I woke early, glancing across at Sabrina to make sure she wasn’t up. She was lying face down on the pillow, her hair spread all over her face so I could barely even see her. She was out for the count, and I slipped out from underneath her arm and headed towards the living room, so I could get washed up and dressed without disturbing her. I probably just had time to do everything I needed to do before she woke up. After all, a direct route back to the city would likely only take me an hour or so at this time in the morning.
I slipped into the car, started the engine, and pulled out onto the highway once more. I found my mind drifting back to the conversation we’d had the night before as I moved on autopilot - she seemed so scared, but so set, so uncertain but so definite. I wasn’t sure what to make of it, and I wasn’t certain she was either.
It didn’t take long for me to get back to the city. Before I knew it, I was pulling up outside Leo’s place, hurrying up the steps and glancing at my watch. I knew that Leo wanted all his hitmen to pick up payment and get their next assignments as soon as possible after they completed their last ones, and I hoped he wouldn’t question why I wasn’t at my usual ungodly hour to do the same.
The security guard stepped aside at once as I came up the stairs, gesturing for me to go straight into Leo’s office. I had tapped on the door before I walked in, feeling a sudden rush of nerves. After all, if Leo for one second figured out what was going on with Sabrina and me, I’d be dead before I hit the ground. And if I was dumb enough to reveal it to him, I deserved to be.
“Ant!” Leo exclaimed warmly as I entered the room. “I thought you’d forgotten to come in.”
“Sorry, I overslept this morning, guess I’m not used to the late nights anymore,” I deflected.
“Well, here’s what I owe you.” Leo pushed a small lump of cash across the desk to me. I wasn’t stupid enough to count it in front of him, and simply picked it up and slid it into my pocket.
“Thanks.” I nodded, and half of me was keen to just get out of there before he could give me another assignment. But he seemed more interested in dragging out the encounter. He steepled his fingers and peered over them at me.
“So, you were working with Saffron last night, right?” he prompted, and I managed a nod.
“How was that? You surprised to see her?” He raised his eyebrows at me. Had he put me with Saffron for a joke, because he knew about our past together? I wouldn’t have put it beyond him and his twisted sense of humor.
“I suppose.” I kept my voice cool. “I didn’t realize she was still working with you.”
“Yeah, she’s been with us a while now,” he agreed. “We helped her clean up her act, get herself back together after all the heroin bullshit.”
“I’m just glad to see she’s doing okay.” I nodded. “Do you have another assignment for me?”
“So keen.” He grinned at me, a flash of shark-like teeth that sent a shiver down my spine. “We do have another assignment for you, as a matter of fact.”
He reached under his desk and pushed across a slim folder. I opened it up and looked inside. The face of a man a few years older than me peered back. He was clean-cut, handsome, and I didn’t recognize him at all.
“Who’s this?” I looked up at Leo, who was observing me calmly.
“He’s a hitman, like you.” His eyes scanned my face for a reaction. “We found out he was working with us because he was trying to take us down from the inside. And you know we can’t stand for that.”
“Of course,” I mumbled. Shit. Fuck. Was he implying something here, or was this just a coincidence?
“We need you to take him down by the end of the week,” Leo snapped back into business-like mode. “Details are in the folder. I trust you’ll be able to handle this one by yourself?”
“Yeah, I won’t need babysitting this time,” I shot back, my voice a little harsher than before. Leo leaned across the table, closing the gap between us, his eyes fixed on mine.
“You know that we can’t stand for anyone who’s here for the wrong reasons, right, Anthony?” He murmured, his voice low and menacing.
“I know.” I furrowed my brow at him, trying to appear confused.
“As long as we’re very clear on that fact.” Leo leaned back, not taking his eyes from mine. We sat in silence for a moment, as if sizing each other up, before he shrugged his shoulders and stood up.
“Let me know when it’s done.” He held his hand out to me. I got to my feet and shook it.
“I will.” I nodded and then turned to head out the door. But before I got there, he spoke again.
“Anthony?”
I turned around.
“Be careful.” Leo flashed me a small smile. I had to rely on my instincts to get me out of that room because it felt as though my entire body had seized up with panic.
As soon as I was back in the car, I knew we needed to move again. Somewhere further away - as far as I could get without cutting myself off from Leo entirely. If I were to pull out now, Leo would suspect me, and I’d be in even bigger trouble than I was at that moment. I knew that he was onto me. I wasn’t sure how certain he was, or how much he knew, but I needed to put as much distance between him and us as I could. I drove fast all the way back to the underground safe house and leaned my head on the wheel as soon as I came to a stop outside. Every time I turned around, it seemed as though I had dropped myself into an even bigger pile of bullshit than before, and nothing I was doing was making it easier.