Tending Their SECRET (12 page)

Whoa. I know I didn’t imagine the emphasis
on that last word. She can’t honestly think that. “You know I’m not
going to see anyone else.”

“I wouldn’t blame you.”

“Stop it. You, and the things we do…God,
what we did yesterday…that’s better than any random fuck I could
ever find. A trillion times better. Hell, an infinite number
better. I promise you, I’m going to be alone. All alone until I
come over later.”

She sets her purse down and rummages through
it. “Here’s a key. In case I fall asleep. I’ll try to wait up.”

“I get a key?”

“Yes.”

“Would you like a key to my apartment?”

“Yes, please.”

“I’ll have one made tomorrow. Even though I
know you only want it for my bathtub.”

“Can’t get anything past you, can I?”

“No.”

“I love you, Aiden. Be careful, please, and
then come see me.”

“I’m just going to walk a little. I’ll be
fine. And you know I love you, too.”

“I do.”

She kisses me one more time, and then I
watch her walk out. I wait a few minutes to make sure Tieny and
Theo are good to close up, and then I hit the streets. Sometimes I
have a target it mind, but on other nights, like tonight, I just go
looking for trouble. It usually doesn’t take me long to find it—or
for it to find me.

I’m near Dupont Circle when I see him. One
of the guys who said that shit to my mom outside of the bar.
Perfect. The reason for my rage is going to feel my rage. I look
around, trying to see if my shadow is with me tonight. I haven’t
been able to see him or her on the other nights I went out, and I’m
pretty sure whoever was messing with me has given up, but I still
look. Nothing appears out of the ordinary, so I keep moving. Time
to have some fun.

This guy’s such a self-righteous idiot that
he doesn’t even bother to look around. If he did, he wouldn’t see
me, but I’d still like some sort of challenge. I don’t need it, but
it keeps things interesting. I occupy my time with thinking about
what I can do with him as we both leisurely stroll along.

He finally stops at an apartment building
and I make my move. The baseball cap I threw on is low on my face,
so he can’t see me clearly, and neither can any of the cameras that
might be watching me as I move behind him. My gun is at his back,
as I throw my arm around him, acting like we’re old friends.

“Make any sudden movements, and I’ll shoot
you.”

“My wallet’s in my pants.”

“I don’t want your money,” I tell him with a
laugh. “It’s time for you to pay for your sins, and I’m the judge,
jury, and if you’re lucky, maybe the executioner, too.”

“Please, no.”

“We’ll discuss this when we’re in your
apartment. Now move.”

He finally gets the fact that I’m not going
to just walk away. By the time we’re inside his apartment, he’s
shaking. He should be. I slam him against the door while I pull my
mask down. There’s a good chance Ellie will invade my conscience,
and I’ll let him live, so I need to protect myself.

I spin him around and start to stalk towards
him. There’s no other word for what I’m doing—it’s more than
walking. I’m literally stalking my prey. My lips curve up in a
smile as he tries to throw little things at me. Books, papers, even
a candlestick. This is going to be so much fun.

I put my gloves on slowly as I continue to
dodge things, and then catch the remote for the TV when it comes my
way. He realizes too late that I’ve trapped him in a corner. I turn
on the TV, and find a horror movie, turning up the volume as far as
it will go. “Now it’s my turn to throw things,” I say as I pull a
knife from my pocket and open it. He puts his hand up, and that’s
exactly what I want. He lets out a blood-curling scream as my knife
lodges deep into his hand, and the wall.

“Please. Whatever you want. I’ll do it.
Please.”

“I want you to stop terrorizing women.”

“I-I don’t.”

“I saw you outside that bar earlier,” I tell
him as I pull out another knife and turn it back and forth in my
hand. “I heard the disgusting things you said.”

“That woman—she deserved it.”

This time he has no time to react as my
knife flies through the air, pinning the ear on his other side to
the wall. He’s probably going to pass out soon, so I need to work
fast. I’m done talking, anyway. I’m already fighting my urge to
kill him, and if he talks again, I will.

I walk over and pull the last toy I brought
with me out of my other pocket. I had to travel light since I
didn’t bring a bag with me. This particular item is something I
bought for my mom. She always leaves it behind, and tonight is the
one night I’m actually happy about it.

I power the mini Taser on as his eyes go
wide. I want to go for his crotch first, but I know he’ll pass out
if I do, and where’s the fun in that? He tries to put his other
hand up to stop me, so his palm gets to be first in line. His whole
body shudders, but it’s not nearly enough. I move on to his stomach
next, keeping it there a little longer. He isn’t even screaming
now, because his body is going into shock. My time’s almost up, so
I finally do what I want, and hold the Taser to his crotch until he
slumps over.

I really like my knives, so I pull them out
and let him fall before I leave. I turn down the TV so the
neighbors won’t come storming over, push my mask back up under my
hat, and then I’m out. A fun time was had by all. Well, by me at
least, and now I can go home and kiss my girl.

* * *

Ellie

“You can look now,” Faith tells me through
my comm. I had to look away when Aiden impaled that guy’s ear to
the wall. I don’t know what happened next. Yes, I’m squeamish about
blood and guts. I own it, and I overcome it when I have to. This
time I had Faith here to watch while I covered my eyes.

I look down and see Aiden walking casually
away from the building. And then I look up, and see our guy. “He’s
climbing up my side, Faith.”

“On my way.”

I swing over from my perch across the way,
expecting to surprise him. I’m the one who’s surprised as he turns
to slam me into the wall next to him. Damn it, that hurt. I can
feel my cheek split inside my mask, but I ignore the pain and start
fighting.

We both get in some good hits before Faith
lands on his other side. He leaves me alone to fight her for a
moment, and while she’s distracting him, I attach the extra line to
him. He tries to pull away, but Faith’s extra sharp knife easily
cuts through his own line, and then he’s flying towards the ground,
only landing safely because we let him. His time’s not up yet, but
it will be soon.

“Well that was fun—not,” Faith says, when
we’re back on the roof. “I’m going to have some bruises
tomorrow.”

“Me too.”

“What are you going to tell Aiden?”

“We were sparring, and got a little too into
it?”

“Gotcha. Where’d you park your bike?”

“The parking garage a few blocks west.”

“I’m the other way. Be safe.”

“You, too.”

I get my bike and manage to make it back to
the townhouse before Aiden. I was pretty sure I would since he had
to get back to the restaurant on foot while I was jumping from
building to building. I wince when I look in the mirror, seeing all
of my injuries for the first time. Besides the cut on my cheek, I
also have bruises on my stomach and arms. At least they look like
they came from a fight, so my lie will be convincing. I just wish
that both of us could finally be honest with each other about
what’s going on with Aiden. It would make things a hell of a lot
easier. I acted like I thought he was going to see another girl
earlier in the hopes that he’d come clean, but he didn’t.

I get in the shower and turn the water to as
hot as I can stand it. It feels good, washing over my skin as I
rest my head on the wall. I stay in until I start to look like a
prune, wrapping myself in a towel as I tend to my cheek. I kept it
out of the water, but I clean it now, thankful that it won’t need
stitches. Thank God for Society training and butterfly bandages. I
debate taking one of Audrey’s super pain pills, knowing I’ll be
hurting in the morning. In the end, Aiden makes the decision for
me.

“Hey Doll, you okay in there,” he says
through the door.

“Yeah. I’m good. I didn’t know you were
here.”

“You were in the shower, and well, we’re not
at the joint shower place again yet, so I figured I’d just wait for
you.”

“Thank you for waiting.” We both know I
don’t mean just now.

“Nothing to thank me for. I’ll be out here
when you’re done.”

I slip on my sleep shirt and open the door.
“I’m done.”

“Jesus, El. What the fuck happened to
you.”

“Faith and I got a little overzealous when
we were fighting.”

“Fighting?”

“Sparring.”

“I thought you were tired.”

“I was. I am. But we haven’t been working
out like we usually do, so we figured we should get some practice
in.”

“Does she at least have a few bruises,
too?”

I laugh, and then wince. “Yeah, she
does.”

“That’s my girl.”

“Can I get a rain check on the sexy
times?”

“Of course. Do you still want me to
stay?”

“Of course. I’ll make it up to you.”

“Nothing to make up for. It’s enough that
we’re here together.”

“Yeah, it is.”

“Do you mind if I take a shower?”

“No. Go ahead. I picked up the stuff you
like when I was out earlier. You know, shower gel and razors, and
stuff.”

“Moving me right in, huh?”

“I didn’t…I wanted you to be comfortable…I
mean, yeah.”

“Good. I’ll have to step up my game. All I
got you was Lush bath stuff.”

“You say that like it’s not enough. A Lush
bath is a little piece of Heaven.”

“I’ve seen you in one, so I’ll concede, but
we are getting you more stuff for my place.”

“No complaints here. Now go take your shower
so I can cuddle on you.”

“On it.”

I hear the water turn on, and I have to
fight the urge to join him. I know I’m not ready, but the thought
of all that water running over his sexy body? Yeah, there may be a
change of plans when he comes out of there. If I can stay awake
that long.

Aiden

Ellie looked so cute sleeping on her side
when I got out of the shower. I didn’t want to wake her, but I know
we both sleep better when she’s curled up next to me. I gently
moved her, being careful not to touch her anywhere that would freak
her out. That’s easier said than done, but I managed it. And then I
fell asleep, too.

I wake up to both of our
phones ringing. It’s barely light out, and I can’t have slept more
than three hours, but I’m immediately awake. Military training
doesn’t just disappear. I reach for my phone as Ellie does the
same. She wasn’t military, but she
is
Society. Their training is
probably more intense than mine was. Not that I’ll ever admit
that.

“Hello.”

“Aiden, it’s Jake. You need to get to Walter
Reed.”

I nearly fly off the bed. “My dad?”

“No. It’s your mom. Because of your dad,
they took her there, though.”

“What happened?”

“A bomb was placed in her car. She got out
in time, but she sustained some injuries in the blast.”

“Your mom told you?”

“No. I was there.”

“What?”

“I had a bad feeling about tonight, and
those protesters, so we followed her home. Whoever placed the bomb
had a lot of patience. They waited until she was in the driveway
before detonating it.”

“But you said she got out.”

“Isa was scanning the area, and picked it
up. She called your mom, and told her to jump out as fast as
possible once she stopped. She’s alive, man, but she wasn’t
conscious when they put her in the ambulance. We’re here, and my
mom got us clearance to be told about her condition, but the doctor
hasn’t come out yet.”

“Thank you, Jake. Tell Isa, too. I owe you
both. I’m on my way.”

I throw on my clothes and run down the
stairs. Ellie’s waiting by the door. “Give me your keys. I’ll
drive.”

“Thanks,” I tell her.

I know she’ll get us there just as fast as I
will, but she’ll do it safely. I spend the entire ride thinking
about how I should have been thinking about my mom. I don’t know
how my enemy knew to go after her before I was even done with the
guy from the bar, but somehow he did. Either he’s clairvoyant, or
the guy was a plant. Son of a bitch. I know without a doubt that it
was option number two, and I played right into his hands. Not
again. Never again.

I have to stop going out. At least until I
can catch this bastard. He made it personal, and that was a big
mistake on his part. Or hers. I still won’t rule out a woman. I’m
surrounded by powerful and deadly ones, and I’ve also pissed off a
few in my life. None I can think of who would do this, but then
again, you never know. I hide my proclivities well, so anyone else
could be doing the same.

“She’ll be okay. Isa said her pulse was
good,” Ellie tells me, taking my hand.

“She was unconscious.”

“But alive. Your mom is one tough lady.”

“I should’ve been there. I should’ve been
the one to protect her.”

“You can’t protect everyone at all times.
That’s not your job.”

“You’re right. My mom
was
your
job.
Maybe you should have been watching her instead of playing with
Faith.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them, but I
don’t try and take them back.

“You’re upset, so I’m going to ignore
that.”

“Denial gets you through lots of things,
right?”

“Aiden. Stop. It.”