The Assassin's Destiny

Chapter 14: Unexpected development

Chapter 14: Unexpected development

Penelope

             Being in love is scary. Especially when you realize that you’re alone in love. It has been days since my encounter in Argent’s house. He texted me the other day to inform me he was going to be out of town, but that was the only communication I received. It’s killing me that he hasn’t told me anything. I don’t know if we’re over or we’re taking a break. It’s maddening.  

             Not wanting to waste a beautiful day indoors, I decided to go to the local bazaar. Lyria and I discovered the bazaar a couple of months ago. Like in the states, local merchants meet in the town square to sell their wares. The bazaar is alive with street performers, restaurants, and small kiosks that showcase a variety of merchandise. Lyria and I loved it.

             Slipping into a white summer dress and flip-flops, I stroll to the market. Several of the merchants wave in greeting as I make my way through the aisles and wave back excitedly. I can’t believe we’ve lived in Brazil for nearly six months. Of course, after our k********g, we had real doubts about living here. It was touch and go for a while because we were paranoid that something else would happen. But we soon settled and just became a bit more cautious of our surroundings.

             The light breeze caresses my face, the sun warms my skin, and the thrum of the excited crowd and vendors dims the further I move from the center of the Bazaar. The area I step into is a lot more subdued, with very few spectators due to everyone being closer to the action. I’m about to step into a small garden center in a quiet corner a few feet from the Bazaar when a tingle of awareness crawls down my spine.

             Glancing around warily, I stiffen my posture and move my handbag close to my chest. Tingles run down my spine as soon as I join the large crowd milling around. Something doesn’t feel right, but I don’t know what it is. My heart beats fast, echoing the strong beat of the music reverberating through the marketplace. I feel a little more confident now that I know how to defend myself if I have to, but I prefer not to.

             I’m about to turn back to the Bazaar’s entrance when my purse is pulled from my shoulder. A stinging pain courses across my arms as the purse strap wraps around them.

             My assailant pulls hard, ripping the straps from my arms. “Hey!” I call out, trying to snatch my purse back. The hum of the crowd decreases as they surround the man and me, but no one helps me. The man doesn’t miss a step. His greasy hair and jowly face creases in anger as he pulls out a knife and tries to pry the purse from my arms.

             To my horror, the man withdraws a large, lethal knife and lunges towards me, and another one appears behind me, pointing a g*n at me. Outnumbered, I release the purse, take a step back, but the other man also grips me. His face set in a sneer, he tries to drag me to him.

             I realize at the moment that I’m going to have to fight. He’s mad, and he’s going to hurt me. Before I can kick him, a large figure steps between the men and me. He’s large. About the same size as Argent and as muscled. He’s wearing a dark cap, and his beard is scruffy, but I can tell that his hair is brown. His large thighs curve in a stance as one of the men lunges at him. Before the man can stab him, the man grips his wrist, takes his knife, and plunges it into his thigh. My assailant cries out, falling to his knees while the other swipes at the man with the knife.

             I observe as the man kicks the second assailant in the head and knocks him out. His blue jeans mold to his firm hips and his dark green Henley fits perfectly against his broad back and narrow waist.

             Once he’s done, he latches some kind of zip ties to each man before he approaches me. That’s when I see the blood dripping from his right pec.

             Glancing up, I meet a pair of piercing emerald eyes and perfectly chiseled features. The man is breathtaking. Definitely up there in the looks department with Argent. His expression is closed off as he extends his hand towards me and helps me up from the ground. “Are you alright?” He asks in a deep, male voice.

             Speechless, I nod my head and take his hand, mine is shaking like a leaf, and my heart is still pounding erratically. “I’m… fine… thank you…” I mumbled weakly.

             “Orion. My name’s Orion.” He mutters evenly.

             His calloused hand wraps around mine, making me tingle. I know that I’m in love with Argent, but something in this enigmatic man’s aura makes me breathless.

             Releasing his hand, I take a careful step back and swallow deeply. To my surprise, he arches a brow and mutters. “Call the police.”

             Reaching in my bag, I take out my cell phone and call the police. Orion watches over the unconscious perpetrators, his green eyes looking on warily for any signs of stirring as we wait.

             “You’re bleeding,” I mumble in distress. Surprised, Orion gazes down at his torn shirt and places his hand over the cut to stifle the blood. “I’ll be fine.” He mumbles carefully.

             Upon closer inspection, I notice that his eyes are a bit sunken as if he hadn’t gotten any sleep, and his skin is pale. He looks weary yet strong. It’s quite a contradiction.

             Before I can suggest a hospital, the police show up. Running towards them, I point to the fallen forms and explain the situation. Fortunately, the men are still unconscious. However, unfortunately, Orion is gone. I glance around, confused, but there’s no sign of him. It’s as if he never existed.

             I spend half of the day in the police station reporting the incident.

             I honestly don’t know what to think as I make my way out of the station. For a moment, I consider calling Argent but quickly change my mind. He doesn’t need me to stress him out right now. I’ll tell Argent when he comes back.

             Once the police had gotten all of the information they need, one of the officers offers to give me a ride home, but I refused. I’m still a little shaken from the experience, and even though I know that it’s stupid to walk home, that’s exactly what I do. Arms wrapped around my chest, I make my way to the house.

             “You know it’s stupid to walk home after what happened to you. Even if you did kick-a*s back there.” I jump, startled, and face Orion.    Placing my palm over my heart, I swallow hard. “Oh my gosh, you scared me. What happened to you? Where did you go?” I ask hurriedly.

             Orion’s jaw pops as he gazes down at me through hooded eyes. He’s still wearing the baseball cap, which makes me curious to know what his hair is like. “I’m sorry, sweet girl, but I’d rather not get involved with the police right now. In fact, I was hoping you could help me with something.”

             I bite my lip, shaken by his cryptic words. “W-what, do you want?” I ask warily.

             Orion glances away, then back at me, the long fringes of his lashes casting a sinister shadow across his eyes. “I’m glad you’re well, Penelope.” He gruffly mumbles as he gives me a glimpse of the g*n hidden inside of his waistband.

             Alarms instantly go off in my head at the sound of my name on his lips. I never told him my name. Backing away, I take a few steady breaths. My pulse thrums like a drumbeat in my ears, and my vision sharpens. “How did─”

             “How did I know your name?” Orion quickly interjects. To my terror, he lifts the g*n and places it against my side. “It’s a long story. Let’s just say that I need to speak to Argent, and you’re the only one who can help me.”

             At that moment, everything clicks into place. “You’re Sebastian, aren’t you?” I ask steadily. “Argent told me about you.”

             Orion wraps his hand around my forearm before he takes his hat off and sifts his fingers through his thick, wavy hair appealingly. His brooding expression darkens at my words. Not with anger, but with something akin to regret. “Don’t make this harder than it should be, sweetheart.” He mutters through gritted teeth.

             Before I can argue, he takes my cell phone and puts it in his back pocket. I glance around wildly in hopes of finding a way to escape, but before I can, a sting in my arm makes me yelp. The world quickly fades until darkness envelopes my senses, and my body falls into oblivion.

             I don’t know how long I’m unconscious, but when I come to, I’m lying in a strange bed. My heart beats wildly against my chest as I run my gaze around the unfamiliar room. Making to rise, I fall back when a force pulls me back down. To my horror, I realize that I’m cuffed to the metal bars of a loft bed. My hair flows wildly around my face and shoulders, and my stomach churns with fear. I nearly jump out of my skin when I spot Sebastian sitting in a chair next to the bed. His hooded eyes run across my form with a mixture of desire and remorse.

             “Why are you doing this?” I ask carefully.

             Sebastian adjusts his hat across his honey-colored waves and clears his throat before he answers. “Trust me, if I had any other choice, I’d have taken it. Unfortunately, it has been harder than I thought it would be to get to Argent without an audience. And using you is the only way to achieve that goal. But don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you as long as you do what I say.”

             My lower lip trembles and a tear escapes the corner of my eye at his words. “You don’t have to do this, Sebastian.” I shift on the bed and lean my back against the headboard in hopes of finding some semblance of comfort. “You can find some other way to contact Argent.”

             Sebastian shakes his head. “No, there isn’t, sweetheart. Trust me, I tried, but every time I’d come close enough to talk to him, there would be someone else to block me. Not to mention he’s so angry at me that I doubt he’d listen if I told him the truth. And just when I thought I had a moment to speak to Argent, he attacked me. To add to that, the men who were looking for me attacked me soon after seeing me with Argent. It truly hasn’t been easy.”

             He mutters with bemusement.

             I shake my head. Sebastian doesn’t seem like he’s interested in hurting me, which puts me at ease. Yet, I don’t like the idea of being held, prisoner. “So, what are you going to do?”

             He smiles in reply. “I already did what I need to do. While you were taking your beauty sleep, I contacted Argent and told him that I want to meet him─ alone. I also took the liberty of informing him that you’re with me. He needed proof, and I sent him a picture of your slumbering form.”

             “What?” I mutter incredulously.

             Sebastian shrugs. “He needed to know that you were well. Anyway, he’ll be here tomorrow morning, which gives us time to get to know each other.”

             Sebastian leans close, his eyes searching mine appraisingly, and lifts his hand to caress my face.

             I shudder as he slips his velvety thumb across my cheek and wipes the stray tear. Gulping loudly, I gaze intently into his emerald eyes. “Please, Sebastian, let me go.”

             He ignores my plea and slides beside me, his face inches from mine. “Not until Argent gets here, sweetling. God, you’re so beautiful. But then again, Argent has always been a magnet for beautiful women. Lauren was also very beautiful.”

             I look at my restrained wrists and shift in the bed before I reply. “You…you knew her?” I ask. Argent told me that he was married before, but he never gave me any details, other than to tell me that she died.

             Sebastian backs away with a snicker. “Yeah, I knew Lauren. I was there when he met her. Hell, I was his best man at his wedding. Argent and I have been friends for a very long time.”

             He doesn’t elaborate, which feeds my curiosity. He didn’t sound like he got along with Lauren. However, I don’t ask. I don’t think I’m ready to know more about the woman who holds Argent’s heart.

             Sebastian’s face contorts into a pained grimace as he squirms beside me. Brow furrowed, I glance down and see that there’s blood on his shirt. The man at the market must have stabbed him or cut him somehow.

             “You’re hurt. Take off your shirt,” I order firmly.

            Orion/Sebastian quirks a brow. “I’m fine. Just a cut.”

             I shake my head. “Either way, it can get infected. Now, let me loose so that I can clean your wound.”

             He hesitates for a moment, then reaches forward and unlocks my cuff. “Well, this is not how I expected this to go. Shouldn’t you be screaming at me or telling me that Argent is going to kill me for doing this?”

            I shake my head and rise from the bed to search for a first aid kit. Sebastian gestures to a box on a nearby table. “No, I’m not. Now, how about you take off your shirt so I can take care of that nasty cut.”

            I won’t pretend that my body doesn’t tremble when his eyes soften and his expression changes into a sexy smolder. The man is extremely potent. I almost swallow my tongue when he reaches over his head and pulls the collar of his shirt up until it’s over his head. His chest is chiseled perfection. Once again, I find myself comparing him to Argent, who also looks like his muscles are carved from stone.

            The gash on his chest is covered by a makeshift bandage, so I reach forward and carefully remove it. Blood trickles from the angry pink gash instantly. “It’s not deep, but it looks like you’re going to need stitches,” I mutter as I wipe the wound with sterilizing alcohol and cover it with clean gauze. “We should go to a hospital,” I mutter.

            Sebastian holds my hand in place before I can move away and firmly mutters. “No, hospital.” He sounds tense at the prospect.

            “But, you need stitches.” I insist.

            Sebastian shakes his head adamantly. “I can sew it myself.”

            Astounded by his suggestion, I shake my head. “No, I’ll do it. Just give me a minute.”

             Sebastian gives me an imperceptible nod, never taking his eyes off me while I gather all of the necessary materials. Thankfully, he leads me through the process as I sew up the five-inch gash. Sebastian doesn’t even flinch.

            Once I’m done, I clean the cut and bandage it. Before I can move away, he places his hand on my waist and pulls me closer. My palms rest against his solid chest. The velvet skin is tight against his muscles. I know it’s wrong, but I can’t help running my hands across his powerful pectoral. Hey, I might be in a relationship, but I’m not dead.

             “My god, Argent, is such a lucky man. You’re exquisite and brave. It seems that he’s even more fortunate in love the second time around.” He whispers seductively.

            My mouth dries at his impassioned words. What am I doing? I think to myself.

             Trembling, I bite my lower lip and sit back down on the bed. Something about his words deflates me. I know that I should appreciate his compliment, but the reality of Argent and my relationship depresses me. “Thanks, but…um…Argent’s not in love with me,” I mutter.

             Sebastian chuckles. “That’s bullshit. He may not say the words, but his actions speak louder than words.”

             I shrug in reply. “Yeah, well, he told me that he wasn’t, so…”

             “Yeah, he might have said that, but the truth is that for ten years, Argent has not been in a relationship. Sure he’d have s*x when the need became too strong, but he’d never stick around. You’re the first woman he has been with for longer than a day, which is very telling. Don’t let his words discourage you. Trust me, I know Argent─he’s in love.”

             I refuse to argue, but it doesn’t stop the spark of hope that grows in my heart.

             Pushing my hair back, I look at Sebastian. His face is a little flushed and clammy. Without a thought, I place my palm over his brow. After a moment, he sluggishly blinks his eyes open and gruffly mumbles.

             “Do I have a fever?”

            Flushing with embarrassment, I pull my hand from his forehead. “No, you’re fine, but you look exhausted. When was the last time you slept?”

            Sebastian rubs his palms across his eyes with a shrug. “I don’t know…a couple of days. Talk to me, sweet girl. Where did Argent meet such a beautiful American woman like you?”

            A snort escapes my lips at the memory. “Well, we met when my friend and I were being sold at a virgin auction.”

            Sebastian’s head shoots up from its perch, his body stiffening with rage. “You were being sold? Jesus! I hate those f*****g auctions. Those arseholes have ruined so many lives─ including mines. I’m sorry. I didn’t know, but I’m glad I was here to help you earlier.”

            “I’m glad too,” I say as I rest my head on his n***d shoulder. Sebastian glances down at me, his eyes sparkling with an untold emotion. “You are too sweet.”

            “You look tired. Why don’t you go lie down on the bed?”           Sebastian shakes his head but doesn’t move from the bed. “No, it’s best if I stay awake. I tried to keep to the shadows in hopes that no one would see us together, but I can never be certain, and I can’t risk you getting hurt. Argent would murder me if I failed to keep you safe.”

            It’s odd because I just barely met this man, but something tells me to trust him. Not knowing what else to do, I reach for the fleece blanket strewn across the back of the bed, slip off my flip-flops, and wrap the blanket around us. Sebastian looks on as I tuck myself next to him and rest my head on his shoulder. I’m sure he doesn’t know what to make of my actions. Hell, I don’t know what to make of them. I’m just going on instinct at this point, and my instincts tell me that I can trust him.

            Adjusting his weight, Sebastian wraps his arm around my shoulder and rests his chin on my head. The heat of his body is so soothing that I can’t help but close my eyes.

            It’s not until I hear the knock on my door later in the evening that I realize that we had fallen asleep.