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My Neighbor, the Assassin

Page 118

by Michelle Heard

“More for me to love,” I reply before letting her feed me again.

We’re relaxed as we continue down the alley before reaching another street, where more people are dancing and drinking.

I could get used to this. Just us enjoying life.

My phone rings, and knowing who it is, I dig it out of my pocket and answer, “Speak.”

“It’s ready,” Marco, who is Luis’ contact, says.

“Give me fifteen minutes.”

“Okay.”

When I end the call and shove the device back into my pocket, Ana comments, “It’s so weird watching you take a call. Who was it?”

“Marco.”

Her eyes widen with excitement. “Are my documents ready?”

I nod, glancing up and down the street, then spotting an area where cabs are parked, I steer Ana in their direction. “We can come back afterward.”

“It’s okay. I’ve had fun, but I’d rather spend the rest of the night somewhere quiet.”

Once we’re in the cab, I say, “We’re leaving tomorrow.”

Surprise flashes over her face. “So quickly?”

“I want to get home,” I reply with a sigh. “Just you and me at our place by the beach.”

“We have a place by the beach?”

The corner of my mouth lifts as I paint her a picture. “It’s a beachfront house with weathered wood, white walls, and a wide shaded veranda that opens straight onto the sand. Far enough from other houses so no one’s on top of us, but close enough to town.”

There’s a dreamy expression in her eyes. “That sounds idyllic.”

“We’ll have to furnish it, though. Right now, there’s only a single bed. I spent a month there when I bought the place and set up everything for my escape plan.” My eyes warm on her beautiful face. “Never thought I’d get to share it with the woman of my dreams.”

Before Ana can respond, the cab stops at the address I gave, and I pay for the ride. Handing the driver an extra hundred dollars, I say, “There’s another hundred in it for you if you wait ten minutes.”

With a wide smile, the man nods.

As we get out of the vehicle, I grip Ana’s hand tightly in mine. We walk down the side of the building and past the fire escape stairs, then knock on a metal door.

A couple of seconds later, a small steel latch shifts open, enough for Marco to look through. The next instant, I hear all the locks being turned before the door opens.

I pull Ana in behind me, and after Marco shuts and locks the door, he rushes to his desk. “I think you’ll be happy with everything.”

Letting go of Ana’s hand, I move closer so I can check. I pick up the ID, and seeing the name Anastasia Callahan, I almost smile, but I keep my expression unreadable. I inspect her passport, birth certificate, and the marriage certificate, and once I’m pleased, I glance at Marco and say, “And all the systems have been updated to show my wife has a history, and this is really her?”

He nods. “I replaced her information with a deceased woman’s. Same age. Same country. No one will notice.”

Unbuttoning my shirt just enough, I reach in and pull the envelope of cash out, then fix my shirt before collecting the documents.

“If you lose any of the documents, you can apply for new ones with the nearest embassy to you. I guarantee there won’t be any problems.”

“Thank you.” I give him a chin lift, then take Ana’s hand and wait for him to unlock the door.

As we leave, I pass the ID to her and hold on to the passport and certificates.