Author’s Notes:
Mind your Ps and Qs – wow, what a lot of different answers I got!! Pints and Quarts (for pub owners to keep track of my much patrons had to drink) and the letters p and q on manual typeset printing, and a couple of others as well. I always heard the Pints and Quarts answer myself. Interesting info from everyone. I have to throw in a couple more phrases and see what kind of fun answers people have!
Chapter 48
At least this seemed to work, as opposed to any moronic words that came out of my mouth. Maybe I should give up on speaking all together. I wondered if that was the reason men in family sit-coms would grunt in response to anything anyone said, instead of actually talk. I could work with that.
Bella woke when the plane started to descend, and sat up, effectively removing herself from my embrace. She rubbed at her red eyes and shoved wild strands of hair behind her ears as she tried to smooth it all down. She glanced at me, and her cheeks turned pink as she looked quickly away, and I wondered what in the world would have made her blush.
We landed, made our way off the plane and to our hotel. I wanted to get settled in before I went for the killings. I checked in with Alice, and she informed me my guns were on the way. Five minutes later, there was a knock at the door. I hadn’t ordered any room service, but I let the guy with the tray walk in anyway. After closing the door, he lifted the silver tray and exposed the half-dozen hand guns he had underneath.
“Sweet,” I said with a crooked smile. I tipped the guy really well, lit a cigarette, and started going over each of the guns while Bella sat on the couch in the suite and watched me. She hadn’t said much of anything, though she didn’t appear to be giving me the silent treatment any longer. I ordered some actual room service so she would have something to eat, but she only picked at it.
“Not much longer,” I told her as I slipped the last of the guns into my shoulder holster.
“Until what?”
“Until the last of the fuckers who might have access to the information on your chip are dead.” I pulled out another cigarette and lit it.
“Why do you do that?” she asked.
“Do what?”
“Smoke?”
“I dunno,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “It’s relaxing, I guess.”
“You don’t seem relaxed.”
“I’m not.”
“Then it doesn’t work?”
“No, it does,” I countered. “I’d be less relaxed if I didn’t have it.”
She was quiet for a while as she continued to poke at a baked potato.
“It’s bad for you,” she piped up.
“I’ve heard that.” I gave her a half smile with the cigarette sticking out of the corner of my mouth.
“So you should quit,” she surmised.
“I doubt that.”
“Why not?”
“Why would I?” I was starting to get a little annoyed with the line of questioning. No one had ever asked me about it before – not even when I picked up the habit at the age of thirteen. Of course I knew it was bad for you, but who really gives a shit?
“You could…get cancer.” She was still staring down at her plate, pulling bits of potato out of its skin and pushing it around.
“One less asshole in the world then, right?” I smirked, but dropped the grin when she looked up at me sharply.
“You aren’t an asshole,” she replied.
“Seriously? The guy who bought you isn’t an asshole? That’s rich.”
She went quiet, and again I wondered if grunting was a better option. She tossed her fork down and walked into the bedroom area of the suite. I thought about going after her, because she was obviously upset and I figured it must be because of something I said or did or whatever. I didn’t though, because chances are I would just make it worse. I called Alice instead.
“You done?”
“Almost,” she said. I could hear screaming in the background, which then abruptly stopped.
“Done now.”
“Fabulous,” I mumbled. “Did they get word off to the group here?”
“I don’t think they did, but they knew about Aro here already. I don’t think they knew about Laurent, but most likely the group there is already on alert. You want us to head that direction before you move?”
“No,” I answered definitively. “The longer we wait, the more aware they will be. Best to go now, before they can really organize or enlist help.”
“So, you going to head for the bar?”
“Yeah.” I stubbed my cigarette into the ashtray. “Emmett says they’ll be there in about a half hour. I plan on giving them a little time to settle, but not much. Hit should be quick.”
“What are you going to do with Bella?”
“Take her with me.” I shrugged to myself. Shrugging and grunting – I should make both part of my standard communication –package. “She’ll have a vest and I’ll le her hang at the bar, take care of them, then walk right back out.”
“Did you get my gifts?”
“Yep,” I said as I placed my hand on top of the gun at my hip. “All set and ready.”
“Call when you’re done.”
“Will do.”
I hung up and looked over to the open doorway where Bella had recently disappeared. I took a long breath and headed through it. Bella was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking down at her hands.
“We need to go,” I told her.
“Killing time again, is it?” she snarked at me.
“Something like that,” I said with a nod. “This one will be quick and easy, though.”
“Right.”
I didn’t miss the sarcasm, but did ignore it. Bella stood up and followed me out.
After this it would be smooth sailing, right?
Chapter End Notes:
Yep, buy yourself a boat to take on the Seine, Doofus.
I have never traveled in France, so if I get crap wrong, you will just have to forgive me.
Hope everyone likes CBWR?’s new home! Drop me a review/comment and let me know!
