called for Luke, but there was no answer. As she got out of bed, she noticed a note on her bedside table.“Sweetie, I had to go to work. I have an idea that will help you with everything you told me. Continue with your plan, I have your back, as always. Another thing, I enjoyed last night, but I think you need to come to terms with how you feel about Parker. I will always be here for you. By the way, whatever you’re hiding from me, you can tell me. I’ll always be here for you. Call me later-Luke,”she read to herself. She folded up the letter and put it in the drawer.
She stood up and walked down the hall to the bathroom. She took a hot shower and draped a towel around herself.
She headed into Parker’s room. “Wakeup!” she said.
He opened his eyes. “Oh, I’m still here. I thought it was a dream.”
“Are you hungry?”
“Yeah, starved. I haven’t eaten since yesterday morning.”
“Well, all I have is cold pizza, so, you’ll have to deal with it,” she untied his legs and uncuffed his hands from the bed. She cuffed his hands to each other. “Get up and don’t try anything stupid.”
“I won’t. I promise,” he said, as he slowly stood up. “Can I get something else to wear?”
“Yeah, I have clean clothes that will fit you. Don’t worry,” she said, as led him into the living room. She pushed him into the hard wooden chair and cuffed his hand to the arm. “Don’t move. By the way, that chair is nailed to the floor, so youcan’twalk around.”
She walked over to one of her bags and pulled out a shirt and pair of pants that she bought from theArmy Navy store. She also grabbed her nine-millimeter out of her dufflebag. She uncuffed his hand. “Stand.”
He stood up as she pointed the gun at him. “Now what?”
“Strip and put these on,” she tossed him the clothes.
“Here?”
“Yes, now,doit!” she demanded, trying to keep her feelings hidden.
“Sam, you don’t have to hold that gun on me. I won’t hurt you and I won’t try to leave.”
“I saidstrip. NOW!” she said.
“All right,” he said, as he unbuttoned his paint-covered shirt. He gazed into her eyes and sighed. He removed his pants and kicked them off his feet. He stood there in his boxers. “Sam, come here, please.”
“I can’t,” she cried, as her hand that was holding the gun, started to shake.
“What are you afraid of?”
“You breaking my heart again.”
“I just want to be with you. I didn’t plan on falling in love with you. I just wanted to get the job done. I couldn’t help what I was feeling. I fell in love with you. The first time we made love, I knew I was making love and notjusthaving sex. Didn’t you feel it?”
“It wassex, you bastard. That’sit,” she spat.
“Oh, it was more than that, you know it. You feel it!”
“Of course, I felt it. Why do you think I hurt so bad?”
“Please, come here. Let me hold you. I swear, I’ll never hurt you again.”
Sam put the gun in her front waistband and slowly walked over to Parker.
He lifted his hand up slowly and lightly touched her cheek. “All I want is for this to be over, so you and I can be together. I’m sorry that I lied to you. I should’ve told you the truth. I’m so sorry. Please, it’s all right to love me.”
She gazed in his eyes. “How do you do that?”
“What?”
“Make me love you when Ican’teventrustyou?”
He pulled her into a passionate kiss and ran his hands down her back. “Sam, please, I won’t hurt you. I just want to love you. I want to be with you.”
“After everything I’ve done…”
“After everythingI’vedone,” he said. “Let me show you.”
“No, Ican’t. Please, get dressed,” she backed away.
“Why?”
“I can’t sleep with you when I had sex with Luke last night. I can’t do that to you … to us. I don’t plan on being with Luke anymore, but he is my best friend. That is something…” she sighed, “thatifwe’re together, you’ll have to deal with.”
“I can deal with it. I need to know … whydidyou sleep with him?”
“Get dressed,” she said.
He picked up the shirt and pants and put it on. Then he sat in the chair. She handcuffed his hand back on the arm of the chair. “Sam?”
“I need your attention. As of right now, you’re dead. I even have pictures to prove it. We’re going to do this my way. PK, you need to trust me.”
“I do. I’m sorry about…”
“Juststopapologizing. Now, as far as Luke and I, we’re only together when we need to feel better. The first time, it just happened. After that, it was only when we both needed something. To be honest, I’m theonlywoman he’s ever had sex with.”
“He’sgay?”
“Yeah, but that’s between you and I. The precinctdoesn’tknow.”
“He’s a cop?”
“He’s the Captain of Computer Crimes at the four six precinct.”
“Does he know everything?”
“Yes, I can trusthim. Now, I thought I could trust you. I need to find out if I can trust you again.”
“So, what do you have planned?”
“Small things. First, I’ll take care of the next mark, then I’ll have a heart-to-heart with Mr. Morrison.”
“You need to watch your back.”
“I know, but I think I’ll get better results if he thinks you’re dead. Youwillremain here until I say.”
“But what about the penthouse or the money?”
“I have the money. After all, I’m the one that earned it, not you. I’ll still use the penthouse, butthisis whereyou’llbe.”
“So, I’m going to be tied up here the entire time while you’re playing hit woman?”
“First of all, I don’t play … anything anymore. No more games with you. If you escape or leave here, everything will be ruined. I can’t take the chance.”
“I’ll remain dead if I need to. Sam, I just don’t want you to be hurt. You need someone to back you up.”
“I can handle Jack. Don’t worry, Luke knows where you are, so if I get killed, he’ll release you.”
“You can’t be serious. Youcan’tdo this alone.”
Sam stood up. “Youdon’tget to decided! I do. You played with my life. You took me out of my real life. You lied to me. You made love to me and made me fall in love with you.”
“Imadeyou?”
“Yes, you and your damn heart. How could I fall in love with you?”
“Sam, please, uncuff me,” he said. “I won’t leave. I promise.”
She shook her head. “Today, you’re cuffed. We’ll see what happens when I get back. Help yourself to some pizza. I’ll bring some real food back here when I come back.”
“You’re leaving now?”
She walked over to him and sat on his lap. “PK, if you really love me, you’ll just sit here. You won’t move,” she kissed him tenderly. “I mean it when I say I love you, but if you ever hurt me again … Iwillkill you.”
“I know,” he sighed.
She moved the coffee table closer to him. “You have the remote and the food if you need it. If you escape, I will never forgive you and you probably will be signing my death warrant.”
“I won’t leave. Do what you need to do,” he said.
She picked up her dufflebag and zipped it up. She put on her jacket and headed out of the apartment, as Parker picked up a piece of pizza.