by N Kuhn
“You in a bikini, all day, every day,” he quipped. She smacked him in the arm playfully.
They laughed nervously, their banter doing nothing to ease the tension. They rushed to stow their items in the back seat. He had a gun collection that amazed his wife. After choosing weapons, they jumped in, and drove off, heading towards the city in the late night.
Chapter 6
Calista had never been to her husband’s office. As they stepped off the elevator, they were greeted by a sweet older woman--Gertie. She enveloped Calista in a warm embrace, smelling like baby powder and overpowering perfume. “You must be Calista. Nice to meet you finally. Sir”—she turned to Gene— “everything is ready. No one has been here yet. But, I was given a warning call by Ellard. My loyalty is with you. I wish you luck. I will await management with the package you left in the SUV.” She patted his hand. Collecting her purse, the woman brushed past them, her scent lingering.
Calista noticed Gene watch her go. “Package?” she questioned him.
“Our hostage.” She turned to follow him as he headed towards the office.
“So, were you honest when you said you have no family?” she couldn’t help but ask. It was important to know.
He nodded. It broke her heart now, as much it did when he said it the first time. It was something they had in common, both alone in the world.
She followed her husband into his office. With the lights off, she quickly settled into the corner, hidden behind the door, while Gene sat in his desk chair turning to face the window. He slouched down, hidden from view.
They didn’t have long to wait. Someone slowly approached the office door, turning the handle. As it opened, a gun appeared before the person. An older gray-haired man with a rumpled suit followed, shutting it behind him. She saw him in the waning moonlight. With the sun starting to come up, their dark cover wouldn’t last long. He moved towards the deskin an obvious plan to ambush Gene. The chair spun, and her husband aimed his gun.
“Ellard,” he said gruffly. The man froze, gun faltering.
She crept silently up behind him. As he raised his weapon, to aim at Gene, she pressed the barrel of her gun into the back of his head. “I wouldn’t, if I were you. You know who I am, right?”
“Artemis, I presume,” he stated, his tone flat. But his body conveyed his fear. Hand shaking, he held out the gun.
She took it from him, laying it on the desk.
“Ellard, meet my wife, Artemis,” Gene said. “Though, you already knew that. What I want to know, is why you chose to take the contract on me. Was that the point of your suicide mission? To keep your hands clean, but earn the money?”
“A million is a lot of money. I needed it. Tuition, alimony, I’m broke. You were a good agent, but you of all people, should know how the company works. When you’re useful, you live. When you’re not, no one cares if you die.”
“I looked up to you,” Gene said, almost hissing the words. “I thought you were helping save my life, not take it.” Ellard looked at his feet, as if ashamed, but Calista didn’t fall for it. She had dealt with many guilty men in her life. He was going to pull something, she just knew it.
“If you hadn’t killed the man’s brother, everything would have been fine. But he stopped paying me until I gave you up. I needed that money. I relied on it every few months. It came down to you or me. Why would I choose you?”
“Because I’m a better person than you.” Gene’s voice echoed through the room.
Ellard shook, his eyes darting between Calista and her husband. She moved to the side of him slightly, coming out from behind him.
“You couldn’t even capture an assassin you were married to. You lost your edge,” Ellard continued. Gene looked away just as Ellard leapt for the gun she had set down on the desk. Taking one last step, to be even with the side of his body, she squeezed off a shot, as he lifted his arm to take the weapon. Her bullet hit him under the shoulder, flying in almost a straight line. His body crumpled to the ground. Knowing death as well as she did, it was clear to her, that the bullet had gone through his chest. It was a kill shot, the trajectory perfect to hit at least one of his lungs, and the heart.
“I’m sorry,” she said quietly.
Gene came around from the desk, looking at the body. He wrapped an arm around her waist. “You did what you had to. I’m happy you were on my side,” he told her, his gaze never moving from his dead mentor.
Suddenly chaos broke out. Men in black gear and masks burst into the room, guns drawn. Shouts to put down their weapons rang out. They put their guns down, then raised their arms in the air. Calista’s heart raced with fear. This was it, the moment she’d been trying to avoid for years. She was caught.
A woman entered behind them, wearing a perfectly ironed jacket and matching skirt. She looked as prim and proper as the voice on the call her husband had made earlier, and Calista didn’t need to wait long for confirmation.
“Agent Phantom, your country thanks you for capturing this dirty agent. Though, I’m sure you know, we can’t say it publicly. Unfortunately, we have a mess here to clear up.” She looked to Calista as the words were spoken. Calista’s heart sank. The men cuffed her and Gene, taking them away separately. She had no idea what would happen to either of them, but she knew, her days of freedom were over.
They put her in the back of a nondescript black SUV. A bag was put over her head as they drove away. Tears streamed down her face. It was over.
Epilogue
Waves crashed on the beach, sun shining brightly in the sky. David Grayson turned his face to the warmth, listening to the voice on the other end of his call.
“Thanks Justice,” he said to the man.
“Just Shaw, and no problem. If you ever change your mind, we have a job for you here,” he replied.
Hanging up, David picked his cold beer up from the bar and walked through the hot sand, back to his chair. Settling in, he watched the water crash in, enjoying the peacefulness of his new life.
“How do you like Bali, so far, Mrs. Grayson?” He turned to his wife.
“Much better, now that our past is behind us,” Diana replied. They clinked their beer bottles together, settling in to relish their new lives. “By the way,” she said, closing her eyes, “we’re pregnant.”
David smiled to himself. “Good thing I turned down Agent Shaw’s job then,” he joked.
“Well, you know, we did say that we both had enough to retire,” she laughed. Lighting a match, David lit his cigar, dropping the flame into a small fire pit. The remains of their old lives burned slowly, the last traces of Gene and Calista Bevard, melting as flames licked at the passports. This is the life, he thought as he enjoyed the view and his bikini clad wife next to him. Who needs action, when you can have relaxation?
The end
About the author :
N Kuhn grew up in a small town in Western New York. Having spent her afternoons outside or with a book, she grew up with a love of reading and writing. Her mother and grandmother fully encouraged this in her. She made a promise to her grandmother to fulfill the dream of being an author. Her grandmother lived to see her granddaughter's name in print. This was a turning moment for Ms. Kuhn. Driven by ambition and a promise made, she has since published several titles including the Mohawk Trilogy, The Buffalo Rocker Series, the Tricks series and many more titles.
When she's not writing, she can be found playing with her little girl, blogging, reading or crocheting. Her daughter and coffee are her two staples in life. She loves to mixing reality and fiction and often brings highly emotional stories and real life issues together into a short, sexy, romantic story.
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Other Kindle World stories by N Kuhn
Dare to Love from Carly Phillips *Spicy not
sweet*
Daring to Save Me http://amzn.to/2eqSWaW
Lover’s Dare http://amzn.to/2eqTai5
The Wedding Dare http://amzn.to/2fHzBYP
Billionaire Universe from Melody Anne *Erotic Romance*
Going to the Chapel http://amzn.to/2eB93pQ
Lone Star Burn from Ruth Cardello *Erotic Romance*
Lone Star Escape http://amzn.to/2eqTe1y
Other Clean Romance read by N Kuhn
Stranded for Christmas http://amzn.to/2fq1S4P
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