“I’m always prepared. We have a lot of stops to make, and you never know who you’ll run into.” Bain zipped up the bag and slung it over his shoulder.
She followed him out of the house. “What stops?” she asked.
“First things first. This Lisa chick needs to keep her mouth shut.” He dropped the bag into the trunk of his car. “I have some prep to do for my next assignment, and we need to pay your ex a visit.”
He moved fast, getting into the driver’s seat of the BMW while she stood speechless at the rear of the car. There was no way she wanted to set her eyes on Michael today or ever. But that didn’t mean she wanted him dead either, even if he did deserve it.
Scarlett slipped into the passenger seat, the early morning sun reflecting off the face of Bain’s watch. It was a high-end Rolex, and it made her think about why he was still living this dangerous lifestyle when he’d already made a fortune. “I don’t want to see my ex. Let’s just forget about that chapter of my life. It’s over.”
“It’s not over. Not if he’s still looking for you.”
“The thing with his brother was a fluke. He doesn’t know where I am. Hell, I don’t even know where I am.”
He shifted in his seat, looking directly at her. “You’re scared,” he said, his voice calm and steady. “Never let your fear do the talking. You have me now.”
Scarlett couldn’t speak. He was right of course. Deep down, she was still terrified of her ex and the horrible memories she tried to supress. Memories even Bain didn’t know about.
“You don’t know the half of it. I don’t want to see Michael. I can’t even stand the sound of his name.”
“You and me both.” Bain pulled off his property with a spray of gravel and hit the road. The early morning light allowed her to see the gorgeous landscape around Bain’s home. Green fields and forests in the distance, not another house in sight. She could never afford to live in the country. Even her basement apartment in the city stretched her budget.
Her thoughts wandered. Scarlett didn’t like the idea of Lisa getting involved in this mess. When Bain asked for the address she knew he was testing her loyalty because he was already on his way to Lisa’s place. Scarlett hoped she could be convincing enough. How did she expect one of her close friends to believe she’d just decided to quit her job and run off with a stranger with no hint beforehand? Combined with the mass murder scene at Semenov’s, it all sounded way too far-fetched.
“This is it,” said Bain, after parallel parking like a pro outside Lisa’s building.
“You can wait here,” said Scarlett. “I’ll talk with her and be back soon.”
Bain didn’t even bother answering her, getting out of the car and waiting for her on the sidewalk with his arms crossed in front of him. She sighed. There was no way he’d let her out of his sight. She was still technically his prisoner until he decided otherwise.
They walked to the front entrance, and she pressed Lisa’s buzzer. When she heard her friend’s voice, a strange sensation came over her. She’d pushed aside thoughts of her old life, including Lisa, since that night. Although she hated her job, the constant struggling, and the memories of her horrific love life, Lisa had always been a good friend.
The elevator was broken so they took the stairs up to the third floor. Bain stayed several feet behind her as they walked up the hallway. She knocked on the door, but it opened so fast, her hand was still mid-air.
“Oh my God! I can’t believe it’s you,” Lisa said. “I was going to call the cops today. I thought you were dead.” She grabbed Scarlett’s arm and pulled her into the apartment. Bain followed, closing the door behind him.
Lisa stared at Bain, a look of apprehension on her face.
“I have to talk to you,” Scarlett said. “There’s been a huge misunderstanding.”
They moved to the far end of the room by the window, but Lisa kept turning her head to glance back at Bain. Once they were out of earshot, Lisa whispered. “Who the hell is that? Is he one of Semenov’s men? Are you in trouble?”
“Stop,” Scarlett said. “You’re being ridiculous.”
“Who is he then? Should I call the police?”
“Lisa, relax. He’s my … boyfriend. After that scare I got at Semenov’s I decided to put everything behind me, to start fresh. You know my career was going nowhere fast at the office.”
“Wait, you’re starting over. With him?”
“Yes, with him,” Scarlett said.
“Look at all those tattoos. He looks like a scary biker. Since when is ‘scary biker dude’ your type?”
Scarlet was getting worried. If she didn’t convince Lisa, she was sure Bain would put a bullet in her head. She gave Lisa a little shake to get her undiv
ided attention. “Lisa, trust me, he’s my type. He’s literally a sex machine. I’m happy, living my dream, I just wanted to get you up to speed because I know how you worry.”
“A sex machine?”