight of her beautiful features, but there was no time. He had to get his mind on the new assignment.
He swallowed hard and changed the subject. “Had enough yet? Food I mean,” he choked.
“Um… yeah… I suppose!” she responded with a look of disappointment waded across her face.
He was a little shocked at his own self-control and will power, but knew there was too much work to do. And there was still the matter of Mr Smith and his goons after them both.
Hesitantly he gave her a fleeting look, “Get dressed; we need to go over the details of the job and get the hell out of here. I’m sure it won’t be long before more of our friends will be here to kill us both.”
“Maybe,” she mumbled with a frustrated look on her face.
Suddenly the mood in the room turned silent and cold and Harrison knew that things were only going to get worse if he kept stringing her along. As much as he was attracted to her and felt deep feelings for her, he felt that playing house was only going to turn bad for the both of them. There was no room for romance in his line of work. “I’ll meet you down stairs. Everything is prepared, packed and ready to go. I’ve planned the hit for tomorrow night and I’ve organized a passport for you, so get a wriggle on we’re going to the airport.” he grunted and closed the door shut behind him.
“Men,” he heard her shout as he swiftly fled down the hall.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
It had been a couple of hours into their long flight which had given them plenty of time to talk things through, making them both realize they couldn’t stay mad at each other for long.
Harry glanced at Blake briefly. “Bathroom break, I’ll be back in a second.
As he moved down the narrow corridor to the back of the first class toilets, he noticed a man to the left nervously grin as he glanced back up at Harry. He could be a spy he thought. Or… he could be just an innocent traveller. Not everyone’s out to get you, you know. Harry rolled his eyes at the thought and assumed he was just being paranoid.
A few minutes later he closed the door to the bathroom and headed back down the aircrafts isle to notice the please be-seated light came on. As he hurried toward his row, he glanced to his right to notice the seat was empty and the stranger was gone. Odd… he thought anxiously.
There was only one thing that bugged him the most and that was not taking his own advice when it came to his gut feelings. Shocked, but not surprised when his window seat was taken by none other than the stranger.
With a 22 pistol shoved to the side of Blake’s ribs, he quietly and calmly sat down in the empty chair next to them and said. “Who do you work for?”
With a slight British accent, he replied. “Oh… you could say we have a mutual friend... You’re a hard man to track down I have to say. But here we are. Your girlfriend and I have been having a wonderful chat, but… I’m afraid she’s not giving away too much and you see… I’m in the information industry. I extract information from for… a certain amount of money and pass it on to whoever is paying the right price. You see… a couple of years ago I had a certain client who we shall say… will stay anonymous, paid me a nice substantial amount of money to extract information from a certain military man, who I think you know who I’m talking about. And… well… my client is still waiting to collect, so you can imagine the predicament I’m in.”
Harry’s mind raced. Who… and why? He questioned.
“I don’t have a clue in regards to what you’re talking about, but— I would like to get some answers as well.”
“Huh… my man… it’s not as simple as that.”
Harry discreetly glanced down the aisle and noticed one of the flight attendant’s only a couple of feet away serving customers. This was his chance to create a diversion he thought.
Suddenly he stood up and shouted bomb…!
It did the trick and predictably everyone began to panic. In the chaos people jumped from their seats screaming, but there was nowhere for anyone to run.
Confused the mangled array of passengers began to quarrel amongst themselves, leaving the anxious looking hostess to attempt to calm down the terrified travellers, but notably without any success.
In the commotion Harry quickly pounced at their assailant, gave him an uppercut to the jaw and twisted his own weapon toward him.
Unfortunately he took the hit quite well and was still coherent enough to fight back, returning the blow and his fist connected sharply to the side of his chin.
Still he had the advantage. They locked eyes for moment and all he could think about was finding out the truth.
Blake tried to help, but managed to only get in his way. And in the struggle the gun went off.
An ear-piercing scream echoed through the cabin and all hell had broken loose. And only to add to the fiasco during the scuffle a woman at the front of the aircraft had had a heart attack and all attention was focused on her for the moment.
Unfortunately the Pommy assassin was dead, but Harrison was still annoyed. He didn’t get the answers he so desperately wanted. He felt like a missing part of the puzzle had now just gone down the drain once more. There was more to this than meets the eye he thought. And was he getting any closer to the truth? Or just heading down the wrong path?
Eventually all ha
d calmed down and everyone went back to their seats when they realized it was just a false alarm. With a bit of oxygen the heart attack woman didn’t have a heart attack after all. The flight medic said she’d only had an anxiety attack and managed to pull through thankfully.
Not all was lost: Blake achieved to find a blanket nearby to cover up their dead adversary so as not to go undetected, claiming he was sleeping. And fortunately he went unnoticed for the rest of the flight.
Finally they got to their destination and eventually made it through customs without a hitch, but not without the awkward silence they both shared all the way to the rental car pickup.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Harry drove the hire car into the Claridge’s front entrance where a valet waited patiently outside.
“Is all forgiven?” Blake asked unexpectedly.
He glanced back in her direction briefly. “It’s all good!”
The young valet opened the driver’s side door and asked in a juvenile voice, “Checking in sir?”
Swiftly Harry reached down to the floor, popped the boot open and stepped outside leaving the motor running and the keys in the ignition.
Harry grabbed the two suitcases and placed them on the footpath while Blake paid the boy a nice tip.
The valet then handed her a piece of paper stating what floor their vehicle would be on and some brief directions.
Harry waited and watched him drive off down toward the underground parking area where he then disappeared.
Swiftly the concierge scurried toward them and grabbed the suitcases. The ends of the long horseshoe moustache, wriggled wildly as the middle aged gentleman spoke. “Sorry Mam, Sir, have you stayed at Claridge’s before?”
Harry momentarily looked at Blake and replied, “I have once!”
The Eternal Defiance Page 4
