Page 15 of His Sweet Torment
A tear escaped her eye then. “Oh god, Enver…you will never know how much you mean to me.”
Their lips met in a passionate embrace. “I do know,” Enver said softly, “I see it in your eyes.”
“I love you.”
“Ti amo,Padme Kaur.Ti amo.”
The journey to the court was uneventful, but Padme was aware of Brian Dedalus glowering at her. She stared back at him, challenging him to say something about her and Enver’s relationship, but the lawyer merely smirked and looked away.
Enver took her hand as they walked down to meet Henry Jones and the rest of the F.B.I. Agents. Padme hesitated, but Enver smiled down at her. “I’m not hiding anymore.”
Padme nodded, winding her fingers through his. Dedalus would no doubt tell everyone so why should they hide it anymore?
Henry’s expression when he saw their linked hands went from surprise to resignation to disapproval, but Padme, excusing herself from Enver for a moment, drew Henry to one side. “Henry…I’m sorry. My mind is made up.”
Henry shook his head, sighing. “I can’t pretend I’m happy, Padme. I championed you from the start, stuck my neck out for you, and you’re throwing it away.”
“For the best reason, Henry. For the only reason. I’m in love with Enver Toscano.”
Henry’s eyes were troubled. “I don’t think you have any idea what you’re getting into. They will never stop hunting you.”
Padme nodded. “I know. But he means everything to me. We’ll handle whatever comes together.”
Henry sighed. “Then, Agent Kaur, I’m going to have to relieve you of duty. Your badge and gun.”
Padme handed them to him. “Thank you for everything, Henry.”
Henry leaned closer. “Please, Pad…change your mind. Don’t make me fire you.”
Padme kissed his cheek. “You don’t need to fire me, Henry. I quit.”
“Think about what you’re doing.”
“I have,” she said, meeting his gaze. “I know what my life is meant to be now.”
She made her way back to Enver, showing him her empty gun holster. “So, I’m just here as your lover now, baby. I can come into the courtroom, support you.”
He squeezed her hand.
“Glad to hear it.” Brian Dedalus came up behind them. “I’ve just put in a formal complaint about you, Agent Kaur. I’m sure your bosses will be displeased with your behavior.”
Enver opened his mouth to speak, but Padme shook her head. “No, please, let me.” She turned to look at Brian. “Fuck off, Dedalus, you slimy-faced-Patrick-Bateman-wannabe. If you’re trying to get me fired – too late, I quit. Enver and I have been together since before I ever met you, so mind your own business, would you please? Jackass.”
She turned her back on the lawyer. Enver was having trouble hiding his smirk.
“Fucking little whore,” Brian hissed, apoplectic, and Enver lunged for him.
“Stop, stop,” Padme got between them. “Brian, walk away, right now. Enver, they’re calling you.”
Enver let go of Brian who dusted himself off. “Dedalus, the second this is over, you’re fired. Get out of my sight.”
Brian gave a strange smirk of triumph but said nothing more, stalking off. Padme breathed out, relaxing as Enver took her hand. “Ready, love?”
Padme watched her lover as he calmly answered the questions the prosecution and defense were putting to him. She looked at the defendants, lower-ranking members of Frederick Ingles’s organization.All this for them,she said to herself.Was it worth it?
As Enver was released from the custody box, it seemed to anti-climactic, but his smile when he rejoined her made her heart swell.
“We’re free,” he said, “Now, let’s disappear.”
He kissed her as she led him from the courtroom. She saw Brian Dedalus in front of them. He turned as they reached the stairs.
To Padme’s horror, she saw the gun in his hand at the last moment. He leveled it at Enver, and it all happened in a second. Padme threw herself in front of Enver, pushing him down as Brian fired the gun and she felt hot metal slam into her belly.
“Fucking bitch!” Dedalus’s shirt exploded with red as the other agents took him down, but he managed to get off another shot, this time aiming for Padme deliberately, the bullet ripping into her stomach. Adrenaline flooded her body, and she was more concerned with Enver than herself.
He was underneath her as she flipped around and checked him. There was so much blood. “Are you hit? Are you hit?” She was frantic now, her hands roaming his body searching for wounds. Enver’s eyes were huge, full of pain. He shook his head.
“No, baby, it’s not my blood, it’s not my blood, oh god, Padme…someone help her, please, he shot her…” He was screaming now as Padme realized that her whole body was on fire and that the blood soaking them both was her own. Someone pushed her aside and grabbed Enver, yanking him up as he screamed for someone to help her. Padme lay on her back, barely able to breathe as she watched Enver, still shouting, his eyes fixed on her, reaching out his arms toward her, as he was begin dragged away by his protection.
“I love you,” she whispered as the darkness flooded her vision…
