In The Safety Of A Lie - COMPLETED!

Chapter 11

Nakita had waited until her friend had fallen asleep to leave a note and find the man responsible for the horrible day. She had an idea of where he was. Her intuition was right when she saw his car outside of a warehouse. She'd met him previously at this warehouse when he was trying to recruit her for Senator Downs' security team. The building stashed stuff that the team needed to keep the senator safe and it was where they frequently met.

She parked her car and got out with the readiness to give him a piece of her mind. She'd knock some sense into him and his stupid thoughts. With conviction in every step, she glided across the parking lot and to the building. She barely gave her eyes the chance to adjust to the dimmer, fluorescent lighting in the storage place. She noticed Joey immediately as he looked up at her after moving a box to a shelf.

He had some guilt on his face as he marched up to her. He looked around to see if anyone was watching before grabbing her by the arm and dragging her out of the building.

"Hey! Let go of me right this second, Joey!" She tried to pull her arm out of his grip.

Once they were out of the building, Joey turned on a dime to face Nakita. He released his grip on her as his brows knit together, clearly agitated. "What are you doing here?"

"You do not take that tone with me." She warned him. "How could you do what you did to her? You had absolutely no right! And then you go and leave her? What the hell were you thinking?" She yelled at him.

Joey's shoulders slumped and his gaze dropped away from her. He pushed around some invisible dirt with the tip of his shoe. "I... I had a weak moment." He mumbled a barely audible response, running his fingers through his hair uncomfortably.

Nakita couldn't believe her ears. "You had a weak moment? Breaking away from a diet to have a milkshake is having a weak moment, Joey. You took away her purity! You broke her!"

Joey cringed at the tongue-lashing. He already felt guilty and ashamed. There was no taking back what he did. What was done was done and that was that. "I need to stay away from her, Nakita. I can't hurt her anymore. I can't allow her to get into the mess that I'm already in. She needs to stay safe." He tried to explain, inwardly groaning at the look that Nakita was giving him. He hated to let her down. She was his friend. Or maybe not after this.

"Safe? She felt safe with you, Joey. Now she does not know what to think. She needs you!" She tried to explain, unsure if her words were really making a difference.

"She doesn't need me, Nakita. She's better off without me." Joey said in a voice that made it clear that he had already made up his mind. He was clearly upset with his decision, but he wasn't wavering either. It was too dangerous to waver.

"Okay, Joey. If that is what you decide. I cannot make up your mind. But, I do know that it is a mistake on your behalf." She told him hastily and walked away.

Joey just stood there. He didn't look up at her. He knew that he had made a mistake and he was sorry for that, but what could he do to change it? What was done was done; there was no taking it back. He streaked his fingers through his hair. He felt like punching something, anything. He wanted to take out his anger and hurt on something. If only she knew what kind of danger she'd be in with me. Joey couldn't stop the thoughts from bouncing around his head. I'd get her killed. He doubted his ability to keep her safe, and besides, he knew that his co-worker was finding out a bit too much about Evelina as it was.

Jimmy Valdez was not a force to reckon with and he would put a stop to any and all knowledge that Ev knew. It was his job. He'd already made it clear that Joey wasn't allowed to keep her. A real relationship wasn't in the cards for him. If he needed a woman, then he could have a prostitute. Jimmy had made it clear when Joey had started this job that relationships were only a risk for the business that they were in, and only a risk for the business that Senator Downs was in. He had warned Joey that if he ever found out that he had a woman in his life that he'd put an end to the loose end swiftly and without an option. It was what Downs wanted and it was what Jimmy was known for completing.

Joey couldn't bare to deal with being responsible for anything happening to Ev. He had thought that going out on a date would get Nakita off of his back and let him have a single night of being normal and having a fun time. He had never expected to fall for the girl instantly. He had never expected to tell her anything. Sure, he hadn't told her much, but Jimmy didn't know that. Ev might as well be dead if the man had ever found out. Joey had been careless and stupid. The least he could do was bare some of the guilt for the hurt that he was sure he had caused. He felt broken, too, but there was no way that he could show it around his fellow killers. There was no way for him to confide in anyone. He was alone.

He noticed a small rock in front of him and kicked it without thinking. It hurt, but not more than thinking about what Ev was feeling right now. He swallowed the tears and grief that tried to attack him mercilessly. It wasn't fair, but he had chosen this path knowing the risk. He had entered this job thinking he could put aside the need to be in a relationship. He hadn't believed that he'd find true love anytime soon, and, thus far, he hadn't; then Evelina came along.

With a sigh, he walked back inside to finish the task he had in front of him. He hated the decisions that he had made in the past, but he knew that spending the extra time that he had with Ev hadn't been one of those hated decisions. He had blown it though, and he knew it. His main concern was how he could go on in life and not make that same mistake twice. He wasn't sure, but he'd have to figure it out. He needed to take the time needed to get over this and rebuild his confidence. Maybe he just wasn't supposed to be with anyone. True happiness wasn't in the cards with his job right now. It was a risk that he couldn't take. He couldn't risk hurting anyone else. Maybe when he was older he could finally have a wife and family. A relationship just wasn't feasible right now. Work was his life and his co-workers were his family. That was life for him. For now.