"Do you normally make-out with the people you're hired to kill? It doesn't strike me as very professional."
"Put the gun down," Gabriel panted, not answering her.
"Why on earth would I do that?"
"Because you're not going to shoot me," Gabriel rep...
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Gabriel woke up the next morning to the sound of banging on the closet. He sighed, irritated.
"Yes?" he asked, opening the closet to reveal Kyle, still bound and gagged inside. Kyle tried to talk but the gag made him impossible to understand. "Don't scream unless you want to die a slow, painful death," Gabriel threatened him as he removed the gag.
"I really, really need to use the bathroom," Kyle told him.
"Fine," Gabriel told him. "But I'm going with you, and if you try anything I will kill you."
"I get it, I get it," Kyle told him. "Can you stop threatening to kill me and I'll just assume the threat is always there?"
Gabriel looked at him coolly. He didn't respond, but helped Kyle to his feet and then to the bathroom.
"Can you at least turn away?" Kyle asked.
Gabriel raised his eyebrows without responding. The two stared at each other until, eventually, Kyle broke eye contact.
"Fine," Kyle sighed, turning around to use the bathroom. "Why are you after Ash?" he asked, flushing and going to wash his hands.
"Here," Gabriel said, ignoring Kyle's question and handing him a pain reliever pill from his medicine cabinet. "Take one of these too. I'm sure your fingers don't feel great."
"Thanks..." Kyle said hesitantly. "How did you know where this was?"
"I swept the place last night. I've never seen a grown man with an ice cream cone bedspread."
"It's from Ash," he muttered. "An inside joke."
Gabriel felt a strange twinge of annoyance.
"Can you please tell me what's going on?" Kyle asked again, pleading.
Gabriel looked at Kyle's pathetic expression. This boy clearly had no idea what was good for him.
"Didn't she tell you repeatedly that the less you know, the safer you are?" Gabriel asked Kyle pointedly.
"Do you care about my safety?"
"Not in the slightest," Gabriel answered easily.
"So then you can tell me."
Gabriel sighed. "I'm having a difficult enough time with Ashlyn. The last thing I need is another person added to my list."
Kyle's eyes widened. "Like...a kill list? Oh my god, you are going to kill her aren't you?"
Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Get back in the closet."
"Please," Kyle begged. "Does she owe money or something? I'll pay it, whatever it is."
"This isn't about money." At least Gabriel was pretty sure it wasn't. Then again, he still had no real idea why he had been assigned to kill her.
"Please, I'll do anything. Just don't hurt her," Kyle continued to beg.
