The Executioner: A Love Story (9 page)

Argento silently left the car. Jordan continued to type away on his laptop. Arianna needed to stretch, so she exited the car and walked toward the shop where Argento paid. They both wore sweats, so they didn’t look out of place in the small town setting.

“Did you know…” Arianna began, and her gaze strayed back to the SUV. Jordan continued to type.

“I had no idea,” Argento stated as he handed over the money to the cashier. “Did you?”

“He told me he was good with technology, but…” she let the thought end there. “Where did he get that much money?”

“Guys like him are worth a lot to the government.” They walked back toward the SUV, and Argento stopped momentarily and turned to her. He stared at her for several moments. She was taken back to the bedroom in the safe house. He had been so eager to come to her. She crooked her finger and he jumped. His expression was blissful. “Arianna, I…”

“Don’t,” she said, and turned back toward the vehicle. Jordan watched them as a scientist would study lab rats in a maze. She bit her lip as she wondered exactly what was going on inside his superior brain. Goosebumps covered her body at the expression on his face and in his eyes. And then he returned to his computer screen.

Arianna climbed into the car and Argento pumped the gas. She couldn’t shake the feeling of his eyes on her as she spoke to Argento. She felt deflated. She didn’t want to be quiet, so she blurted out, “I’m tired, and cold.”

“I’ve planned out our route for the motel where we can stay.” The robotic voice persisted. She bit her lip again, and closed her eyes. That wasn’t what she wanted to hear. She wanted to hear they would be okay. She wanted him to hold her. She wanted… “It should only take an hour to get there.”

“Thanks,” she nodded, and stared out the window. She caught Argento staring at her, with that emotion that she couldn’t quite name. She felt another chill, but not from the cold.

Argento finished, and started the car. “Continue back on the same road,” Jordan ordered.

They drove in silence, the only interruption being Jordan’s directions.

“Can’t they trace us through your cell phone? And what about my cell phone? Shouldn’t I toss it?” Argento seemed pretty calm considering everything. It was 3:30 at night; he’d been driving for over an hour and a half. He had an armed suspect in his car, and a super genius agent she now felt sure was vital to national security. Surely there would be more people searching for them than just the Secretary’s people. Not to mention the crap he could be facing for taking Jordan.

“I scrambled our signals. No one can trace us.” He assured Argento. They left Maryland and entered West Virginia. The surroundings were dark, there were almost no street lights, and they didn’t pass any cars on the road. Everything was so quiet it was scary. And then, like an oasis in the desert, a small motel appeared. “This is it.”

The motel probably didn’t have twenty rooms, and there were very few cars in the parking lot. She was sure no one would be at the desk, but the office lights were on, and an open sign glowed bright blue. Argento parked close to the office, but not close enough that the person at the desk could see inside the car.

“You two go in and ask for one room. I think a couple would draw less suspicion.” Jordan didn’t give away what he was thinking or feeling at all. He just glanced blankly from Arianna to Argento and back again.

“Why Argento?” Arianna whined. Argento only appeared hurt for a moment, and then he was as blank as Jordan. She should have felt bad for saying it that way, but she was really too tired.

“You two look like a couple.” The robot voice persisted. She would have believed he was heartless; his tone was clinical.

“We need to go inside.” Unlike Jordan, Argento didn’t mind letting his emotions out. The hurt and anger echoed in his words and voice. Arianna was stung by it, but Jordan seemed oblivious. “Unless you two want to discuss it for a few more hours.”

“Whatever,” Arianna scoffed. She reached for her bag in the back, but Jordan already peeled off several hundreds and handed them to Argento.

The man behind the counter seemed friendly enough, and spoke with a slight southern drawl. “How do? Can I help you two?”

“We’d like a room,” Argento said quickly.

“Our credit card machine is down; dang computers. You got cash?”

Arianna had a sneaking suspicion that Jordan was behind their credit card machine problems.

“Yes, sir, we do,” Argento said, and put the three hundred dollars down on the counter.

The old man held the bills up to the light, then nodded. “Can’t beat cash. How long do you want the room?”

“How long can we have it for that?” Argento wondered.

“One room, two beds, for a week.” The man put the cash in a lock box, and reached behind him for a key. “Room 101, it’s right next door.”

“Do you have one in the back? We’d rather have our privacy.” Argento wrapped his arm around Arianna and pulled her into his body. To her credit she didn’t flinch. She stared down at the floor as if embarrassed, but she was hiding the anger that burned in her eyes.

The old man surveyed the two, and winked at Argento. “You can have 120.” He grabbed a different key and handed it to Argento.

“Thank you kindly, sir,” Argento grinned, and held Arianna tighter as they exited the office. Argento held her a little too tight, a little too long. Jordan couldn’t help but notice as they walked toward the car that way.

They made their way to the back of the motel, and entered the room. It was clean enough; the bathroom looked ancient and the beds looked like they survived the civil war. There were no bugs, thankfully, and the wallpaper was bright and cheery.

Arianna carried in her bags and Argento’s and he helped Jordan with his stuff. They took care of it pretty quickly this time. Once they were all three inside, Argento quickly took one of the two hard backed chairs, and pulled it toward the heater.

“You two take the beds,” he said through a yawn. “And no one talk until morning, or I’ll shoot you myself.”

He closed his eyes as Jordan climbed fully dressed into one of the beds. Ariana made her way to the bathroom, and when she finished she left the light on and pulled the door until muted light filled the room.

She rolled over onto her side and watched Argento as he slept. She didn’t mean to do it, he was just there. He had circles under his eyes, and his mouth was taut. Dark stubble covered his cheek. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his biceps were huge. She hadn’t noticed before how big his muscles were. Suits did not do his body justice. His thighs strained against his sweat pants.

She imagined for the briefest second how it would feel to crawl up into his lap and be held by such strong arms. Then her eyes strayed up again, and met his. He was awake, and his eyes were on her. Why did his eyes have to be so damn dark? She felt like she could get lost in them; like she could hide away in them and never be found.

He didn’t smile at her, although she remembered how his face lit up when she crooked her finger at him. She wondered what he would do if she did it again. Maybe she would, if Jordan wasn’t in the room; if nothing else than to feel that sense of control she craved.

Argento’s eyes went from hers to the bed where Jordan slept. Maybe he was awake, but he couldn’t know that Arianna was as well; or that Arianna stared at Argento. He returned his attention back to her, and his eyes once again sparkled with that elusive emotion. “He’s asleep.”

It was barely a whisper. She wasn’t sure if she heard his words or read his lips. She didn’t acknowledge his words, she didn’t know how. She wasn’t even sure she trusted him. What if he lied just to get her to betray herself while Jordan looked on?

But she knew one thing for certain: she’d never wanted to be alone more in her life. She closed her eyes, wishing they would both go away, but she still couldn’t sleep. And she couldn’t stop her mind.

Argento slid into her bed. His hand found her hip and pulled her body into his. He was so hard, all of him, but it was comforting. His arm wrapped around her waist, and his lips were on hers. He slung his thigh over hers, and pulled her closer still. He was warm, and strong, and all man.

Her eyes popped open again, and he sat in the chair with his eyes closed. She didn’t know if he was asleep yet. She wished he would get out of her head.

She rolled over in the small bed to find Jordan lying on his back, hands folded over his chest, facing the ceiling. In the short time she’d known him he never fell asleep that easily. Maybe it was the complete silence, or perhaps the security of Argento and Arianna watching over him. His eyes appeared to be closed anyway.

And then she felt him. Argento really was climbing into her bed. He placed his finger on her lip, and whispered in her ear, “Please be quiet.” She froze as his hand moved toward her shoulder, and he buried his face in her hair. She closed her eyes, and just enjoyed him.

It wasn’t at all how she imagined it. His hand found her hair, and rubbed it against his face. His fingertips trailed down the back of her neck, and she shivered; goose bumps covered her skin. “I can’t explain how bad I want you.” His lips followed his fingertips. How could such a big strong man be so gentle? His hand found hers, and held it tight as his tongue tasted her skin. A moan caught in the back of her throat.

What she was doing was wrong. Jordan was in the other bed. She should tell him to stop. She should wake up Jordan and climb in bed with him. But she did neither, and as his tongue found her ear she arched her back, and her rear found his erection. He caught his breath, and tensed up. “Remember I want you,” he whispered as he silently left her bed. After that she was sure she wouldn’t sleep. She rolled over again, and he reclined in the chair, eyes closed, arms crossed over his chest. She smiled as she closed her eyes and drifted off.

Chapter Ten

She woke up to the scent of eggs, bacon, and biscuits. She could hear muted male voices. She rubbed her eyes and smiled, remembering what Argento did before she fell asleep. She inhaled, and sat up.

“You’re awake. Agent Argento bought breakfast,” Jordan announced as he took a bite of a biscuit. The small table was laid out with juice, milk, and tons of food. She was hungry after all the travelling and she stood to help herself to scrambled eggs smothered in cheese and salsa.

She grinned as she dug in, and glance up to find both men watching her. “What’s wrong,” she wondered.

“Nothing,” Jordan said. Argento merely shook his head. “Is it good?”

“Yes,” she nodded. “But yours are better.”

Argento turned away from her, but continued to shove food in his mouth. “So what’s the plan today, boy wonder?” He asked as he tried to look anywhere except at Arianna.

“I will continue to monitor cell phone chatter and police scanners. You two can clean your guns or whatever it is you do.” She met Jordan’s eyes; they were hollow. Somehow he knew. And she couldn’t hide her reaction. Her eyes grew wide, and she bit her lip. “I’m going to shower.”

As soon as Arianna heard the water she turned hateful eyes on Argento. “What in the hell was that, Argento?”

He acted like the eggs were the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen. He ate in slow motion, cutting it precisely and slowly bringing it to his mouth. He chewed, swallowed hard, then did the same thing again.

“Argento,” she yelled, “You are not going to ignore me.”

“My name is Vince,” he said through gritted teeth. “Vincenzo Argento.”

“That’s lovely, really; beautiful name. But what the hell were you doing last night?” She was upset. More to the point, she was upset because Jordan was upset.

He didn’t seem to care, and that made her even angrier. “I wanted to know how your hair smelled.” She scoffed, and shook her head. “I didn’t want you to tell me no.”

“You what?” She had passed mad and stepped right into furious. “Do you know what I do to guys who don’t want to hear no?”

That got his attention. He turned to her with eyes that burned like asphalt in August. “Are you threatening a federal agent?” He stood up and took a step toward her. She was seated, and from that angle he seemed to be seven feet tall and four feet wide. And he was angry. His nostrils flared and his lips disappeared.

“I don’t know. Do you feel threatened?” She tried to show bravado, but inside she was shaking. She felt like a little girl who’d climbed the beanstalk and found a giant.

Oddly enough, he bent down on one knee in front of her. Their eyes were almost level. She had to mentally fight to hold his gaze, but she could not stop herself from biting her bottom lip.

He blinked, and inhaled. Butterflies filled her stomach. She felt that power again, that control of his responses. What if she crooked her finger? Would his face light up? Or better yet what if she put her hands in his thick, dark hair? She’d been dying to know if it was as soft as it appeared to be.

“We need to talk, while Jordan’s in the shower.” His voice reminded her of the night before, in her bed; so low and sexy. “You have to know what I’ve done.” She nodded, encouraging him. His hand reached for hers, and held it tight. “We are alike.”

“What do you mean?” She whispered too.

“I was twelve when it started.” She knew he forced the words out. The veins at his neck strained with the effort. “My dad was a cop. He was on the force with my dad. He was the resource officer. He went to the schools to talk about drugs. He was cool, tall, strong, and really good looking.” He said it with a shy grin, like a schoolboy with a crush. “I was in awe. And then he called me by name, and said, ‘Hey, you’re Rocco Argento’s kid.’ I felt excited that he knew who I was.” He took a deep breath but didn’t stop.

“It started with touching my shoulder, my hair, and telling me what a handsome kid I was. Then one night my dad had a cookout, and he came in my room, and…” The water stopped, and he knew he only had a few minutes to finish. “It continued until I was sixteen. I had the key to his house. I shot him and made it look like a suicide, and I’ve never told anyone. When I read in the files what you did, I knew we were kindred spirits. I knew. ” His voice was strong, and he squeezed her hand so tightly she thought he might break her fingers.