REVENGE WITH LOVE : CHAPTER 31 – 40
By Presh Alicia Daisy.
CHAPTER 31 & 32.
THE LIFEGUARD ASSASSIN.
Kracus blinked twice, his mind trying to process the unexpected proposal that Tesiera had just made. He straightened up from his office chair, his eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
“Excuse me, what?” he asked, hoping that he had misheard her.
“I want to come and work for you,” she repeated, her gaze locked on his with an inscrutable expression.
Oh, he heard her right, alright. Kracus shook his head in disbelief, wondering what had led her to come to him with such a request. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He rose from his chair and approached her, causing her to take a step back and turn to face him, her face emotionless. His mind raced with questions, suspicions and doubts.
He surveyed her carefully, taking in every detail of her appearance, her eyes, and her body language. He tilted his head slightly and let out a small chuckle. “Let me get this straight. You’re the same assassin who tried to kill me just a few days ago, and now you want to work for me?”
Tesiera nodded, keeping her expression blank. “Yes, that’s correct.”
Kracus shook his head in disbelief. “I don’t understand. Why would someone who tried to kill me want to protect the same life she tried to take—twice?” he asked, his voice laced with suspicion.
Tesiera’s lips curved slightly in a small smile, but her eyes remained impassive. “I saw your ad for a job vacancy and thought I could use the extra money,” she said simply.
Kracus stepped away from her and walked towards the wall, where a painting hung. It was a gift from his younger sister, Valerie, two years ago, on his birthday. The painting was of a beautiful sunrise over the ocean, and Kracus found it to be a calming and peaceful piece of art. He took a moment to collect his thoughts before turning back to face her.
“I don’t believe you. You tried to kill me, and now you want to work for me? I’m sorry, but I find that hard to believe,” he said, his tone firm.
Tesiera looked him in the eye and held his gaze, her expression unreadable. “It’s the truth. I have the skills for the job, and I promise to do a good job,” she swallowed tightly, “sir.”
It didn’t get past his notice that the woman fought battles harder than the Battle of Stalingrad during World War II in order to address him using honorifics like “sir”. It was funny, he would have laughed if the situation wasn’t so serious.
Kracus folded his arms across his chest, studying her carefully. He knew that she was feeling guilty about trying to kill him and that she wanted to make amends. “You feel guilty, don’t you?” he asked her, his voice softening.
Tesiera’s eyes widened slightly, and a muscle twitched in her jaw. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she replied, her voice wavering slightly.
Kracus took a step closer to her, his eyes piercing. “You feel guilty about trying to kill me. You think I’m not your father’s killer,” he said, his voice low.
Tesiera remained silent, but her body language betrayed her. Her shoulders sagged, and her gaze dropped to the floor. Kracus knew that he had hit a nerve.
“You only want this job to soothe your conscience, don’t you?” he asked her, his voice gentle but firm.
Tesiera’s heart raced as Kracus’s words hit home. He was right and she hated that he could see right through her. She did feel guilty, and she did want to make amends. But she couldn’t bring herself to admit it out loud to him.
Afterall, a mere apology wouldn’t be enough. So she wanted to do something more, something that would clean her slate so she could move on, and forget that something like this ever happened.
When she remained silent, he stepped closer to her, looking deeply into her eyes. “Does it mean that Tesiera the Torturer still has a conscience?” he drawled, a small smile playing on his lips.
Tesiera could feel the anger rising up inside of her, threatening to spill over. “This is not what this is about.” she said in a crispy voice at last. “I know the pay you’re offering for this position and I need that money, that’s what I’m here for. The money. I’m not here for guilt, forgiveness or whatever you think.”
Kracus raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “Hmm. For the money, right?” he said, his tone skeptical. “Are you sure about that Tesiera? Because I went through your records and I know you have so much money. Finance isn’t your issue.”
He stood there, right in front of her, just a few inches away, and their eyes met. In this close proximity, he could see the emotions that she had been trying so hard to conceal, laid bare in front of him.
He saw defiance. She knew he was right but she wasn’t ready to admit it out loud, and she didn’t like the fact that he was trying to force her, either. Well, too bad for her because she either admits it or he would send her out and pretend this conversation never happened.
“You’re getting it all wrong,” she said, this time her voice was strained.
But Kracus knew the real truth, and he wasn’t going to let her off the hook that easily. He turned away from her and walked back to his desk, “Well then, you can see yourself out, Miss Rinderson. I’m afraid that I can’t hire a person who has obvious hate for me, ill feelings and almost murdered me twice.” He sat down and gave her a hard look, “I can’t entrust my safety to such a person.”
A look he couldn’t read crossed her face for a second before it disappeared. “Okay,” she simply said, “Thank you for hearing me out in the first place.” she turned and made her way to the door.
Kracus simply watched her, saying nothing.
She pushed the door open, paused and turned back to look at him over her shoulder, “I understand that you can’t hire me. I knew that even before I stepped into this hospital today, but at least I had to try.” she exhaled, “There is a man after your life, Carter Walters. You don’t need to hire me as a bodyguard. But I can assassinate him before the end of today. You don’t need to pay me for it, but I will do it,”
He leaned back against his chair and crossed his arms, “Why would you want to do that?” That was the most he’d heard her say at once.
She averted her eyes. Kracus waited patiently for her to speak, sensing that she was struggling with her innermost thoughts and feelings.
REVENGE WITH LOVE : CHAPTER 31 – 40
Finally, in a voice so low he almost didn’t hear it, she said, “I don’t like owing people and I hate being indebted to anyone.”
It was the closest she could bring herself to admitting that she believed he wasn’t the man that took her father’s life, and Kracus smiled in triumph.
“I don’t want to assassinate him. I want him to suffer by the law and I’m seeking life imprisonment. But I can’t do that since I have no evidence so it’s taking a hell of a time.” He couldn’t hide his frustration either.
“You’re kidding, right?” Tesiera huffed, “If all you told me about the man was true then Carter Walter is a dangerous man and he has reasons why he wants you dead. In the dark world, you don’t need evidence to gun a man down. Just be sure that it’s him and pull the fucking trigger.”
“Like how you did to me?” He threw at her.
She visibly recoiled like he’d slapped her. That reaction, so unexpected, shocked him. She really does feel guilty about the mistaken identity. She truly feels bad for almost killing the wrong man. Her being here is not a ploy, it was genuine.
He sighed, the tension bleeding out of him. “I don’t plan to simply murder the man, especially since there’s no evidence to prove that he’s the one sending those killers after me. I could say that I know it was him but sometimes, a person’s solid belief could be wrong. Besides, I’m not a fan of soiling my hands, you should know that by now unless it’s absolutely necessary. I’m doing this the right way,” he replied, his voice firm and resolute.
“Fine. I believe you’re not the killer,” she said, surprising Kracus with her admission. “I don’t have hatred for you as a person, doctor. I hate the man that killed my father, whoever he is. Since you’re not him, I don’t hate you.”
He didn’t expect her to actually say it. He went silent, watching her carefully, trying to figure out the kind of person she was—not as an assassin but as a woman.
REVENGE WITH LOVE : CHAPTER 31 – 40
Tesiera continued, “Let me do this, Kracusian, let me protect you. I promise to protect you with my life. I have to do this for you. I’ll be with you for a month, or if you need me more than that. I will be here until Carter Walter is dead, or behind bars, whichever you want,” she offered, her voice unwavering.
She mistook his silence for rejection, and added, “I understand why you don’t want to hire me. I understand why you’re wary. But I give my word, and when I give my word, just know I will ensure it doesn’t fall to the ground. My word is my bond, my word is gold,” Tesiera said, hoping her words were enough to sway Kracus’s hesitations.
She waited for his response, but he didn’t say a word. His face was inscrutable, and she couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Kracus was always easy to read, but now he was a maze and she was lost trying to read him.
Tesiera hung her head in resignation. That meant she wouldn’t be working for him and she couldn’t eliminate an enemy for him.
“Alright,” she turned to leave again.
“You will have to protect me with your life, Tesiera,”
His voice halted her in her tracks. She swiveled to face him again, relief coursing through her. “I know how it works,” she replied coolly.
“You would have to live in my house, at my beck and call whenever I want you?”
The double entrendre didn’t get past her and the image that formed on her head made her breath hitch. Inwardly shaking her head firmly, she replied out loud, “I understand.”
“And you promise to try and get along with the others, for as long as you work here?”
“I’ll try.”
“If you work for me, you will work fully for me in that duration. No outside work, no taking side contracts, and no new missions. Unless you run them by me and I give permission.” He stated, his gaze bored into her.
“I’m aware of that.”
His brow arched, “You would have to address me properly; with respect, professionalism and politeness.”
A pause. Her neck worked in a tight swallow. But he saw the resolve in her eyes. “I understand, sir.”
“You will stay beside me all the time, even if it means for twenty-four hours, come here to work with me and go on business trips when required?”
She nodded firmly, “Yes, I will, sir.”
He stood up then and extended his hand, “Then, congratulations, Tesiera Rinderson, you’re hired.”
REVENGE WITH LOVE : CHAPTER 31 – 40
Click 2 below to continue reading
