
Annabelle's POV
I banged on the door more harshly, looking from my left to my right to ensure I wasn't being followed. The hoodie I had on was a perfect disguise from strangers and street cameras. But I was sure I would be recognized by my assailants if spotted.
I raised my shivering knuckles to bang again, but the door swung open and a bright-looking Rita stared at me in surprise. When she noticed the look on my face, she quickly dragged me indoors, slamming the door shut behind her.
The moment she pulled me in, I buried my face between her shoulders and broke down in tears. Letting go so forcefully, it was a miracle we weren't on the floor already. Rita wrapped her arms around me and supported my weight, stroking my hair so lightly I almost couldn't feel it. We just stood there like that, her arms around me in silence and my heart out in tears.
After a while, I raised my head from her shoulder and gave an ugly snort. Rubbing my eyes together as I tried to control my sobbing. I suddenly looked funny, crying like a child in front of Rita.
"Come sit down baby," Rita finally spoke as she took my hands in hers and guided me to the living room. She settled on one of the soft-looking couches in the middle of the room and pulled me to sit beside her.
"Where is Izzy?" I asked her. Looking around the massive room for our third trio.
"She stepped out to get supplies." She replied calmly. I guess it was a normal endeavour for them.
I took one look at her and almost broke down again. How was I supposed to explain to her that I had lied to them all through the time we've known each other? How was I supposed to explain the lies, the schemes, everything?
Guilt hit me like a truck. I hated the life I've had to lead. I hated what I was born into, what I grew to love, what I was good at. I hated that I had never had a real relationship in my life due to the secrets I had to keep. I hated my dad for dying and putting me in this situation, I hated my life.
"Annabelle," I heard my name being called, I looked up to see Izzy standing by the door with two large duffel bags in her hands. Those didn't look like groceries at all.
"Izzy!" I squealed as I stood up from the couch and went to her. I missed her so damn much. I missed them both. They were the only thing that looked and felt real to me right now.
She dropped the bags on the rug beside her and opened her arms for me to step in. As I wrapped myself around her, she cooed, "Oh baby, we are so sorry, so, so sorry."
My heart began to thud loudly against my chest as my whole body stilled. I slowly detached myself from Izzy and watched as she looked between me and Rita. Her mouth formed a round Oh as if she'd just said something she wasn't supposed to. She took a step back from me as I turned to look from her to Rita.
Oh, fuck, fuck, fuck! No fucking way.
I took some steps back from Izzy and sunk into a defence position.
"Take a chill pill, Annabelle," I heard Rita say calmly, "We are not going to hurt you."
The hell.
"We are your heavens gate Anna, " Izzy spoke, lifting her hands in the air to show she wasn't going to attack or defend.
"I don't understand," I stammered as I looked between them. "Who the fuck are you guys?" I breathe as I sunk further away from them to the corner of the room.
"We were assigned to protect you in case shit went down. Shit like the one that just did." Rita explained as she slowly stood up from the sofa and made her way to the bar.
"I think you should take a sit love," Izzy adds, "You've been through enough for one day."
I looked them over in shock, surprise and awe. I should have known my father would pull off something like this. I should have known he wouldn't let me have a normal life. Subconsciously, I knew I should be grateful to my dad for putting in place safety protocols for me in case something bad happened.
Thank you so much dad, I hope you are fucking smiling in your grave, you bastard!
I deliberately walked to the couch I had just vacated and took a sit. I was tired, exhausted, and fatigued. As I rested my head on the back of the sofa, Rita arrived with a glass of something strong and placed it in my hands. I gulped it down in one go.
"Shit! What the fuck was that?" I groaned, almost choking.
Rita chuckled, a small smile playing on her lips and Izzy giggled, she fucking giggled. I sent her a death glare as I reclined on the couch, breathing a sigh of defeat.
"So, does anyone want to fill me in?" I asked, eyeing the duffel bags on the floor that Izzy just brought in. "I'm guessing those aren't groceries are they?"
"No they aren't Anna, they are precautionary equipment," Rita said as she settled on the arms of the couch while Izzy sank beside me on the sofa.
"And here I was, a few minutes ago, feeling guilty that I had lied to you guys all my life when, when, oh fuck! My life is fucked up isn't it?" I moan pathetically and in exhaustion, using my palms to cover my face as I banged my head against the couch.
"Baby, we are so sorry, we didn't mean to let you believe what you did. Our cover couldn't be blown." Izzy explained, using her hands to smoothen out my head and peel my hands away from my face.
"Yes, it couldn't love. It would have been too dangerous." Rita chipped in, then continued, "A few hours before you arrived, before he died, we got a call from your dad saying we had been activated. We immediately knew something was wrong so we quickly called your uncle."
"My uncle? I have an uncle?" I asked in disbelief as I sat up straighter.
"Yes, you do baby. Rum Ronald. He is one of the board of directors--"
"I know who Rum Ronald is Izzy, I just didn't know he was my freaking uncle! What else has my father been hiding from me? Is my mother dead? Am I even his biological child? Is the world about to end?" I spat.
Anger, fury, frustration and everything in between scooting through my body.
"Take a deep breath, Annabelle, calm down. We understand how you feel really. We are still the same people you've know, whom you've grown to love and who loves you back in return. Your father kept all of this from you to keep you safe."
"Am I safe now? Tell me Rita, am I?" I moaned in frustration.
"As long as you are under our care you are. All we have to do now is follow the plan. Did you get the key?" Rita asked, placing the glass of whiskey to her lips, a glass I hadn't noticed before now.
"What is the plan?" I asked, purposely ignoring her question. I wasn't sure if I could trust them yet. Until I was totally, and a hundred per cent sure, I was going to keep that piece of information with me.
"And probably die with it." My mind snickered. I ignored the thought.
"After we called your uncle and told him what was up. He was pissed and furious. But before he dropped the call, he filled us in on your current mission. You were supposed to get a key from Charles right?"
I nodded, and Rita continued. I wasn't oblivious to the fact that she hadn't brought up the question of the key again.
"Do you know who contracted the agency to do the job?"
I shook my head from side to side, unable to form words anymore. Nodding my head in response just seemed to make more sense right now.
"It was Edward Harrell." She announced.
I stilled. "Do you mean Charles's father? Are you saying he paid for his own son's death?"
"Yes," Rita confirmed.
Fuck!
I blurted from the couch and began pacing. "We have to tell him, Rita, we have to save him. He doesn't know, he doesn't--"
"Yes we will baby, yes we will. But first, you'll have to die."
I froze.
"Do you mean--"
"Yes. That's exactly what I mean Annabelle."
Well fuck!
I've just found daddy's little door.
Hello loves! So, I decided to say hi and ask a few questions.
1) What do you think will happen now that secrets are beginning to unravel?
2) What came to your mind when you saw that last sentence of this chapter?
3) Who do you ship in this story?
4) Who do you hate the most, love the most, pity the most?
Just let me know your answers in the comments section. I'm waiting