Chapter Three

                                                               Chapter Three

                                                                    Jamie

I wake up to the sound of a soft knock on the door, it’s so soft that I am surprised I even woke up to it.

“Who is it?” I ask softly. But there is no response, so I pull the white comforter off of me, and swing my legs out of bed. I realize I am wearing nothing but a silky white nightgown, which confuses me because I vividly remember putting on my fuzzy pajama pants with little elephants on them, and a tank top.

When I finally stand up, and collect myself I reach for the white bathrobe that’s draped over my storage bench at the foot of my bed to cover myself, and then I hear the soft knock again.

“Who is it? I’m coming…” I say as I walk towards the bedroom door. There is still no answer, goosebumps start to form on my arms making me shiver. I begin to feel very uneasy about who is behind that door.

I slowly reach my hand toward the bronze door knob, and right as I am about to open the door, someone bangs their first hard three times making me jolt back in surprise! I jump back so far I fall backward on my bottom directly in front of the entry.

Before I can even gather myself from the fall, the door is suddenly kicked open revealing a tall suited figure who starts walking slowly toward me. With the light from the hallway behind the perpetrator, and darkness covering the obvious male’s front, it made it hard to see his face. It’s as if he is only a mere shadow, but as he crept closer to me, I started to recognize the scent of tobacco mixed with mint, and cologne. He leans down at my level, and realization slowly kicks in on who this man is.

“Hello mia cara.” And there it is, the smooth velvet sound in his voice, There was no other man that made me feel as if I were listening to those calming nature sounds like you would listen to go to sleep. It made me feel so serene, and safe as soon as the octaves reached my ears. I missed him so much, and even if he is here to kill me, I would die peacefully knowing that I got to listen to his voice one last time.

He takes his hand and brushes my cheek, I know I am staring directly at him, but it saddens me I don’t get to fall deep in those golden brown eyes.

“I told you I would always find you Jamie. You are mine!” He says to me putting those cold chills down my spine.

“Marcel…” I try to say, but he abruptly stands, and then I see the sudden silhouette of all his men standing behind him.

“It’s time for you to pay for what you did!” He says pulling out a knife, and his men mirroring the same action, making my heart quicken in pace. I guess this is really it is where it ends. What a poetic death I shall have, being killed by the only man that I have ever loved.

“Marcel please! I had to kill her! Please try and understand!” I plead, hoping against hope that he will see the light. He surprisingly throws the knife down leaving me perturbed.

“What are you doing?” I ask, having a slight glimmer of optimism.

“Oh I’m still going to kill you.” He says in a mocking tone.

“I just changed my mind about how I want to do it!” The silhouette of his body comes at me fast after finishing his words. Before I can even think about what he is about to do I feel his hands wrap around my throat tightly! I’m not able to beg, or scream for help. All I can do is feel the bones crushing in my throat, I try to thrash about, and fight, I try to get his hand to release me so I can feel the air relieve my lungs, but with oxygen being cut from my brain, I start to become confused, and my vision becomes blurry. I feel my body go limp, and the last thing I see is Marcel’s golden brown eyes light up in satisfaction as I take my last struggle for air….

******************

“JAIMIE! WAKE UP BABE! WAKE UP!” My eyes flutter open instantly, and my body flings up in the air, making someone back away quickly, and I realize I am holding my breath. I release immediately and take a big gasp for air as if I had been underwater for ages.

As I am trying to catch my breath I realize I am drenched in sweat, I can feel it dripping down my back, and my hair sticking to my forehead.

“Jamie…” I become aware that the voice is Roman’s. What the hell is he doing in my room? Was it all really just a dream? It felt so real….I pulled the white comforter off of me revealing my fuzzy elephant pajamas, and I gasped even harder in relief.

Roman walks slowly toward me, and turns on my bedside table lamp. Great .... Now I wish I was wearing a sexy night gown….

No you don’t! What are you talking about?

“I was awake in the study, and I heard you screaming. How often do you dream like this?” He asks me, and to be honest way too quickly for me to be ready to talk about it yet.

“I’m sorry...I didn’t mean to disturb you...but I really don’t want to talk about it right now…” I say getting up from bed, and incredibly embarrassed by the large sweat spot I left behind for him to see.

“I need to take a shower.” I quickly start to head toward the bathroom.

“Jamie!” I feel a hand grab me by my forearm and pull me back. He pulls me way too close to him, and I’m sure he can feel my sweaty limbs. I feel so gross…

He is now holding both of my sweaty arms, and piercing me with his sexy, blue eyes. I look closely at his blonde, reddish hair, and feel the urge to run my hands through the waves. When my elbow slightly grazes his side I realize he isn’t wearing a shirt.

God fucking dammit, I want him do things to me! It has been way too long!

You need to stop Jamie! You cannot sleep with another man that’s probably on the most wanted list right next to the one you last slept with!

“Jamie! You need to stop trying to blow me off! It’s really starting to piss me off! You didn’t disturb me okay? I was fucking worried about you, you’re my responsibilliy, and it’s my job to protect you! Even if it is from your fucking dreams!” He shakes me a little as he says this, but then releases me as soon as he starts to grip me a little too tight.

After he lets me go, he pulls me back into a unyielding hug, and holds me tightly against his rock hard abs, as he caresses the back of my head.

“He won’t ever touch you! I will always protect you, and I won’t ever abandon you like he did.” He whispers in my ear.

“We have to leave soon. You might as well take a shower, and gather your bags.” He orders, releasing me from his embrace, he begins to exit the room but turns around to say one last thing.

“You will learn soon enough who you were meant to be with..” He says making my brain go a hundred miles per minute. What the hell is he talking about? But before I can ask him to explain, he exits the room, slamming the door behind him.

I knew there was something my father was hiding from me, something I didn’t know, I’m still not quite sure exactly what that is, but I guess I’m going to find out soon enough. There is no sense in sitting here and driving myself crazy over it right now. I have enough on my plate to deal with.

At times like this is when I really wish my mom was here, I mean these are times you are supposed to want your mom right? I don’t have many memories of my mom being a mother, but in the short time that she was, and I mean in the last few days I had with her, those few days had brought upon all kinds of imagination of what it might have been like if she were still here.

Which is why I have to train every day so hard, because even though my mother was taken from me, something else was taken away from me, something else even more precious, something I will never be able to have.

And it’s not just something, it’s a lot of things, my family's peace, my brother and I’s childhood, my father, and basically our chance at having anything close to a normal life.

When my father tells me I’m ready I swear I’m going to make those men suffer, and it won’t be quick and painless like Mia’s death. Oh no, they will die slowly, and painfully!

No one fucks with my family! No one!

After taking a long shower, washing away all the sweat, and stickiness, I dry my hair, and prep my wavy, resistant locks for the day, leaving it down. And then I choose my normal black leggings but with a gray crop top, I proudly show off the body I have worked so hard for in the last year. People can be damned for all I care, I’m not the same insecure girl I used to be. I put on some name brand tennis shoes my brother bought for me, apparently they are some expensive, and popular brand, my brother sat down with me for an hour scolding me for not knowing what they are, and I still don’t even pay attention to what they are. I just slip them on and call it a day, he does always seem to be happy when I wear them, so whatever I guess.

I grab what I can of my luggage, thinking I will come back up here in a little while to get the rest, but right before I am about to exit the room, my phone starts buzzing. I put the luggage down, and pull my phone out of my green over the shoulder strapped bag.

As soon as I see the caller I.D I gasp at the name on my screen!

Alley

I haven’t heard from her in a year….

What could she want?

Should I even answer?

Well of course you should!

“Hello..” I say through the phone

“Jamie…” Alley says shakily back.

“Hey Alley! I can’t believe your calling me! Is everything alright?” I ask.

Suddenly I hear shuffling in the background, and in the midst of all the ruckus Alley starts to cry out!

“Alley! What's going on?”

“Hi Jamie! Long time no talk.” I hear Ryan’s voice this time...

“Ryan? What the fuck is going on?” I yell getting frustrated. I hear Alley scream again in the background. Something is going on, and it’s not fucking good!

“Ryan! Hello! What the fuck are you doing to her?” I mean Ryan wouldn’t do anything to her? Right?

“I have to make this quick, so all I’m gonna say is if you don’t return to Ohio in one week, something very bad is going to happen to our dear friend Alley! One fucking week Jamie! That’s all you have.! When you return, make sure you meet me at your lover's old house? Got it?”

“Ryan I swear to fucking God!-” My phone beeps indicating that he hung up the phone.

Fuck!

I drop everything I have and run down the stairs, trying to hold my tears back. Strong women don’t cry, especially not women that are assassins in training...

Roman is thankfully down in the kitchen on his laptop sitting at the bar.

“Roman!” He immediately turns around at the sound of my frantic voice.

“What happened?” He says getting up, and caressing my cheek.

“My friend she is in trouble! We have to help her! We have to go back to Ohio right now and save her!” I beg.

“What are you talking about? Who? What friend?” He asks. I quickly explain to him who Alley and Ryan is, and what had happened on the phone. His face hardens, changes emotion several different times as I relay the details.

“Please Roman! We have to save her!” I plead with him.

“Jamie….fuck...we can’t go back to Ohio! It’s too dangerous….I’m sorry but I’m not risking your safety..”

“Roman please! You can’t keep me from saving her! I will never forgive you if you do!!” He looks conflicted, and frustrated, like he doesn’t know what to do! I have never seen him look so flustered and out of sorts.

“What's going on?” My brother says coming down the stairs.

“Alley is in trouble! We have to go help her!” I tell my brother.

“What! What are you talking about!” He asks, honestly just annoying me.

“There is no more time to explain! We have to fucking go help her now!” I yell exasperated.

“Jamie! We have a fucking week!” Roman yells angrily.

“Heres the fucking deal, we are going to continue our plans to Russia, and in the mean time I will send some men to look for your friend, One of them being your brother-” Roman declares as if that's fair! What's the point in all this training if they are never going to let me put it to good use! Are they ever going to let me do what I’m training to do?

“Hell no-” I start to say interrupting him mid sentence.

“Don’t fucking interrupt me! You’re making me lose my fucking patience! Jamie we have to go to Russia, and we have to be there for this event! Ryan Scuderi is not going to be an issue to get rid of! Your brother will be fine with some of my men!” He tries to reason with me.\

“Absolute fucking bullshit Roman! If something happens to my friend! I’m holding you responsible! And you will fucking pay for it! Marcel would have never refused\ me to go and save my friend!” As soon as the words leave my mouth I regret them. That’s the first time I have even said his name out loud in what seems so long.

Nothing but silence fills the room, I cross my arms in discomfort, and regret. I don’t think Roman will let me take those words back. But this is my friend we are talking about! How can he expect me to run off to Russia with him when my friend is in danger.

“I don’t honestly give a fuck what he would do! Get your shit, and let's go! We have a plane to catch.” He says, sounding restrained as he breaks the silence quicker than I thought.

“And Josh! Do as I fucking say, and gather my men. Regardless of whether I want to waste my time on your friend or not, this guy wants something from you, and we are going to see what that is.” All Josh does is nod his head in response, and walk out of the room but not before giving me a kiss goodbye on the forehead. Roman’s word is law, even if Josh agreed with me, he would not dare go against him. It will be just as dangerous for Josh to go though, if Marcel has someone watching, he will come after Josh to get to me. This is all just fucking bullsht!

I shouldn’t have said that to Roman, after everything he has done for me, I shouldn’t have compared him to Marcel...but this is my friends life, and he expects to go off to Russia knowing her life is in danger.

“I should have never trusted you, and asked you for help! I should have just left!” A knock on the door interrupts us.

“Enter.” Roman says. One of Romans closest men, Ivan walks in the room, not even acknowledging my presence like he always does, and all the rest of them do.

“Ivan grab Jamie’s bags!” He bowels his head, and disappears up the stairs. Roman inches closer to me, making me backup a little in fear., still not completely sure what kind of man he is. Will he hit me?

“Jamie don’t be afraid of me. I would never hurt you.” He stops moving toward me as if he didn't want to frighten me.

“But don’t ever mention him in my presence again! Ever! I will meet you down in the car. Go. And don’t think about trying anything funny. Jamie your safety means everything to me, even if it makes you fucking hate me.” I storm away from him, quickly, more pissed off than I can ever remember being pssied off!

I slam the door shut behind me, and the biggest thought I can hear screaming in my head is

I hate fucking men!!!