Page 3 of A Past Too Broken (Bloodstained Love #1)
T he mall plays Christmas music overhead and, for a moment, I contemplate if it’s worth the jail time of pulling my gun out and shooting the speakers. Christmas is still three weeks away, but you’d think it was tomorrow with the way the holiday is shoved in all our faces.
I should have chosen a different day or time to trail my mark, but this is the only time she’s been without her snot-nosed kids in the last few weeks. I’ve already wasted precious time and resources tracking her down. I don’t want to take any more by finding a time that’s more convenient to me.
Besides, when I took up this endeavor, I knew it was with the caveat that nothing about this would be pleasant.
When my mark heads into a store, I follow a beat after her, internally crying at the fact that they’re also playing Christmas music overhead. How anyone can work in a place like this and not go insane from the music after two seconds is a mystery to me. I’d rather let someone shoot me point blank than deal with that incessant noise for hours on end.
Lost in my thoughts, I almost miss my mark heading to the dressing room with her wares. Scanning the rack in front of me, I pull the least offensive items off the hangers and take it to the salesperson.
“Hi,” they say, giving me a wide-tooth grin. “Would you like to try that on?”
Giving my best smile, I nod. “Please, I’m just not sure if I can pull it off, ya know?”
“Oh sweetie, as long as you feel comfortable, that’s all that matters. Come on, you can try them on in here.”
They lead me into a small dressing room and close the curtain. “Let me know if you need anything,” they say before walking away.
Their shoes give away their position as they walk away, and I count their steps, even as I toe out of my boots and socks. When I’m sure they’re far enough away, I reach into my pocket, pulling out the vial and carefully peeking around the edge of the curtain.
Seeing no one around, I slip out of my dressing area and make my way over to the other side, where my mark is behind the other closed curtain.
Without giving it much thought, I slip into her dressing area. My mark jumps when she sees me in the mirror, but I’m quicker than she is. Even as she opens her mouth to scream, I close in on her and clamp my free hand over her mouth. With my other hand, I break the seal on the vial with my thumbnail.
“This will be painless, so long as you do exactly as I say,” I whisper in her ear.
She nods, and I smile at her in the mirror. Her wide, terrified eyes look back at me, and the sight of them has me grinning wider, a true smile this time.
“Onto the floor now,” I tell her in a gentle voice. Carefully, I help her down, keeping my hand over her mouth as she whimpers and tears stream down her face.
“I’d say sorry,” I whisper, “but I’m not.”
As quickly as possible, I uncover her mouth and shove the vial in, forcing the contents down her throat.
She gasps and tries to sputter. It’s futile, of course. We might be near the same height, but I’m stronger and far better trained.
Her head hits the wall of the dressing area, but I’m not concerned, it adds legitimacy to her “heart attack.” Poor dear, she really should have seen a doctor for her symptoms…
The second her breathing stops, I slip out of the dressing area and hurry back to mine. Poison is never my favorite way to kill, but I can’t deny that it’s efficient.
As I slip back into my shoes and pick up a random piece of lingerie to purchase to curb suspicion, I add to my mental tally: two down… far too many to go.