Free The Accidental Assassin by Nichole Chase Page A

otherwise.”
    “It’s a prostitute turf war.” I shook my head. “Like in a movie.”
    “Fiction is usually grounded in some sort of reality.” He stood up and offered me his hand. “Would you like to get some breakfast?”
    “I’d really like to brush my teeth.” I let him pull me to my feet.
    “Extra toothbrushes in the medicine cabinet. Then we eat.” He closed the door behind him and I stared at my reflection. I had hopped on the carousel of death and had no idea which way it was going to take me.

 

     
     
    DECIDING WHICH VEHICLE to take to town gave me pause. We could use the stolen car because I’d changed the tag while Ava was sleeping. Or we could take the old farm truck from the garage. Then again, people might recognize the truck and it would be better to keep a low profile here. Most of the people I ran with long ago were gone or locked up, but it paid to be safe.
    Ava might object to using the stolen car, though. Watching her cry in my mother’s bathroom had been like a knife to the gut. How was I supposed to comfort her over killing someone? Patting her on the back would have been patronizing. Any sort of comment I made would sound empty. I would have made tea, but we were out. So I’d gotten her a rag and sat on the floor instead.
    The gentlemanly thing would be to take the truck so I didn’t upset her any more, but my pragmatic side pointed out that it would be better to keep her alive than to soothe her feelings. She was just going to have to suck it up.
    The bathroom door knob turned and I stopped pacing. I’d felt heat before, but having someone else by my side as I dealt with dangerous people was a new experience. It made me uneasy to feel responsible for another person’s safety, and it was wearing on my nerves. With slow, deliberate moves I picked up my laptop and placed it back in the safe. No reason to telegraph my unease.
    I closed the safe and froze when I saw Ava. All traces of the makeup she had worn the day before were gone, letting a vulnerability shine through her eyes that was at odds with the defiant way she held her chin. When her gaze met mine it was like being kicked in the gut. I’d just watched her get rid of everything I’d fed her the night before. There were circles under her eyes and she was pale, her hands twisting the hem of the over-sized sweater she was wearing, leaving the material disfigured. But something in her eyes remained fierce.
    I’d never seen anyone so beautiful in my life.
    I couldn’t tell you what it was that drew me. She would never be a model and she wasn’t sultry or glamorous, but just a look at her made me want to bundle her up somewhere safe so that I could enjoy her smiles forever.
    “Ready?” I cleared my throat.
    “Where are we going?” Her voice was low, hoarse from her earlier sickness.
    “Breakfast.” I slid my guns into my shoulder harness and slipped my blazer over them. I hadn’t taken the time to change since we’d gotten to Oxford.
    “And then where?” She looked around the room and then shook her head. She had nothing to bring with us.
    “We need more supplies.” I opened the front door and waited for her to go through.
    “Duct tape, tarps?” Her lips quirked into a smile.
    “Har, har. Look who woke up with a funny bone.” I rolled my eyes. “I meant more food, maybe some soap.”
    She didn’t respond, just shook her head.
    “Besides, I have plenty of the other stuff in my super-secret kill room.”
    She stumbled a bit and shot a glare in my direction. “Not funny.”
    “You started joke hour.” I quickened my pace so I could get to the car and open the door.
    “I’m officially shutting it down.” She tried to look annoyed but couldn’t hide the amusement in her eyes.
    “Kill joy.” I closed her door and moved around to the driver’s side.
    “Nope, that’s your job.”
    Ouch. That one stung.
    “Way to beat a dead horse, Ava.” I set the car in drive and headed for town.
    She snickered