by Anna Edwards
Sonia brought her hand to her mouth to try to keep quiet the cry that was threatening to leave her lips. She had to be strong for Matthew now. She couldn’t think of the suffering that his parents must have experienced. She had to focus on keeping Matthew all together and not allowing him to lose his sense of control. He was a trained killer. This could end badly.
"I want my father in the same room as my mother. If this room isn't big enough, find one. I will pay whatever you need."
"We will see to it at once. There is nothing you can do for now, I would suggest you get some rest, but if you want to stay, I'll have a nurse bring you some drink and clean clothes."
Matthew turned away from the doctor and pulled his phone out. The doctor was dismissed. The doctor left them alone in the room, and she took a seat next to Matthew.
"The box." His voice was far too controlled; it was scaring her so much.
She gave it to him and watched as he opened it. Inside were two rings and a crest. The crest bore a furred Phoenix holding a fleur de Lis with the writing Vincit Omnia Veritas' below it.
"Truth conquers all things." Matthew shut his eyes. "Did my aunt and uncle say anything about the man that did this?"
"No."
"These are my wedding rings. I didn't wear mine. Jennifer had it around her neck. They were never found after the explosion."
He pulled out his phone and dialled. The phone was on speaker.
"Where are you?"
"Outside the hospital." Jasper's voice answered.
"We're in room two four five."
Matthew hung up. "You have to leave. Jasper will take you."
"What?" She scraped her chair back and stood up. "I'm not going anywhere; I'm staying right by your side."
“You need to get back to England and into safe custody. You have to do whatever Jasper says."
Jasper came through the door. "I'm so sorry. I got here as soon as we got the alert from your parents."
"Is it him?"
"From the description your uncle gave to the gendarmes and the fact they are backing off the investigation, I would say so."
"Have you got everything in place for Sonia?"
"Yes. I've got a car outside, and the airfield is nearby."
"Good, I want guards put on this door. I've asked for mum and dad to be kept together."
"Already in place. They came with me."
"Ok, take her. Keep her safe for me." Matthew sat back down at his mother's bedside and took the hand that was still there into his.
"You're not coming?"
"Neither of us are going anywhere." She sat down next to Matthew and folded her arms across her chest.
Jasper raised an eyebrow towards Matthew.
"Pick her up and carry her. Watch her left leg, though, she looks to go straight for the balls." Matthew spoke without even taking his eyes off his mother.
"What the fuck!" She spat the words out, Jasper took a step nearer to her. "Come any closer, and they will be needing a third hospital bed in here, and if you don't stop shutting me out Matthew Sawyer and giving me answers, then they may as well add a fourth."
"Shall I wait outside?" Jasper had stopped advancing and looked towards Matthew. Sensible man, she would render him unable to breed for the foreseeable future if he tried anything.
"No, it's okay, I should have known she would be this stubborn."
"I'm not stubborn, I'm trying to care for the man I love. Although I'm seriously starting to wonder if the words he spoke to me this afternoon were all a bunch of lies."
Jasper withdrew to the corner of the room, and Matthew got to his knees in front of her.
"I'm sorry. Sonia, I love you, and I'm scared. I am facing the possibility that my mum and dad are going to die and if I don't get you into protective custody, he’ll find you and try the same thing."
"Who will find me? Please, I need to know so that I can protect myself."
He took a deep breath.
"Jean-Claude."
"But he died in the explosion?"
"That is what we were led to believe. Please, I need you to go with Jasper and get back to England. He’ll make sure you’re safe while my former colleagues try to find Jean-Claude and bring him down."
"What about you?"
"I can't leave my parents."
"Let me stay the night. You said there were guards outside the door. Nobody will get in here."
"I can't, I need to know you’re safe to be strong. Please, sweetheart, go with Jasper."
"I don't want to leave you. What if he comes for you? I can help you fight. I can't lose you."
"You won't. You'll see. You'll wake up in the morning, and I'll be there beside you in the bed. My parents will be under armed guard and recovering." It was easy to see that he was trying to reassure himself.
"I want to know the second your parents wake or Jean-Claude is caught so I can come back here."
"I promise. Jasper will stay with you the entire time."
"I love you."
"We need to get going if we're going to make our flight clearance." Jasper interrupted.
"Okay." She pushed herself out of the chair and took hold of Matthew's hand. He came with her to the door and then let go; she walked out. She turned around to see him take a look at her before closing the door. There was too much finality here. She could almost feel her heart breaking. He wasn't leaving her, but she wondered if she would see him again.
"Matthew isn't going to be a part of the investigation is he?"
"He’ll be at the hospital under our protection."
"And when Jean-Claude is caught?"
Jasper slammed the door shut. He climbed in the other side.
"Jasper?"
"Please don't ask me that question again."
"He won't be the same man when I see him again will he?"
"I think you should prepare yourself for the worse."
Jasper pressed a button on his wheel, and a call started ringing before she answered.
"We'll be there in a few minutes. Start the engines."
"I'll be ready."
From out of nowhere, a car skidded to a halt in front of them. Jasper swerved, but they clipped it, which sent the car into a spin. It flipped, rolled, and slammed to a halt against a grove of trees. Her head bumped hard against the dashboard. Jasper groaned beside her, and she looked over to see him hanging from his seatbelt. Smashed glass littered his side of the car where the window had broken. His face was covered in little cuts. They needed to get out of the car. She released her seat belt and fell onto the roof of the car. Her body ached from the force of the impact.
"Jasper. We need to get out." She tried to release his seatbelt, but it was stuck. He groaned again but didn't stir.
Jean-Claude was coming for her. She needed to think. Jasper must have a gun. The door behind her was ripped open, and large hands grabbed hold of her legs and started to pull. She tried to find something to anchor herself to, but nothing helped, she was pulled cleanly from the car and onto her knees before an imposing dark haired man.
"Jean-Claude."
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Matthew
It seemed like days since his mother and father had been placed side by side in the hospital room. It had only been a few hours though. His phone rang. He answered it without looking at the caller ID.
"Hey, sweetheart."
"I didn't know you cared that much." He heard a scuffle over the phone.
"Matthew." Sonia's voice.
"I don't care how you get there, but meet me where this all started. You have three hours."
"I'll be there. You hurt her, and I won't be responsible for what I do to you."
"Matthew, don't come. Stay with your parents. You know it's a trap."
A hard slap resonated through the phone.
"Shut the fuck up bitch."
"Go to hell." He heard his woman spit at Jean-Claude.
"Sonia, sweetheart. Try to leave something left of the man for me to beat
on please."
"I'm not making any promises." They both chuckled despite the intensity of the situation.
"That's enough." Matthew heard Sonia scream. Jean-Claude had obviously pulled her away from the phone again. "You've three hours Matthew. Don't waste them."
The line went dead.
Jasper appeared at the door. Dried blood had formed a clump over his eye. Matthew prowled forward and smacked his fist hard into his friend's jaw. The agent stumbled backwards against the wall. Matthew stormed out of the room.
"Are you going to tell me where you’re going?"
"What do you think?"
"You know doing this alone is suicide."
"If Sonia dies, I've got nothing left to live for."
"She isn't Beth."
"No, she's not."
"We'll follow discreetly. The first sign of trouble, and I'm giving the order to go in after you."
"Nobody kills him but me."
"I'll give you that."
"Give me your gun."
"Please."
"Give me your gun, or I'll punch you in the face again."
"You always were so polite."
"I'll never change."
Jasper handed him the gun, and he placed it into the back of his trousers.
"Bullets."
Jasper handed over a few clips.
"I've seen you shoot before. You only need the one. Don't get dead, Matthew."
"I don't plan on it."
With a deep breath, he strode purposefully from the hospital. Clicked the keys to his car and climbed in. This would end today, with Jean-Claude La Font suffering.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Sonia
"Hey, I need to pee." Sonia shifted in her chair and glared at Jean-Claude.
"Merde, Pierre. Take her."
The heavyset man with a face like a pit-bull stood up.
"My pleasure. “Pit-bull un-cuffed her from the chair.
"You want to wet yourself instead then be my guest. I like it when little girls do that right before I fuck them. Shows them just who their Papa is."
"Pierre. Just take the bitch to the bathroom. I need to concentrate on this." Jean-Claude was losing his temper as the time for Matthew to arrive approached. This was good. If she could play on that stress, she could force him into making errors.
"Come on bitch." Pit-bull pushed her into the small bathroom--a hole in the ground like many public French toilets.
She gave him a death stare. “Turn around."
"What, so you can bash me on the head? I don't think so."
"And there was me hoping to get a better view of your cute backside." She gave him a wink and subtly pushed her breasts together.
"Nice try."
"Damn, and there was me thinking that you had the brain of the ugly dog you look like." He slammed her up against the wall; his hand around her throat.
"I guess you never got the memo."
"What memo?"
"Never get me in a position where I can connect my left leg with your balls." With a swift knee-jerk, she slammed hard into his groin. Pit-bull let out an agonised scream and fell to the floor. She slammed her foot into his face, knocking him out cold and breaking his nose for probably the third time. Then she made a run for it.
The commotion behind her told her Jean-Claude was after her. She jerked to the right and behind a pillar. Silently she waited for them to run past and outside looking for her but they never came.
She held her breath and silently tried to creep closer towards the door. This would be so much easier if she had a weapon. She had nearly made it to the door when it opened, and Matthew walked in.
"Run," was all she managed before taking off towards the door again. Matthew was right behind her, his hand reaching inside his trousers to take his gun out. A shot fired, and Matthew stopped; his leg gave way.
"Matthew." She stopped running and came to his side.
"Go."
"You know that isn't going to happen."
It was too late. Jean-Claude and his associates were upon them and surrounded them.
"Nice of you to join us, Mr Sawyer."
"Pierre." Pit-bull appeared with blood caked all over his nose, he snarled towards her. "Why don't you take Miss Anderson and tie her up again. This time try not to let her hit you in the balls."
"Get the fuck off me." She screamed and tried to kick out. Jean-Claude stepped forward and straight onto Matthew's leg where he had been shot. He reluctantly let out a yell of pain.
"Shut up bitch and do as you’re told."
He stepped off Matthew's leg only when she became placid and allowed herself to be led back to the room. Turning back to see what was going to happen next to her lover, she watched in horror as Jean-Claude took the gun and whacked it hard over Matthew's head knocking him unconscious.
"No!" She screamed so loud that Jean-Claude looked at her. His lip snarled upwards in an evil motion that sent shivers through her body. It was a look she had only seen once before, and that was the night her mother died. That night was fuelled by alcohol and poor decisions, though. What was happening right now was the direct result of a man that Wouldn’t stop until she and Matthew were begging for mercy. He stepped forward towards her and grabbed her by the chin.
"Strip them and tie them both up naked. It's time they both learned some truths."
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Matthew
His head hurt like a bugger and his leg wasn't much better.
"Well, it is nice of you to join us."
Matthew just kept his attention squarely focused on Sonia in front of him. She was shaking.
"I see you’re just as delusional as my father if you think you’re going to get out of this. Your life will end here today and this un-classy bitch that you call a girlfriend will be joining you as you rot in hell."
"We won't be the ones rotting in hell. We'll be off happily living our life." This time Sonia spoke, her eyes flooded with darkness, she’d regained her composure and strength from knowing that he was near.
Jean-Claude pulled her hair tight, her head pulled backwards. Matthew pulled at the ropes binding him, furiously trying to rip them so that he could wrap his bare hands around the man's throat till his eye popped out of his head.
Sonia spat into Jean-Claude's face. He had been right above her so that she could see the gloating on his face. In one quick swipe the Frenchman hit her square across the face sending her chair flying onto the floor.
"Fucking bitch." Jean-Claude kicked her in the stomach and she let out a pained scream.
He couldn’t watch anymore.
"Are you so much of a coward? Why don't you untie me, and we can sort this man to man?"
"You think I'm scared of you?" Jean-Claude was facing him now. "You were a fool back then and you’re a fool now."
"A fool, I'm not the one that had my mother's throat slit." He fired back an insult that he knew would rattle.
"She deserved it, she never supported me over him. I would still be running stupid little errands if my mother and father had had their way. Giving all the top jobs to a bloody spy and then wondering why they kept going wrong."
"They gave you the crap jobs because you were no good at the important stuff. It took a real man to do that."
"What just like it took a real man to get your wife pregnant."
"Jean-Claude." It couldn’t be. "Now that’s no way to talk to my husband, is it?"
"Beth."
The slender form of his wife appeared in front of him, he could barely look at her, gone was the sweet catholic girl he had known, she was replaced by a gangster's wife dripping in the finest jewellery, designer clothing and coiffured hair.
"No, I chose the right side. It just took me a while." Jean-Claude wrapped his arms around her waist. Any love or remorse for her death that he once had sat like a putrid wound in the pits of his stomach.
"Who were the other two in the explosion."
"Who cares." Jean-Claude repli
ed with a nasty sneer. "They did their job."
"At least the lady got a proper burial."
"Not that you would know. The other day was the first time you'd even been to my grave."
Sonia gasped.
"The man staring at me. It was you."
"You led me right to him. Pierre, why don't you sit Miss Anderson up. I want to have some fun." Before he could prepare himself Matthew found his stomach clenching up in agony when Jean-Claude swung a fist into it. The pain ripped through him but he refused to let out a noise, he was almost biting down on his tongue to show nothing. That was one of the first things he had taught for situations like this. Give nothing away. Show no pain less it shows a weakness. An ugly looking man with an obvious broken nose had righted Sonia in her chair. He punched her in the stomach; she was prepared and didn’t even flinch. She definitely was his girl.
"Seems the woman is better at this than you."
"Well he always was a bit of a girl, I always used to beat him in training." Beth had taken a seat, her long legs crossed showing off her Jimmy Choo shoes.
"I'm not going to play your games Beth, so don't even bother trying. And dickhead," He faced the guy that had punched Sonia. "You hit her again and I'm going to break most of the bones in your body before I put you out of your misery permanently."
The bastard dared to do it again. He took a deep breath, calming himself. The time would come.
His eyes narrowed to slits when Jean-Claude picked up a bat. This wasn't good. Sonia may be able to withstand punches from a hand but with a bat. It would break every bone in her delicate little body. He needed to protect her. Meeting her apprehensive look, he calmly gave her reassurance, hope, the knowledge that help was on its way.
"Why him, Beth?" He turned to look at the woman he had thought dead.
"He is going places."
"What prison?"
"You know that will never happen. They couldn’t capture me before and they won't capture me now." Jean-Claude was far too certain of his own name. He was going to enjoy wiping the smile off his face.
"We've followed your career, Matthew. You caused a lot of damage. I think when the news of your violent death comes out there will be a lot of people that are only too happy with it." Beth was like a changed woman. He couldn’t believe that he once loved her. She had none of Sonia's class and warmth.
