Page 57 of The Bonventi Hitman

"I look forward to it," I say with a slight smile.

Gabriel finishes and stands. He takes his and my bowl and puts them in the sink. He turns and pulls me to my feet and kisses me. He then wraps me in his arms, and I bury my face in his chest, inhaling his scent and savoring the feeling of his strong embrace. We stand there for what feels like an eternity, holding onto each other as if we're the only two people in the world.

I don't want this moment to end, but I know I'm stalling. I need to push ahead with my plan.

I have to.

"So, what about that cup of coffee?" I ask, holding him.

"Sure, Bella. Let's get ready."

We walk into the bedroom, and as Gabriel is dressing, his phone vibrates on the nightstand. He looks down at it, and an angry look flashes across his face. He dresses quickly and grabs his jacket. "I need to make a call. I'll wait for you in the kitchen."

"Okay," I say, but I don't think he hears me as he shuts the door behind him.

Wonder who texted him?

I can't let my mind drift for too long. I need to get ready. I pull out the first outfit I can find: a v-neck white shirt, dark jeans, and some gym shoes.

I'm hoping my casual look will help calm my nerves as I walk toward a coffee shop with a hitman to meet an FBI agent—like one does on a Friday morning.

I dress and stand in front of the mirror and tie my hair in a ponytail.

I glance over at the closed bedroom door once more, freeing any doubts from my mind that it's not fully closed. I kneel down and stick my arm underneath the bed, feeling for it among the wooden planks of the mattress frame. I frantically move my hand around and start to panic that Gabriel could walk in at any moment.

A sense of relief washes over me as I find what I'm searching for. I pull out a few sheets of folded-up paper. There are notes I've been keeping since I last met with Agent Russell and Harris. I used the small notepad next to the hotel phone, which only rings to the front desk, so I'm thankful the pad was even there.

I open it up quickly to scan the few pages I've written.

Okay, it's all here.

My hands shake as I refold the pages into a little square and slide it into my waistband.

I stand and shake my hands to stop them from trembling.

You got this. He won’t find the notes. Just breathe.

I take one final glance in the mirror and adjust my shirt, pressing on my waist where the notes are, wishing I could just press them into my skin and absorb them until I need them.

You can't tell anything is there. Let's just go.

"For Bill," I say softly.

As I walk out of the bedroom, I see Gabriel leaning against the wall just before the kitchen. He hears me approaching and tucks his phone back into his pocket.

He smiles at me, but I can sense something is off.

"Ready?" he asks, fixing his jacket.

I nod. "Absolutely," I say, trying to appear casual.

The streets outside the hotel are bustling with people in a hurry to get somewhere. I wish I had their conviction, but as we start walking in the direction of the coffee shop, my legs feel sluggish, and the ground feels as if I'm walking in wet cement.

Gabriel gives me a look as he's had to slow his pace two times already.

"Sorry, just taking in the air. I don't get out much these days," I say, and he nods. I can tell he's in his head about something.

"Is everything okay?" I ask, seeing if he'll give me anything.