Devereaux

Chapter Two

Recap:

Phoenix is in hospital after having suffered a gunshot wound to his back. He barely survived. Fast forward to Christmas day; Pandora went to visit him and once he fell asleep, a dark and mysterious stranger entered the room. The striking male with a French accent was none other than Devereaux! The assassin who aimed to take Phoenix’s life.

MUY IMPORTANTEEEEEEEEEE! I have finally settled on the name: Sadie. The main character is now called Sadie.

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Chapter Two

“How the fuck did he get into the building, let alone my fucking room?” Phoenix growled in an aggravated but level tone as he fidgeted with the small plastic tube on the back of his hand which used to accommodate the IV drip. He had insisted on having the drip taken out during his initial spell of rage, so it was now hanging uselessly by the left side of his bed.

It was only a matter of hours after Devereaux’s departure. As soon as my phone call to Charlotte ended, she had cancelled all engagements so that she could race to the hospital from a whole other town. We were forced to wake Phoenix from his sleep which he was less than thrilled about. The instant he heard Devereaux was within inches of his resting body, it’s almost as though I actually heard a fuse blow in his mind as he aimed a mountain of backlash at Charlotte.

Charlotte shook her head once. Her jaw was locked. I could sense the frustration and anger radiating off her body as though they were a physical being, ready to pounce. I was rather surprised at how well she was managing to constrain her overpowering emotions because, if I were in her position, I would most indubitably have taken it out on the guards.

As the two closed the distance between each other and began a hushed conversation about the matter at hand, I let my eyes drift towards the door and caught the eye of one of Phoenix’s sentries. His brooding body was turned to face the expanding hospital beyond but he had momentarily cocked his head to glance in at Phoenix and Charlotte. I could see the anxiety clear in his fleeting eyes and suddenly felt a bout of empathy for him because I knew it took a lot for a man who was normally rather stone-faced to let himself express that amount of fear.

He was clearly afraid of what would become of himself and his career.

After what felt like hours – but was probably only minutes – standing in compliant silence, I cleared my throat expectantly but immediately regretted it when I was faced with the irritated glances of Charlotte and Phoenix. However, I held my ground and stared at them with the most intense poker face I could muster. “I’m pretty sure this is just as much my problem as it is yours,” I started in a steady tone that surprised even me, “so I would appreciate being involved in this conversation.”

Phoenix’s expression momentarily softened as Charlotte moved to respond in a critically formal manner. “I apologise,” she began, “we were just discussing the next point of action.”

“I’m going home,” Phoenix elaborated with a wink in my direction. I was slightly taken aback that he could even muster a smirk during a time like this.

Charlotte’s brows furrowed as she turned to face him with a strict face that would have intimidated me into submission but only made Phoenix grin as though tempting her to argue. “We had not agreed to that,” she replied slowly; cautiously. I expected an argument to ensue but was instead met with an exasperated sigh from Charlotte. “But I’m not about to change your mind so do whatever you want.”

Phoenix shrugged and rolled his eyes dismissively. “I’m about as safe in this hospital as I am at home,” he explained. “You can still have the guards posted at my door but at least I can effectively protect myself in an environment that I am accustomed to.”