Chapter 9

I get up the next morning and decide we are going to forgo training today. I think it is time to start my plan. I know the brothers will be on lookout for me so I am going to make sure they are able to find me. I go downstairs and start a not so healthy breakfast consisting of bacon, egg, and buttered toast. I m just finishing as Branton comes down. I look up at him and tell him to take a seat. He complies quietly, still seemingly caught up in thoughts of all that happened yesterday.

I fix his plate and put it in front of him as I sit across from him. I start eating and stop as the silence is actually getting to me.

"What is on your mind Brant?" I ask.

" He finally looks u at me and answers, "Nothing really, no it is everything. I am starting to have real feelings for you, not some type lust, like I first thought. I m having a hard time coming to grips with you putting your life ahead of mine." He says flatly.

"You listen to me Branton James, I do not plan on dying by the hands of those two. I know you trust me, but you also need to trust that I will not put either one of us in a situation that could result in serious harm to either one of us. I also have to admit that the real feelings that you are feeling are mutual and makes it even more important that we both live through this to explore what it could be."

He nods his head then says, "I want to know more about you."

I shrug, " Ask away, you know my biggest secrets the rest is all details."

He looks up, " Okay, have you ever used drugs?"

I think for a moment before I answer, " I guess that depends on your definition of drugs. I have used Marijuana on occasion but I do not consider that a drug. I have only used it for medicinal purposes such as nausea or migraine headaches. I have never done any other substance that could be considered drugs. I rarely drink, as I have noticed you do not drink much either, and I have never smoked a cigarette in my life."

"My mom used marijuana to help with her pain and sickness from the chemo. I took a few hits with her every now and then to help relieve me of the stress of it all for a few moments, I have never done any other drugs, I drink very lightly on social occasions and I have never smoked a cigarette." He tells me.

We settle back into a comfortable silence until we finish eating and clean up. as we finish loading the dishwasher I decide it is time to tell him todays plan.

"Branton, today instead of training, I have decided to go shopping at the open air mall. We can park the car and walk from shop to shop."

He looks up at me and I notice his shoulders slightly sag in defeat, "That mall is in the The Williams Territory but near the Bowens house so the Gidalo's will definitely be around. This shopping trip is really you baiting them."

"Yes," I reply, "We will both go strapped and have two Williams guards following. Our team will also be stationed around."

We go back to our rooms and get dressed and conceal our weapons then meet back downstairs. We get in the car and again Branton looks deep in thought so I decide to take a deep breath, ready to jump down another rabbit hole. "What is on your mind, Branton?"

He turns to me quickly as he pulls out of his thoughts and answers quickly, "I have a question and I did not know if I wanted to ask it or if I wanted to know the answer but I am going to ask anyway. When they find out who shot Gil, will you be the one that Williams call to deal with them?"

I was surprised by the question but I have to be honest. "Me or Donya, yes, we would interrogate and execute. They may not be my blood but they but make no mistake they are my family. I have done this work for them before and since my dad passed. I stopped the paid assassin work but I kept doing it for them." I paused to wait for his reaction but he had none so I asked him, "How do you feel about that?"

He moved his eyes to meet mine and answered, "I actually do not feel anything about that and that fact even surprises me. I know the real you even though we have only known each other for a few days."

I can't help the laugh that bubbles "Well, to be fair, we have been through a ridiculous amount of shit in those few days." I say.

He chuckles lightly Then changes to a serious tone, "In those few days we have proved to be a team that I am not willing to give up on."

I open my mouth to respond then shut it again, we both turn away as I start the car and drive away. We drive in slightly uncomfortable silence until we get to the mall.

I look at Branton and give him a quick rundown of our plan, "Kirk owns the security company assigned here. We know all the camera less corridors and alleys. We will wear these earpieces and microphones again so we can communicate with the whole team with us. The security company will only step in when or if clean up is needed. We will start in the first shop the intention id to go in every shop till we reach Donya's car on the other end of the mall."

We put our earpieces and microphones on then head inside the first shop. It is the leather shop, my favorite shop in the mall. We loop our arms around each other to look like a couple and shop for a while, finally each buying new leather jackets before moving on to the next shop. The moment we walk out I see a guy leaning just outside the door smoking a cigarette and looking a little too hard at us as we leave. I act like I don't notice.

"Hey Bran, lets go into that lingerie shop. I can get me a little something for tonight." I say enthusiastically.

Branton's head shoots too me with a look of shear confusion so I move my eyes to bring his attention to the guy eyeing us. He catches on and answers, "I would love to go in their with you but only if I get to pick you out something too."

We hear snickers in our ears, then Donya's voice saying, "I am assuming you think you have someone watching you, because if not you both have some explaining to do and we really did not need to hear that conversation."

I cleared my throat and lowered my voice and said, "You would be correct about he first assumption."

We make our way into the store as there is a pause in the conversation happening in our ears. We make our way to a display of very cute lingerie and start looking through them, after a few uncomfortable minutes of this we finally hear Emo's voice in our ear.

"We got eyes on you and the guy. He is not a friendly and he tried to text someone but the darn cell signal just disappeared amazing how that happens sometimes. I don't think he is aware the message didn't send. You need to skip the next two stores and take the alley on your right, we will box him and make him a magician."

I look at Branton and say, "Branton stay alert and watch your back. We will take cover behind that dumpster. "

We quickly duck behind the dumpster and he whispers, "What does make him a magician mean?" I look at him and am about to answer but Donya does it for me. "He will pull off an amazing disappearing act."

Branton rolls his eyes and says, "Should have known." I smirked, nodded and shrugged. We hear him get close and we step to the side as he passes. Once he passes us and we have confirmation of our backup securing the alley, we come back around to stand behind him.

He senses us behind him and turns. "Just the two people I was looking for." he sneers.

I look at the thug and give him a one arm shrug, "Yeah, we figured as much, but before you go thinking you are about to have back up arrive, you should think again. You are surrounded and your text you sent reporting my sighting never went through. Cell phone jammers, rookie level but still effective."

The thug narrows his eyes at me and ask, "Who are you, who are you really?"

I cock my head at him and pull my gun and point it at him and say, "I will tell you who I really am if you tell me who you are first, then I will tell you who I am and then let you go, or you say nothing and I kill you now, deal?"

He shrugs and gives in, a little too easily, "I am just David's personal runner. His assistant if you will. I handle what he needs handled. The text I sent was to the crew that would kidnap you and kill Branton and anyone else that gets in the way."

Branton pulls his gun and asks, "Why are you giving this up so easily?"

He smiles, "Because you said you would let me go and I know I am not the only one here that is looking for you. You will never make it out of this mall before you are caught."

I bust out laughing and put my gun away, "How long have you been working with the Bowens?"

He suddenly looks like he is starting to doubt his advantage but answers anyway, "I have been working with them for five years."

I drop my smile suddenly and put on my face of death, "Then you know the name Leif Belle? Well, I am his unknown daughter. I was trained by him since the age of three and that training did not end till his death. I have never been seen before but you all know my work well. I have been hunting all you scum that prey on anyone you can use since you all killed my dad. I am Lexa Belle and now your angel of death."

I slid the throwing knife inside my jacket sleeve into my hand and whipped it at him landing three inches deep into his throat. He grabs his neck and his knees buckle and he falls to the concrete. His eyes show shock then he loses consciousness as he gurgles his last breath. I hear Emo say in our ears, "Cleanup aisle one, cleanup on aisle one."

Branton snickers and I roll my eyes as the watch the security team come and quickly start to clean up. We step out of the alley just as the cleanup van starts to back in and we walk away, toward our car.