THE MAFIA'S EXECUTIONER [√Complete]

V

[Jennie]

She was quiet, maybe she wasn't trying to wake me, or maybe she was just naturally that quiet, maybe she had to be because of who she was, what she did. I watched as she walked into the master bedroom and then moved into the bathroom. The door was open enough for me to see a reflection of her in the mirror.

I covered my mouth in horror as she turned on the water.

Blood was everywhere.

Splatters of it on her cheeks.

More down her arms.

She peeled her shirt from her body.

I sucked in a sharp breath, she had such a sexy body that it was distracting, which I needed, I needed a distraction.

Blood.

I almost gagged when she started washing her hands, staining the porcelain sink. Is this what I'd just agreed to?

She'd made it sound... adventurous, dangerous, but so normal.

But I hadn't seen death, had I?

Death to her was normal.

Washing blood off her hands was just another day.

My body started to shake as she continued to wash her hands. Maybe it was a nightmare. Maybe my mind was playing tricks on me?

I quietly got out of bed and moved toward the bathroom, leaning against the wall, so I could watch. Maybe if I just watched longer I would stop shaking, it would seem normal.

It looked like food coloring.

Her eyes slowly lifted, locking with mine in the reflection of the mirror.

"I heard a noise," I whispered in a hoarse voice.

Her eyes looked wild.

I'd never seen that look on another human before.

I started to back up as she slowly turned off the water and then turned, making her way for me. I made it maybe a foot, before her wet hands were on my shirt, touching my skin.

Trembling, I waited for her to say something else.

And then she cupped my chin with her right hand, I could smell blood on her, death lingered in the air. "Are you scared?"

I gulped. "Yes."

"Don't be," she whispered. "It's just me."

"All the blood." I couldn't get the shaking out of my voice. Her eyes didn't soften if anything, something else sparked in them, something... that felt evil and wrong so wrong.

"That's a natural occurrence when you shoot someone, Jennie."

I gasped. "You shot someone?"

"It's my job," was what she said through clenched teeth, "I told you what this life was about, you swore your fealty to me, to this." She spread her arms wide. "And now you tell me you're scared? That you can't handle it? That you can't handle me?"

She was shaking.

Oh God, was this normal?

"Lisa-" I reached for her "-what's wrong?"

"Bring me back," she rasped. "Please..." She tugged at me.

Petrified, I reached for her, my mouth clanged against her and then we were a tangle of limbs as he held me with his good hand as blood dripped between our bodies. She pressed me against the wall, pinning me there with her mouth with her fragile body as it shook against mine. I coaxed her, kissed her softly. Her breathing was erratic, her pulse the same. She deepened the kiss and then pulled back her eyes calmer, her focus centered on me. "I'm sorry."

"What's going on?"

"I need you." Her voice was pleading. "So much right now. I need you." She gritted her teeth and stared down at her bloody hand. "There isn't an escape. The more I do this, the more I lose myself. My soul isn't there anymore, it's barely existing. I don't know how to find myself anymore."

I held onto her for dear life, wondering what I got myself into.

Wondering how I was supposed to survive if she was already half dead, half gone.

"I killed my cousin." Lisa's eyes saddened, "And I have a sick feeling, I'm going to have to do it again." She bit down on her lower lip.

"What do you mean?"

"We all have jobs." Her voice was low, dangerous.

I was almost afraid to ask. "What's yours?"

"I'm the executioner."

Stunned, I just stared at her in complete horror and shock my mind reeling. "So, if I ran, after all of this?"

Her nostrils flared. "Please don't do that to me."

"Would you?" It was my turn to be hysterical. "Lisa?"

"We all have jobs." She repeated. "You should go back to sleep."

"And dream of what? You chasing me down with a gun?"

"Please." She begged. "Not tonight. Just stay, let me hold you."

"You just admitted you would murder me!"

"Jennie, you don't understand, if I didn't--someone else would. That's what I'm trying to tell you. There is no escape for us. And because I wanted you-I damned you too. What the fuck did I just do?" She tore at her hair again and then pulled away from me. "I'm going to go sleep on the couch."

"Lisa wait-"

"-I do love you," she said in a sad voice. "But not enough to leave you alone...and it seems... history has no choice but to f*ck with us over and over again."

She slammed the door behind her, leaving me paralyzed in place.

Rooted to the floor while fresh tears streaked down my face.

What just happened?