Slow Agony (Assassins, #2)(49)

She coughed. “You guys. I can’t breathe.”

*

Christa was drinking a soda. “So, I lost my purse. Everything. I didn’t have money, my phone, my credit card, the keys to my car.” She was so sleek and put together. Her dark hair was perfectly trimmed to fall past her shoulders. It was thick and shiny. It made me wonder what Griffin’s hair would look like if he ever grew it out. Her makeup was artfully applied, her clothes stylish. It had only been six months since I’d seen her last, and she already seemed more grown up. “So, I wanted to call you, Ma, but I couldn’t. And I was stuck in Kirby overnight. I couldn’t get a ride until this morning.”

“You weren’t attacked?” said Griffin, glaring at her from across the kitchen. He and I were seated at the kitchen table.

“I told you, no, I wasn’t.” She set her soda on the counter. “Is that why you had a gun?”

Griffin massaged the bridge of his nose. “It’s for protection, all right?”

“Sweetie,” said Beverly, who was hovering behind Christa as if she wasn’t convinced she was real, “I got a call from a man who claimed to have you hostage.”

Christa whirled to face her mother. “What?”

“That’s why I’m here,” said Griffin.

“Why didn’t you call the police?” she said.

“The man said not to,” said her mother.

Christa rolled her eyes. “So? He’s a criminal. Why would you listen to him?”

“He threatened to kill you if I did,” said Beverly.

“Well, he can’t do that, can he?” said Christa. “Because I’m here. So, we should call the police now.”

Griffin stood up. “No.”

“No?” said Christa.

“Why not?” said Beverly.

“These people...” He turned to me for help.

I shrugged at him. I didn’t know what to say.

“The police wouldn’t be able to handle them. They have certain... abilities.”

Oh, he was referring to the serum. If the police got Marcel, they’d find out sooner or later that he could heal, and that would create all kinds of problems. There was an agreement amongst all of the ex-assassins from Op Wraith to keep the serum secret. They were afraid of being taken in by the government and sequestered or studied or forced into the army. I would have said they were paranoid two years ago. But two years ago, I didn’t know about corrupt arms corporations either.

I spoke up. “The important thing is that Christa’s okay.”

“No,” said Christa. “I still don’t get why we aren’t calling the police.”

But Beverly shook her head. “Maybe we should listen to your brother. He knows who these people are.”

Christa turned to him. “That true?”

He grimaced.

“Leigh’s right,” said Beverly. “The important thing is that Christa’s okay. And now that you are, I realize that I’m starving. How about some sandwiches, everyone?”

I jumped up. “I’ll help.”

Christa narrowed her eyes, but she didn’t say anything.

“Thank you, Leigh,” said Beverly, opening the refrigerator. She handed me a head of lettuce. “Would you rinse this for me?”

“Sure,” I said, taking it.

“Christa, can you slice a tomato?” Beverly held up the vegetable.

She took it from her mother and made her way over to me.

I was taking off the ring that Griffin had given me before I rinsed the lettuce.

“That’s a pretty ring,” said Christa. “Where’d you get it?”

“Umm...” I twisted to look at Griffin. We’d been going to tell his mother about our engagement, but we hadn’t because of everything that had happened. Was it still a bad time?

Griffin smiled at me. “Actually, that was the reason I called, Ma.”

“Hmm?” Beverly was taking lunch meat and cheese out of the refrigerator.

“Leigh and I are, um, engaged.”

Beverly nearly dropped the cheese. “What?”

Christa squealed. “No way! That’s awesome.”

Beverly shut the refrigerator and set everything down on the counter. “I thought that the two of you had split up.”

Oh. Of course Griffin had told his mother when we broke up. Had he told her about the abortion as well?

“Put the ring back on,” said Christa. “I want to see it on your finger.”

I obliged her.

“I think it’s so cool that you didn’t get a diamond. This is so much prettier.”

Griffin rubbed the top of his head. “Well, we split up, but we’re not split up anymore.”

Beverly laughed. “Obviously not.” She held out her arms to her son. “Get over here. You too, Leigh.”

I set down the lettuce. The next thing I knew, I was being mashed into a hug. Beverly managed to hug both Griffin and me at the same time. Her embrace was strong.

And then Christa piled on too.

We all were close. I loved it. I’d never had family moments like that when I was younger. My father was always distant, my mother was gone, and I didn’t have any siblings. I closed my eyes, savoring the moment, feeling all the love pour out over me.