Killing Him Softly: Seeing her Again
by tarskeewee08
John sits in the café Pataki in downtown Agia Marina with Wess. The call this morning from Wess's contact said Evangeline was to do some shopping today accompanied by her cousin Jake along these streets. John drank his coffee and ate his pastry watching and waiting patiently.
The table across from them, has three exotic Greek beauties who giggle and make eyes at them.
"Looks like we've drawn attention to ourselves." Wess says raising his coffee to his lips and winking at the girls who erupt in more giggles.
Wearing his shades he barely acknowledge the women or the comment. "What time is she supposed to be here?"
Wess ready to respond looks out the café window to a see a black Mercedes limo pull up in front of her boutique across the street. It's the reason he chose this restaurant and window seat. "There's your sweet lady now."
John looks to his right and sees the door open. Christian steps out and looks around first, then sticks his hand inside of the car. Soon she appears. Her hair is long black and shiny feathered on both sides toward her face with a blunt square cut bang. She has on the dark circular designer shades and white knee length halter dress with matching white sandals. Holding her white clutch in her manicured hands she says something to Chris and sashays from the car to the boutique.
"My god…"
Wess eyes John and wonders how it feels to see the ghost he's chased for over two years standing less than a 100 feet from him. "Let's go do some shopping!"
John frowns "But you said…."
Wess turns to the table and speaks in Greek to the beauties. He calls two over. Pointing across the street he tells them something putting on his shades. Both ladies giggle and nod their heads.
Wess look at him and smirks. "Let's buy these ladies something pretty. Keep your shades on and head low. Remember she and Chris don't know you. Just in case it's a good thing you've grown that beard."
The young woman that's supposed to be with him smiles sweetly and John smiles back. If this would get him next to Evangeline he's all for it. "Fine let's go."
He gets up throws money on the table and grabs the girl hand pulling her out of the café. Wess follows with his arm around his companion. Walking up to the store Christian stands out front and raises his head as they approach he looks at John and speaks in Greek. John blinks surprised , he's grateful the shades conceal his shock. Wess quickly speaks up laughing in Greek and kissing the girl on his arm. Christian eyes John and then reluctantly steps aside. John opens the door and steps through as the door chimes announce his arrival. His ladylove turns and looks at him and his heart stops.
(Evangeline POV)
Madam Marina brings out several dresses she's made for me for the ball. Hearing the door chimes I look back to see two couples step through. I smile at the strangers. The man in the dark shades stares at me. He's very attractive with a goatee and beard that trims the outline of his jaw. He's wearing a blue loose fitting shirt rolled up at the sleeves and khaki wide leg linen pants. I smile at him again but he doesn't in return, instead he continues to stare at me.
Madam Marina looks at the new customers and apologizes profusely in Greek for not closing her boutique upon my arrival. I tell her not too worry and to see to her customers as I change into the dresses for my fitting. She hands me my gowns and I turn to go to the curtained dressing room asking that she have Jake come inside so I can model them for him. She nods and as I walk away I feel the man's eyes on me. Looking over at my shoulder I see him and this time he is smiling. I blush and go inside.
John looks at her and he can't move. She smiles at him and he can't move. Wess whispers to him quickly "Snap out of it!" And he shakes his head coming out the trance. Then he hears her speaking in Greek and his heart pounds. How does she know Greek? She takes the dresses and heads to the dressing room and he resists the urge to go after her.
The owner of the boutique comes over and greets them pointing the girls to different racks. She excuses herself and goes after Christian. Wess moves over to his left. "Don't blow this brother…your coming apart in here. Stop gawking at her and just move in close. The owner is getting Christian we can maybe here their conversation since they think we don't speak English."
John nods and goes over to the rack as the girl he's with grabs garments speaking to him quickly in Greek. He smiles at her and she kisses him on the lips as Chris walks in. He observes and moves through them to the bench outside the dressing room taking a seat. John watches him and marvels at how neither of them knows him.
Evangeline appears wearing a deep plum colored gown and John watches her turn around as the dress twirls around her hips. Christian laughs and John moves in closer to listen to them.
(Evangeline's POV)
"Do you think
that Laredo will like it?" I asked giddy.
Jake shrugs "He
seems to like everything you wear Christina."
"Do you know
what he said to me last night?" I asked moving closer and speaking
in a more hushed tone.
"No what did he say?"
"He said he
wanted kids immediately. Isn't that exciting?" I gushed.
Jake
smiled at her excitement. "I know how much you want to give him an
heir. Yes it is very exciting cousin."
I look up and see the man I found attractive glaring at me. He lowers his eyes when he sees that I see him and I stare at him baffled. Jake looks at my face and turns to look back at him, he is laughing as the girl he's with holds a blouse up to her.
"What is it Christina?"
"Nothing…its fine" I say trying to keep Jake calm. He has a
short fuse and the man is probably harmless.
"You sure..?"
"Yes
silly!" I say laughing. "Now let me try on the next one." I say
running back into the cube moving the heavy curtain.
John can't believe what he heard her say. She speaks funny with an accent and talks about Laredo like she's his wife happy to please him. His stomach turns and he's desperate now to break her free. She looks up as his anger has a grip on him and he forces his eyes to look away. He was sure that she saw him but she dismissed it and he heard her tell Christian to chill.
He didn't know how much more of this he could take.
Wess steps up to the counter with his new girlfriend and pays for her clothes. John takes his girl by the hand and pulls her over as the girl cling to him he looks back and sees Christian glaring at him. Then Evangeline appears in a pearl colored dress that has a scoop neck hanging revealing low in the front and back. John sees her hips and perfect figure as she turns around and models it for Chris.
He nods his approval and looks back at him. Their eyes lock and this time John can give a shit he stares him down with his shades on. Christian rises and Wess steps in front of John stopping the confrontation.
"I paid for
hers as well. Now move."
"No..." John snaps in a loud
whisper.
"Move your ass or McBain I will drop you where you
stand." He says moving his suit jacket showing his gun. John glares
at him and storms out of the boutique. Wess makes a big production
yelling something in Greek that makes everyone laugh.
John walks briskly down the cobble sidewalk into the busy marketplace. He fights to breathe and his murderous need to make Laredo Montego pay takes over him. Turning the corner a man grabs him quickly throwing him against the wall in the alley. He shouts something in Greek in his face and John can smell the rot of his teeth and stale whiskey on his breath.
Kneeing him in the gut John collars him and punches him in the face. Before snapping his neck he hears the click of a gun "Stop it American or I drop you."
John freezes and let's go of the man. The guy falls backwards to the ground and scoots away. He turns around to see a young olive skinned man with dark curly hair wearing fatigues. "Come with me!" the man says keeping the gun on him.
John looks him up an down and knows he can pull his piece and level this fool but smirks instead. He's curious as to what this is about. Walking with his hands up the man points further down the alley. John walks seeing the side doors on either side as they go deeper into the dank wet sour smelling alleyway. He steps in rotting water and sees large rats scurrying along the wall.
"Here!" the man snaps and points to the wood panel door to his right. John nods and goes to the door and opens it. Inside sit about 8 other military like soldiers staring at a map. They look up and the man holding the gun on him closes the door.
He puts the gun in his pants. "This is the agent…"
the man says in broken English.
The men look John up and down.
John frowns at his cover being blown so easily. The man in the middle
of the men clucks his tongue and says something John can't
understand. The other men laugh. John's captor shouts at them all
"Enough!"
"Agent McBain…My name is Laois. We have
been expecting your arrival."
"We?" John says
confused.
"Yes, not everyone in your agency works for world
domination. We were alerted that you were coming and told that you
can be trusted. You and your woman are in grave danger."
"Who
are you?" he said scanning the room.
"We fight for our people
in Leros and we want to drive Laredo Montego and his kind from our
island. The experimentations and mind control actions have destroyed
many villagers in Leros. Your contact Wess is working against you.
Don't trust him."
John sneers at the man. "Really? And I am to trust you right?"
"You want that woman. You want to move on her during the Masquerade ball. We can help you escape the island with her. When the time comes we will find you. But know this. If Wess gets her you will loose her again for sure."
John watches him open the door for him to leave. He looks back at the men who have amused looks on their faces. It makes no sense to him. Walking out the door it slams behind him.
John walks back up and out of the alley thinking of the strange encounter. They told him that Wess was working against him. But why? What does the government want with Evangeline? Then he thinks of the mind control used on her. They want to extract it from her and discover the method. Those bastards were going to make him bring her back to them. Hearing a horn he sees Wess in the jeep coming down the narrow street.
John stops and when the truck stops he climbs inside. Wess frowns "I have been driving up and down this street for over 10 minutes looking for you where were you?"
"I got lost"
Wess looked at
him and then at the mud on his sandals. "Lost?"
"Yeah
stumbled down one of these alleys and there like a maze."
Wess
drove processing what he said. "You shitting me man?"
"What?"
"Don't hold out on me man, we are in this together.
Evangeline's life depends on it"
"Is that why you
threatened to shoot me back there!" John hissed
Wess sucked his
teeth "You were blowing it. Justice on this island is in favor of
the Montego's. If Christian wanted to kill you he could have done
it just cause you pissed him off."
"Whatever…"
Wess turned onto the road back to the cottage. "The ball is tomorrow. You need to keep a low profile until then. We need to go over our plans."
(Evangeline's POV)
Riding in the limo I
look over at my cousin and see his turmoil. "What is it
Jake?"
"That man in the boutique. Something about him seemed
familiar to me"
"Really?"
"Did it to you?"
I
frowned and recalled his face. I didn't see his eyes and his face
was covered under his mustache and beard. "No he didn't"
"He
was staring at you….I don't like it."
"Oh Jake please…you
are worse than Laredo. I am in no danger."
"You are married to
a prince cousin. You need to understand that makes you a princess and
you will always have a bounty on your head."
"Laredo says
this all the time. I swear you two think I am stupid. I
understand!"
"Do you Christina, because sometimes you are too
trusting and accepting of things around you! You question
nothing!"
"And you question everything! Driving yourself
insane with questions!"
Jake glares at me "Something
happened to us. On a boat. You know it dammit. I know you do. I plan
to find out what."
"I don't know it! I don't even have
those dreams anymore and if I do I forget them when I awake."
"Do
you forget the screams dear cousin?"
I wince at the question and my heart beats faster. I can never forget the sound of my own voice screaming. The other night a name came to me in my dreams a name that I was screaming. I jumped up in the bed with it on the tip of my tongue but as soon as I opened my eyes the name faded from my mind.
"I don't want to discuss it."
The car pulls up to the gate of our palace and we are let inside. We climb up the hill on the road and I am desperate to escape the car. I don't want to do this with Jake again. He keeps me pushing me to question things but my only purpose is to serve my husband.
Stopping the driver gets out to let me out. I look at Jake who is angry with me. Leaning over I kiss his jaw. "Will you relax. I have invited some girls from the village to help me with my final fitting today. Why don't you stop by and meet some ladies."
My door opens and Jake turns his head from me. It hurts that he is angry with me but I allow it and step out of the car. He's angrier and angrier lately.
Walking inside I see Marcela and ask her where my husband is in Greek. She tells me the study and that he will meet me upstairs. I smile and head up the winding marble stairs to my suite. I will shower and get ready for my fitting of the gowns I brought back.
Standing in the shower I hear the bathroom door open. Smiling to myself I turn and wait for my husband to step through the glass door into the steam with me. The door opens and instead a man I have never seen before with piercing blue eyes comes in and I scream falling backward. He catches my arm as my head goes under the downpour of the shower making it hard for me to open my eyes.
"Christina, baby what's wrong?"
Hearing
Laredo's voice I relax and rush into his arms. "Laredo thank
god!"
He holds me while I shake from shock of what just
happened. Who was that man and why was that vision so real?
Laredo rubs my back. "What is it baby? Tell me?"
"Nothing…you scared me I had soap in my eyes." I'm surprised at how quick I lie to him. He strokes my wet hair and pulls me into him.
"Laredo I need to get ready I have a fitting" I say struggling in his arms. The vision has me feeling weird.
"I want you now Christina are you denying me?" He says pushing me up against the shower wall. Something in me for the first time thinks this is wrong. I feel my feet lift from the floor as he pushes me upward and forces his way into me. Who was the man that I saw earlier? Why is my husband now a stranger to me? Feeling him thrust in me the welcomed feeling of ecstasy now feels like an invasion.
"I love your body…I can never tire of having you." Laredo says grunting and kissing my neck holding me up by my thighs. His voice is like cold water in my veins and I gasp at the assault. "Laredo please let me go…something's wrong." I say weakly.
He continues to thrust inside of me holding me forcefully. I wince at him pounding my body against the shower wall. "Laredo…something's wrong….stop..stop" I wheeze and he quickens his thrust, his nails now digging into my thighs as he holds me tighter and before I let go of a scream he releases.
The panic that had me in a grip of fear slowly subsides as he slips out of me as he lowers me back down the wall. Tears are on my face I'm shocked by them but my husband either doesn't notice or care.
He turns and showers barking off orders that I wash his back. Before when asked I washed his back out of love. Now it feels like a command. Taking the rag I wash him the way I usually do and I fight the urge to cry. What's wrong with me? Why am I behaving like this? He's my husband I love him.
He rinses under the shower and pops me hard on the ass before stepping out. I watch him leave and now the tears explode from inside of me. Standing under the water I cry and the tears are like a flood of sorrow that washes through me. Feeling of being trapped makes me gag from claustrophobia.
I see the man's face again and I my heart explodes. The man in the shower is someone I should know. Sitting on the tile floor as the water sprays over me I rock back and forth, what is wrong with me?
Crying the sense of grief and violation washes away and goes down the drain with the steamy water. I rise and feel calm again. Laredo is my husband and I must serve him. Smiling I feel better. I don't try to recall my breakdown I just focus on my purpose to serve and love my husband. Turning off the water I step out of the shower refreshed excited about my dress fitting and hoping Laredo likes it.
