| The Hitman By Ladybug |
| Chapter 4 The doorbell chimed at precisely 7:00 p.m. Rachel opened the door to find Gabriel standing there with a bottle of wine and a rather serious looking expression. He was wearing black slacks, a cream-colored pullover shirt and a black jacket. His long, dark, curly hair was brushed back away from his face and hung down just past his shoulders in tight ringlets. He looks delicious, Rachel thought to herself, trying hard not to stare. “You’re right on time. Come on in.” She stepped back to allow him to pass, then shut the door behind him. She turned back to Gabriel to find him staring down at her, his dark eyes hooded and unreadable. He handed her the bottle of wine. “To go with dinner. I only picked up a bottle of red, I hope that works.” Rachel smiled, taking the wine from him. “It’s perfect, thank you.” Her eyes flickered over his left shoulder. “It’s fine,” he answered before she could ask. Her green-eyed stare collided with his dark gaze. “Did you have it looked at by a doctor?” Gabriel scowled. “I said I would, didn’t I?” The tension between them thickened to the point that Rachel thought she would choke on it. He was angry about something. She could see it in his expressive face, his intense eyes. His body language was vibrating with pent-up energy that was seeking release. What was he so angry about? She couldn’t fathom what she might have done, though he did seem pretty annoyed earlier, calling her a nag. But regardless, she would be damned if she would expose her daughter to his anger. She didn’t care if he did save Abigail’s life. Her gratitude towards him would extend only so far. “Look, I don’t know what I’ve done to piss you off, but you either change the attitude or you can leave right now. I won’t have you scaring Abigail with your scowls and growls!” Gabriel blinked several times, then a slow smile spread across his face. God, she was feisty! He had a nearly overwhelming urge to kiss her. He’d been in a black mood since that morning at the park. His plan had been to come to dinner, wait until Abigail was in bed asleep, then kill Rachel. He tried to retain his black mood, knowing it would make it easier for him to snuff out her life if he could separate the tenderness he felt for her from the job he had to do, but it was an impossible feat. She stared up at him with those huge green eyes snapping with indignation and the only thing he could think about was how he was going to get her into bed by the end of the evening. “Dio, you are beautiful when you are angry!” he breathed as he moved closer to her. Rachel gasped at the sudden turnabout and froze when he bent his head to brush his lips whisper-soft against hers. It was the most incredible thing she’d ever felt. “Gabriel . . .” She raised her hands to clutch the front of his coat. “We can’t-” “Yes, we can,” he whispered against her mouth, his breath warm against her face. His arms began to circle around her waist to draw her against him, his mouth slanting across hers to deepen the kiss when the patter of feet froze him. “Gabriel!” He stepped back and turned just as Abigail rounded the corner into the foyer. He winced slightly as his shoulder began to throb. Rachel had been clutching the front of his coat in her hands and when he’d stepped back quickly the motion had jerked her hands away causing his coat to pull hard against his sore shoulder. “You’re here!” she squealed in delight as she threw herself at his legs, nearly knocking him off balance. “Easy there, tiger.” He ruffled her hair with his hand. “How’s my favorite little lady?” Abigail raised her head to smile adoringly up at him. “I’m fine,” she answered as she tugged gently on his shirt, indicating she wanted him to bend down. He obliged her by squatting down in front of her. She planted a kiss on his cheek, then asked very solemnly, “Is your shoulder all better?” “Well, no, not exactly. The doctor said I bruised it really bad, so it’s going to hurt for a while, but that’s okay,” he reassured her, but Abigail’s eyes still filled with tears as her chin began to quiver. “I’m sorry, Gabriel.” His heart dropped to his feet as the little girl before him began to cry. “It’s all my fault that you got hurt!” “Abby-” Rachel started to step forward, her heart breaking for her daughter, but Gabriel waved her off. He carefully gathered Abigail against him, mindful of his left arm. “Sh-sh-sh, principessa.” He allowed her to bury her little face against his chest for a moment, then he raised his right hand to tilt her face up to him. “Look at me, Abigail.” He waited until she raised her hazel eyes to him. “What you did was wrong. You should never wander out into the street like that, but what happened to me was not your fault. I choose to run out there and grab you. That was my decision to make and I would do it again.” He wiped her tear-stained cheeks with his thumb, then tilted her chin up with his fingers. “Do you understand?” “I think so.” Her chin still quivered a little, but the tears had stopped. “Can you give me a smile?” Abigail gave him a shaky smile and he smiled back. “That’s my girl.” “Abby, honey, why don’t you go wash up? Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes.” “Okay, Mommy,” she answered softy, then turned and left. Gabriel stood up and turned back to Rachel. The heated look in his eyes told her immediately that what had begun only moments before Abigail’s entrance was far from over. He took a step towards her, but she shook her head. “I have to get dinner out of the oven before it burns.” He stopped and smiled knowingly. He allowed her to slip by him and he fell into step behind her, following her to the kitchen. As he walked behind her, he took notice of her dress. It was another one of those tight fitting dresses that hugged her curves and showed off her long legs. His nostrils flared as he breathed in sharply. What he wouldn’t do to have those long legs wrapped around his waist as he buried himself inside her. Shaking his head almost violently, he scolded himself and forced his attention back to the matter at hand. He was doing it again. He was allowing her to distract him for his ultimate goal. He was there to kill her, not seduce her. ~*~*~*~*~ Gabriel noticed the large vase of red and white roses as he passed the dining room table. Even after several days, they still looked good and it annoyed him at the immense pleasure he felt zinging through him that she still had them displayed. A pleasant aroma wafted from the kitchen and he breathed in deeply. “It smells wonderful.” “Well, it’s nothing fancy, I’m afraid. I hope you like pot roast,” she replied, glancing back at him as she headed into the kitchen. “I didn’t have time to get to the grocery store earlier.” She picked up the oven mittens and slipped them on. Opening the oven door, she pulled out the large roasting pan and sat it on top of the stove. When he didn’t answer right away she glanced over at him and frowned. “Please don’t tell me you hate pot roast?” Truth was, he loved pot roast. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d had it; at least not a home-cooked one. What was disturbing him so much was how homey this all felt. He could so easily see himself sliding into the role of husband and father with Rachel and Abigail. He could so easily see them as a family. He could easily see himself making love to Rachel every night until they were both exhausted. His frown suddenly turned to heated lust as he lifted his gaze to her. “I love it,” he answered, but the way he was looking at her, she wasn’t sure if he were talking about the food or something else. Rachel felt the flush rising up her neck and she turned away quickly, busying herself with getting everything ready to place on the table. Gabriel leaned against the doorway of the kitchen and watched her as she placed the pot roast on a large serving plate, then carefully spooned the cooked carrots, onions and potatoes around it. He noticed a bread-making machine sitting on the counter with a fresh loaf sitting next to it. His mouth began to water as the different aromas invaded his nose. Rachel turned towards him with the serving plate in her hands. “Here, make yourself useful.” She handed him the plate and gasped softly when his hands closed partially over hers. Her eyes snapped up to meet his and she could see that he was laughing at her silently with his eyes. He winked at her playfully then allowed her to slide her hands carefully out from under his as he turned to carry the plate to the dining room table. ~*~*~*~*~ Much later as Rachel was cleaning up the kitchen, Abigail managed to drag Gabriel back to her room and was showing him her collection of Beanie Babies. He had finally removed his jacket earlier, making sure that his gun was tucked safely within the inner pocket and he now sat on the edge of Abigail’s bed. “I have 75 Beanie Babies now,” Abigail told him proudly. “That’s a lot of Beanie Babies, principessa. Do you have them all?” He stared over at the huge collection of Beanie Babies that sat well organized in some kind of netting hooked to the wall in one corner of the room. “No. There are still bunches I don’t have. But some day I will, you’ll see!” “I’ve no doubt of that.” He flashed her a smile. “It’s time for bed, little one.” Rachel appeared in the doorway. “Ah, Mommy do I have to?” Abigail asked clearly disappointed. “Yes, pumpkin, you do,” Rachel answered moving into the room. Abigail turned to Gabriel. “Will you tell me a bed time story?” “Abigail, I don’t think Gabriel-” “It’s alright, Rachel. I’d love to tell Abigail a story,” he interrupted her. “Are you sure?” She had the feeling that Gabriel didn’t spend a lot of time around kids, though he seemed to handle himself well enough with Abigail. He nodded his head and smiled. “It’s fine. I think I can handle reading a story.” Gabriel left the room long enough for Abigail to get dressed into her nightgown and returned as she crawled into bed. Rachel kissed her goodnight and left the two of them alone while she went back into the living room to wait for Gabriel. ~*~*~*~*~*~ Pouring herself a fresh glass of wine, she turned on the stereo and located a soft jazz station. A short time later Gabriel appeared to find Rachel standing by the window staring out into the front yard. His breath caught as the moonlight splashed softly across her face giving her an ethereal look. I can do this, he told himself. I can end this woman’s life and it will mean nothing to me. He was suddenly finding it hard to breathe. He forced his legs to move forward approaching her from behind. He could just snap her neck and she would never know. No noise, no mess and he could slip out quietly. But the little girl knows you’re here, his mind told him. You will have to kill her too in order to cover your tracks. He froze several feet behind Rachel. His heart raced erratically in his chest. This job was getting too complicated. He couldn’t kill Abigail. There was not enough money in this world that would make him do it, but this job was taking too long and he couldn’t wait any longer. It was either tonight or walk away. Slowly he moved up behind her. Raising his hands up, he slid them gently over her shoulders, squeezing the tense muscles he found there. She stiffened at first, but then relaxed and leaned back into him. “Dance with me,” he whispered into her hair as a Kenny G song drifted from the stereo. Rachel turned slowly to face him. He took the wine glass from her hand and sat it on the end table next to the couch. Taking her hand, he led her to the middle of the living room where he slipped his left arm around her waist, his right hand curled around her left one, tucking them both snuggly against his chest as he pulled her closer and began to sway slowly with the music. Rachel could hardly breathe. She could feel the heat from his body, the hard plains of his hard muscled body pressed intimately against hers. The movement of his legs as they moved between hers and the occasional brush of his hard thigh against the juncture of her legs. It was getting out of control. She should have never invited him here. By the look in his dark eyes, she knew this could only end one way and God help her she wanted it more than anything, but she couldn’t seem to get past the fact that she was a married woman. Your marriage is a joke, Rachel! It’s over! Now here is a gorgeous man who is offering you a night of pleasure, don’t be such a prude! A shiver raced up her spine at the thought of just giving in to him. He watched as different emotions flickered through her eyes. She was battling against her attraction for him and he wasn’t going to make it easy for her. He refused to let her off the hook. He wasn’t certain where this would all end up, but for the moment, she was his. Moving her left hand to his shoulder, he slipped his right arm around her waist and drew her even closer, until their bodies were flush against each other, her breasts pressing against his chest. Rachel swallowed hard, her heart leaping into her throat as she looked up into his face. “Gabriel,” she whispered softly as his head dipped and his lips brushed softly against hers. Her mind froze and the only thing that she could focus on was how soft his lips were and how good they felt against hers. How good he felt against her. It had been so long since Rachel had felt desired by a man and she was drowning in the sensations of it. “Gabriel.” She tried again between the feather-light kisses that he continued to brush against her mouth. “We shouldn’t.” “Shhhhh.” The warm gust of his breath warmed her face as he hushed her. “Let me love you tonight, cara mia.” His tongue then slipped past her parted lips and into her mouth. Rachel melted against him, her arms tightening around his neck as she opened her mouth completely to him. She moaned softly, pressing her body closer to his as the velvety softness of his tongue curled around hers. He tasted every inch of her mouth, plundering, dueling, drinking her in. He didn’t think he’d ever tasted anything so sweet, a heady mixture of wine and impassioned woman. His hands glided up her sides, brushing elusively against the outer swell of her breasts, and continued up until they reached her hair. His seeking fingers located the pins holding her hair and he pulled them out, causing her hair to fall down in a soft cloud around her face and shoulders. He tangled his long fingers in the silky thickness of it and gently pulled her head back so he could deepen the kiss. His other hand slid back down to her waist and curved over her buttocks, lifting her slightly and pulling her into the bulge in his pants. Rachel clung to his shoulders, sagging against him, her knees useless. Only the strength of his arms around her kept her from sliding to the floor in a puddle at his feet. “Your bedroom?” His voice was deep, husky sounding as he tried to keep his breathing under control. “End of the hall on the left.” Gabriel suddenly swung her up into his arms and carried her back to her bedroom, closing the door behind him. Stopping next to the bed, he lowered her feet to the floor and moved his hands behind her to grasp the zipper at the back of her dress. Hunching her shoulders forward, she let the dress slipped off to puddle on the floor at her feet. “Dio aiuto me! (God help me)” he whispered softly to himself as his eyes hungrily roamed over creamy white skin, luscious curves and perfectly rounded breasts. His hand came up to cover one lace-covered breast and watched as her eyes dilated and glazed slightly. Her lips parted on a soft intake of breath when his thumb brushed back and forth across the lace-covered nipple until it stood out seeking more of his attention. Reaching behind her, he unhooked the bra and let it fall down her arms where it dropped to the floor. “Bella . . .” came whisper-soft from his lips as he reached out to touch her. His mouth watered as the soft rosy color of her nipples puckered up from his touch. Never had a woman’s body captivated him so much. He moved forward, forcing her to move back onto the bed. He settled his weight partially over the lower half of her body as his mouth latched greedily onto a nipple. The response from Rachel was immediate. She arched her back, her breasts thrusting up as a moan escaped her parted lips. It was as if an electrical current ran from her breasts down between her legs and with every pull of his mouth, her body hummed almost violently with the threat of release. He drew her deeply into his mouth, his tongue curling, cupping the tantalizing treasure he’d discovered. He toyed with it, teased it until Rachel thought she would scream from the wildness that threatened to overwhelm her system. And just when she didn’t think she could take any more, he switched to the other breast and started over. “Gabriel,” she pleaded, her fingers buried deep in his hair. He answered her plea, but not in the way she would have wished. He merely released his onslaught of her breasts and moved down towards a new target. His large frame settled neatly between her legs, his hands gently easing her thighs wider apart. One hand moved to the hidden chamber nestled in the thatch of auburn curls and he slipped a finger between the twin petals that guarded her jewel. “Oh my God!” The air left her lungs and for a long moment she forgot how to breathe. He was enthralled with the intensity of her response to him. And more than that was the response he was having towards her. Never in his life was he so drawn to a woman. It was more than just an attraction. It was more than just sex. Gabriel wanted to possess more than just her body, he wanted her very soul! Somehow the great Hawk had lost his heart and he was hopelessly lost. Rachel bucked her hips up, begging for him to release her from his sweet torture, then on the same breath, begging him not to stop. Her hands clutched the bed sheets and she was just barely beginning to learn how to breath again when she felt his tongue slip inside her. “Gabriel!” she exclaimed nearly coming up off the bed. He kept her hips anchored to the bed with his hands and he drank deeply from her honeyed chamber. He felt the first pulses of her release tighten around his tongue moments before the cry escaped her lips. He continued to stroke and tease with his mouth until the first wave had passed. Without a word, he rose up, moving off the bed long enough to remove his clothes, then he was back settling between her thighs once more. Her eyes had darkened to an emerald color and were heavily glazed with passion. His mouth claimed hers as he settled over her, his heavy frame crushing her into the mattress. Her arms circled around him, her hands roaming the hard muscles of his back, gliding easily through the light sheen of sweat that had formed there. His hands framed her face as his tongue thrust into her mouth in sweet imitation of what he was only moments away from doing with his body. The taste of her essence still on his tongue intoxicated her and she lifted her hips up in silent invitation. Slipping her hand down between them, Rachel wrapped her hand around the hardness of his sex, a contradiction of iron softness; it pulsed in her hand as she squeezed gently. Gabriel tore his mouth away from hers as the air exploded from his lungs. He was so close to the edge of losing control that he barely gave her time to guide him to her opening before he was thrusting his hips forward, sheathing himself to the hilt. Rachel cried out as he stretched her, filling her so completely. She fit so snuggly around him that she could feel every blessed inch of him. He froze for barely a moment before he began to move. She was still so sensitized from her first release, that the friction he was causing with his thrusting hurtled her startlingly fast towards another climax. Only this time she wouldn’t be going over the edge alone. Gabriel’s control snapped the moment her tight honeyed chamber swallowed him in. He had no coherent thoughts except to possess what was his. His hands slid down under her buttocks and he lifted her up to meet his hard thrusts, their bodies coming together in a mix of skin, groans and heavy breathing. When she climaxed, Rachel felt as if her whole body shattered and her breath locked in her throat. Gabriel’s face was buried in the crook of her neck; his eyes squeezed shut as his release tore through him with a vengeance. The sound that tore from his throat was primal and his body pinned her to the bed as he emptied himself, marking her with his seed and his scent. For the longest time, neither one of them could move. Rachel was content to hold him, not caring that he was crushing her. Finally though, he raised his head and with an effort, he lifted himself, sliding out from her protective cocoon and collapsing onto his back next to her. “Come here,” he called softly and pulled her against his side. She settled against him, her head lying in the crook of his arm, her left leg thrown carelessly across his thigh, her hand resting over his heart. “Your husband is a fool,” he finally said softly as his fingers stroked her back. “To have a woman like you, yet he wastes his time at work.” Rachel sighed softly not really wanting to think about Martin yet feeling as if she needed to explain. “We drifted apart,” she answered. “I’ve suspected for a long time that he is having an affair with his secretary. He rarely comes home anymore, preferring to stay in Atlanta.” “Why don’t you just divorce him?” “I’ve asked for a divorce, but he won’t hear of it. He threatened me the last time I asked, told me if I filed for divorce, he’d kill me.” Rachel laughed softly, but Gabriel heard only fear in the sound of it. “I didn’t think he’d really do it, but it was still enough to back me down. I think he was worried that I would take him to the cleaners and he’d lose everything.” She lifted her head to look at Gabriel. “I could care less about the money, Gabriel. I could go back to work as a school teacher and Abigail and me would be just fine.” “I know you would, bellezza,” Gabriel answered softly; his thoughts shifting to what he had been hired to do. To what he still had to do. At that moment, he’d never hated himself more, had never been more disgusted with what he he’d become. He was falling in love with her, knowing he had to kill her. “Go to sleep, cara mia,” he whispered as he leaned forward to kiss her soft lips. Rachel laid her head down on his chest and fell quickly to sleep. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The Hitman - Chapter 5 |