Chapter 16

  "I don’t even have my shot gun now, "she heard him sigh."Don't you have any other gun, "he looked confused "I mean with you now", he gave her a sheepish smile, can anyone be more stupid, few minutes earlier he was attacked and now he left his gun in the car turning her head towards the man with the gun she noticed that he sat there casually just like other customers may be they didn’t get the orders to shoot us in front of so many people."I think we'll have to walk out casually," he suggested, she nodded and walked out holding his hand. As soon as they walked out, Zack held her hand and ran as fast as possible towards his Buggati, she couldn’t run properly with the stilettos, abruptly slipped her feet and fell down, making them pause for some time, they heard footsteps nearing them, he pulled her with all his might and ran for his life. He entered the car and opened the door towards passenger's seat for her to enter, when she was about to step inside he heard a bullet shot, his heart thumped loudly lob-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub; he felt as if the clock had stopped ticking and couldn't think of anything unless she tapped his hand, he immediately turned towards her to find her tightening the seat belt, and let out his breath, all this without noticing that he had been holding it, God gracious. Right then and there he knew he loved her and will protect her forever. Then without turning back he drove till they reached his penthouse apartment.

  "No, don’t kill my mom, No", Emily screamed in her dreams. She was sleeping in a blue and white painted room that Sara and Rachel shared when they lived here. She felt someone stirring her "Em honey wake up; wake up," she slowly opened her eyes, a pair of brown eyes staring at her" Karen, hand it to her," George offered. Taking the glass from her husband she handed it to Emily "Here, drink this honey". "What is it grandma?" the seven year old asked Karen before tossing down the syrup. "It's your grandma's special herby," George spoke ahead of her making her smile, Emily was confused. Understanding her problem Karen said" You were suffering from fever since yesterday, so I gave you the medicine". "I've been sleeping for the last," her voice faded as she fell into a deep sleep. Karen turned towards her husband "I think we should take her upstairs with us," she left the room and George carried the young one in his arms to join his wife, they tucked her in between them. "She reminds me of Rachel," Karen said "Yes, she has got her mother's green eyes," George spoke while stroking a blonde strand from his wife's face" She has seen too much of the evil". Both of them were aware that Emily had seen her mother's assassination and she is the only witness, but she didn't speak a single word after that day except her occasional screams in her dreams. 'Why didn’t you inform Sara about Em's illness?" George asked out of the blue. "It won't do any good", Karen replied. Even in the dark she could see her husband's puzzled look. "I have seen her George the day she brought Em here and during the funeral she didn't shed a single tear," she said" The night before she was talking to the sleeping Em about how much she loved Rachel, but it was all calm and quiet, she had always been different but the cold look George I saw it in her eyes it said she was going to the devil's door and nothing can dissolve her determination, I swear she has changed, our little girl". George took his wife's hand in his" Karen she has always been strong, an alpha who can win over anything she determines and whatever she does she'll never let anyone harm her family." He could see tears in her eyes "I know George; I just don’t want anyone hurting her". "Hush my love; don’t you know our little girl has got a strong daddy who can protect her from all the grizzlies of Yellowstone"? "I wouldn’t want the grizzly to be munching on my hubby", she giggled.

  When they reached the apartment Sara looked troubled "Why did you bring me here?" she asked, "To have my way with you." She glared at him causing him to laugh "Relax, I couldn’t leave you alone," when she was about to protest he said "Well, let's just say for my sake you stay here and I wouldn’t be worried", when she didn’t reply or retort he said" Come with me." While moving towards his apartment he introduced her to Thomas, the doorman. She still seemed unsure of what she was doing, "Staten is the safest we've got, and they'll not follow us here", he assured her, having nothing else to say she nodded. As they stepped out of the elevator she said "Tom got baffled", he chuckled "he should be by the way you were dragging me", she retorted. A witty retort means she's back to her old self. When they entered the apartment she was in a state of awe, paintings and tapestries hung in the living room."Let me give you a quick tour," he said holding her hand. "There is abundant sunlight from every corner of the room," he boasted, "It truly is an architectural tour-de-force." She found that it was designed as a 4-bedroom apartment; the living room itself included a dramatic double height corner, an impressive dining room and a library, a study, both with dazzling panoramic views. "There is also a huge sun-filled stainless steel chef's kitchen and pantry," he said while she went through a book on civil war, they were now standing in between stacks of books in the library. "Why are most of the books based on civil war?" she asked turning a yellowish page of the old book "you don’t seem to be much interested in history." "It's not me they are my father's collections," he said with a faux smile" I rarely know the names of the authors or even book's name". She took a quick glance at him from the corner of her eyes, what are you hiding Mr. Hit man? "What about the paintings?" "What about the paintings?" his voice louder than usual, he looked bothered by her query. He is trying hard to maintain composure, what if I break that? She grinned. He knew she was up to something I need to stop her from digging the dead, before she could ask any more questions he said" I am quite hungry and", he went closer to her, tucked a strand which came out of the pony tail behind her ear "you too should change and have something", he said "your plate almost remained untouched, come". She followed him like a spellbound lady to a bedroom, it was painted blue. The color had brought her senses back Just like my room, ah white drapes she walked over to the drapes and felt its touch in her skin. Zack simply starred at her, she looks so beautiful even after all this hustle; the clicking of her heels on the floor brought him back to the reverie. "Here in the closet you'll find a few dresses," he said "get changed while I prepare the dinner"." Don't you have a chef?" Sara asked now turning to face him. "My visits here are quite rare so I prefer it this way". With that being said he left her to her thoughts. "The potential of a cold bath is all I need right now". She put on a robe that was already present in the bathroom and walked over to the closet cum dressing room. A look at the dresses made her wonder what she could do with that. She always had the reputation of being the best possible designer in the other way; I wish I didn’t have to do this.

  "Robert, you know we cannot face him" She brushed her hand past his cheeks, he frowned "I know Tatyana"; "We need to get settled soon after this deal is over". He started pacing the room, "What's bothering you?" she asked while drinking coffee. "I am worried about, you, us and," his voice trailed off, he stood lazily in the balcony, smoking a cigarette, lost in his thoughts. "You shouldn’t have escaped from there that day, instead you could have waited outside and then inform them". She slowly walked towards him wearing only a chemise and with a coffee cup in her hand, "I was afraid, I thought they will get hold of me". The hotel was located near the coast line; sun filled the room, while it was still night in New York .Both of them now looking at the blue Mediterranean Sea "Are they still looking for you?" Robert asked "You know they don't forget perhaps they'll find the dead body and think I'm dead". "Perhaps, "he said staring into her sapphire eyes and she staring into his emerald green eyes. He embraced her, "I should be able to get the legacy this time", his hand around her waist."And this time it has to be done without informing the boss ", he replied. A grin crossed her lips "You sure?" she nodded. A plan had already formed in his mind.