The Black Rose

My hands pressed against the cool tile, I let the cold water wash over me. It took everything in me to not bash my head against it. I wish I hadn’t seen those files. Flashes of Annie’s file splayed across the tile walls like a projector. Tears welled and fell with the water.

Annie had been a Shadow operative. She had been my teacher for a reason. She taught me languages, acting, the precursors to becoming the perfect agent. Richard had been behind it. He was Annie’s handler. My stomach riled. I had been a pawn my entire life. Did Annie ever feel anything for me or was it all fake?

I punched the tile, feeling it give with a mighty crack. Why couldn’t anything ever be easy?

My knees buckled with the weight of the truth. I sat. My arms wrapped around my knees. Everything I thought I knew had been a lie. My muscles convulsed, as the damn fell. Tears streamed unabated as I sobbed.

“Alex?” I heard a soft voice call. “Are you okay?”

I contained the sobs. The door opened and I saw Mia’s face. She turned the cold water off and grabbed my hand. I rose from the shower floor…broken. Mia’s eyes found mine and her face softened. She wiped the tears from my cheeks.

“It was all a lie,” I sobbed. “Annie, nothing was real.”

Mia glanced at the open file on the bathroom counter. She pulled me into her, my wet, naked form clashing with her warm soul.

“I know,” she consoled. “It was in your file also.”

She held me, her clothes wet with tears and water, but she never let go. Was Mia real? Did Annie really die of cancer, or was she getting too close so they decided to take her from me?

I grabbed Mia’s arm. It felt real. Her breath against my neck warm. Her heart beat quick within her chest. I pulled back. Her brown eyes sparkled. Her lips full and pink. Suddenly I had the urge to kiss them.

My lips moved to hers. She was real. We kissed slowly, gently. Pulling back, she whispered, “Are you sure?”

To be honest, I wasn’t sure, but I was sick of thinking, of caring, and most of all, talking about my feelings. I nodded, pulling her into me.

Mia unbuttoned her pants and I ripped off her top. They fell to the floor. I unclasped her bra, exposing her perfect breasts. Then she let her underwear drop. She was gorgeous.

Our skin melted together. Our lips danced in synchronicity with one another. She felt like life was worth living, worth fighting for. She felt real. My hands entwined in her long wavy hair. I pulled her closer, her body pushing mine against the tile.

My hand glided down her smooth skin. I touched her, felt her muscles, her arms, her legs. I let my lips follow where my hands had been. Picking her up, I carried Mia to the bed where we made love. My hands held her, they never wanted to be apart, never wanted to let her go.

“Wow,” she exclaimed. “That was, I don’t even know what that was.” Mia shook her head. Her plump cheeks flushed from the exertion. I just stared, drinking her in. The realizations hitting me like a ton of bricks again.

“What else did my file say?” I blurted.

Caught off guard, Mia stared at me, her brows inquisitive. “I must admit, it hadn’t sunk in that you were the Black Rose, that you had actually killed so many people.” Her voice broke. “That you might actually enjoy it.”

I lowered my head but Mia grabbed my chin raising it. “What I realized is I have darkness, secrets. My research, my ability to experiment on myself, I’m more heartless than I want to admit. The truth is, Alex, I love you, and I don’t want to fight it, at least not right now.”

I gulped. She loved me? I didn’t even know what that looked like. I thought I did with Annie. Mia could sense my pensiveness. “You don’t have to say it back.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t even know what love looks like, or if I’m capable.”

“It’s okay,” she consoled, grabbing my hand.

“Just promise me one thing,” she smiled.

I swallowed.

“Can we agree not to sleep with anyone else while this is happening?” she stated.

I nodded. “That I can do.”

Suddenly I remembered that crazy ex Mia referred to.

“Where’s Nadine?” I asked. If she heard or walked in on us, our truce might as well jump out the window.

“She returned to Shadow.”

Ding.

My breath hitched. That had to be Damien. I moved to the nightstand and grabbed my phone. It was.

The Devil: Are you still meeting with Mia tomorrow?

Me: Yes, we are meeting at six at her place. See you after?

Damien typed...

The Devil: Yes

“What is it?” Mia asked from the bed.

“It was Damien. He will be coming here tomorrow night as planned,” I stated, turning to face her.

“Now I need you to do your part,” I pressed.

Mia sighed, “Hand me my phone.” I grabbed her phone from the nightstand as well.

Jumping back in bed, I handed it to her. Mia moved around her phone, shooting text after text until she had landed Landon’s phone number.

“Should I call him now?” she asked.

I looked at my phone, it was six pm. Damien could be with him. “Wait one second.”

I opened my spyware app and clicked on Damien’s phone. It showed Damien was at a bar. I bet anything that Landon was with him. Oh, this was risky, but we had no choice.

“Do it,” I muttered. Mia hit call.

She put it on speaker. The phone rang and rang and finally went to voicemail. “Should I leave a message?” she mouthed. I nodded.

“Hi Landon, this is Dr. Mia Semmens. I was given your information from a former colleague of yours who was thoroughly impressed with your work. I was wondering if you might be free tomorrow evening for a drink to possibly discuss you working for me. Anyway, please give me a call whenever you get this. Thank you.”

Mia hung up.

“That was good,” I smiled. “You sure you weren’t a former spy in your past life?”

Mia chuckled lightly, “At this rate, anything is possible.”

“Now what?” she asked.

“Now we eat dinner, and we go over the plan for tomorrow. We have to assume it might not go according to plan.”

“What if Damien refuses?” Mia asked her fingertips glancing my shoulder.

“Then he must die,” I mumbled. There was no beating around the bush on that one.

“I know,” she whispered.