“Deborah, stop. You’re going to get hurt,” said the voice.
My heart felt like it would burst at any second. I couldn’t breathe and I shivered as a cold sweat covered my body. The room began to spin when a pair of strong hands slid under my arms and lifted me up like a rag doll.
“Please don’t hurt me. I swear I don’t know anything,” I begged.
“Deborah, focus! Its me, Stewart. You’re experiencing the after effects of the drug they gave you. The poison in it has a slow release.”
Suddenly my vision cleared and I recognized him. Breathing a long sigh of relief and feeling weak, I let him carry me into the main room of the suite and set me down on the couch. As he entered the kitchen, I looked around for any sign of Will. I hoped he would return to the hotel after leaving us at the monastery.
“Stewart? Where’s Will? What do you mean he’s gone?”
Stewart came back with a glass of water and handed it to me.
“Drink. Its not going to taste good, but this elixir will counteract the poison in your system.”
I took a sip and grimaced. The elixir was thick but cold. As I drank I felt its affects already taking over the poison in my system.
“The whole thing?” I asked as I looked at the tall glass.
“Yes, just drink. I let myself in earlier when I came looking for Will. You were up but feverish. I hoped sleep would help, but its obvious the drug they used was meant to kill Will after they released him.”
“Kill?” I took a gulp of the liquid once I realized it would save my life.
“Will left the jet but my sources tell me he’s back in Canyon Cove at King Manor.”
“Why would he just leave like that? Never mind, don’t answer that. I can’t even begin to imagine what he’s going through. For twenty-five years he thought his parents were dead, now he knows his father is still alive.”
“I’m sure when he’s ready you’ll hear from him,” Stewart said as he took the empty glass from me. “In the meantime, try not to worry.”
“Not worry? People tried to kill us yesterday and you’re telling me not to worry?” I couldn’t help the hysteria in my voice.
He didn’t seem phased by my tone. Looking briefly at his watch, he turned back to me, his eyes changed from calm to dangerous and then calm again, but I knew I was safe.
“As of fifteen minutes ago, the organization those men belonged to has been terminated. The bodies were uncovered,” he chose his words carefully as if they meant much more than they should. “Will can now lead a normal life.”
Stewart looked down, his brown eyes sad and I realized how much Will’s father being alive affected him too. Remembering how he saved us, I couldn’t help but ask how much he knew. I didn’t know if he would tell me, but I had to give it a shot. He knew things Will needed to know but never would.
“Stewart? You knew Bill King was alive, didn’t you?”
He didn’t reply. He examined my face for a moment before walking over to the large window and looking outside at the picturesque view. Rubbing his bald head as if he was pushing imaginary hair out of his eyes, he finally sat on a large chair with his back to a corner of the room.
“Yes, I knew he was alive. I’ve always known.”
I nodded, my suspicions confirmed. It wasn’t enough though. Who was this mysterious man who devoted his life to the man I loved? Looking over at him, his eyes seemed warm and welcoming, not those of the vicious killer I knew him to be. How did he get that way?
Chapter Twenty
Stewart
Most people don’t realize how transparent they are, I thought. In the seconds an average person took to make a decision, I already knew what their choice would be and why that person chose it. That didn’t make me special. It made me observant.
Deborah sat curled up on the couch and I knew what she wanted to ask. I waited for her to ask it. In all these years I never revealed anything about myself to anyone and I could see the gears turning in her head as she realized she could just ask me. Do it, Deborah, ask. It really is that simple.
“How did you get involved in all of this? You were in your twenties when you started raising Will, that means you were already…” Her voice trailed off but I knew the word she couldn’t bring herself to say.
“An assassin,” I said completing her sentence.#p#分页标题#e#
I couldn’t help but grin. It was a word that always brought a smile to my face. She nodded, her face a mixture of awe and fear.
“You realize what you’re asking me can get you killed, right?”
Deborah’s face went white and for a brief moment I thought she might get sick. I knew better than to mess with someone recovering from that poison, but I couldn’t resist.