Dirty Laundry

Gabe’s POV.

I brought the drink up to my lips. It got very quiet. Alistair just watched me with intent eyes as I watched him. I still didn’t trust him but Shanell was right. He wasn’t as big an asshole as Miri but he wasn’t a saint either. The only sounds I could hear were the sounds of Shanell humming as she moved around the kitchen. ‘‘So Kyle isn’t yours?'' Alistair finally asked. I had told him everything...well almost everything. ‘‘No, I adopted him'' ''is he hers?''

‘‘No. He was a survivor from an assassination gone wrong'' ''how do you fuck up killing someone?'' ‘‘The father killed the mother when I arrived, I killed the father and the child was left alone'' ''I could see why you took sympathy'' he said quietly taking a sip of his drink. He finished what was in his glass before reaching to the table grabbing the bourbon and pouring more into his glass.

‘‘Does Miri know that?'' he asked. I shrugged ''don’t think so, not that I care either way'' ''…Gabriel. I know your mother i-'' ''she's not my mother'' I glared at him. He raised a hand in surrender ''I know Miri isn’t the touchy feely type. I was with her for a few years before she left me but those years were miserable. She’s a selfish heartless bitch but there is one thing I can assure you, she didn’t mean to hurt you'' ''don’t make me laugh'' ''I’m not trying to. Have you ever talked to her about anything other than work?'' he implied if I ever asked if she was my mother.

‘‘No, I’d rather spare myself the bitch slap'' ''give her some credit, I might have been miserable but Miri has her moments'' ''I’d rather not'' ''I know your angry at her, she left me for that stick in the mud and then had Matthew…she didn’t even mention I had a son. She left me one day out of the blue packed up all her things and left. I didn’t see her until I met you the first time in her office. When she dismissed you we got into a big fight and she threatened me that if I ever told you anything than she'd kill me. But you can’t keep a father from his son, I was raised to have more pride and dignity than that'' he said seriously.

I wish I could believe him but years of being closed kept me from it. I heard Shanell's phone ringing and her quiet hello. The rest was lost as she talked in Spanish. ‘‘Where is she from?'' ‘‘She’s American, her mother is Panamanian and her father is Italian Scottish'' ''she's beautiful, how did she end up with you?'' he snorted. ''I ask myself that all the time'' I sighed looking down at my drink. I just wished she believed me when I say she's beautiful. ‘‘You love her don’t you?'' ‘‘Yes'' ''enough to marry-'' ''I won’t get my hopes up'' ''why not? She loves you don-'' ''we just started dating a month ago'' ''a month, a year, ten years, does it matter? take the chance while you can if you’re going to date her for twenty years why not just marry her instead?'' he snorted.

I pursed my lips and didn’t say a word. ‘‘You’re afraid of rejection'' he said mostly to himself. ‘‘You don’t know shit'' I growled even though he said what I was thinking. ‘‘Have a little faith, a little hope makes things easier'' ''hope is for idiots'' I grumbled. ‘‘If you don’t believe in hope then why bother living? Landon told me you liked mythology, what if I told you it was the only thing Pandora trapped in the box? It’s the only feeling that isn’t fleeting to man. Use it'' he said annoyed. ‘‘Does Landon know your my-'' ''no, he doesn’t know anything. He’s just a drinking buddy when I’m in town'' ''I know the myth...you don’t have to explain it to me'' I sighed. ‘‘Lust, hate, fear…those are fleeting. But hope is all we have boy. Don’t waste it by being jaded. Have you told her you love her?'' ‘‘Yes'' ''and what did she say?'' ''None of you-''

''don’t give me that'' he snapped. I sighed nodding ''she said she loved me too'' ''then why not marry her she's as good as your going to get, not a lot of people can put up with assassins and there she is. She knows everything and it seems she doesn’t care. How many women are you going to find like that? How many women are you going to go through until you figure out that you found the gold at the end of the rainbow and blew it'' he slammed his fist on the arm of the couch. I knew he was right but I couldn’t let him know I thought that, so I shrugged indifferently.

Shanell walked by with the laundry basket full of clean folded clothes. I couldn’t help but watch as she walked by talking quietly on the phone. ‘‘Shut up Sasha'' she giggled rolling her eyes. I knew the pink night gown I bought would look nice on her. I loved it on her even if she hated pink. She disappeared down the hall. ‘‘You have it bad for her'' Alistair smirked. ‘‘It’s none of your concern'' ''it is if I’ll be getting some biological gran-'' ''shut up'' I snorted. ‘‘Well I best be leaving you to your woman…goodnight'' he stood up. He walked to the front door and left.

He didn’t beat around the bush...I liked that. I finished my drink and took his cup from the coffee table and rinsed them in the sink. I went upstairs to find Shanell putting the laundry away. ‘‘Baby go to bed'' I walked up to her taking the basket from her hands and setting it on the floor ''but I’m almost-'' ''you didn’t sleep last night and you've been up all day, you need sleep'' ''I’m fine'' she rolled her eyes. I took the phone from her ear ''she'll call you back tomorrow'' I said quietly and she laughed ''my sister is going to kill you'' she giggled as I hung up the phone and picked her up. I laid her in bed and crawled in beside her. ‘‘She’ll call in a few minutes you know that right?'' she smiled. ‘‘Well if she does then tell her you’re going to sleep'' ''someone’s bossy tonight'' she snorted. ‘‘Aren’t you tired?'' ‘‘No, I’ve stayed up a whole week before. I thought I told you I’m an insomniac'' ''you did'' ''well its normal'' ''it’s not healthy'' ''no but I can function''

‘‘Try to get some sleep?'' ‘‘Because you asked so nicely...why not'' she smiled. She laid her head on my chest. ‘‘So how did it go?'' she asked quietly. I shrugged ''well?'' ‘‘Is that a question?'' ''It went fine I guess'' I felt her cheeks lift. ‘‘So we'll be seeing more of him?'' ''Maybe'' ''do you feel better?'' ‘‘Ok doctor feel good go to bed'' I snorted. ‘‘I want to know'' she griped. ''I feel a little better'' ''good'' she pecked my neck.

Alistair was right. I probably wouldn’t do any better than her. She knew what I was, seen what I did and she still manages to lay here with me and kiss me. Maybe this was a dream, maybe I’m in a coma and I’m dreaming all this. No one can be ok with what I do. There was a reason that assassins keep their jobs secret from their families. Not just protection, acceptation. Who would honestly accept an assassin? It’s not normal. ''I know we've already talked about this…but are you really ok with what I do?'' I asked quietly running my hand up her arm. ‘‘Yes'' ''how?'' ''I’ve already explained to you haven’t I?'' she laughed lightly.

She lifted herself on her elbow and looked down at me ''I’m fine with it'' she shrugged. ‘‘Why are you so worried about this?'' she asked. ‘‘It just doesn’t seem real. It’s too good to be true'' ''Gabriel, wait until you meet my father. Then you'll understand'' she giggled lying back down. ‘‘You shouldn’t be worried about this Gabe, I’m here aren’t I?'' she whispered snuggling up to me.

I woke up the next morning to the phone ringing and Kyle crying simultaneously. I grabbed the phone as Shanell got up groaning and went to Kyle. ‘‘What?'' I yawned. ‘‘Who are you?'' a man's voice growled on the other end. I knew it wasn’t her uncle, maybe her dad? ‘‘Smith'' I said quietly. ‘‘You’re the guy who's screwing my daughter'' he said angry. ‘‘When you put it like that it sounds wrong'' ''where is she?'' ‘‘Downstairs, she just left a few seconds ago'' ''I don’t know who you are but until I meet you I don’t trust you and if I don’t trust you I don’t like you and do you know what I do to people I don’t like?'' ‘‘No what do you do'' I rolled my eyes ''I kill them'' he growled. I smirked; I’d like to see him try. ‘‘I know what you are, I know why she's there and you touch her you’re a dead man'' he ground out. ‘‘She told you huh?'' ‘‘She doesn’t like to keep secrets from me'' figures as much. I got up and stretched ''how much she tell you?'' ‘‘Enough'' ''enough to condemn me?'' I snorted.

''I could care less what you do it’s how you treat my daughter that I’m anxious about'' ''I wouldn’t hurt her if that’s what you mean'' ''that’s what she says'' ''what else does she say about me?'' ''Nothing’ much'' ''she's right here hold on'' I held the phone out to her. She raised a brow ''who is it?'' ‘‘Your dad'' I took Kyle from her. She looked at me wide eyed ''did he yell at you?'' ‘‘No'' maybe in the beginning, I fixed mentally. She gave me the bottle and took the phone ''hey daddy'' she smiled. I sat back down on the bed and fed Kyle as she talked to him. She disappeared into the bathroom. Kyle finished his bottle and I burped him. I liked having a baby around. Sure he wasn’t mine but I still loved him. He’s an orphan, even though I made him one.

Well he'd be better off with us than his father. His big brown eyes looked up at me as his hands flailed trying to grasp my face. He was still so small yet so big at the same time. His little murmurs and wails were almost soothing. He had a little grin on his face but I think it’s just gas, can babies smile this young? I burped him some more just in case. Lately he's been colicky Shanell says it helps to burp him and rub his belly or back. I changed his diaper then laid him down in his crib.

Shanell came back and set her phone on the nightstand then came up behind me and kissed my shoulder ''was my dad an asshole to you?'' she asked. I shrugged ''nah, he's just worried for you'' ''he's over protective, he never liked the idea of us dating, he says not until we're thirty. He even has two grave markers in his backyard ready to dig in case we start dating'' she sighed. I chuckled ''seriously?'' ‘‘No joke, they both say 'here lies the deceased body of the bastard that screwed my daughter and broke her heart may he rest in hell' it’s horrible really he made them himself'' she grumbled. ‘‘I doubt that'' ''I’ve seen them, he made them when I turned thirteen. He doesn’t have much of a backyard but what little space he has he put the grave markers. No doubt if we ever visit him he'll have a little 'talk' with you and show them to you to scare you straight''.

She reached a gentle hand down to Kyle and grabbed one of his hands as it went to his face. ‘‘He needs his mittens, he's already scratched his chin'' she sighed turning away to get them. I stood there looking at him. So her father is really a loon? Figures. I wouldn’t let my daughter near a man like me either. I'd sooner kill him than bless their marriage. I pursed my lips, if I’d do that to my own daughter who's to say he'd ever give his blessing to us? Not that it mattered. Shanell seemed traditional, maybe I had to ask her father for a blessing and if I did then...we'd never get married.

She came back and put the little blue mittens on him. ‘‘So what time are we meeting Landon?'' ''noon'' ''ok I’m going to take a shower then drop Lina off at home'' she walked back into the bathroom. I heard the shower start and her humming. I picked Kyle up and went downstairs ''I can cook too'' I nodded to him. Maybe I can cook breakfast today.

Shanell’s POV.

I finished my shower and went to wake up Lina. She was dead asleep. ‘‘Go away'' she groaned swatting at me. ''Li come on your parents are coming home today you've still gotta clean your house'' ''damn it'' she grumbled rolling out of bed onto the floor. I watched wide eyed as she stood up ''I’m ok'' she yawned walking out the door. I rolled my eyes giggling then went about packing her things so she wouldn’t forget anything.

She dressed then plopped on the bed again. ‘‘You know, I was having the best dream until you woke me up'' she blinked. ‘‘What was it about'' I smiled. ''Don’t know I forgot it as soon as you woke me up but I know it was good…it was real good'' she winked at me. I laughed slapping her am lightly ''again with the violence sheesh woman'' she laughed. She picked up her pack ''well I’m sure Chewie is ready to kill me so let’s get this show on the road'' she smiled. We went downstairs and I paused as the smoke alarm started beeping.

The smell of burning food made me run to the kitchen. ‘‘Baby what are you doing?'' I asked wide eyed as he dumped burnt eggs into the trash. He looked up ''cooking isn’t as easy as it looks'' he grumbled. I opened the back door letting Cerberus back in and the smokey air out. Before I knew it the toaster was on fire. ''Gabriel!'' I shouted pointing to the toaster. ‘‘Shit'' he ran to the pantry and pulled out the small fire extinguisher pulling the pin and snuffing the fire out. I stood there and laughed as he tossed it to the floor. I walked up to him and put my arms around his neck ''what are you doing?'' I asked trying to hold back another laugh ''I was trying to cook breakfast for once. You cook all the time'' he shrugged.

I meshed my lips and laughed again ''baby no offense but how did you survive? I would have thought at least you'd know how to cook'' ''nope, I usually ate at Landon's or on the road. I didn’t have money to buy stoves or cookware'' he shrugged. ‘‘Well if it’s the last thing I do I’ll teach you how to cook'' I pecked his lips ''stop laughing'' he grumbled ''why?'' ''It’s not funny'' ''I think it’s hilarious, if you don’t laugh then all you'll do is get angry or sad...I’d rather laugh. I have too much anger to let it take control of me again'' I smiled lightly. I took the slightly melted spatula from him ''and for now on I cook'' I put it in the sink beside the smoking skillet of egg leftovers. The kitchen was a mess. ''I’ll call someone to clean this u-'' ''why do that? It’s a waste of money if I can do it myself'' I shrugged grabbing some kitchen towels and laying them on top of the foam.

I unplugged the toaster carefully then picked it up and tossed it in the garbage. Lina was standing in the door way still wide eyed ''is it me or do men never get the whole kitchen thing down?'' ‘‘Chef Ramsey seems to know what he's doing so I wouldn’t say all'' I giggled. ‘‘Well besides him'' she laughed sitting at the counter. ‘‘Baby do it later we're leaving'' Gabe grabbed the towel from me. ‘‘Fine, but feed Cerberus the new dog food is in the garage'' ''ok'' he nodded.
‘‘Come on Li'' I picked up Kyle’s car seat ''leave him here with me you two go, grab some breakfast out'' he nodded. ‘‘Why not just come with us?'' I asked. ''I’ve still got to get ready'' ''that’s fine we can wait'' Lina shrugged. ‘‘Ok'' he nodded going upstairs taking a quick shower and coming back down dressed and ready to go.