CHAPTER 5:
When Jen finally pulled away from James' grasp, she couldn't help but stare into his eyes. "I want to say I love you, but I'm not sure I do." Jen whispered. She had taken the time spent in James' arms to think about her true feelings.
"What do you mean? Because if…"
"James, I wanted to talk to you here, that's why I left you the sticky note. I just did not expect some Russian guy to break into my house and take me captive and wait for you. I know our relationship is important, but right now, we've got bigger problems." James stepped back from Jen. He didn't know what to feel.
"Right, well…I think it's best if I stay at a hotel or something tonight and figure things out tomorrow." James went to grab his gun and leave.
"Wait! James! I…"
"Don't say it. Don't even say it Jennifer." James gave her a cold stare before he closed the door. Jen was left standing in the middle of her apartment. She couldn't move for the fact that she could barely comprehend what James had meant.
James continued down the hallway till the elevator. It took a few minutes for it to arrive. Finally, a ding sounded and the doors opened. Marcus was in the elevator, carrying a bouquet of roses. James glowered at him.
"Hello, didn't expect to see you here still." Marcus said, stepping out of the elevator.
"What's that supposed to mean?" James replied. He began seizing up Marcus, wondering if he could take him down and beat the arrogance out of him.
"Did my dear Jennifer not tell you?" Marcus was now standing in front of James. James was keeping his fists to his sides, still clenching them, being at the ready to punch the hell out of this guy if he had to.
"Tell me what?" James said through clenched teeth.
"That we had more than just a little…fling? That we picked up exactly where we left off when we met in Dakar? And again, I bedded her when she came back home from North Korea, did you know about that?" James had had enough. He lunged forward, striking his right fist against the taller man's nose. James felt nasal bones cracking underneath his knuckles. Marcus stepped back, blood pouring down his face and shirt.
"You little bitch!" Marcus roared as he went for James' throat. James ducked the grab, but Marcus caught the fake and grabbed James around the middle and started throwing punches into James' gut and a few odd ones to the head. James fought as hard as he could, but he couldn't get himself or his arms free of Marcus' tight grasp. Just when James thought he was going to pass out, he heard a door open and footsteps.
"Put him down!" Jen's shard voice called out. Marcus threw one last punch, right into the middle of James' rib cage. With the wind knocked out of him, James was dropped to a crumple on the floor, covered in Marcus' blood. Jen strode over. All James could see of her was her bare feet. "You pathetic brute! Let me guess, you got a little overprotective, didn't you?" Jen said accusingly.
"He started it, I mean look at my nose." Marcus sniffled back some of the blood.
"What? James?" Jen kneeled down next to James. "James? James?" Jen gently moved his arm and got no response. She stared up at Marcus. "What the hell have you done to him?"