Stalker Girl: The Pretender

Seven: My Favorite Games

Chiodos- Lexington. (Joey Pea-Pot With A Monkey Face)

X

When we arrived at the Hotel where Nicolas was supposed to be staying, two of his G-Wagons pulled up in front of us. His guys get out and open our doors for us. He waits for me to come around the car and looks down at me offering me his arm. I gave him a subtle head shake declining. The last thing I need is for anyone to speculate but his reaction made my heart flutter. His eyes seemed to shine with anger as he buttons the front of his suit. As we make our way inside, the Wraith fan girls all gush around him as I walk a few steps behind him.

"Little Sister! Little Sister!" some of them were calling out to me but I just ignored them staying between Sonny and Nick.

I watch him interact with his fans. Signing autographs, taking pictures, and handing out merchandise. He's so f*****g cute. I can't believe I was just sitting in the car with him alone. The smell of his cologne mixed with my perfume only made my odd infatuation with him worse. I can't take my eyes off his lips. The way they move when he speaks. How they stretch when he smiles and then fill up again when they close. f**k me. Please.

When he was escorted up the stage, I stay behind. It took him a moment to realize that I wasn't standing behind him anymore. He looks around for an instant before he asks Sonny where I had gone. The two of them ask the guards to look around for me but I am already standing in the elevator slipping my leather gloves on.

"Room eight seventeen," Liam, hands me a handgun, a silencer, and an extra magazine. "The client wants you to sweep the room,"

"How many?"

"Eight," he answers. I give him a nod and remove my coat and my holsters. I can't use my guns for this. They're traceable and the MCPD is just dying to find anything that links back to me.

"Stay outside the elevator. Wait for me. It shouldn't take me any more than five,"

"Yes, ma'am," he gives me a nod.

I pull my hair up and secure it with the silk bandana the gun had been wrapped in. I take my face mask from my coat and slip it on before screwing the silencer to the end of the gun he provided. I check it to make sure everything is in order. I tuck it into my skirt as we both step out on the eighth floor.

He stays where I ask him to as I walk down the fancy corridor to get to the room. I tap on the door and cover the peephole.

"Room service," I call out holding my gun up.

The door is pulled open and I fire. One shot between his eyes. I reach out gripping him from the front of his shirt and gently set him down next to the door before shutting it. There are three guys in the suite's living room area. One shot to the head one to the chest. Four. There's another guy in the restroom. Five. I clear the rooms to find the remaining three guys lounging around the pool out on the terrace. I change the magazine to my gun and finish the job. I take a picture of each one on my work phone to confirm the kills and leave the gun on the dining room table with a Syndicate calling card for their boss to find.

I hand Liam my gloves, the silk bandana, and the mask before slipping my coat back on. He puts them in his backpack and hands me a cold bottle of Vanilla Coke and a warm pizza pretzel. His eyes scan my body making sure I didn't get any blood on me. Satisfied, he gets off on the second floor where the hotel's security rooms are. I head back over to the press conference.

I take a bite of my pretzel as I approach Nick's team. When his eyes land on me, he seems to visibly relax. I give him a little wave before he leans forward to answer a question. I look down at my watch to see that I was only gone eight minutes. I smile at myself. That's a record. If you don't count the recon and setup. Coming here with Nicolas was just a really happy coincidence.

My phone pings when the transaction comes through.

-Good work, X. Pleasure doing business with you. Deliver the package to Chino's. He's arrived.

I don't reply as the picture of the package comes up on my screen. I just tucked my work phone into my coat's pocket. I press my earpiece when my phone rings.

"Yeah?" I answer.

"Where are you?" my brother asks.

"I'm at the press conference at the Olympiad. What's up?"

"Nothing. Just wanted to let you know I took care of Mrs. Reiner,"

"When you say that, what do you mean?" I laugh.

"I f****d her in front of the cameras by the suite near your office. So, now not only is she having that party on Saturday. I also have leverage over her. I'm lifting the ban, X. If Willow and the little sisterhood say anything to you, you can break their f*****g teeth now. Happy?"

"Very," I laugh.

"f*****g brat. You taking Cirillo to the Casino?"

"Yes, sir. Meet me there?"

"Not tonight, X. I've got a date,"

"With the Mayor's wife?"

"With his daughter," I can hear the f*****g smirk on his face.

"You're my favorite brother, you know that right?"

"I'm your only brother, b***h. I gotta let you go. No fighting, X. I mean that,"

"No promises, Dub. I mean that," I mock him. He scoffs and hangs up.

I listen to the rest of the conference. I love the way Nick answers as many questions as he can. His confidence borders on arrogance but doesn't quite take that leap. He admits his defeats humbly and even flirts a little with the press girls. When the conference is over, he gets up and walks right up to me.

"Where did you go?" he demands angrily. I hold my drink and my half-eaten pretzel. He leans into me not taking his eyes off mine as he wraps those beautiful lips around my pretzel to take a bite. "Don't run off like that when you're with me. I was worried,"

Nicolas puts his hands on my waist and turns me around before dropping his hand to my lower back and pushing me forward. His words are completely unfamiliar. The last person to tell me they were worried about me outside of Will was Jenny. The night before she disappeared. She used to tell me all the time actually. When I would wander off on my own. When I would fight at school. When I would forget to eat because I was obsessing over a book or a video game. She'd text me to drink water all day long. To eat properly, and to go to bed on time. She was always worried about me. I had forgotten what that felt like. Too bad he's just become a job.

"Are you hungry?" I ask when my car is brought out for us.

"Are we still going to the casino?" he asks skeptically.

"Yeah, we can meet your guys there. Is that doable? You losing them for a couple of hours?"

"Hmm," his eyebrows knit together before getting in my car. I get in and look over at him. "I don't know. Can you lose them?"

"Nicolas Cirillo. Are you daring me to lose our tail?" I laugh. This job couldn't be any easier if I tried.

"I guess I am," he smirks. I pull away from the front of the hotel and look both ways before meeting his gaze.

"You should put your seatbelt on," I wait. He clips into place immediately.

When the street clears up in front of me. I shift gears and hit the gas spinning out for the hotel's curb as I turn the wheel and pull the e-brake so my tires peel out on the pavement. The rubber smokes up around us. As soon as have my opening, I release the e-brake and head down the street, instantly making a right turn at the red light. I shift gears again and head in the direction of the burger shop near the beach on Hill's End.

"Jesus," he laughs looking back. "Didn't even see what direction we went,"

"Getting away from security detail is one of my favorite games to play with my brother. He stopped getting me guards when I turned fifteen and started sending Lance instead,"

"You run away from him often?"

"Not him, exactly. More his job and his friends. They're all so-" I shrug. "I don't know. f*****g boring, I guess. All they talk about is money. I get it. You f**k sticks like being rich. Get a life with that money. You know?"

"Yeah," he laughs. "You'd think they'd have bought a personality by now,"

"Exactly," I agree. "See, this is why I don't want to be number one. More money. More problems,"

"You're a funny girl," he grins. Before I could ask what the f**k that's supposed to mean. His phone starts ringing. He holds it up and puts it on speaker.

"Where the f**k did you go? I thought we were headed to the resort?" Sonny's voice is frantic. I stop him from saying anything.

"Change of plans, Sonny. Wraith is a little indisposed right now. Once I get him to my destination. My client will call you with his demands," I say.

"What the fu-" I hang up before he could finish that statement. The screen instantly lights up.

"Oh, f**k," Nicolas sits back. I laugh as I turn into the pier and park inside the restaurant parking lot. "He's going to call the f*****g cops,"

"Yeah, probably," I nod. "Come on. This place has the best burgers,"

The two of us get off and walk inside. We both order and go over to the fountain drinks to get what we want. I walk him over to the booth all the way in the back where the client is waiting for us. I motion him to sit then box him when he looks up at Don Clemente Villalobos.

"Did you just-" he looks over at me and laughs. "You sold me out,"

"Nothing is going to happen to you. We just went for a ride," I shrug. "I promise. I'll die before I let them hurt you,"

"That's a very interesting promise. That wasn't the deal," the Don shakes his head.

"Oh, it is now. You want something from him. Ask. I'd like to see you try and take him from me," I meet his challenge. Is this part of the assignment? No. But the look on Nick's face is making me feel bad and I admit that I am a little more attached to him than I cared to admit.

"I was told you were a professional,"

"Probably the best," I agree. "I own this place. It's secure. It's where I meet with my clients. Anything you say here will never leave this dining table. A couple of years ago the original owners hit a little bit of a snag and I bought them out and gave them free rein for s**t like this. So, talk,"

"Order for X," the girl behind the counter calls out my order. I get up and go over to the counter to get our food.

When I get back I sit down. The Don sees that I'm completely serious and lets out a heavy sigh when I place the extra ketchup packets between Nicolas and me. The look on his face is magnificent. I mean I have never seen someone get bright red with anger like this before. Everyone around me is always so f*****g composed it's almost robotic.

Nicolas isn't like that. He wears his heart on his sleeve and shows exactly who he is and as he looks back at me with eyes that say, if I could kill you, it would be a horrific death, I can't help my smile. I love that. I love the resentment in his eyes telling me how much he hates that he let himself get carried away by a pretty face.

He doesn't know this yet but one day he's going to look at me like I'm the greatest thing to ever happen to him. I understand that he's clearly upset right now. It'll be a long time before he forgives me for this but we have time. We have all the time in the world, Nicolas Cirillo. I'll spend the rest of my life apologizing to him if that's what he wants. I just hope he realizes that once he gives in, he can never leave again. I like to keep what is mine close at all times.