Assassin In My Bed

by Samantha Cade

  Zane grasps her warm hand. Despite his injury, her words have healed an old wound that’s festered inside of him for years. And he can see in Penny’s eyes, the light returning. They grasp each other desperately before falling into another passionate kiss.

  Epilogue

  Penny’s grateful for the onions. A heap of chopped onions lie on the cutting board in front of her. She grabs another one and carefully removes the papery skin, before slicing it in two. The fumes are intense, and burn her eyes, giving her a good cover for her tears.

  Not that Nora would say anything about a few sniffles. They’ve been up since early this morning preparing a lavish meal. Periodically, emotion and anticipation overcomes Penny, causing her to stop what she’s doing and break down in tears. Nora doesn’t say anything about it as she sweeps through the kitchen. She may offer a cluck of her tongue, or a few pats on the back, but other than that, she allows Penny to process her feelings, for which Penny is grateful.

  Penny doesn’t understand why she can’t stop crying. It’s been a long, tedious, exhausting road, sure, but today is a joyous one. After months of litigation, trials, and mountains of paperwork, Ben is finally coming home.

  “That looks like plenty of onions,” Nora says, softly.

  Penny jumps. She hadn’t noticed Nora at her side.

  “Oh, okay,” Penny says, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. She clears her throat, turning to Nora with a smile. “What else can I do? Should I butcher the chicken?”

  Penny reaches for the kitchen knife. Nora gently takes her hand and squeezes it.

  “Why don’t you take a break?” Nora’s brown eyes are soft and motherly. “I can handle it from here.”

  Penny shakes her head. She wants to keep busy. It’s the only way to work the nervousness out of her system.

  “Are you sure? There’s a lot left to do. I could sweep off the front porch, or go around and water your plants, or-“

  “Penny.” Nora clasps her hand to the side of Penny’s face, looking her in the eyes. “Take a deep breath. That’s it. Now let it go slowly. And again.” Nora slowly breathes in through her nose, then out of her mouth, coaching Penny to do the same.

  Penny softens her face as her nervous system begins to calm down. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen my brother.” She closes her eyes, fighting the swell of emotion. “What if it’s not the same? What if he’s not the same?”

  “Oh, Penny,” Nora murmurs. She wraps her arm around Penny’s shoulders. Penny lays her head against Nora, breathing in the sweet scent of her perfume. “Ben won’t be the same,” Nora says softly. “After all he’s been through, you can’t expect him to be. But he’s still your brother. That connection is untethered. You can handle it. You’ve handled so much more than that.” Nora chuckles lightly.

  Penny’s bottom lip trembles. There’s so much she wants to say right now. After everything that happened, Zane and Nora had welcomed Penny into their home. Nora has been amazing. She’s taught Penny her recipes, helped her navigate the courts and lawyers, and her biting sense of humor has kept Penny sane. Nora has stepped into the previously vacated role of Penny’s mother, and on some level, it seems that Nora knows that. Penny wonders if she’s also filling the void left by the daughter Nora lost.

  Instead of delivering the eloquent and moving speech Penny has in her head, she chokes out, “Thank you,” before hugging Nora tightly.

  Zane strides into the kitchen, holding up his car keys.

  “It’s time,” Zane says, a gleam in his eyes. “Are you ready?”

  Penny’s stomach tightens up, and she nods excitedly.

  *

  The sidewalk outside of the airport is crammed with press. Several television crews are set up with cameras pointed at well-coifed anchorpeople talking seriously into microphones. Some have cameras with brutally bright bulbs that flash incessantly. Other than newspeople, there are dozens of curious onlookers milling about, waiting to see what’s going on.

  “How are we going to get past them?” Penny says, gripping Zane’s hand.

  Zane squints at the crowd before them. He shrugs. “Ask them nicely?” he says, sarcastically.

  Penny laughs. “And if that doesn’t work?”

  Zane kisses her knuckles. “Leave it to me.”

  Zane instructs Penny to grab the back of his shirt, then he walks towards the crowd. He holds his massive arms out, shouting for people to get out of the way. A wave of excitement ripples through the crowd. Anchorpeople speak more excitedly into the cameras.

  “Penny Waters has just arrived. I repeat, Penny Waters is on the scene.”

  “Penny Waters, hacker activist, who risked her own life to save her brother.”

  “It’s expected to an emotional reunion here today, folks.”

  “There must be so much going on in her head right now. How will she react when she sees her brother for the first time, after so many years.”

  They rush around Penny, trying to shove their microphones into her face, fighting for a quote that they can splash on their newspapers and internet headlines. Penny crouches behind Zane, who uses his formidable body to maintain a safe space around Penny. They elbow their way to the front of the crowd. Once they get there, Zane holds Penny in front of him.

  Penny keeps her eyes on the reflective glass doors, waiting for Ben to walk through. She looks into her own eyes, and she sees that Nora’s right. Penny’s changed. She’s not the anxious girl who jumps at the slightest sound anymore. She’s a woman, a brave woman, who did whatever she could to save her brother. She runs her eyes up to Zane’s reflection. He’s focused and alert, his eyes darting to anyone who would dare get too close to her. Penny smiles to herself. She’s also changed, because she’s loved.

  A tall figure appears at the security checkpoint. Penny squints through her reflection, and her breath catches in her chest. It’s him. It’s Ben.

  Penny can’t control herself. She breaks away from Zane, and rushes inside, running straight to her brother. When she’s steps away from him, she stops abruptly, taking him in. Ben is much thinner than Penny remembered, and he’s also deeply tanned. His once muscular arms are skinny, but with well defined, ropey muscles that flex beneath his leathered skin. His eyes are tired, broken, but when he sees Penny, they come to life. They stand there for a few moments, staring at each other. Penny’s reluctant to move, or make a sound, for fear that she’ll wake up, and realize it’s only a dream.

  Ben drops his bag at his feet, then takes a slow step towards her. Penny steps forward too. To her delight, the scene doesn’t dissolve in her subconscious. This is real. This is happening.

  Penny’s mouth falls open in a beatific smile. With a laugh, she springs forward and jumps into her brother’s arms. Ben clutches her tightly. They don’t say anything. They just hold each other and weep openly, oblivious to the cameras flashing around them.

  *

  Penny feels like she’s floating over the table. Penny, Ben, Zane, and Nora have gathered around it to share a meal. Ben has been quiet since his return, saying little more than necessary. It doesn’t bother Penny. She can’t expect him to be chatty after years of hard, forced labor. She’s just happy he’s here. Penny keeps stealing glances at her brother, and every time a rush of joy bubbles in her chest.

  “Is everything to your liking?” Nora asks Ben.

  Ben nods politely. “Yes, ma’am. It’s delicious. Thank you so much.”

  “Good. Then have some more.” Nora digs a spoon into a serving bowl, offering Ben another large helping of rice.

  Ben raises his hands, shaking his head. “I’m fine, thanks.”

  “Go on,” Nora says.

  “Mati,” Zane says. “He says he’s had enough.”

  Nora drops the spoon back into the bowl with a huff. “He needs to eat. Regain his strength.”

  “There will be plenty of time for that,” Zane says, then turns to Ben with a coy smile. “You have to be careful with this one. She’ll turn you into a
stuffed pig.”

  Nora playfully swats Zane with her napkin. Ben looks down at his plate and laughs. It gives Penny a glimmering, hopeful feeling. How has it been since Ben’s had a normal dinner, with normal people, and normal laughter?

  Nora whips out her phone. “Time for a picture.” She casts her gaze at Zane. “I know, I know. No posting to Facebook.”

  Zane gives his mother a lighthearted smile. “Do what you wish, Mati.”

  Zane slides closer to Penny, and slips his arm around her shoulder. Ben flanks her from the other side. Penny looks up at them both, the two most important men in her life. The three of them look at the camera and say “cheese.”

  *

  After dinner, Penny and Zane take Ben up to the guest room, where he’ll be staying. Penny straightens the blankets on the bed, while Zane gathers pillows from the top shelf of the closet. Ben looks on silently.

  “You’re welcome to stay here as long as you like,” Zane tells Ben. He places his hand on Ben’s shoulder. “Penny’s our family, and you are too.”

  Ben nods wordlessly, but his gratitude is obvious. Penny claps her hands.

  “We’ll leave you alone now,” Penny says. “Let you get some rest.”

  She and Zane turn for the door.

  “Wait,” Ben says.

  Penny and Zane stop, and turn towards him. Ben sits on the edge of the bed, clasping his hands in his lap. His shoulders slump forward, making him seem smaller, fragile. Penny feels compelled to drop to her knees and embrace him, but she resists this urge, deciding instead to give him space.

  “I don’t know a lot about what happened,” Ben begins in a raspy voice. “I didn’t have much contact with outsiders, or get much news.”

  Penny clasps her hand to her face, reminded of the horror that Ben survived. Zane, sensing Penny’s distress, lays his hand on the small of her back.

  “What happened?” Ben asks. His eyes flit up to Penny. “Did you really steal those files from VC Solutions? How?”

  Penny swallows, then opens her mouth to speak, fighting against the rising emotion. “I broke into their downtown headquarters and downloaded the files. I had some help from a network of hackers. After decoding and searching through the files, I published them online anonymously. It started a firestorm. It was all over the news. So, they started an investigation into VC Solutions. Vincent Connor is currently serving a life sentence for his crimes.” Penny stops there, emitting the fact that Jacob, their childhood nemesis, was also involved in this, and is currently in the state penitentiary for Grace’s murder. There’s so much to tell Ben about what happened, she doesn’t want to get bogged down in the details just yet, or let him know how much danger she’d put herself in.

  Ben’s eyebrows scrunch together as he eyes his sister. He’s quiet for a few moments, until his face breaks with a smile.

  “You did what?” Ben laughs. He shakes his head. “Penny, I can’t believe you went through all that for me.”

  Ben’s eyes glint with awe, making Penny feel more proud of herself than she ever has in her entire life. She looks at her shoes humbly.

  “It wasn’t just me,” Penny says. “I couldn’t have done it without Zane.” Penny stops herself before including Hunter. There will be plenty of time to explain all of the details to Ben, and Penny doesn’t feel it’s the right time to tell him that his oldest friend first betrayed them, then gave his life for them.

  Ben rubs his face, shaking his head. He stands from the bed, straightening his shoulders, and approaches Zane and Penny. Ben lightly punches Penny in the arm, just like he used to do when they were young.

  “You are the dumbest, bravest, goofiest, most awesome person I know,” Ben says, smiling broadly. Ben extends his hand to Zane, who takes it and shakes it heartily. “Thank you,” Ben says. “Both of you.”

  *

  Penny and Zane leave Ben to get some sleep, then go upstairs to their bedroom. Once they close the doors behind them, something lights up inside of Penny. Her veins flow with warm, jittery adrenaline. She can’t hold herself back. She pushes Zane back on the bed then climbs on top of him, straddling his hips.

  “What’s gotten into you?” Zane says, laughing. He clutches her waist, fondling her breasts. Penny can feel him growing hard beneath her, so she knows he’s not complaining.

  “All the excitement,” Penny says, leaning forward with her hands on his broad chest. “And I’m incredibly happy.”

  Zane grabs her hips, positioning her better on top of his growing erection. “It’s been quite a day,” he says, desire making his voice thick.

  Penny smiles wickedly, then leans down to whisper in his ear. “It’s not just that.”

  “Then what?” Zane asks, kissing the side of her neck.

  Penny bites her lip, savoring the moment before answering. “I’m pregnant,” she says into his ear.

  Zane stops kissing and fondling and looks her in the eyes. Penny nods.

  “I took a test yesterday,” Penny says.

  Zane blinks as his eyes trace down to her belly. With a yelp, he throws her down on the bed, and climbs on top of her. He kisses her hungrily all over her face, neck, and chest.

  “Are you happy?” Penny asks, giggling.

  “Yes,” Zane growls. “I’m very happy.” He wraps his arms around her waist and hugs her. “Do you want to tell Ben?”

  “Let him sleep,” Penny says. “What about your mom?”

  Zane chuckles. “Are you ready to announce it to the world?”

  “Okay,” Penny says, relaxing into the bed. “It can be our little secret. For now.”

  “Our little secret,” Zane says, stroking her hair through his fingers. “I like that.”

  Zane extends her arms out, pinning them to the bed, and continues kissing her. They tangle together, their secret hanging in the air above them. It’s not a secret that will tear them apart or threaten their lives. No, this secret consists of hope, of new life, and it’s exactly what everyone in this house needs right now.

  The End

  Keep clicking ahead for your FREE prequel and bonus chapter for WANTED: A Bad Boy Crime Romance

  A note from the author

  Thank you for reading, and for supporting an independent author.

  I hope you enjoyed what you read. Please don’t hesitate to tell me what you think!

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  Samantha

  Dangerous

  Prequel to WANTED: A Bad Boy Crime Romance

  Samantha Cade

  ‘Dangerous’ Copyright Samantha Cade 2017

  All Rights Reserved

  1.

  I sit on the edge of my father’s favorite armchair, elbows on my knees, staring down at my folded hands in a numb, meditative state. I’m in the sitting room outside of his office. The two areas are separated by a heavy, elaborately carved wooden door. I focus on the straight-edged pattern carved against the natural grain of the wood. I can’t shake the feeling that that door will never open again.

  Activity swirls around the room, but everyone keeps a distance from me. I’m the center of the storm, a stunned nexus of calm and silence. It might have something to do with the fact that I was the one that found him.

  This armchair is covered with a rich brown leather imported from Italy. The seat is a deep cushion that makes a whooshing sound when it’s sat on. It’s so old-fashioned and stuffy, so stereotypically bourgeoisie. Whenever I’d enter my father’s office, I’d shoot snarky comments that chair’s way. I’d thought I was being humorous, shooting lighthearted jabs at my father about his taste in decor. It made sense at the time. Now, I realize, my contempt towards this chair was real. My therapist would ask me to look inside of myself and pinpoint where the anger was coming from, and what, or whom, it was really directed towards.

  Those years in thera
py seem inconsequential now. Important “issues” I worked through, were not really issues at all, just the ramblings of a spoiled rich kid. And my therapist, simply someone paid to indulge me.

  My mother is here, politely offering everyone tea though her face is stained with tears. Hospitality is her religion. Even as a new widow, she’s nothing if not the perfect hostess. My sister Greta is here too. I haven’t made eye contact with her yet. She’s glancing over Father’s record collection, standing so straight her gazelle like neck looks even longer. From the back, she looks just like mother, but with deep chestnut hair instead of platinum gray.

  An entire swarm of uniformed civil servants are here, cops, forensics, coroners, and medical examiners. They shake my hand one by one, their names and titles floating right over my head. All conversation is spoken with a solemn mumble, like if someone spoke at a normal volume, they’d wake the dead.

  A headache pounds dully at the base of my neck, effectively drowning out my thoughts. How long have I been here? How many hours? Or is it days? Why had I come here in the first place? Everything before the moment I trounced into Father’s office unannounced, then laid eyes on his bloodied and mangled corpse, his eyes opened ghoulishly wide, is a blur.

  I feel a cool hand on my shoulder. I look up to see Greta. Her eyes, ice blue just like mine, are slightly moist. Her perfume is sweet and strong, making my headache pound harder. Under normal circumstances I’d pick a fight with her over this. Instead, I cover her hand with mine, half thinking the gesture might warm her cold skin. Her lips spread, tightening into not quite a smile.

  My sister mouths my name. Jack.

  The next moment she’s gone like a ghost. I don’t notice her walking away. The uniforms spin around me once again. They use delicate tweezers to lift things so tiny they’re invisible, then slip them deferentially into clear bags. They look through everything, every nook and cranny, every page of every book.