Nick abruptly stops in his tracks, turning around. He thought he heard something, a noise coming from the bedroom. He checked his pistol, felt the cold hardness against his skin. Nick narrowed his eyes, pulling the gun from his waistband. He strode to the bedroom, kicked the door in, his gun pointed. He walked into the room, his breathing heavy, his finger on the trigger, ready to shot.
In an instant, Alex, his body pressed against the opposite wall, grabbed Nick from behind, slamming him against the wall. Nick screamed out like a wild animal, caught by surprise. Nick’s fake glasses skewed across his face, the lens cracked. Alex grabbed Nick’s arms, and again bashed him into the wall with all of his force, desperately trying to dislodge the gun out of Nick’s hands.
All at once, Nick turned around, coming face to face with Alex. Nick’s wild eyes were filled with fury and hate, as Alex tried to wrestle the gun out of Nick’s hands. Alex brought Nick to the floor, with Nick falling down hard. Alex quickly pinned him down, punching Nick in the face, blood splattering across the floor. In an instant, Alex forced the gun out of Nick’s hand, pushing the gun as far away as possible, sending the gun sliding across the hardwood floor.
Nick was stronger than Alex anticipated. He threw Alex off, his rage giving him even more strength. Instantly, Nick stood up, grabbed Alex by the collar, lifting him up. Nick punched Alex in the stomach, causing Alex to double over. He lunged for Alex, pinning him up against the wall.
“So we finally meet again,” Nick hissed, his breath hot and rancid. Blood poured out of his nose. “Have you missed me?” he asked sarcastically.
“Fuck you, you sick son-of-a-bitch,” Alex spat.
Nick began laughing, a maniac’s laugh. “Oh, you have no idea just how sick I am. But I’m about to show you.” In a flash, Nick grabs Alex’s throat, squeezing as hard as he could.
Alex brought his knee up, slamming it into Nick’s crotch. Nick doubled over in pain, trying to catch his breath. Alex brought his elbow down, pummeling into Nick’s back, trying to bring him down to the ground. Nick was too fast. He grabbed Alex by the shirt, screaming, and smashed Alex into the glass door, which led out onto the balcony. Glass shattered everywhere as Nick shoved Alex through the door, both men falling out onto the balcony.
Alex’s body slammed up against the balcony railing. He crouched, and fell down hard onto the balcony floor, glass flying everywhere. In the distance, Alex could hear the police sirens screaming towards the building.
Alex looked up just in time to see Nick. The momentum of crashing through the glass door caused Nick to fall over the balcony railing. Alex stood up, unable to tear his eyes away, and watched as Nick fell three stories down, his body landing on the wrought-iron railing, a black spike sticking straight through the center of Nick’s body.
Chapter 40
Three days later
“I’ll be leaving for the airport in two hours. I can’t wait to see you, baby,” Alex said, his voice soft.
“I can’t wait to see you, too. Have a safe flight. I’ll see you when you arrive,” Katherine said.
Alex hung up the phone, smiling. It felt so good to talk to Katherine, to hear her voice. It filled him with a longing he had never experienced before.
He stood in his bedroom, a suitcase open before him. He carelessly threw a couple of polo shirts in the suitcase. Alex didn’t really care what he packed – all he could think about was seeing Katherine again.
The police, along with MI-5, had begun their investigation into the death of Nick Stone. Alex had given his statement, telling them everything he knew. It was now in the hands of the police. Alex felt a tremendous weight off his shoulders. He knew he could finally move on with his life, free from his past.
Antonio drove him to Stansted Airport, the jet awaiting his arrival. Alex climbed the stairs, a huge grin on his face. “Hello, Mr. McCall,” the pretty flight attendant said. “Welcome aboard.”
“Thank you,” Alex replied, barely glancing at her.
The flight attendant frowned. She always enjoyed working the flights that Alex McCall was on. Not too long ago, they had fucked in the bathroom, a quick, but very satisfying romp shortly after take-off. Now he seemed to hardly notice her, much less remember her.
“What would you like to drink, Mr. McCall?” the flight attendant asked after Alex settled into his seat.
“A whisky would be nice, thank you,” Alex replied.
“Anything else with your whisky?” she asked suggestively, her finger trailing down the buttons of her uniform.
“No. I don’t need anything else. Just a whisky,” Alex responded briskly. He hoped the flight attendant got the message. He recalled fucking her about a year ago, in the back of the jet. Alex cringed. I’m so glad those days are behind me, he thought. I’m so lucky to have Katherine.
“Yes, sir,” the flight attendant said, receiving the message loud and clear. She stalked off to the galley to prepare his drink.
Alex sat back in his seat. In eight hours Katherine would be back in his arms. Alex vowed to never let her go.
I laid in my old childhood bed, tossing and turning, sleep evading me. I was too excited to sleep tonight. All I could think about was seeing Alex again.
We hadn’t spoken about exactly why I needed to leave London. But, I knew we would. I knew Alex wo
uld tell me everything. I could sense that he needed to talk about his past, all of it. Alex had called three days prior and said, “We’re safe now, baby. I’m coming to see you.”
Alex would be flying into Atlanta tomorrow morning. It had only been four days since I left London, but felt more like four years.