Her Lovely Assassins

~*~
Normani as
Zola Mae
 
Richard Madden as
Samuel Beaumont
 
Jack O'Connell as
Connor O'Sullivan
~*~

---

"You can't kill him."
 
"I'm not."
 
"If he dies from a stroke or cardiac arrest, that still counts as you killing him..."
 
"Oh fook off, Sammy boy! I's just a bloo'y finger. The fookin' wanker can handle one missin' finger, yea."
 
Samuel casually leaned back against the brick wall of the dark alley, blowing smoke out of his nose as he puffed on his spliff. He watched as Connor lingered over a bleeding man curled into the fetal position on the floor.
 
"Now I won' say it again. So listen an' listen well, bruv. If I see your ugly face anywhere near Zo again I'll blow your bloo'y head off. You unda'stand?"
 
The man groaned in pain, his vision going in and out as he tried to make out the outline of his assailants. He cried out in pain when he felt someone grab his head and yank him up.
 
"I asked you a fookin' question!"
 
"Y-yes! Yes! I promise! I promise I won't c-come near her again!" the man cried hysterically.
 
Connor sucked his teeth as he dropped the man to the ground, watching him writhe in agony from his wounds.
 
"Bloo'y tosser makin' me repeat me self. Got his blood all over me coat. I loo' like a fookin' serial killer," Connor said standing to his feet as he wiped his hands together.
 
"You are a serial killer, Connor..." Samuel said coolly, staring at the ceiling.
 
"All right? An'?" Connor said with a raised brow.
 
Samuel scoffed with an ironic chuckle as he took another puff of his spliff.
 
"Them me ol' days, bruv. I'm a new man," Connor said wiping the blood off of his gun. "What was it Daro called it? Killer's Asylum?"
 
Samuel snickered. "Assassin's Rehabilitation..."
 
"I'ssa same thing, innit?"
 
"Sure, Connor..."
 
Samuel dropped his spliff and snuffed it out with the toe of his shoe before shoving his hands in his long coat pockets. He walked up to the second man laying on the ground and nudged his body with his foot.
 
"Mm... this one's dead."
 
"What?!" Connor blurted.
 
"I don't understand why this surprises you when you literally smashed his head into the fucking wall."
 
"It was a love tap!"
 
"A love tap," Samuel repeated throwing his head back in laughter. "Oh Connor... never change, mate. Never change."
 
"Shit!" Connor said crouching down and looking at the dead body. "His head's fookin' huge and this pussy kicked the bloo'y bucket just like that? Christ! What am I gon' tell Zo?"
 
Samuel shrugged. "Nothing. She doesn't need to know."
 
"You know I can't keep shit from her."
 
"She's been preparing her performance for this dinner for weeks. You tell her you 'accidentally' killed a man and she'll go mad. She doesn't need to deal with that shit. Not now...not ever."
 
Connor groaned as he combed his fingers through his short auburn hair. Zola didn't know they were assassins but she knew they were quite dangerous. She had put them on a strict anti-violence policy and Connor had already broken it 11 times in the past 2 months. This was the longest he had gone in 4 weeks as Zola felt he was finally showing some progress.
 
"Fook me..." Connor muttered in irritation.
 
"Come on," Samuel said grabbing the corpse's arm, dragging it along as he walked towards the edge of the aircraft carrier.
 
Connor followed Samuel and watched as his partner tossed the body off the side and into the water.
 
"We have to go," Samuel said checking his watch. "The dinner will start any minute. You know how she gets if we're late..."
 
"She's bloo'y sexy," Connor grinned, walking alongside Samuel as he spun his gun around his finger. "I mean the yelling is shite. But I like to imagine she's yellin' at me to fook her harder. I's always nice for a good wank, innit?"
 
"Let's not talk about your cock again, mate," Samuel said pulling on his shades.
 
~
 
"Is that them?"
 
"Yes, Mr. Reeves."
 
A tall man wearing a long black coat and shades leaned against the railing of a roof on top of a tall building. His hands folded behind his back as he watched the two men leaving the aircraft carrier they emerged from and walking on the sidewalk along the harbor.
 
"Which is which?" Reeves said to his investigative specialist, Andrew.
 
"The one on the right wearing the shades and black gloves is Samuel Beaumont, son of Ronan Beaumont," Andrew answered as he scrolled on his tablet.
 
"I thought Ronan only had 2 sons," Reeves said with a raised brow.
 
"As far as the rest of the world is aware. However, Ronan had a 3rd son with a prostitute he met in Greece. She raised the boy on her own until she passed when he was only 8. And then he raised himself. He has been relatively off the grid but is well-known in the Underworld."
 
"Is Ronan aware?" Reeves inquired.
 
"He's heard of the name but assumes it to be another copy cat as the Beaumonts are used to people claiming their name for notoriety. Samuel has been a loner the majority of his life before he joined the Slovak mafia at the age of 10 where he was raised and trained to be one of the world's most deadly assassins. He has a kill count of 1,678 men-"
 
"That's not too bad," Reeves mused.
 
"In Eastern Europe," Andrew finished.
 
"Ah..."
 
Reeves eyed Samuel who nonchalantly grabbed the spliff from Connor to take a puff himself.
 
"And the other..." Reeves persisted.
 
"Connor O'Sullivan. 9th son of the infamous Sullivan Irish mafia," Andrew said adjusting his glasses.
 
"9th?!" Reeves said bewildered. "Typical Irish twins, I take it."
 
"At one point. 4 of his brothers were murdered. 5 remain, including him. The Sullivans have been banned from Northern Ireland and are on the Republic of Ireland's most wanted. Connor, however, went off the grid when he abandoned his family. His father, Killian O'Sullivan, is still currently in pursuit of his whereabouts," Andrew advised.
 
"Is his father the one who orchestrated the Lisburn Massacre?" Reeves asked.
 
"He is the one..." Andrew sighed. "Killian is one of the most dangerous and most feared men in Ireland."
 
"I heard he beat one of his sons within an inch of his life for trying to leave the family," Reeves said. "Connor must have a death wish."
 
"The boy is reckless and has discarded his Irish heritage along with his family and has become fully entrenched in London's culture. His kill count however is reflective of a true Sullivan... 2,989..."
 
"Christ!" Reeves said startled. "I wonder what brought these two lunatics together."
 
"I cannot say for sure, sir," Andrew said. "However, if it were my guess, I'm thinking it might be because of their current client. She's a fairly well-known American singer, Zola Mae."
 
"Never heard of her," Reeves said dismissively.
 
"Really? She sings this really catchy song that my girlfriend likes to-" Andrew started when he caught Reeves giving him a dirty look.
 
"Right," Andrew said clearing his throat. "My apologies. Zola hired them a few months ago to be her bodyguards. Since then, their kill count has been relatively suspended."
 
"Trying to live normal lives again, I see. Don't they know... it is impossible to escape the life of an assassin..." Reeves mused.
 
"Do you still want to acquire them, sir?" Andrew asked.
 
"Of course. They're just what we're looking for. Their client can always find new bodyguards. Talent like theirs is wasted on her. That is.. if everything you say is true..."
 
"I assure you, sir, my research is always accurate," Andrew insisted.
 
"Perhaps... but I'd like to witness these skills for myself," Reeves said. "Send out the Beta Unit to intercept them before they leave the docks."
 
"Yes, sir," Andrew said tapping on his tablet.
 
~
 
"Be honest wif me, bruv. Why can't a bloke like me have a woman like her?"
 
"We've been through this so many times already, Connor," Samuel sighed.
 
"All right. All right. All right. But say we jus' forget abou' the whole... mass murderer bit for jus' a minute. There's a chance there, innit?"
 
"You can't just forget you're a murderer," Samuel laughed. "That's not how any of this works."
 
"It worked for those Richardson wankers," Connor scoffed. "Fookin' pricks have a family an' everyfin'."
 
"Because they're Sons of the Elite. They don't need to hide in the shadows like the rest of us monsters," Samuel shrugged.
 
"Fook the Elite and their fookin' spawn thinkin' they're betta than the rest of us," Connor scoffed. "If the Blue Kaiser can massacre an entire room filled to the brim wif the bloo'y mafia and still get 'im a goddess to ride his cock whenever the fook he wants then me own cock demands a goddess of me own."
 
Samuel grinned. "No one's stopping you from settling down with a broad, mate. But that broad just can't be Zo. She's too innocent. Remember, this is just a job. She's just our client..."
 
"Says the obsessed, love sick puppy that finks of shaggin' her jus' as much as I do if not more," Connor teased.
 
Samuel rolled his eyes and went to retort when he stopped suddenly and slightly moved his head to the side as a bullet went whizzing past his head.
 
Connor raised a brow as he seamlessly flipped his revolver with his finger and aiming past Samuel, pulled the trigger. They heard a loud groan followed by a man falling from a window and landing on the ground with a splat.
 
"Bogey?" Samuel asked.
 
"Striker," Connor said aiming again and hitting another person.
 
"Don't kill them!"
 
"I hit their kneecaps!" Connor said shooting again. "Oh wait, no... that was a head shot. My fault."
 
Samuel sucked his teeth as he turned around and spotted the men aiming guns at them. He pulled out his gun and set off round after round as each man fell to the ground.
 
"Is it your birfday or somefing?" Connor said cocking his gun again and shooting another round.
 
"Not till next month, I think..." Samuel shrugged as sniped a few others.
 
Several bodies fell to the ground groaning in pain as they flipped their guns back into their holsters.
 
"Only 3 kills... not bad," Samuel checked his watch. "Shit. We have to go-"
 
Samuel was cut short when he heard shouting.
 
"You've gotta be fookin' kidding me..." Connor groaned as they saw a hoard of men rushing their way.
 
"We don't have time for this shit," Samuel said pulling out his gun and shooting round after round hitting shoulders and kneecaps until he hit one man in the head.
 
"Dammit!" Samuel groaned as he winced regretfully.
 
"Fook it?" Connor grinned.
 
Samuel checked his watch and sighed. "Fuck it."
 
Samuel pulled out another gun and shot with both hands, taking each man out without missing a single shot.
 
Connor licked his lips with excitement and pulled out a dagger as he charged forward separating flesh with his blade.
 
"Are these Mori's men?" Samuel asked as he snapped a man's neck before shoving his fist into another man's stomach.
 
"Nah, we killed Mori's men 2 years ago in Cambridge, 'membah?" Connor said slicing someone's throat open with his blade.
 
"Oh right... the Vipers maybe?" Samuel guessed again breaking someone's back over his knee and shooting a bullet into one man's head as it went out the back of his head and into the head of the man behind him.
 
"Didn't you assassinate their boss like... 3 monfs ago?" Connor said snapping another neck. "Oh fook, no,... that was Ryala, innit?"
 
"I guess it doesn't really matter," Samuel sighed with boredom as he ducked one man flying his way before grabbing the man's face and smashing the back of his head into the pavement.
 
~
 
"They're not even breaking a sweat," Reeves said with disbelief. "In fact they look as if they're enjoying themselves. Well the Sullivan lad for sure. He's a bloody psychopath if I've ever seen one. But the Beaumont looks ever bored."
 
"Blood lust looks different on each assassin... is that all, sir?" Andrew asked worriedly. "Can I call back the men?"
 
"I don't believe you have anymore men to call, Andrew," Reeves chuckled. "I'll take it from here."
 
~
 
"Shit. Zo is sure to rip into us for missing this dinner," Samuel said wiping the blood off of his phone and sending a quick text. "We need to go."
 
"Offed about... 80% of these blokes, yea?" Connor said counting.
 
"You're shit at math, Connor."
 
"Get off me cock, Sam," Connor said flipping him off. "This don't count, right? I mean... it was self-defense."
 
"An assassin killing out of self-defense. Sure, Connor, we'll go with that," Samuel said rolling his eyes when suddenly he looked up to see two men approaching them.
 
Connor and Samuel both raised their guns when the older gentleman raised his hands in surrender.
 
"I come in peace," Reeves said.
 
"What, you fookin' ET or somefin?" Connor scoffed.
 
"Wrong movie, mate," Samuel smirked.
 
"I's an alien, innit?!" Connor snapped at Samuel as he pointed his gun at Reeves. "You the prick that sent 'em?"
 
Reeves smiled charmingly. "My name is Farlin Reeves."
 
"We don't give a shit," Samuel said cocking his gun as Andrew panicked slightly.
 
"But my employer Jasper Gladstone does," Reeves said quickly.
 
Samuel paused as he raised an intrigued brow.
 
"That name you recognize," Reeves smirked. "One of the most powerful and richest men in Europe. He's looking for new recruits."
 
"Tha's not us anymore," Connor smirked. "We're good lads, now, eh Sammy boy."
 
"Right..." Samuel said coldly. "Sorry, mate. 'Fraid you'll have to keep looking."
 
Reeves looked around at all the bodies on the ground. "This carnage says otherwise."
 
"It was self-defense," Samuel said with a raised brow. "You shoot us, we shoot back."
 
"Seemed like more of a reflex to me," Reeves said. "An instinct even..."
 
Reeves dared to take a step closer.
 
"I know all about you two. Legends in the underworld. You've not yet reached your full potential. Not yet gained the notoriety that you deserve. This is an opportunity of a lifetime to work for one of the most powerful men in the history of our world. To make yourselves gods. The Gladstone's are picky about who they choose and they've set their eyes on you. Your talent is wasted on this trivial nonsense when you could be so much more."
 
Reeves looked specifically at Samuel.
 
"Why should Michael and Dean be the only highly-favored Beaumonts..."
 
Reeves glanced at an irritated Connor.
 
"Killian would tremble at the feet of a Gladstone assassin. Especially if it was his own son."
 
Samuel and Connor analyzed Reeves who smiled boastfully.
 
"You would have everything you need. Everything you've wanted. Jasper Gladstone has the world at his fingertips. And what-"
 
A gunshot went off that made Andrew scream. His eyes widened in shock to see a gaping hole from the back of Reeves head all the way to his forehead.
 
"No thanks," Samuel said lowering his gun and tucking it into his holster.
 
He looked at Connor and nodded his head. "All right?"
 
"Yea," Connor said looking at Andrew. "You wif 'im?"
 
Andrew frantically shook his head 'no.'
 
"Good answer," Connor smirked as he tucked his gun behind him.
 
The two gentleman fixed their suit jackets and collars as they casually walked around the bodies and up the stairs off of the dock.
 
"What happ'n to people jus' bloo'y askin'," Connor muttered. "Waste of time. Still counts as self-defense, right?"
 
Samuel shrugged.
 
"Meh..."
 
~
 
"Where are they?! Fuck!"
 
"Would you like some tea, Ms. Mae? It might help you calm down-"
 
"I don't want tea! Where the hell are Connor and Sam?!"
 
Zola's assistant shrieked slightly as she moved out of the way of her boss.
 
Zola plopped herself in her styling chair and let her head fall on her desk groaning in frustration.
 
"I'm sorry, Marissa. I'm just so stressed!" Zola muffled into her arm. "I don't mean to yell at you."
 
"It's okay, Ms. Mae. I'll try them again," Marissa said taking out her phone and dialing. She walked outside of the dressing room and closed the door as she heard Zola cussing up a storm.
 
Her foot tapped impatiently as the phone rang until she heard it ringing out loud in the hallway. Looking up, she saw Connor and Samuel walking towards her.
 
"WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU TWO?!" Marissa blurted.
 
"We ran into a bit of trouble. Sorry, 'Rissa," Connor said rubbing the back of his neck.
 
"You have better been dying!" Marissa snapped.
 
"How is she?" Samuel asked reaching for the door handle.
 
"She's pissed!" Marissa said blocking him. "If you go in there, go in there apologizing. As if your absence wasn't bad enough she got another call from her mother and it was really bad. She's falling apart in there."
 
"Got it," Samuel said opening the door and moving past her.
 
Marissa huffed as she watched Connor and Samuel walk into the room and close the door shut.
 
Samuel stepped into the room and saw Zola groaning face-first into the dresser. Her long, curly black hair splayed out around her. Her dress completely unzipped in the back as she sat in the plush chair barefoot. A naked thigh peeking from the bright pink garment she was to wear for her performance.
 
"Fuck... me, she's gorgeous..." Samuel heard Connor sigh.
 
"Zo?" Samuel softly.
 
Zola frantically looked up before turning to Samuel and Connor standing at the door.
 
"YOU ASSHOLES!" she blurted.
 
"Oh shit..." Connor muttered.
 
Zola shot up from the chair and rushed up to them.
 
"Zo-" Samuel started when she slapped him hard in the face making his head turn. Connor cringed as he tried not to snicker garnering a dirty look from Samuel.
 
Samuel slowly turned his head and looked down at an angry Zola.
 
"How could you guys just ditch me like that?! I needed you!" she snapped.
 
"We ran into a bit of trouble," Samuel said.
 
"Ran into trouble? Nah, y'all motherfuckers go looking for trouble," she said throwing her hands in the air.
 
Connor and Samuel exchanged looks before they looked back at Zola pacing the room.
 
"Zo," Connor started. "Me and Sam...we jus'-"
 
"You know she called me an embarrassment," Zola said turning to them with tears in her eyes.
 
Connor saw the first tear slip down her cheek and it both broke his heart and reignited his blood lust.
 
"Shit, she's crying, mate..." Connor muttered to Samuel.
 
Samuel swallowed hard as he took a cautious step towards her. "Your mother..."
 
"Of course, my mother. Who else would enjoy shitting on me this much?" Zola said in disbelief as she looked at the ceiling. She tried to fight the tears from falling, but still they came.
 
"I wasn't expecting much let alone a phone call. But she just had to let me know how disgusting I looked on camera. Cause that's what every girl wants to hear from her mother. That they look like shit. It's like nothing I do is good enough for her."
 
"Fook that, Zo. You're bloo'y' stunnin'," Connor blurted before he could stop himself.
 
Samuel smirked as Zola looked at Connor surprised before a small smile came to her face.
 
She wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes. "Shit. I'm gonna ruin my makeup," she muttered. "And they want me back out there for a follow-up performance, but I can't. I just can't."
 
"Zo," Samuel said stepping up to her and gently grabbing her arms. He couldn't help the way his body would react every time he touched her. But he was getting used to ignoring a sensation he could never act out upon.
 
"You've been anticipating this dinner for a while. You did an incredible enough job at the dinner for them to want to see you perform again. Forget your mother. Do this for you. We'll be there," Samuel reassured her.
 
Zola eyed Samuel curiously as she felt her heart swell. He was always a relatively quiet person from the first time she met him and hired him as her bodyguard. Yet somehow he was more open and talkative when it came to matters that concerned her.
 
"Right..." she sighed as she pulled out of his embrace and looked at herself in the mirror. "Thanks, guys. Sam, can you... zip me up?"
 
Samuel looked at her in the mirror before he looked down at the back of her dress. Her dress was split open revealing her smooth, luscious dark brown skin stopping just above her ass. He could see the waistband of her panty and swallowed his desire down as he grabbed the sides of the dress.
 
He felt her shiver slightly when his fingers grazed the skin on her back to attain the zipper, a million thoughts running through his head.
 
He slowly lifted the zipper as the dress molded beautifully to her curvaceous body. She gently moved her hair out of the way as he zipped it close before letting it fall back on her shoulders.
 
Zola looked at herself in the mirror, running her fingers over her stomach and along her ample cleavage at the top of the dress.
 
"Thanks, Sam. Hopefully I don't look too disgusting for mother dearest," she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.
 
"You look perfect, Zo..." Samuel said coolly.
 
Zola felt her cheeks get hot as she instinctively diverted her eyes. She was used to people telling her how beautiful she was but strangely enough there was something particularly heartwarming hearing it from her bodyguards.
 
"I better get out there," she said fixing her hair. "You guys ready?"
 
"After you," Connor said holding the door open. She smiled at him and headed outside as the two of them followed after her.
 
"The only broad that makes you give a shite," Connor grinned.
 
"It's my job, Connor."
 
"Sure fing, bruv."
 
~
 
Samuel leaned back against the wall, hands crossed in front of him, watching Zola perform on the stage from the side. Her performances were always mesmerizing. From the tantalizing way she moved her body to the angelic melody that emanated from her voice.
 
She was perfection personified.
 
Zola was already huge in the United States, so it was particularly exciting that she was starting to gain so much traction in Western Europe. Asia was next.
 
She was a professional who knew how to work a crowd. Drawing them in and keeping them hooked as if she were a siren herself. She always looked so calm and composed.
 
But Connor and Samuel knew the truth.
 
Most times she was a nervous wreck. But one could never tell because she was just that good.
 
Zola had thought of many methods of getting past her nerves to perform. Her coach had given her plenty of exercises, but many times they didn't work.
 
At least not as well as keeping her focus on her two bodyguards. Something about them brought her solace.
 
She glanced at the two of them and winked, sparking a heated sensation in their bodies that manifested in the way their cheeks flushed pink.
 
It amused her.
 
Connor and Samuel scared the hell out of most men. Seeing them blush was comical.
 
"See there? You can't tell me she don't know what she's doin'," Connor smirked watching her.
 
"...she's just teasing..." Samuel said lowly.
 
"I got somefin' else for her to tease," Connor grinned.
 
Samuel shook his head with a smirk as he diverted his eyes away from her just to keep himself focused and... flaccid.
 
He scanned the crowded dining hall scattered with some of the wealthiest people in Europe. His brows narrowed when he noticed a few familiar faces.
 
"Connor."
 
"Yea, bruv."
 
Samuel nudged with his chin. "Those blokes look familiar to you?"
 
Connor's blue eyes followed Samuel's gaze until he spotted a group of men in dark blue suits with a red scarf tied around their arms.
 
"I's the Red Circle," Connor said. "What the fook are those arseholes doin' here?"
 
"The Chimeras are here too..." Samuel muttered.
 
"Your people-?" Connor started.
 
"Not my people," Samuel snapped quickly. "At least not anymore. As soon as Zo is done we're getting her the fuck out of here."
 
The crowd stood to their feet giving Zola a round of applause when she finally finished her performance. She bowed respectfully when she caught Samuel motioning for her to get off stage.
 
She looked at him confused as she waved to the crowd.
 
The dash to exit the dining hall was not an easy feat. As Zola waved to the crowd she noticed that her bodyguards were rather insistent on getting her out.
 
"Zola! Wait Zola!"
 
Zola looked over the crowd to see a man waving as he moved through the crowd of people towards her.
 
But before he could get to her, his face made impact with Connor's fist.
 
"Connor!" Zola blurted.
 
"You can yell at me later, Zo," Connor said flatly as he escorted her out of the building.
 
~
 
Zola tossed her shoes across the hotel suite she was staying in before she fell back on her bed and breathed deeply.
 
"What is my life?" she groaned. "I'm tired of working. I just... want to relax..."
 
She heard movement outside her bedroom and leaned on her elbows before yelling.
 
"Where are you guys?!"
 
A few seconds later Samuel poked his head in.
 
"Thought you wanted some privacy," Samuel said.
 
"I'm a lonely ass bitch. Last thing I need is some privacy," she said falling back on the bed again.
 
Samuel walked into the bedroom. His blue eyes wandering over her body sprawled out on the bed in exhaustion.
 
"Fookin' A..."
 
He glanced to his left to see Connor staring at Zola wide-eyed, seconds away from falling victim to his weaknesses.
 
"You needed something, Zo?" Samuel said loudly enough to break Connor out of his trance.
 
"Yea," she said sitting up on her elbows again. "What was that earlier?"
 
Samuel cocked his head to the side. "What was what?"
 
"Back at the dining hall. You guys looked nervous about something which is strange cause few things make y'all nervous," she said.
 
Connor shrugged nonchalantly. "Jus' bein' cautious, Zo."
 
Zo eyed the two of them peculiarly, but neither seemed to give her a hint of what the issue might be if there even was one.
 
"Fine. Keep your secrets then," she sighed as she lay back on the bed again. "You guys are off duty. Relax."
 
Connor and Samuel exchanged looks before Connor grabbed a spliff from his pocket and slid to the floor as he lit it up.
 
Samuel grabbed a beer from the small fridge and leaned against the dresser.
 
"No plans tonight, Zo?" Connor asked as he took a puff.
 
"I wish," she muttered when she saw the spliff between his fingers.
 
"Oh! Can I?" she asked.
 
Connor raised a brow. "You sure?"
 
"Yea. It calms you down, right?"
 
"Eh..." Samuel smirked.
 
"Fook off, Sammy boy," Connor said standing to his feet and handing the spliff to Zola.
 
Connor watched as she put it between her lips.
 
"Take it easy... not too much at once or-" Connor started when she immediately started coughing.
 
"That," Connor chuckled.
 
"Here," Samuel said handing her his beer.
 
She tried to control her coughing by taking a sip of Samuel's beer.
 
"Thanks," she said. "Obvious my ass don't smoke."
 
"Jus' don't do too much at once," Connor said grabbing the spliff. "Here... like this."
 
Zola raised her head as Connor gently put the spliff between her lips.
 
"Do it slow..." Connor swallowed thickly watching her plump lips carefully suck in. He bit his bottom lip. Desperately wanting to suck those lips between his own and bite down on her softness.
 
"Did I do it right?" she looked at him.
 
"Yea... could use a bit of practice," Connor grinned.
 
"Shut up!" she laughed as she tossed a pillow at his face. "I feel like after this we should go on a vacation or something. You guys should take a break. What do you like to do for fun?"
 
Samuel didn't know how to respond. 'Quench his blood lust' didn't quite seem like the appropriate response.
 
"Haven't actually thought about it," Samuel said.
 
"I have an idea," she said sitting up. "Let's plan some trips between my tours. The three of us. You guys are from here. I'm sure there's a couple things you could show me."
 
"Oh, sweetheart, there's a lot we could we show-OW!" Connor said rubbing the back of his neck. He glanced at Samuel giving him a dirty look.
 
"Hold on a sec," Zola said checking her phone. "Oh snap! I got a date!"
 
The two of them looked at her confused.
 
"There was a guy I met at the dinner while you two were off doing God knows what. He was so sweet and kind and fun. He just sent me a message asking me out," she said.
 
"How did he even get your number?" Samuel said annoyed.
 
"I... gave it to him..." she said texting back.
 
"What the fook, Zo" Connor grumbled.
 
"Relax, Connor. It's no big deal. I'm telling you he's harmless. I gotta change," she said jumping off the bed.
 
"Wait, Zo," Samuel said blocking her. "I don't think this is a good idea."
 
"Sam, I haven't been on a date in MONTHS. It's gonna be fine," she said rushing to the closet.
 
"Then we're going with you," Samuel said quickly.
 
Zola groaned as she threw her head back. "You guys are supposed to be off duty."
 
"Then don't pay us for the hour. But we're not letting you go on your own," Samuel said firmly.
 
"He could be a serial killer for all you know, Zo," Connor said snidely.
 
"You guys are so dramatic," she groaned. "Fine... but please stay hidden. Last thing I need is you two scaring away the only guy who's shown genuine interest in me."
 
~
 
"Of all dresses, she had to wear that bloo'y dress?" Connor sucked his teeth.
 
Connor perched himself on the ledge of a window sill a few feet away from where Zola was having a drink with a strange man. She wore one of her signature short, sleeveless black dresses that distinctly showed off her curves.
 
"She's worn it before..." Samuel said next to him.
 
"But for that arsehole?!" Connor said snidely.
 
"You sound jealous, mate."
 
"I am fookin' jealous! I wanna put a bloo'y bullet in his stupid fookin' head jus' for lookin' at her!"
 
Samuel shook his head. "This is why you don't get attached to your clients."
 
"Oh fook off, Sam!" Connor snapped.
 
As much enjoyment Samuel got out of teasing Connor, he couldn't deny that he felt the same way. Zola was one of the most sought after women in her field, and often by those who didn't seem to give a damn about her as a person but because she was a celebrity.
 
Despite how uncommon it was for her to date, watching her flirt with other men was never easy.
 
"He looks like he lives wif his mum and wanks off to hentai. Fookin' prick," Connor muttered.
 
Samuel grinned. "She's not ours, Connor."
 
"Whose side you on anyway, bruv?" Connor snapped.
 
"I'm on the side that keeps her safe. She's clearly enjoying her time with him. Just... let her have this..." Samuel said reluctantly.
 
Connor sucked his teeth as he pushed himself off the window sill and walked away from Samuel.
 
~
 
"I'm really glad you decided to come out..."
 
"Thanks, Frank," Zola blushed at the handsome tanned-skinned gentleman smiling charmingly at her from across the small round table. "I'm really glad I did too."
 
"Watching you sing up there. It was... like getting lost in a dream," Frank smiled at her. "You're incredible you know that?"
 
Zola shook her head as she felt her cheeks get hot. She felt his hand on her thigh under the table and looked up at him.
 
"Do you wanna get out of here?" he smiled. "Go somewhere... more private?"
 
Zola chuckled nervously. "There's nowhere I can go that's private. My life is like a walking billboard."
 
"Try me," Frank winked as he stood from the table and held out his hand.
 
Zola hesitated to grab it before he grabbed her hand and led her out of the bar.
 
Samuel perked up when he saw them leaving and quickly followed after them.
 
~
 
"Frank!" Zola laughed as he dragged her along. "Where are we going?!"
 
"Somewhere we can't be seen...or heard..." he smirked as he pulled her around the corner and into a darkly-lit back room.
 
Zola heard the door close before Frank pushed her back against the wall and smothered her lips with his. His kisses were as eager and aggressive as his hands that moved across her body, feeling every curve.
 
Zola moaned out as she felt him suck on her neck so hard she was sure he'd leave a hickey. He grabbed her thigh and hiked it up to his waist as he pushed her dress up her hips.
 
"Frank..." she groaned out. "Wait, baby, slow down..."
 
Frank ignored her as his hands moved beneath her dress and between her thighs til he felt her panties. He eagerly tried to tug them off.
 
"Frank, stop!" she said shoving him off of her.
 
He looked at her annoyed. "Why are you playing so hard to get? I'm trying to do you a favor."
 
"Excuse me?!" she blurted. "I just wanted us to have a few drinks and talk! Start out slow. I never said anything about fucking you."
 
"Not out loud, but I knew what you wanted," he scoffed as he pushed her back against the wall. "Stop acting like the bitch Hollywood makes you out to be."
 
"Wow. Okay. No what. I'm good," she said moving away from him when he quickly grabbed her arm.
 
"Get the hell off of me," she snapped as she slapped him in the face.
 
His nose flared as he raised his hand and backhanded her hard across the face.
 
Zola was more in shock that this guy had the audacity put his hand on her than the actual stinging sensation of the slap.
 
"Fuck you!" she growled as she punched him hard in the face breaking his nose.
 
"BITCH!" he snarled.
 
She rushed for the door when she felt him grab her waist and yank her back and throw her on the floor. Her feet got caught in the fabric of her scarf as she tried to crawl away from him, but he quickly landed on top of her, trapping her between his arms.
 
"STOP! GET OFF OF ME!" she screamed as she slapped him in the face with her hands. But he grabbed both of her wrists and pinned them down with one hand as the other pulled her dress up to her waist.
 
Zola snarled in anger as she tried to kick him when suddenly she saw his head turn all the way around accompanied by a loud snap.
 
Her mouth parted in shock as his body crumpled to the ground and she saw Samuel standing above her.
 
His angry blue eyes glared down at Frank's corpse before they rose to meet her shocked gaze and they immediately softened with regret.
 
"...Zo..." he said cautiously.
 
"HOLY SHIT, SAM!" she blurted.
 
~
 
"Zo, can you please calm the fook down," Connor said grabbing her shoulders so that she could stop pacing her bedroom back at the hotel suite.
 
"Calm down?! CALM DOWN?! Sam just fucking KILLED SOMEONE, Connor!" Zola blurted.
 
Samuel stood quietly in the corner of the bedroom, looking down. His hands clasped together as his mind raced at a million miles per second. Zola didn't know they were assassins. If she knew she would have never hired them. Connor and Samuel felt she was the best opportunity to start over fresh. New. Leaving their past of killing behind despite how difficult that proved to be.
 
As long as they didn't kill in front of her.
 
As long she remained in the dark.
 
But now...
 
He couldn't even look at her. The terror in her eyes tore at his soul.
 
"Sam said the bloo'y prick was tryin' to rape you," Connor snapped.
 
"Okay, yes, but I could have had him arrested! He didn't have to kill him!" Zola panicked.
 
"Honestly, Zo who gives a shite," Connor said irritably. "Arseholes like that don't deserve to live."
 
"That's not your decision to make, Connor! You can't just take someone's life like that. There are rules!"
 
Samuel couldn't help but break his silence as he scoffed.
 
Zola looked at him and furrowed her brows. "What's so funny, Sam? Murder? Murder is funny to you?"
 
"You, Zo. You're fucking hilarious," Samuel said coldly.
 
Connor and Zola both looked at Samuel surprised as he rarely spoke out of turn to her.
 
"It wasn't my intent to frighten you, but I don't regret snapping his neck. And I'd do it again if it meant protecting you," Samuel said.
 
"Listen, Sam, I appreciate you being there but this is a big freaking deal! There's a dead man in the back of a warehouse of some random bar because you killed him! I mean aren't you supposed to be trained professionals? Shouldn't you know better ways of de-escalation than killing?"
 
"I'm not a cop, Zo," Samuel muttered.
 
Zola groaned as she tugged at her hair in distress. "Dammit, Sam! What the fuck am I gonna do now?!"
 
"We'll handle it," Connor said.
 
"Handle it?! This isn't Scandal. You're not Olivia Pope, Connor! Fuck, why the hell do you guys always have to be so extreme?!"
 
"Because we're fucking in love with you, Zo!" Samuel snapped angrily.
 
Zola's eyes widened in shock as she took a step back.
 
Samuel slowly lost his snarl as he realized the words that escaped his lips.
 
"... you're... you're what?" she said breathlessly.
 
"Who's the fookin' moron now, eh, Sammy boy?" Connor scoffed.
***