"I'm sorry if it doesn't come as naturally to me, Annabelle, but even killing someone like you is something that I have to work up to." Then abruptly, I return to a subject that's bothering me, "Really, Anna? Nine! Couldn't you learn to pace yourself?"

She laughs. "Gabriel, you are so naive. The real monsters of the world aren't pacing themselves. People like me will never be able to catch up to them all, but keeping pace with them is something we can only hope to strive for."

A wave of anger overcomes me. "My father wasn't a monster."

She stops and turns to look at me. The beach is dark and deserted, but the streetlamps along a nearby bike path give off enough light for me to see the indecision on her face. "Gabriel . . . I could prove to you that your father was."

"Do it then."

She stares at me thoughtfully and eventually shakes her head. "I don't want to hurt you any more than I already have."

"Because you don't really have any proof. You blindly followed the orders of whoever you work for and without proof murdered my father. He was a good man, Annabelle! He loved me and my mom. You not only killed an innocent man, you also ruined my mom's life!"

She takes a step back, looking off into the dark waves. "I'm sorry about your mother, Gabriel."

I laugh bitterly. Her sorrow, either real or contrived, doesn't fix anything. "It's too late now for being sorry."

Her gaze returns to me and I can almost convince myself that she's sorry about us too. "You're right, Gabriel. It's too late. I've seen that for myself tonight."

She's referring again to catching me about to let Carmen go down on me tonight. I don't want to give her the satisfaction of knowing that I haven't messed around with any other girls since she left me six months ago. Instead of telling her that, I say, "Don't try to convince me again that you've been faithful to me all this time."

She glances back to the ocean, her voice lowers, "Fine, I won't then."

I'm on her in a flash, grabbing her by the biceps and shaking. "Who the h.e.l.l have you been with? How many have there been since me? Or is it just one? That guy you were with in Paris, the fake Russian? G.o.d dammit, Anna, you're mine!"

She lifts her hands and pushes my own away from her. Her face crumbles, and her words are accompanied by tears, "Don't worry about him! It's not like that with him! It's not like that with anybody else! I'm not the wh.o.r.e that you are, Gabriel!" She starts sobbing uncontrollably and I take her into my arms tenderly for the first time tonight.

I rub her back and make soothing sounds. "Please don't cry, Anna. It's not like that for me with anybody else either. Tonight was the first time that it'd even gone that far with a girl since you left." Well, there was the girl back in February, but she doesn't need to know about that since it didn't progress very far either.

She looks up at me and I can see the tears glistening on her beautiful face. "Really?"

"Really."

Then she abruptly pushes me away with renewed feistiness. "And what if I hadn't shown up when I did, Gabriel? Would you have let her finish?" She adds quietly under her breath, "Stupid s.l.u.t."

I look away uncomfortably, having a feeling that more would have probably happened in my determination to stop pining for the girl in front of me right now. "I don't know, Anna. I didn't want to, but I may have forced myself to . . . go through with it."

"Why?" she asks in a small voice. d.a.m.n, the girl can kill without flinching, but the thought of me getting head from someone else devastates her.

Frustrated, I grab her roughly and yell, "Because I don't want to love you anymore!"

Despite the sense of satisfaction I feel because she may have been faithful to me for the past six months, despite how beautiful she is and how much I want her physically, I still hate her. What she did . . . I shudder at the memory.

Loving her has caused me more pain than even my father's death did.

She wipes a hand wearily over her face. "Then don't! Just forget that I ever existed. You don't have to ever see me again."

I shake my head. "Not likely, Annabelle. You don't think that I could forget everything that's happened, do you? Why should I be left to suffer while you go on your merry killing spree way?"

"You think I'm not suffering also?" Brown eyes flash angrily at me. "I don't want to do this anymore, Gabriel! I give up!" Her voice is raised to yelling by the end of her outburst.

"Hold up, not so fast. We made a deal back in Paris. I came back to Florida and finished school. Now you have to do your part. You said that you'd tell me where you were once I was done." Outwardly, my words are calm, but inwardly I'm a mess of rioting emotions.

"I'm here, Gabriel. I came back to the Miami for you, to see you graduate." So easily, her anger is gone and she really does look like she's giving up on me, almost deflated. But what was she hoping for exactly? Happily ever after? Not gonna happen in this story. Not when the princess is also the evil witch.

"How . . . thoughtful of you," I say sarcastically, pushing back any joy at the thought of her caring. "But, that's not what I meant and you know it. Where are you going next, Annabelle? I need to keep you near me." In my confusion, I clarify myself, "For when it's time to kill you."

She laughs sadly. "Oh G.o.d. Not that again."

"Yes, that."

She lets out an aggravated sound. "This is so pointless. You're not going to kill me. You love me, but hate that you love me. I love you, but you don't believe me."

"Where?" I ask in a demanding voice.

"Australia," she finally admits. "Sydney. I guess I'll see you there?" Her attempt to hold back her laughter fails and she giggles softly.

The arrogant grin on her face p.i.s.ses me off. "Of course you will." Placing my hands lightly on either side of her small waist, I pull her into me. "We'll be traveling together."

With that, I lean my face down and merge my lips with hers.

Chapter 25.

Annabelle "Well I have to say, dealing drugs is a lot more lucrative than the killing business." I feign shock. "Oh wait! I forgot. Dealing drugs does involve killing." Then I feign remorse, adding, "My bad."

The private jet is nice, camel-colored leather seats and couch, steel bar area with padded barstools and plush cream carpet. Rain is pattering against the small double-paned windows, but luckily we aren't experiencing turbulence. The cabin isn't huge like jumbo jets, but it's big enough to be cozy without being crowded.

Gabriel shoots me a dirty look from the seat across from me. "Shut up, Annabelle." Still looking p.i.s.sed, he says, "Besides, my dad got a good deal on this jet. He bought it from a corporation that went bankrupt."

"Just saying! Jeez, so touchy." I grin unrepentantly at Gabriel while reclining in the plush sofa. "I've never flown on a private jet. First cla.s.s international is my usual method." Then I laugh. "Unless I'm in a big hurry to get out of a country, then the traveling methods get a little more interesting."

Despite the curiosity that I can see burning in his eyes, Gabriel attempts a stoic expression and says monotonously, "That's awesome."

"You have no idea," I taunt him, knowing that he won't ask for details of my past escapades despite the fact that he's dying to know.

I'm hiding my own emotions and thoughts much better than he is. But then again, I'm a professional. Gabriel's an amateur playing in my world. It's actually quite annoying to be stuck with Gabriel on his family's private plane for the next twenty-two hours. A couple days ago the idea would have given me a thrill, but that was before I caught him about to let that s.k.a.n.k suck him off. Now, I'm just being tortured by his presence. I've written our relationship off. Seriously, the s.k.a.n.k is lucky to be alive.

Not to mention the fact that Jackson is royally p.i.s.sed off at the moment. Big brother doesn't approve of my boyfriend, I guess. With the 'boyfriend' wanting to kill me and all, I can sort of see his problem. Jackson's currently on a commercial flight, flying first cla.s.s to Sydney. He plans on continuing his little a.s.sa.s.sin-out-of-control babysitting job Simon has him working, but from a distance. Probably with a sniper rifle aimed at Gabriel's head the entire time.

But, a deal is a deal and back in Paris I made one with Gabriel. If he went back to Miami until graduation then, once he'd donned that cap and gown, I'd let him know where in the world is Annabelle Blanc. The image of him down on the football field in his academic regalia, scowling at everyone, brings a smile to my face. He looked all cute and angry when he accepted his diploma.

I didn't plan for him to escort me to my next a.s.signment, but he claims that he doesn't want to let me out of his sight. He pointed out that it did take him four months to track me down before he found me in Paris last March. Four months was nothing. If I wanted to, I could disappear forever.

If I'm to believe Gabriel, that he hasn't messed around with any girls since we separated six months ago, then he must be one h.o.r.n.y teenage boy right about now. Well, if I have to be uncomfortable with the situation, then so does he. Slowly, not looking at Gabriel, I lay down sideways on the couch, knowing full well that it'll cause my skirt to ride up as I raise my knees. My black lace panties are exposed for anyone who cares to look.

Glancing over at him indifferently, I suggest, "It's going to be a long flight, you may want to lay down for a nap."

I don't even think he hears me as his eyes are glued to my crotch area. Stifling a laugh, I squirm around on my seat, pretending to get comfortable. I move my hand down to my stomach and lift the hem of my shirt just enough to stroke a finger along my stomach. Glancing at him again, I watch his eyes slowly move from my crotch area to my stomach and up to my face. I smile innocently at him.

He doesn't smile back, but says, "Anna?"

"Yes, Gabriel?"

"Come here."

"What for?"

"So you can finish what you interrupted last night."

"Gabriel . . . ."

"Yeah?"

I say very slowly, "f.u.c.k. You."

He gives me a wicked smile. "Yeah, that's kind of the idea."

I scoff at that, "As if I'm going anywhere near that thing after last night."

He's still smiling and with mock sincerity he croons, "Aw, but baby, I would have been thinking about you the whole time."

Words like mad and angry aren't adequate enough to describe what I'm feeling at the moment. Rage, maybe. Red hot fury, definitely. For someone like me, I need an outlet for an emotion like that. Bottling it up for now, I smile seductively at him. "That's so sweet, baby. How about we make another deal?" I lightly run my fingers over my panties. "See this?"

Gabriel licks his lips. "Uh-huh."

"Well," I begin and briefly pause, "If you can get at it during this flight, it's all yours."

As expected, he pounces. I immediately lift both of my legs and arms up in the air as he nears and use all my strength to vault him over me. He goes flying over the arm of the couch and I hear a tearing sound as his shirt rips.

Landing with a thud behind me, I don't even bother turning my head back to look at him. He groans in pain and says, "Ow." I giggle, never more proud of my skills than I am at this moment. Finally glancing back, I see him sitting up. "That hurt, Anna." Looking petulant, he straightens out his gray V-neck shirt while sitting on the floor. The tear I'd heard is about two inches long at the neckline.

Moving into a sitting position, I imitate his earlier crooning, "Aw, baby, I'm sorry. You didn't think I'd make it easy did you?"

He scowls at me, practically pouting. "Just how hard do you plan on making it?"

I tilt my head to the side. "Hmm, how hard?" Pasting a thoughtful expression on my face, I furrow my brows. "Let's just say . . . the word I'm looking for . . . would be . . . impossible."

He's not amused. "Anna, you're trapped here with me for the next twenty-two hours. You have to go to sleep sometime."

I laugh at his empty threat. "And when you finally get around to killing me, are you going to do my dead body too?"

He frowns. "That's sick. You know what I meant. When you fall asleep I could seduce-" He shoots me a dirty look at the sound of my laughter getting louder, saying, "Just shut up."

That only makes me laugh harder. "Mm-hmm," I say, giving him a skeptical look, as if I question whether or not he would.

He rolls his eyes. "Stop it Anna. You know I wouldn't do that."

"Mm-hmm. Sure."

He lets out a little growl and lunges for me, grabbing both of my arms and pinning me against the back of the couch. "Now I gotcha."

"Oh no," I say in fake dismay, throwing my head back, "You got me now."

He grins triumphantly.

"But, Gabriel?"

He leans his head down and starts kissing my neck. "Huh?"

"How are you planning on keeping me pinned down while you unzip your pants?"

He nibbles on my earlobe, making me suppress a shiver. "You're going to unzip for me."

"No I'm not. I don't do ex-boyfriends."

"You did me in Paris," he reminds me, lifting his head so I can see his raised eyebrows.

"I thought we were getting back together," I grind out through a clenched jaw. "I won't make that mistake again."

Gabriel sighs in defeat, letting his weight drop onto me. The sigh transforms halfway through into a frustrated grunt. "You're killing me, Anna."

I graze my lips against his ear and nibble a little in retaliation. "You're killing me too, Gabriel."

His head rears back so that he can look me in the eyes. "There's no going back, Anna."

I glare at him. "As if I'd get back together with you after I caught you with that dirty s.l.u.t."

He glowers back at me. "I'm not going to apologize for that, Annabelle. I think what you did was way worse."

"Depends on how you look at it."

Gabriel slowly lifts off me, putting up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "You are such a sociopath, Annabelle."

Believe it or not, his words hurt. I'm so sick of being so vulnerable to him. "Well, you are such a . . . stupid boy!"