Chapter 42
Chapter 42
A few hours later
2:34 PM
After delivering the weapons to Mark, I head to the bistro Iuvally go to after risky missions.
I don’t drink, but like the calm atmosphere there. Anything that helps me avoid seeing my father is good enough for me.
BISTRO
4.45 p.m.
I’m calmly sipping my coffee, settled at a table.
“I didn’t expect to see you here!”
I lift my head and meet an unforgettable pair of blue eyes.
Mathieu. I smile at the sight of my former colleague. I invite him to sit across from me.
“I didn’t expect to see you again at all
“You left like a thief in the night. You didn’t leave a number or an address.”
“I didn’t exactly want to be found.”
“What happened to your face?”
He studies mo carefully
“Occupational hazard”
He looks around to make sure no one can hear us. The bistro i
o is empty.
“I know who you are, Inara.”
My eyes
widen as
den as my heart starts pounding
“What do you mean by
that?”
“You know what I mean.”
He knows my true identity, that much is clear,
“What exactly do you know?”
“You’re the daughter of a major arms trafficker, You had no real qualifications to become a guard, yet strangely, you got the job.”
feign indifference.
How d
did you find all that out?”
No point in denying i
git
“I’m pretty good with computers. When I tried to get information on you, all your documents looked fake. So, I decided to dig a little deeper. I easily found your birth certificate, which gave me your father’s name. From there, I pieced things together.”
Chapter 42
This impressed by his if skills and his reasoning.
“Have you told anyone?”
only told my cal
1state him straight in the eyes, then start touching the knife hidden under my clothes, concealed under the table,
It pains me to think I might have to hurt Mathieu. If he tells anyone infiltrater prison, Teould end up in one for al
“I suppose you’re trying to figure out how to kill me without the police Tracing it back to you, right?”
He’s sharp.
“You’re pretty calm for someone sitting across from a murderer.”
“you asked me if I told anyone just to see if you needed to clean up, right?”
“Exactly,”
He’s going to die, so there’s no need to lie to him. He picks up my coffee and takes a sip right in front of me.
“Since I’m going to die, you could at least tell me what the hell you were doing in our prison. I came up with all sorts of cracy theories. None of them seemed plausible”
Ishrug
“If it’s your last wish.”
I tell him the reasons I was undercover while he listens, wide–eyed.
“I knew Alexander was involved, but I didn’t realize it was that deep! it was so weird that you disappeared the same day he got released!”
“Alexander was my mission.”
He stares at me intently.
“How could I be dumb enough to believe you were studying psychology and wanted to research inmate behavior?”
I was inspired that day,
“No one could’ve guessed my real motivations.”
“Anis always sensed something was off about you.”
“Too bad his heart is as dark as mine.”
“You’re a born actress”
“You were the one I liked most in that prison. I have a lot of respect for you. You’re a good person.”
He laughs nervously.
“You’ve got a funny way of showing respect. You’re about to kill me, remember?”
Hower my head and sigh
“I’m not going to enjoy it.
Chapter 42
“You know there’s a surveillance camera over there
He points to a camera in the comer. inspect it closely.
“It’s not connected. All the wins are hanging out of the back. You aheady knew that because you’re just as observant astam
He gives a shy smile
“You’re something”
“I don’t get why you took the risk of coming here, knowing I wouldn’t have a choice but
“I wanted to talk to you.”
look at him. He’s troubled.
“You risked your life just out of curiosity!”
_____ “Not just that….”
“I won’t let anyone get in my way or send me to prison.”
He places his hand on mine. He gives me a small smile
e while I stare at
this hand strangely. I’m not used to physical contact
“I didn’t come here to blackmail or threaten you, just to thank you.”
look at him, confused and surprised.
“What are you talking about?”
“I sincerely wanted to thank you, inara.”
“You’re trying to sweet talk me into sparing your life, is that it?”
Mathieu lets out a small laugh.
“The director resigned and made new decisions, like firing Franck and Anis.”
“No need to thank me.
“He also called me into his office to tell me I’d be getting a huge bonus thanks to you. I don’t know what you uncovered about him to make that happen, but I wanted to thank you.”
I feel awkward. I’m not used to being thanked.
“You remember I told you my mom had cancer?”
Inod.
She died last week… Im not sad because I know she’s at peace and no longer suffering. I’ve always been terrified of ending up completely alone, but! know she’s watching over me.”
I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how to comfort people. He pulls his hand back.
“That money helped give her a proper funeral I also donated part of it to a hospital for sick children.
this man exist, or did I imagine him just to keep believing in humanity and its goodness?
“I’m sorry about your mother.”
3/6
Chapter 42
okay”
Despite his recent loss, he still has that beautiful sparkle in his eyes that he had when we first met
ile the guard job so I could ally live life on my own terms,
, not for others anymore,
“Why are you telling me all this, Mathieu?”
You might find it hard to bel
believe, but I have no intention of reporting your to the commission or anyone else
look at him, surprised,
“Why wouldn’t you?”
“To me, you’re a good person–and more importantly, you’re my protector, I’d never do anything to harm you”
He’s sincere. I feel it in my soul and my body. How could I ever have considered killing such a respectable man?
“won’t kill you, Mathieu. Never.”
“know.”
Behind this ruthless woman’s exterior, there is a heart.
“I don’t want to know about the monstrous things you’ve done or will do. All I want is… to be your friend.”
My friend? Me? Having a friend? Someone to laugh with, talk to? Someone whose place I could stay at when I feel alone? Someone I could show my weaknesses to?
“I think we have a lot in common. We’re both alone, I don’t think your relationship with your father is great either.”
He chuckles softly.
“And we both have a weakness for very tall, muscular criminals with tan skin, shoulder length wavy hair, dark brown eyes, a mysterious, dangerous vibe -and a name like Alexander Graves.”
I watch him with a bright smile.
“Alright. We……. we’re friends.”
I give him a pat on the shoulder, and he flinches in pain while laughing.
“You need to learn to control your strength! You’re gonna dislocate my shoulder”
He pulls a
an envelope from his pocket and hands it to me.
“Chris wrote this for you when he got out of prison. He went back to Cuba. He wanted you to read this letter
I tuck it into my pocket to read later. I’d rather d
discover it alone
“Now that we’re friends and have no secrets left between us, you have to tell me all the juicy details about your hookups with Alexander! I want everything–and the size of little Alexander!”
I burst into loud laughter
I have a feeling Mathieu is going to turn my life upside down, for the better
“Don’t skimp on the details! if it was bad, I don’t even want to know–you’d ruin my only fantasy!”
Chapter 42
Nothing happened.”
“Not even a little kiss?”
“No physical contact between him and me, except for violent ones,
He smirks.
“Violent, how? Like bruises after sex or scratches down his muscular back?”
I burst out laughing. Thankfully, we’re the only customers in the hat, or this would be nkward.
“What part of ‘nothing happened and nothing will ever happen between Alexander and me‘ don’t you understand?”
He sighs in frustration.
“Damn! Why are you being so difficult? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind a quick shag with you?”
“Do you even hear yourself? Let me remind you that he and I are enemies.”
“forgot, all that rival gang drama… Your life’s like a Hollywood movie,”
I told him everything that had happened since I left the prison. With each new piece of information, Mathieu either gasped or screamed because of the unexpected twists
“Didn’t you say he walks into your room like it’s his own? Just close the windows and the problem is solved.”
If only it were that simple.
“Why are you so desperate for me
sleep with him?”
“First, you’ve got more of a chance than I do, and then you could give me all the juicy details.”
What a pervert. He hid it well until now.
“Second, it’s obvious you’re dying to. I think if you don’t live out your Alexander Graves fantasy soon, you’ll end up exploding from frustration.”
Ifrown.
“I’m not frustrated”
“Since we started talking about Alexander, your heel’s been tapping like a junkie needing a fix
I look down and realize my foot is bouncing frantically.
“I’m not asking you to fall in love with him. Just scratch the itchTM
“I’m not a sex addict. I know how to calm myself down with a cold shower.”
“You seem scared of what might happen if you give int
to hirn.”
“I know what’s at stake. I’m not exactly keen on ending up with a bullet between the eyes.””
“You can’t just deny yourself what you want because of the consequences.”
He’s completely right, but Khalid is unpredictable. With the insult Alexander gave him, he won’t hesitate to crush anything in his way.
“Now that you’ve quit your job, what are you going to do with your life?”
Chapter 42
“I’m still a bit lost, but I’ve got enough savings to survive a while without working”
if you need anything, call me.”
“What are you going to do? Offer me a hitman job?”
Holaughs. I smile. He’s so spontaneous, warm, and genuine,
