Page 71 of Targeted By Vengeance

I stared at him for a moment, waiting to feel something, anything. A wave of relief or sadness. Stones of grief or regret. Or even pride from crossing the last name off my list.

But there was nothing.

Just me, his dead body, and the deafening silence of the near-empty office.

THE ASSASSIN

“How long until the news reports on this?” I asked Gabriel.

The two of us were sitting at the kitchen table, watching as Maria forwarded all the files we compiled about the corrupt agents to the most credible news outlets.

Simone didn’t want the agents she killed to be perceived as martyrs. She wanted society to know they were corrupt and justice was rightly served. I guess it eased some of the arrows on her moral compass.

“Probably within the next few days or so,” Gabriel replied. “You know, the press loves a good scandal. The agency is going to be a hot ass mess once this all comes out. Lots of press conferences and lots of resignations.”

“You don’t think she got all of them?”

“She got all the ones linked to Velasquez. God knows how many other dirty agents are lying in the shadows. They’ll bounce before their departments start doing deeper checks into everyone’s shit.”

“Are you planning to leave?”

He shook his head. “Unlike others, I’m familiar with this side of the tracks. I know how to do my business and make sure it doesn’t come back to me.”

I raised a brow. “What type of shit have you been into?”

“Not much compared to the shit my family used to be in.” He grinned. “They’ve got stories for days.”

“Hm. No wonder you came onto our side so fast. Here I thought you just loved Simone that much.”

“I do love Simone. She’s my ride or die; always will be.” His gaze drifted to the doorway leading to the hall. “You think she’s gonna be alright?”

Simone has been damn near silent since Logan’s murder. Some of the fire had faded from her eye, leaving her with an emptiness I hadn’t seen before. She didn’t seem sad or remorseful; she looked lost. With her road of vengeance behind her, she didn’t know where to go next.

“Yeah,” I assured him. “She just needs some time to herself.”

Gabriel nodded, turning his attention back to Maria’s typing fingers.

He hung around for a few more hours until all the files were sent and he had a copy of his own for safekeeping.

He knocked on our bedroom door when it was time to go.

Simone wandered out, red rimming her eyes and a frown on her lips.

Gabriel didn’t even question her appearance. He immediately pulled her in his arms and squeezed her tight.

She wrapped her arms around his torso and returned the hug. “Thank you,” she murmured into his chest.

“Anytime,” he whispered into her hair. “Don’t disappear on me again, alright?”

She nodded, her arms tightening around him. “I’ll visit whenever we’re in the area. I promise.”

Water welled in her eyes when they finally released each other. She forced a smile as she waved to him one last time before he headed out the door. Her lips dropped the moment he closed it behind him.

I frowned as she turned on her heel and headed back to our room. Following behind her, I watched as she sat down on the edge of the bed and wiped at the moisture in her eyes, trying to erase them before they fell down.

I stood in the doorway for a few minutes, close enough to be present and far enough to give her some space. I doubted she wanted words or touch right now. She just needed to wade in the ocean of her emotions. At least she knew there was a buoy nearby if she needed it.

“Have you heard from Ares?” She asked after a while, her gaze still locked on the floor.