Read That Was Then (The Re-Do Series Book 1) Online
Authors: Nia Arthurs
K
endall
The things I know in this moment don’t make any particular sense.
I don’t have a problem with death per say. I mean, I understand that we’re all going to go eventually. I’m not
that
naïve.
Problem is… I’m starting to like this guy. So watching him get stabbed by some whacko in a black robe doesn’t sit well.
“Come on, Lula.” I coax my car as I turn the key in the ignition.
Charlie
just
gave her a tune up last week. She’s got to have some kind of power left! After the hundredth attempt since Alistair hopped out of the car five minutes ago, Lula finally rumbles to life. It’s too early to celebrate so I simply shift her into gear and press on the gas.
Keeping my head down for safety, I speed forward. Lula runs into something and she jerks back. I hear a thump and pray I haven’t run over Alistair. Curious and frightened out of my mind, I stomp on the brakes and glance up.
The night is completely still. Which is weird since–when Alistair and the mysterious guy in a Halloween costume were fighting–their grunts were pretty loud. No one is in front of me so I’m hoping for the best.
“Are you crazy?” a voice pops up in my ear.
I scream, wondering if the weird man in the robes is coming to stuff a knife in
my
head.
“Kendall, Kendall,” the person opens the door and I finally calm down.
“Alistair! You’re okay!”
I’m so relieved.
“What were you thinking? I told you to start the car and get away from here!”
“I just wanted to help,” I stutter and then feel anger flash up my spine.
How
dare
he yell at me when I put my life on the line to help him out? I could have run away, but I didn’t. Isn’t there a medal for that?
“Open up the back,” Alistair gruffly commands.
“What?”
“Kendall, I need you to do it, okay?”
I nod and pop open the back of my boxy truck. Alistair disappears. I switch on my head lights. The soft glow illuminates the dark area of the lot. The strange guy in the robes is splayed out on the ground in front of the chain link fence bordering
Paparrazi’s
.
I feel so bad.
I hope he’s not dead.
To my surprise, Alistair kneels over the man’s body. He extracts a sharp knife. What the heck? I jump out of the vehicle and dash to his side.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Is Alistair some kind of murderer?
My date doesn’t even spare me a glance.
“I have to extract the nightlock from his teeth while he’s still unconscious.”
It’s like Alistair’s talking another language. I’m speechless. Really, truly speechless. There is nothing that I can say that will bring any kind of clarity to the craziness unfolding in front of me. Without so much as an explanation, Alistair withdraws the belt securing the man’s robes and ties it around his hands and feet.
The man groans.
He’s beginning to rouse.
“Shoot! I didn’t call the police.” I slap my forehead for my stupidity and pull out my phone.
“That’s great.”
Alistair grabs the phone from me and hefts the guy in the robes in his arms. He strides toward the back of my Trooper and shoves the man roughly into vehicle. I finally understand what’s going on here.
We’re taking a prisoner.
I run toward Alistair.
“Um, what exactly are you doing?”
“Get in,” Alistair completely ignores my question. “There might be more around.”
Okay, even though Alistair is obviously not who he appears to be, I rather trust the devil I know than the one I don’t. Still, I can’t help the doubts. What if Alistair’s some kind of serial killer or crazy maniac?
I’m freaking out. All I wanted to do tonight was get to know a nice man. Maybe get a little smooch at the end of the night, but that was it!
I did
not
expect to be an accomplice to a kidnapping.
“This is the worst date I have ever been on,” I mumble.
Alistair glances at me. He has the gall to smile. He’s smiling! I can’t believe it.
“This isn’t funny.” I snap.
His amused smirk is still there, but his voice is serious.
“Trust me, I know.”
“How exactly do you know?”
He falls silent. I get the sense that Alistair can be as tightlipped as the guy who stole a cookie from the cookie jar. I’m not going to get anything out of him if I keep nagging, so I’ve got to change strategies.
After a few minutes of driving, Alistair looks my way.
“Where do you live?”
Is he planning to just drop me off after all this craziness? And then what, stow the crazy man in my closet?
“I’m not giving you that information.” I lift my chin stubbornly.
It’s bad enough that he’s driving my car with a human strung up like a pig in the back. I don’t know who Alistair Howard is anymore. I don’t want him anywhere near my house.
“I can just look it up, you know.” He informs me.
“I’m a part of this craziness now. You might as well take me wherever you’re going.”
Alistair slows the car down. “I don’t think so.”
I’m about to answer, but the man in my trunk begins to moan. It’s a real pathetic sound. Guilt flares in my stomach. If he’s in pain, it’s probably from being hit with the force of my two ton Trooper.
“
Oooh
,” his voice slices through the heavy tension of the cab.
Alistair glares at me as if I’m somehow responsible for the guy returning to consciousness.
“You have to go home. Now.”
This authoritative act is getting real old.
I fold my arms and stare straight forward. “No.”
Alistair sounds less amused when he says, “you know I could just forcefully remove you from this car.”
“But you won’t.” I stare into his eyes. “You’ll respect me and take me along.”
“Or what?”
I take a deep breath. “Or I’m calling the police.”
I don’t know why I’m being so stubborn about this. If Alistair plans to torture or kill this guy, I don’t want to be anywhere around in case I’m implicated. Or worse, in case Alistair turns on me next.
But something about his take-charge, bossy attitude rubs me the wrong way. I hit a guy with my car so basically, I’m already in a load of trouble. If the police asks, I’m not sure they’ll take my explanation with a dash of sympathy. Especially when I admit that I drove without looking.
I’m in this too and I want to know what the heck is going on. I want to know right now.
A
listair
This is a bad, bad idea. Taking Kendall along will not only prove to be dangerous, since I’ll be too distracted by her presence to focus on Shadow, but it will also involve her in my mess.
Unfortunately, she’s determined and as stubborn as the day is long. I can’t have her calling the police on me. Shadow moves in circles not … appreciated by law enforcement. If Shadow goes down, so do the Brotherhoods who rely on discretion and secrecy. I may have retired from that life, but the values and principles are still ingrained in me.
Discretion is prized above all else.
Kendall is still a problem. I
could
just knock her out cold. But I’d never hit a woman and especially not one that I care about.
“Fine,” I agree grudgingly, “but don’t say a word.”
“I won’t,” she promises and then promptly peppers me with questions. “Who is that guy? Why does he want to kill us? Where did you learn to fight like that?”
I’m not too keen on answering her questions. Not only is it dangerous for Kendall to know too much, but I’m afraid of what she’ll think of me when the truth comes out. So far, she’s the first woman that I’ve ever let this close.
She’s a beautiful, smart, wholesome person. I don’t think there’s room in her life for an ex-assassin. Especially not one with so many notches on his belt he can barely sleep at night.
“Kendall,” I warn.
She glares at me, but I don’t care. She’s the one that agreed to silence. If Kendall won’t cooperate, I’ll have to find some other method to get her out of the way.
I’m sure I can recall the pressure point between the shoulder blades if I’m pushed. It’s been a while, but since my retraining with the Belizean Assassins, the old instructions are rushing back to me.
Thankfully, it doesn’t come to that. She falls silent. It’s a good thing too. We’ve almost reached our destination. I flip off the headlights and let the car ride the rest of the way in neutral. I half-expect Kendall to ask where we are, but she doesn’t.
I’m grateful for small miracles.
The car comes to rest on a grassy enclosure with a broken hut structure only slightly visible in the thick, tropical foliage. I glance at Kendall’s face. She knows. We’re going in there. She doesn’t seem too pleased.
“You can wait here.” I offer.
“Not a chance, buddy.” She pokes me in the chest and hops out of the car.
I don’t know if it’s bravery or fear of the dark that motivates her. Whatever the case, I’ve seen rookie assassins with less spunk than Kendall Villanueva. The circumstances are far from light, but she puts a smile on my face anyway.
I hop out of the truck and round the back. Shadow is awake. His eyes convey his anger. If he gains even a mustard seed of an opportunity, Kendall and I are as good as dead.
I understand the risks, but know I’ve got the upper hand. I’ve tied Shadow soundly. Though he squirms, I don’t fear him. I’ve already relieved him of all his hidden weapons. If he gets away, I know I can take him in hand-to-hand combat.
I could kill him now, but he has some answers to give first. I can’t let Shadow slip away from me without finding out who sent him and why. Assassins rarely act on their own power. We don’t hold grudges unless a brother has broken his honor.
I left my league with my honor intact. I performed my missions to the satisfaction of my clients. Once a name was delivered, the target was pronounced dead within the very week, month, or year depending on how tight the security and how deep the connections I forged.
Shadow has no reason to pursue me for a personal vendetta. Maybe I exterminated someone that he cared about? I plan on getting him to talk. Perhaps it
would
be best if Kendall didn’t come along. Agents like Shadow won’t be intimidated by a firm voice.
I might have to resort to … bloodier tactics. And I don’t want Kendall to see that.
“Try to keep up.” I instruct as I strike out toward the hut in the distance.
I’m being especially brusque with Kendall in hopes that she’ll give up and stay in the Trooper or return home. She’s safer away from all of this. But like the stubborn woman that she is, Kendall marches along with us.
I know it’s a struggle. Her shoes were not meant to trek through the Caribbean bushes. Instead of complaining or turning back, Kendall walks on with a face of steel. I am more attracted to her right now, than I was when she stepped into the restaurant.
I shake the thoughts from my mind. This is neither the time nor place to be distracted by Kendall Villanueva.
Instead of heading toward the ramshackle front door of the wooden structure, I lead Kendall to the well near the side.
“Climb.”
She sends me a nasty look.
“What’s down there?”
“You can stay up here if you want.” I reposition Shadow in my arms.
He’s been extremely silent for most of the night. His taciturn attitude is puzzling. If this was a personal vendetta, Shadow would have proclaimed his displeasure by now.
Climbing with a full-grown man attached to me is not the easiest of tasks, but I get it done. Kendall soon follows, muttering about how expensive her shoes are. As soon as I get her home safely, I’ll deposit money in her checking account for replacements.
When we drop onto dry ground, I lead her into a small corridor and extract a key from the jumble in my pocket. Kendall’s sticking close to me. I’m surprised by her bravery. We are in the bottom of a dry well, after all.
I fit the key into the door lock and shove the latch. It opens with a musty shriek. I stalk inside, and deposit Shadow unceremoniously on the ground. Walking five paces forward, I lift my arms and pull on a dangling string. Immediately, the room is flooded with light.
Kendall gasps. I ignore her, though I can understand her surprise. This is my training room. No assassin wastes a day to shore strength. Since I have no league to protect me, wherever I go, I find secluded places to train so that I can protect myself. Since I’m always in Belize City, it only made sense to set one up here.
Ramshackle exercise equipment that I rigged on my frequent trips litter the room. A tall structure with a wooden bar between metal slats is where I spend most of my time when I come down here. It’s a room that I know will inspire serious questions from Kendall.
She walks forward and stands beside me. Her eyes are still taking everything in, but I can see the wheels turning in her pretty little head. She’s starting to figure me out and I don’t think she likes what she’s discovering.
A low gravelly laugh fills the quiet space. We both turn our attention to the assassin on the floor. Bound and captured, Shadow’s laugh is one of confidence. As if he knows something that I don’t.
I have a very bad feeling about this.