Lie to Me (24 page)

James lowered his gun, and Stone could see the new level of respect in his friend’s eyes.

“No woman deserves what she endured. He begged for his life, but he offered Mack no clemency when she begged for hers. Fucker was a spooner like you, thought he could get away with anything.”

Stone shook his head, the coffee turning sour in his gut. “Not all of us are beasts.”

“We’ll agree to disagree.” Reaper suddenly stood, his swift movement unsettling the chair and knocking it over. “He laughed when I initially caught him. Bragged about the things he did to her and taunted me, wanted to know what I thought I was going to do about it because he was ‘above the law’. I made sure the motherfucker wouldn’t hurt another girl.”

“Goddamn,” James muttered, the fingers of his left hand curled into a fist.

Stone went to pin hair behind an ear, only to remember he’d cut it.

“You know your precious Xeno can’t conceive.” Reaper ogled Stone. “What are your plans now?”

He refrained from admitting the cyber doc had healed her reproductive problem. “I’m going to start by hiring you to protect her.”

Reaper blinked. “Pardon?”

“Nothing has changed. In this world, children aren’t guaranteed. Kella’s my wife, now and always.” In his heart, none other would ever compare to her. “I’ve loved her since we were kids, she’s been mine to protect since she was six, and she’s still the most important woman in the world to me. Her X-gene has never meant a fucking thing to me.”

“Does she know this?”

“I told her. She doesn’t believe me.”

“Sounds like Mack.” Reaper made a face. “She’s got trust issues.”

No kidding. “You’ll protect her?”

“I’m not a bodyguard.” Reaper folded his arms over his chest.

“Seems to me you’ve been her bodyguard for eight years.” James hooked one of his thumbs in the loop on his jeans. “Anyone can look at you and tell you’re not a blacksmith. It’s the way you watch your surroundings and carry yourself. You’re trained somehow.”

“My father was a Quad5 assassin. He might’ve taught me a few things.” Kella’s friend shrugged as if it was no big deal.

It was common for children of assassins to follow in the footsteps of their parents, so Stone needed to know why he hadn’t followed the usual protocol. “Why weren’t you inducted into the squad?”

“My father fucked up. He eliminated the wrong mark.” James winced, and Reaper continued. “He was dishonorably discharged and kicked out of Quad5. We moved here when I was five. Ten years later, he drank himself to death, but not before he taught me everything he knew.”

Satisfied Reaper was still the right man for the job, Stone said, “You’ll keep my Kella safe.”

“Why me?”

“She trusts you, and I know you care about her.”

“Mack’s like my kid sister, I’d kill anyone that breathes on her wrong.”

“She’ll be in more danger now that she’s my wife and in the limelight. She needs you. I need you to keep her safe.” Stone couldn’t bear losing her again. “Jones wants her worse than a hard-on wants pussy. I’d say I understand his fascination with her, but his isn’t natural. She also confessed he knows her real identity.”

“Fuck.” James pinched the bridge between his nose. “He’s a problem.”

Stone nodded.

Reaper didn’t seem shocked by the news as he pondered Stone with a creased forehead. “What makes you think I won’t run off with her?”

Unsurprised by Reaper’s distrust, Stone fed him the truth nonetheless. “I don’t, but I’ll track her wherever you go.”

Kella’s friend smirked. Stone knew the other man wished him luck with the hunt. Under normal circumstances with an assassin-trained man dodging another, Stone would agree the manhunt a useless cause. When an assassin wanted to disappear, they did. After Reaper’s father’s fuck up, he would’ve made sure Reaper was well trained. Didn’t matter the other male held no official title, he was still an assassin in all the ways that mattered.

Good thing Kella remained tagged. She’d stay that way for safety reasons. There was no reason to share that information with Reaper though. As Kella said, trust was earned and Reaper was a long way from earning Stone’s confidence.

“She’ll never accept you so long as you own her. Mack values her freedom, and she’s fought too hard to gain liberty, paid too high of a price.”

“Thanks for the advice, but let me handle that.”

“It’s your funeral.” Her friend picked at the fruit in the bowl on the table of James’s hotel room. “It’ll be fun watching her lead you on a merry chase, so yeah, I’ll play along for now.”

“I’ll pay you six hundred frams a month to keep her safe. Food and lodging provided, as well as all travel expenses.” At the offer, Reaper gaped at him, as if he waited for the punch line to a bad joke. “James, did you get what I asked for?”

James handed him two cell phones, then retrieved the backpacks off the table beside the door. He waited with the rucksacks in his hands while Stone tossed one of the cells to Reaper. “Yours. Kella’s number is already programmed inside, along with James’s and mine.”

“What’s the catch?” Reaper asked, and Stone noticed how easily he maneuvered the cell phone—like a man accustomed to the tech.

Confused and wondering if he’d missed something in the translation, Stone glanced at James, but as an answer his bodyguard shrugged. “Keep Kella safe and alive. That’s the only catch.”

“That’s a lot of frams for no catch. Sends the message you’re trying to buy me.” Reaper tapped the face of the device, and James’s and Stone’s phones vibrated at the same time. “Making sure the numbers work.”

“Why would I give you bad numbers?” That he thought Stone might provide him with false numbers was a fucked-up level of mistrust. Thinking he tried to buy Reaper didn’t shock him all that much though.

“Why would you forgive Kella when she ditched your uptight ass?” In a lithe move, Reaper pocketed the phone, while surveying Stone as if he contemplated his
real
end game because he certainly wasn’t buying Stone’s explanation.

“Got my reasons.” While Stone could respect a paranoid man that protected his woman, Kella’s friend was starting to piss him off with his complete lack of faith.

James stepped forward, his shoulders tense and ready for a brawl. “Show some respect to your Regent.”

“Not my Regent.” Reaper shook his head. “If he wants to hire me for a job, then he’s got to be man enough to deal with my brand of straightforwardness.”

Stone discerned the hard glint in Reaper’s stare and held it without blinking. “Don’t like me, don’t trust me, I don’t give a fuck. Kella first and everything else last. That’s the only catch. She gets hurt on your watch, and I’ll kill you.”

Reaper nodded. “Just so you know my loyalty is to Mack and Mack only. I’ll take your money to keep her safe, because who the fuck says no to a figure like that? But if she asks me to put a bullet in your brain, I won’t hesitate.”

“Motherfucker. You’ve gone too far!” Rarely the hothead, James’s face went blood red, and he moved with speed and stealth to sock Reaper a jaw-jarring punch—and was blocked.

Reaper retaliated with a swift jab to James’s nose, putting the assassin on his ass with the quick-fire move. Kella’s friend came away with James’s gun, a smug twist bending his lips.

Blood gushed from James’s nostrils. Pinching his nose, he muttered, “Mother. Fuck.”

Surprised Reaper had disarmed James, the other man’s skillset gave Stone pause. Nervous over Reaper’s intentions with the weapon he took off James, Stone breathed a sigh of relief when the other man popped the clip, pocketed the bullets, and dismantled the weapon. The way Reaper went about neutralizing James, and breaking down the weapon impressed Stone, his cool and calm demeanor signifying his confidence. Those actions verified his skills. Reaper would protect Kella. But Stone couldn’t trust him.

The dull thud of metal hit the floor, Reaper’s stare at James a taunt as Reaper decimated James’s firearm. “Let’s get something straight, asshole. I don’t answer to you or to you.” He pinned Stone with a direct stare. “I don’t give a fuck that you’re Regent or Mack’s owner. All I care about is Mack and her safety. Fuck with her, and I
will
fuck you.”

“Ditto.” Stone held Reaper’s glower.

Stone noted James’s surprised glance, and his buddy warned, “I’ve got my eyes on you, asshole.”

“Likewise.”

Stone slugged his buddy on the arm. “I’d rather know where I stand from the get-go than second guess everything he says.”
I prefer the direct approach.

“He threatened you.” No way James would let the threat go. “I can’t simply let that go.”

“Bring it, badass.” Reaper leered, his stance was casual, and he was obviously confident he could take James.

James’s entire presence vibrated with suppressed aggression.

“Enough, James.” James’s ego had suffered a huge blow from Reaper defeating him twice, but Stone didn’t have the patience to deal with it. “Kella won’t ask for my blood, and Reaper won’t execute on that threat unless she asks for it.”

“I’m not willing to risk your life on that conjecture.”

“I am.” Dead silence to Stone’s admission. Maybe a fool’s mistake to trust Kella this way, but he was willing to take the risk. “Worry all you like, James. Keep your eye on him all you like, but I’ve heard the last of the threats. From both of you.”

Reaper shrugged, and Stone got the feeling he’d let it go if and when he felt like it. The fury in James’s eyes told Stone how little he agreed with this plan.

He changed the subject, giving Reaper the details of those accused of terrorism, and their deaths. He watched the other man closely, but couldn’t discern any noticeable distress over the news. All that told him was that Reaper could hide his emotions better than Kella.

“You got any idea why Kella would be so upset over their false guilt?”

“Soft hearted.” Reaper dug the gun clip out of his pocket and set the metal on the table.

Not buying that explanation
. “Why’s she so certain they’re not part of the X-Diplomats.”

“Dude”—Stone ignored the disrespectful term, and shook his head in James’s direction when the cloud of rage overtook his features—“the reason is obvious? They’re nonviolent people. Can you see a priest or a deacon inciting violence?”

Actually, yes I can
, but Stone withheld that thought. “You know any X-Diplomats personally?”

“Wouldn’t tell you if I did.”

An expected answer. “Does Kella know any?”

“You’ll have to ask her.”

Attempting to ferret secrets from Reaper would be a lost cause. Stone rummaged around inside Kella’s backpacks, retrieved the wind-up toy, and discovered a stack of cash. Estimated at twenty thousand frams it was a far cry from the one hundred thousand she claimed to have stockpiled.

“Holy terror’s been holding out on you.” James maintained a cautionary eye on Reaper.

“That’s Mack’s money.” Reaper gave Stone an accusing glare.

Stone replaced the cash and continued to plunder the knapsack, finding nothing noteworthy, just well-worn clothing and a map with a few X’s marked on the dog eared atlas. “I’ve no need for her money.” After closing both packs, he checked the outside pocket and found a wrinkled picture of himself.

Joy surged through him. Contrary to her desire for freedom, and pretending indifference toward him, this photo verified he still held a place in her heart.

He had a few legal documents to draft before he returned to Kella. “Where’s your laptop, James?” His buddy pointed across the room at the desk. Stone left the two assassins glaring at one another. He pulled out a chair and booted up James’s computer. Since it was a tech-issued device, the password was keyed to his fingerprint. “How much time do I have before I meet with Regent Jones?”

“Two hours. Meeting at his office.”

Shit.
Short on time, but he’d make do. Stone found his computer on the server, keyed into the link, and pulled up the documents he sought to modify.

“What’s the official story on Mack?” Reaper impressed Stone when he deduced the truth wouldn’t do for this situation.

Stone kept working while James gave the other man the lowdown.

So engrossed in drafting a fair contract, the blare of sirens going off startled him. He deleted the few misplaced keystrokes.

“What the fuck’s that for?” James walked to the window that faced out onto a side street.

Stone hit save on his document as Reaper responded by turning the television set on. Regent Jones and a young girl came on the screen. The girl’s terror obvious in the way her gaze darted about, as if the boogeyman would devour her soon. She obviously was an X-gene and Regent Jones intended to introduce her to the masses.

The fucked-upness of the scene wasn’t lost on him. Rather than seeing the teen on the screen, he recalled the day Kella had been sold and the absolute fear in her eyes.

“Fuck.” Reaper ran his palm down his face. “Where’s Mack?”

Stone looked at her friend. No doubt Reaper thought of her reaction to the newsfeed. That the other man contemplated Kella’s feelings, told him everything he needed to know about Reaper. Stone left the computer and strode toward the connecting door, hoping he could diffuse whatever unpredictable emotion she’d throw at him.

––––––––

T
he sirens startled Kella from shopping hell. Dread curled in the pit of her belly. Ignoring the squawk of the seamstress because she moved away from a color wheel match with her skin tone—she couldn’t care less what shades looked best with her complexion, there were more important things in life—Kella snatched up the remote and jabbed the on button to the T.V. Regent Jones paraded a newly discovered Xeno on the screen, turning the young teen this way and that like he would a prized mare. He even had her open her mouth to show she had all her teeth.

Bastard. Motherfucking bastard!

He couldn’t see that the girl was a thoroughbred because she was a child, and not because of her genetics. All that mattered to him and other spooners was the girl’s genes.

Anger bled through Kella at the mistreatment the girl endured, and the way Regent Jones praised the child’s specialness because of her DNA. Extoled her sacrifice for society and how she would be remembered as one of those who saved humanity.