Page 103 of Game of Love
Pretending?
My breath hitched and curiosity got the better of me. I got up and dressed as quickly as I could. He was going somewhere to meet someone.
I could follow him. Just take a peek and push my fears aside.
I could do that. Maybe I’d heard wrong.
It must have been that.
I left as quickly as I could. He was probably a minute or two ahead of me.
Once I got outside the building I saw him. He was quite a distance ahead but I saw him turn the corner down the alley.
Rushing forward, I watched him go into an old warehouse facility. It was more of a storage place, like the kind Pa used to keep his old stuff.
As quietly and stealthily as I could I went inside and saw it was practically out of use. The kind of place people used as and when, like you had an event and needed the space.
Voices echoed from upstairs. It was a muffle with everyone talking at once.
It helped to give me cover to get closer.
I took the stairs up one flight and saw a man in a leather jacket. I found a good hiding spot behind some stacks of boxes. There I saw Xander, a man with a patch over his eye and another blond guy.
The man with the patch seemed to be some sort of authority figure.
He looked annoyed with Xander.
“Look, Xander I get that you have to have a life but there was a reason why I found you. You’re our best hope at getting these things back. It’s fucking selfish of you to put your dick first before the country,” the man balked.
Xander squared off with him looking like he was going to hit him. “Ethan, don’t fucking piss me off. I agreed to this mission.” He shot back. “The few hours I’ve been away didn’t jeopardize anything. I’m here aren’t I?”
“Are you? Listen, I need you a hundred percent.” The man roared. “You have some difficult choices ahead and I need to know you can make them no matter who’s in the way. She’s the fucking mob boss’s daughter, Xander. You don’t know what could happen. You think she’ll choose you over her father if it comes down to it.”
The blond man came forward and stepped in front of them.
“Ethan cool off man. Cool off.”
“We’re close, and I can’t jeopardize this mission. Xander was called in to stop Giovanni in his tracks.” Ethan threw back at the blond guy and my heart actually stopped beating in my chest.
The feeling in my soul told me I’d just stumbled in on an answer I wasn’t prepared for. Something I wasn’t supposed to hear.
“I need to know you’re with us Xander. That means you kill anybody who stands in your way.Anybody.”
“I will do what I need to do,” Xander answered and a gasp slipped from my lips.
My heart…
My heart that had stopped beating only started up again to leap into my throat. It squeezed and my soul shivered, shrieking away from what I’d just heard. Not wanting to believe it.
It couldn’t be true. What Xander said couldn’t be what I’d heard.
Yet… I did.
I’d heard him loud and clear.
Xander said he’d do what he needed to do. That was in response to being asked if he’d kill anyone who stood in his way.Anybody.
There was no mistake about that.
