Disclaimer: I don't own it.
Helllloooooo all! ;)
I know this is late, and I'm SO SO SORRY! You probably aren't listening to a thing I'm saying...
Just see me at the bottom. LOL.
"Would you get over here!? NOW!" Bella hissed, apparently annoyed with my attempt at being covert. How was I supposed to know assailants don't really hide in the bushes?
I jogged over to her, pulling the worn ball cap lower over my eyes. "What? We're supposed to be casi... -oomph," Her elbow in my ribs cut my sentence short as the deadbolt lock on the back door clicked out of place.
"Sorry," she giggled quietly as she pushed the door open. She craned her head, listening intently for any occupants. Nothing. Her shoulders relaxed slightly as she pushed the door open all the way, entering with trepidation.
We were in the kitchen of the spacious house, the spacious sterile house. There were no accents, nothing. Just spotless stainless steel appliances and gleaming marble countertops.
She blew a long slow breath through her nose as she pulled two pair of gloves from her back pocket. "Okay, here's the deal. Try not to touch anything, but if you do touch anything make sure you put it back exactly how it was, deal?"
She handed me a pair of the aforementioned gloves before slipping hers on. "Oh, and we have about 45 minutes to get any and every piece of information on this guy. Make sure you're thorough and efficient. This will be the last time we're inside his home."
"Cool, I'll work this floor. How about you take the second floor?" I asked, peeking in various drawers and cabinets.
"Sure, sure." She disappeared around the corner as I continued to rummage through the kitchen.
Finding nothing worth investigating in the room, I moved to the living room. It was just as plain as the rest of the house. No pictures, newspapers on the table, not even one piece of mail. The only thing I could see was a planner lying on a end table beside the lamp.
"May as well be comfortable" I grumbled, sitting down on the chaise lounge and pulling the small leather bound book into my lap.
Again, nothing of consequence.
Stock Trade with Michael Newton. 9/11/12
Lunch meeting with Rose and CJ 9/12/12
Flight to Los Angeles 9:00am 9/14/12
I closed the book, placing it back on the end table before I made my way down the hall to the bathroom, then the laundry room, then the dining room.
Realizing that I wasn't going to find anything worth my time, I headed up the stairs to find Bella. Maybe she had found something in this shell of a house. I found her in the bedroom with her back to me, looking through a desk drawer.
"I didn't find anything down there." I mumbled.
Even with my soft tone of voice, she startled, whirling around giving me a death glare. I bit my bottom lip to hide my smile, even though she looked ready to chop my balls off. Angry Bella was cute.
"I doubt it would have been funny if I castrated you right then." She muttered sourly.
I snorted, rifling through the drawers of the nightstand to my left. Suddenly, a tingling overtook my entire body as goosebumps erupted all over my skin. I swallowed thickly, taking a deep breath. The onslaught of panic was completely illogical.
The sickening sound of a gun cocking into place made the panic a little less irrational. I froze as my eyes snapped to Bella's. Her eyes were closed, her brow was scrunched in a scowl. She'd apparently heard it too.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" A deep voice seethed quietly from the doorway of the bedroom.
Slowly, I turned, seeking out the exact location of the guy that could end it all before it began. He was standing there with a gun expertly trained on Bella, but his eyes were on me. He almost looked... pleading.
Just as his picture suggested, Emmett McCarty was massive. The guy had to be pure muscle, well over six feet tall, and no doubt extremely pissed.
His ice blue eyes narrowed in Bella's direction as she spoke. "It depends."
"On what, exactly? You're in my house, in my bedroom, going through my things. Now is not the time to be a smartass." He sneered, taking a step closer to her.
My nostrils flared as a rush of anger flowed through me. I didn't want him anywhere near Bella. My fists clenched at my sides as I bit my tongue. The timing was off, and if I made a rash move I could get us both killed.
She cocked her head to the side, a humorless laugh bursting through her lips, "You are so right. Where are my manners?"
He reeled back from her sarcastic remark, a look of irritation on his face. I took that as my chance, and slammed my body into his as hard as I could. The blow wasn't as effective as it should've been considering he was relatively close, but enough for him to discharge a shot by accident. The now familiar sluggish haziness overshadowed my senses as his right fist connected with my jaw.
Capability be damned! It hurt. Like a BITCH!
He swung again in the next second, but I dodged it, using his momentum to spin him around and lock my arms underneath his. The gun slipped from his grip and skidded across the floor, underneath the bed.
He let out a stream of violent curses before the back of his head slammed into my nose. My hands flew to my face in reflex, my first mistake. His elbow connected harshly with my ribs, causing me to double over, leading to my second mistake. As the firm side of his fist connected with my spine to my shoulder blades, I fell face first onto the floor.
Emmett McCarty wasn't your average broker. That was for damn sure.
Before I could gain my bearings, Bella was on him. Her short little legs were wrapped around him and her arms formed a tight vice around his neck. Emmett flailed around a bit, surprised at his lack of air. I could see the blood vessels bursting in his eyes. Even expertly done, it didn't last long. Reaching behind him, he grabbed a handful of her hair, flinging her towards the bed. When he dove toward her, I felt my heart beating out of my chest. I reached for him to yank him back, but I was a day late and a dollar short. I missed him. Big time.
Bella's eyes widened for a second and narrowed in fury. One thing I'd learned from my mother, and Tanya. You never ever grab a woman's hair. Ever.
I watched in shock as her anger consumed and empowered her. In a move I would have never thought of, Bella bucked her hips off the mattress in time to lock her legs around his neck. With her last burst of rage, she threw herself to the left, rolling off the bed, pinning the massive beast to the floor.
Before he could break out of his shock, I scrambled to recover the gun, firing off a shot without thought or aim.
I watched in slow motion as the spinning metal sliced the cotton of his shirt, and pierced the skin of his abdomen. Blood splattered up onto Bella's back as she leapt up frantically. A loud roar emanated through the room as he clutched his wounded stomach, his face etched with pain and blood seeping through his fingers.
Then I made my third mistake of the evening. I looked him right in the eye. I was frozen in his stare as the light from his eyes grew dimmer and dimmer. My stomach churned violently and suddenly I couldn't get enough air.
Bella's small hand in the middle of my chest grounded me, but only a little. "Okay, listen. You've got to keep it together. We have to get out of here."
She coaxed me backwards until the bloody scene was out of sight. Linking her fingers in mine she tugged me forward, down the stairs, and out of the backdoor where we started.
Opting to take public transportation in lieu of the car being spotted, we jogged a few blocks over and caught the bus. The ride to the other side of the city was quiet, and extraordinarily uncomfortable. All I could see was his pained expression playing on loop in my head. Over and over and over. Bella kept throwing worried glances my way, but kept quiet.
After retrieving her car from a parking garage, we made our way back to The Grotto, the air still thick with tension. I didn't utter a single sound until I was alone in my room. The building anguish and torment climaxed with a sickening wretch. I bolted to the bathroom, making it just in time to empty the contents of my stomach into the toilet. My hair was plastered to my sweaty forehead as I trembled uncontrollably.
I heard the tap of the sink turn on in the background, then relaxing coolness against the heated skin of my forehead. Those same arms that had almost taken life from a man mere hours ago, wrapped around my torso, offering comfort.
I felt her fingers glide through my hair as she dragged the cool damp cloth down and over the back of my neck.
"I killed him, Bella." I croaked hoarsely.
Pulling me closer against her, she continued combing her fingers through my hair. "Shhh. It's okay. I've got you."
I nodded, closed my eyes, and melted into her embrace, taking whatever comfort she offered me.
Okay... so I know you guys are upset with me. I know you are.
This has a significance and it's imperative that this was put here in order for the story to unfold. I PROMISE it has a rhyme and a reason.
Trust me? Please? *puppy dog eyes*
NOW, for the challenge of the chapter: There was something... odd in this chapter. Who can tell me what it is? If you caught it, you better be fast, because the first person who can get it right get's their teaser early! That's right! So... GO!
By the way, I'm starting school soon, and I'll be a stretched a little tighter. I think I may make my updates bi-weekly instead of weekly. Whatever I decide you guys will be the first to know.
Thanks to my team Twilly and MyHeroin01 like always.
Thanks in advance to those who always review. MWAH! I love you guys my than I can say!
xoxoxoxo
KK