The Innocent Target

Chapter Nineteen

Dawn was breaking out when Vincent heard mumbling and moaning. He put the eggs aside and jogged around to the bed. Odette was sitting up in bed, holding her head.

"Odette?" He gulped and she looked around the hut before finally finding him as he sat beside her on the bed, "How do you feel?" Nervous slightly, he cupped her cheek.

"Vincent?" She called. He nodded.

"I'm here."

Her face was broken and nose turned red. Tears gathered at the brim of her lashes and he thought she would break down but instead she slapped him, right across the face. His face only moved an inch but she was hissing, holding her bruised hand.

"I'll make you some eggs." He stood and walked around to the kitchen with no care for her movement.

"What the fuck are you doing back here?" She yelled, and then he heard a thud. She'd fallen to the floor in the attempt to get off the bed. He sighed and walked around, giving a hand. She smacked it away but still struggled. Irritated, he picked her up with hands under her shoulders. She gasped when he put her on the dining table and leaned on her with hands on each side of her hips on the table.

"Last I recall, this is my damn cabin. So, the real question is... what are you doing here?" He asked in a low, threatening voice.

"Nothing. Just came to grab my things." She held her head high.

"You have no things."

"Fine. I'm leaving then."

"No. You're not. I kidnapped you, remember that?" He whispered.

"You fucker. You disappeared..." Her voice grew heavy, "You left us and now he's dead! Noah is dead! You hear me? He got me out and got himself killed because he thought that you'd come!" Her voice was low but she was crying now, "I watched him die..." She inhaled a staggering breath, "And I couldn't do a bloody thing."

His heart grew heavy but he quickly eliminated that feeling.

"No one asked you to find me. In fact, why are you still around? You are like that dog one can't get rid of. Obsessive and annoying!" He bit out and moved away. She seemed stung and stared at him, up and down.

"Noah was stupid." She chuckled sadly, "He thought you actually cared about me. He thought that you were trying to help me." She pursed her lips, "I told him... that you don't. That... since you got this job, you just want to shake me off."

"Aren't you perceptive." He nodded. Tears grew in her eyes but they stayed there this time. Anger took over her expressions.

"He... I hate you for leaving us and for many other reasons but he believed in you. He said that you wouldn't have left unless you had no choice."

"He knows me better than you. Don't try to take over just because I've been tolerating you for a week and more." He pointed out, sternly.

"You're a monster." Her lips trembled.

"Never tried to advertise myself as anything otherwise." He shrugged and went to the kitchen. For the first time... he was hurting. He felt a tightness in his chest, that was making him weak. Making his body feel smaller against that weight in his heart. His lungs felt like they were shrinking and his ribs might break apart.

"I'll leave. Right now. But know this..." He heard her feet touch the floor, "...I'll come back. Not for you, but for Noah. I'll find that fucking Morris and God help me, I'll put a bullet through his skull, if that's the last thing I do. Or at least I'll die trying."

"Who do you think you are?" He scoffed, looking at her little figure, "Shot a few people and think you're us? You're a mere nobody, too stupid to even get past a few offenders without getting hurt yourself. You can't even handle yourself, how do you expect to go after a man who owns half of North America's drug cartel?" He taunted.