Read Online Assassin Deception by C. L. Scholey - Free Book Online Page B

front of his wife and young son; they're traumatized! Thank God the woman was able to escape with the child or she would have been next. In his condition he might have even done away with the boy! Thank heaven we were able to locate their hiding place first before the police could contact them.
    “Now I have to deal with the woman and boy, find a place for them out of the way. You know what that means. I can’t risk them exposing our family by identifying that menace. You know how I feel about holding innocents against their will…”
    “Please, James, what are you going to do to him?”
    “I’ve called for the doctor. Her father is drunk again. I will take care of this…but it must stop!” James snarled.
    “James, be careful, please don’t kill him! Think of the mother!” Samantha called frantically, racing after his retreating form.
    “Let’s see how well the bastard does with no hospital and a few broken bones of his own!” Chloe heard James thunder as he left the room.
    Chloe was frightened to be left all alone. She whimpered. And then Dirk was there before her. Smiling down on her. His caring, beautiful blue eyes searched her own. He reached for her tiny, limp hand and kissed the palm gently, fondling her fingers, lacing them through his own tenderly.
    He told her she was a brave little mite while stroking the hair from her bruised face. His deep concern radiated from within. Yet something more troubled him. Chloe knew they were about to share another secret. She looked up at him with trusting eyes. She loved him.
    “I want you to do me a favor, my precious little one. I want you to forget what you just heard. Will you do that for me?”
    “I will, Dirk. I promise.”
    “Why will you forget, honey?”
    “Because I love you and you love me,” Chloe whispered aloud, her hand went limp in Damien’s grasp. Her breathing deepened.
    She felt warm lips kiss her cheek. The scent of Dirk’s cologne once more drifted to Chloe’s nose. It was the aroma of safety, just like her Damien’s. Chloe then fell asleep.
    * * * *
    Chloe lay in her bed, staring at nothing. The darkness was frightening, all encompassing. Her tears fell from her eyes. She willed them to stop, but felt their telltale trailing down her cheek. The endless darkness represented endless aloneness. How was she ever to cope with this?
    Everything would change now, she was changed. How could she never again set eyes on Damien? Her handsome Salvator. Nor would she ever again see a simple sunrise. Then she realized there was nothing simple about a sunrise.
    She had taken so many for granted, so many little things for granted. Lights on beautiful Christmas trees, a stunning flower in full bloom, the feeling of quiet calmness when she gazed over the ground freshly dusted in the first snow of the season. Moonlight. Autumn’s colors that looked to be painted by a gifted artist. It was gone, all gone in less than a heartbeat. She wept at the unfairness of life. The hand dealt to her had been so harsh.
    “Chloe?” She heard James’ weary voice. The bed dipped when he sat down beside her. Her hand searched the air for his. James captured it, and clasped it between his own two. She felt her fingers dragged across the contours of his rough, unshaven cheek.
    “James?” she whimpered. “What will I do?”
    “It’s all right. You will always have a place here. You are home, safe. I’m here. I will always be here for you, no matter how you feel about me,” James replied.
    Confused, Chloe detected an air of sadness to his voice and words. Chloe knew he would always be there for her. He always had been. Did he feel a sense of guilt? This wasn’t his fault. It wasn’t as if a hit had been ordered against her. It was then she remembered her father’s black book. She needed to tell him about the book; she couldn’t let it fall into the wrong hands. She also needed and wanted him to soothe her fears, especially now while she felt so