Assassin Deception (14 page)

“Please don’t be angry with me. I couldn’t stand that. I know it was a book of deceptions and lies. When you read it you’ll see what I mean,” Chloe cried frantically.

“We’re not angry, Chloe. We have all read the book,” Wolf declared, his eyes trained intently on her.

“But when, how? I only just found it,” Chloe said, confused. A feeling of dread settled into the pit of her belly.

“Sweetheart, that was over two weeks ago,” Damien said.

“No,” Chloe said, scowling. “It was just yesterday. I remember it clearly.”

“It would appear the return of your sight came at great cost,” James said grimly.

“My sight?” Chloe whispered.

“You have been blind for two weeks. Yesterday you fell down the stairs in the front hall after we all raced off to make certain Dad was all right,” Damien explained.

Tentatively, Chloe reached up and felt a bandage wrapped around her head. She then studied the gauze on her hand. She lifted her shirt, exposing significant though fading bruising on her ribs.

“Why did I forget, Salvator?” Chloe asked, confused and now frightened.

“It must be because you banged your head again,” Damien replied, looking perplexed.

“How did I lose my sight two weeks ago?” Chloe asked, trying to absorb what they were saying.

“There was a bomb. Your old home blew up and you were very close to it. You were lucky it didn’t kill you. As it was you can see you were hurt. You have yet to heal. This last fall has aggravated your condition,” James replied.

“A bomb killed my father,” Chloe said.

Her belly twisted into knots. To her it seemed only yesterday she had confronted James about the death of her father. He had admitted his man was responsible but had screwed up. James had somehow gotten rid of the man responsible, but had not elaborated.

She had admitted to him she had always known James and the family’s occupation. James had explained he and his men only killed evil people who glorified in harming others for sport or ill-gotten gain. Yet her father’s vivid descriptions of the men and women he assassinated came to mind.

If her father had been ordered to kill, by James, wouldn’t that make them both evil? Her father had mentioned Dirk in his book. Had it been Dirk who helped with his executions? If Dirk was in charge of the family it would be him ordering the assassinations of others. Did that make him evil?

But Damien wasn’t evil. Had he killed? If he had would she feel differently about him? Did she feel any different towards Dirk or Wolf, even knowing what they did and do?

Chloe’s thoughts became so confused. Her mind ached. These were the same men she had loved and trusted her entire life. Why was she questioning them now? An overwhelming sensation shattered her heart. A fear on the tip of her memory. It hurt to search for it, then eluded her altogether.

“Why don’t you get more rest? This has all been a terrible shock. This entire day has been hard on everyone,” James said. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

Chloe stiffened, and was surprised she almost recoiled from his touch. For the first time in her entire life she felt a moment’s fear of the man. Chloe nodded dutifully and buried herself under her blankets, afraid to let them see the expression on her face. She felt like she was betraying them again. Yet a thought crashed into her mind:
Who was
deceiving whom?

Chapter Eight

“
Your uncle was a good man. Your father always said he should have seen it coming
when he was killed by them. He trusted them, they killed him. We’re next, beware, Chloe, beware…”

Chloe woke with a start. The dream of her mother faded into her consciousness. She blinked hard against the confusion that assaulted her thoughts. Her head ached. Chloe eased herself off the bed and headed towards her bedroom door, stumbling in the semi-darkness.

She rested her weary head against the bedroom doorframe. The dim hallway was quiet, the hour very late or perhaps early morning. She settled a shaky hand onto the banister. Chloe could see the light on downstairs in the living room; images of moving shadows flickered within her line of vision. Someone was quietly stalking about. Taking in a hesitant breath, she lowered an unsteady foot and took a small step down, then another.

“Chloe!”

She jumped, frightened at the deep, commanding voice, and spun around, losing her balance. Chloe’s hands flailed into open, empty air. A frightened memory crashed within her mind, stilling her breath. She was pushed. Someone had hurt her, frightened her. But when, who, why?

“Christ, Chloe! You could have been hurt again. What the devil are you doing out of bed?” Damien’s harried voice reached her ears as she was snatched from certain death into his arms. Damien held her to his chest and strode off to her room. Chloe could feel the frantic pace of his heart pounding through his warm, unclad chest.

“My head and bones ache. I just wanted to take something for the pain I’m in,” Chloe mumbled.

Damien deposited her onto her bed. He pulled the covers over her. When he sat beside her, he ran a quick hand through his hair. Even in the dim light she could make out his worried expression.

“You are too injured to be stumbling about. I told you I would take care of you. You should have woken me. No more wandering around.”

“What’s going on?” Dirk demanded. He entered Chloe’s room, snapping on the lights.

“Chloe’s in pain. She tried to head for the kitchen,” Damien said.

A grim look settled over Dirk’s face. “Chloe, I have men stationed about the house. I don’t want you startling someone by wandering. Tensions are too high. Between the explosion and the car crash everyone is on edge. Everyone has been ordered to stay in their rooms for the night so we can make certain the grounds are air tight. You know better; we’ve practiced lock down with you before numerous times.”

Chloe looked up sorrowfully into Dirk’s angry expression. “I just wanted an aspirin,” she whispered, weariness settled into her bones. She had no idea Dirk had rallied his men. No one had informed her she was to remain put. Dirk should know that, yet he was frightening her. Dirk had never purposely frightened her. “I’m sorry, Dirk. Please don’t be angry. I would have listened to your command if someone had told me. I always obey your commands.”

* * * *

Now it was Dirk’s turn to run a quick, agitated hand through his hair. He had enough to deal with. With a wife and new baby to care for, he found his nerves were tense like never before. Chloe’s gentle sobbing had him take a quick breath; he could tell he had frightened her.

She was right, she hadn’t known about his orders. She fell asleep before the others did. With Damien in her room he just assumed she would be unable to become mobile without his knowledge. Of course she would be in pain. Dirk should have thought to leave something by her bed. She could have been injured because of his thoughtlessness. Now it looked as though she was close to hysterics from her pain and fear, fear he himself had caused. Dirk removed a syringe from his pocket.

* * * *

“No, Dirk, not that,” Chloe cried, cringing back. She hated the feel of the fog as it took over her mind. He didn’t need to control her through drugs; she would listen this time, now that she knew what he expected. She shrank back farther as he approached her. A terrified thought popped into her mind. Why did he even carry debilitating drugs with him? What on earth could their purpose be, and within his own home? Just how much trouble was he expecting?

Dirk sat beside her and took her into his arms. “Chloe, I’m sorry I was annoyed with you and made you cry, I know you always listen to my commands. I’m at fault, not you. It’s just that things are heating up around here. I’ve hardly had any sleep. You know what a bear I am when I can’t get any sleep. There are just a few hours until morning. I promise Damien will cuddle up beside you for the rest of the night. When the drug wears off we’ll all go down to breakfast, I promise. There is no reason you need to lie here awake and in pain for the rest of the evening when I can help you. Let me help you, sweetheart,” Dirk cajoled in a soothing voice.

“I just wanted an aspirin,” Chloe pleaded. The dreams would come again. The ones that teased her with their partial memories, brief glimpses into doom. Like fleeting nightmares, always teasing at the corners of your mind. Handing you only a fragment of what was or will be.

Chloe cried harder when his grip tightened on her, his arms wrapping themselves around her, stopping her pitiful efforts to break free of him. She felt the needle slip into her vein regardless of her frightened pleas.

“No, wait! You don’t understand,” Chloe begged. But it was too late.

“Let me make it better,” Dirk soothed. He rubbed on her arm and kissed her tear-stained cheek. “You know I’ll take care of you. I’ll take care of everything.”

“It’s all right, Chloe,” Damien soothed. He pulled her into his own embrace after leveling a dark look onto his brother.

Chloe’s soft sobbing quieted until it was nonexistent. Her arms slipped from around Damien’s neck to land at her sides. Her head rested against Damien’s bare chest. “What the hell, Dirk?” Damien stormed.

“Look at yourself,” Dirk replied, annoyed, into his brother’s bloodshot eyes. His clothes, what there were of them, were a rumpled mess. “You’re of no use to me half-baked! She almost got away from you. When’s the last time you slept? What if you hadn’t stopped her from wandering downstairs, you know what’s happening outside.

“Damn it, Damien! Whether she knows what we do or not wouldn’t prepare her for that! She’s been through enough trauma. One more good knock to her head will kill her for certain next time. There damned well better not be a next time! Now lie down beside her and get some rest. At least now we know she won’t be wandering off.”

“Is what you’re doing really necessary?” Damien asked.

“The crash needed to be covered up. We can’t appear vulnerable right now! You know I think we have a leak. Someone is on the inside. I need to find out who that person is and deal with them immediately,” Dirk snapped. Damien lowered Chloe to the bed. He carefully stroked her down to an exposed, bruised rib. His saddened gaze traveled up to his brother.

“He was a loyal man, my friend. He deserves better,” Damien said.

“Damien, he had no family except us. We’ll remember him. I needn’t remind you how many others are out there.”

Damien sighed. “Good night, Dirk. Close the door on your way out.”

“Sleep, little brother. Tomorrow we can talk. Your opinion is important to me. I know you think the vote was unfair and even harsh and unethical. Just remember, Tyr, Wolf and I are protecting more valuable interests. You might want to think on that now that Chloe’s home. I know you have feelings for her. You might just want to explore them.”

* * * *

Dirk left and Damien pulled Chloe to his chest. One thought stormed into his mind. Whether or not Chloe was the woman for him, Dirk would never again drug someone he loved when they were unwilling; he would stop him.

The thought astounded him. He had witnessed Dirk do so on numerous occasions and never once interfered, always thinking Dirk knew what was best, it had been grilled into him Dirk knew what was best. This time he felt he was wrong, and the sensation overwhelmed him.

There was a better solution; Dirk was just too tired to think on it. Putting others first was Dirk’s responsibility and number one priority, no matter how tired he was. Yet the burden shouldn’t rest on his shoulders alone. He should be able to depend on help from a reliable source. Damien would make certain he and his brother talked about this. He should have interfered on Chloe’s behalf; she was no match for Dirk. She was no match for any of them.

Being with her, touching her, her trust in him was beyond important. It was time for him to step into his own rightful place. Time he earned it and voiced a greater opinion other than just following blindly. Dirk deserved an opinion, Damien deserved to be heard. He should be that opinion. Damien decided perhaps he really was growing up after all.