Assassins the Florist Book One Part One Read online

  Each story will consist of two parts.

  The Florist

  Assassins Book 01 Part 01

  Written by Haley Langwood

  Cover design by Haley Langwood

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  I hope you have just as much fun reading Marc and Bailey’s story as I had writing it.

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  Dedication

  To my dear husband, who always has my back, no matter what!

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  Names, companies, characters, and places are the creation of my imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Haley Langwood

  This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Copyright 2021 by Haley Langwood

  Smashwords Author

  Haley's Homepage

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 01

  Chapter 02

  Chapter 03

  Chapter 04

  Chapter 05

  Chapter 06

  Chapter 07

  Chapter 08

  Chapter 09

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  About the Author

  Other Works of Haley Langwood

  Assassins

  Book One, Part One

  Prologue

  Marc took the rifle apart and put it in its bag. He grabbed his cell phone and hit speed dial. “It’s done,” he said. “Alright, the money is getting transferred as we speak,” the voice replied; Marc disconnected. He walked to the car and didn’t react to the police vehicles’ sirens that were on their way to the crime scene he had just created.

  Marc turned the key and eased the car into traffic. All he wanted was to go home to Alec, his partner, for nearly ten years. Marc had told his, well, associate that he wouldn’t be available for the next four or five weeks. The man hadn’t liked it, but Marc didn’t care.

  Alec had booked a trip to God knew where, and they would stay away for at least four weeks. Marc had looked forward to spending time with Alec at their home. However, Alec had been so excited about organizing this trip that Marc hadn’t been able to say no.

  Marc didn’t like surprises because he needed to be in control, always, all the time. Maybe it was because he was a hitman and one of the best in the country. Not even his associate knew Marc’s identity, and he liked it that way. Alec was the only one who knew who and what he was. And the man had accepted it because Marc never took an assignment that made him kill an innocent.

  Sometimes, people thought they could solve their problems by hiring an assassin to kill the woman who wanted a divorce. Or a person who owed another person money. How convenient it would be that that person got killed. It was something Marc condemned. He only took out the scumbags that deserved to die. Marc always did his homework before taking on a new assignment.

  He was on his way to the airport when a feeling of dread made his stomach turn. Marc’s gut feeling was telling him that something was terribly wrong. “Goddammit,” he cursed as he saw the traffic jam in front of him, and he stopped the car. The road to the airport was closed because of an accident, shit.

  Marc grabbed his phone and dialed Alec, something he never did because he never contacted anyone while on assignment, but somehow, this time, it was different. Marc needed to know that everything was alright at home. The call was answered on the second ring. “Hello?” Marc smiled in relief when he heard Alec’s voice. “Hey, it’s me,” he said in a husky voice. Marc’s tone always turned husky when he talked to his lover.

  “Is something wrong?” Alec asked. Marc smiled, “No, all is fine. I just needed to hear your voice,” he said. Alec sounded chipper; there was no tension in his voice. Marc would have noticed when something was wrong because Alec was very sensitive and couldn’t hide his feelings. To Marc, Alec was an open book. So, he knew that Alec was okay, but why was his stomach still in knots? Well, his partner was alright, and that was the most important thing.

  Finally, after more than two hours, the road was cleared, and Marc could resume his way to the airport. He had called the airline to change his flight because Marc knew that he wouldn’t make it in time to catch his original flight. It also meant that he would arrive home late.

  When Marc boarded the plane, he was welcomed with champagne, which he declined. He seldom drank alcohol because it could cloud the mind, which he didn’t like. So, instead, Marc asked for some orange juice. That was the beauty of traveling business class; you could order anything you want. Right now, all that he wanted was to go home and spend quality time with Alec.

  Marc was about to put his phone into flight mode when it rang, and he let it go to voice mail when he saw who it was. He did have several phones, and this particular one was used only by the person who passed on the requests for an assignment. He had told his associate that he would be absent for at least a month. Marc knew that the bastard would call to try and talk him into taking another assignment. Well, it’s just the way he was.

  Most people slept after they finished their meal, and the lights were dimmed, but Marc never slept on the plane. Plus, there still was his gut feeling that was reminding him that something wasn’t right. Marc’s first thought had been that someone was after him and that that person was on the plane as well. However, no one knew him as a hitman. Marc was very good at hiding his identity.

  Alec was Marc’s only weak spot. He was the only one who knew how Marc earned his money. Alec was okay with it, as long as Marc didn’t kill innocent people or children. The people in their neighborhood thought Marc was a businessman who traveled a lot for his work. They went to neighborhood BBQs when they were invited, and once in a while, Marc and Alec threw a party for their neighbors. Why? Because it was the perfect way for them to blend in.

  Marc checked the time; his flight would take another four hours, damn. His target had lived overseas, in France, to be precise, which meant that it was a long flight back home. Marc hated these assignments that took him overseas, but it was what it was. He took a few sips of water and glanced around, but everything seemed normal; most passengers were sleeping. The bag that had his rifle in it would be shipped overseas; Marc knew just the right ways to get his tools safely back home.

  The plane landed, and when the doors finally opened, Marc was the first to exit the aircraft.
Marc had all his luggage, like clothes and toiletries, in his carry-on, so he didn’t need to wait at the baggage claim. He went through customs without any problems, and on his way to his car, Marc called Alec again. He wanted to let him know that he was back in the country and on his way to the mansion.

  Alec didn’t answer the phone, and Marc’s instinct let him know something wasn’t right. Bile rose in his throat, and Marc hastily crossed several parking lots until he reached the one where his car was parked. It was at least a one-and-a-half-hour drive to the estate, but Marc managed to do it in an hour.

  Something was very wrong; Marc just felt it. He drove through the gate, and as he neared the house, his heart sank when he saw that the front door stood ajar. This wasn’t good. Marc didn’t take the time to shut down the car’s engine but hastily got out of the vehicle and sprinted to the front door, and rushed inside.

  Marc knew that he should have been more careful, but this was about Alec, the most important person in his life. The man that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Marc had his gun at the ready, just in case. He always had a gun in his car for emergencies, and this was an emergency.

  “Alec? Alec?” he called, but Marc got no answer. His heart was beating too fast as he searched room after room, and Marc began to panic when he couldn’t find Alec. He searched until there was only one area left, and that was the basement. Marc slowly descended the stairs that led to the basement, and the smell that greeted him made him almost vomit. He knew that smell; it was the smell of death. Marc stopped because he didn’t want to go any further.

  Marc didn’t know how long he had been standing on the stairs before he forced his feet to move. He didn’t want to, but Marc knew that he needed to check the basement, and it looked normal, except for the pungent stench. The door to the wine cellar was closed, and Marc instinctively knew that it was where he would find Alec. Marc also knew that if it really was Alec in there, then he was dead.

  The stench was almost unbearable, and Marc didn’t want to open the door, he really didn’t, but Marc knew he had to do it because what other choice did he have? So, he slowly opened the door; the room was dark, and the smell that reached his nose made Marc’s stomach turn. He switched on the light and couldn’t breathe because the sight that greeted him was the stuff from nightmares. Alec, his Alec, was hanging upside down. They had slid his throat, and the pool of blood that was beneath Alec told Marc all that he needed to know. Whoever had killed Alec had let him bleed out, like a pig, so his death would be slow and painful. Also, Alec was beaten badly. Marc knew it was Alec because he knew his partner’s body posture and the clothes he wore. So, there was no doubt that this was Alec.

  Marc collapsed because it felt like he couldn’t breathe; his stomach turned, and he emptied its contents in the corner of the room. Then, he looked up to the ceiling and screamed and cried until there were no tears left. Marc didn’t know for how long he was on his knees, crying, but finally, he managed to take a good look at Alec. Whoever had killed the love of his life had let him suffer; it was written on his face, from what Marc could see anyway. He took a few deep breaths and let calm enter his body. Marc had learned to control his body and mind when he was living in Japan. That was before he met and fell in love with Alec.

  Marc was an excellent hitman, but to become an even better one, he had moved to Japan for four years. It was there that he had learned to control his body and mind to perfection. In addition, the samurai training he had endured for several years had prevented Marc from losing his mind after seeing Alec hanging upside-down.

  Marc crawled up the stairs because he had to get fresh air, and once outside, he called the police because his partner was murdered. It was what Marc had to do, to call it in because there was no reason not to. Someone had murdered the love of his life, and even though Marc knew that he would go after the killer himself, he needed to call the cops to report the murder. Only when Marc reported it; he would be able to give his beloved Alec the burial that he deserved. The thought to make Alec’s body disappear had crossed Marc’s mind, but this was the love of his life, and he would get a decent burial.

  Even though Marc was desperate to lower Alec to the floor, he knew that the cops needed the crime scene to be, intact. How he stayed so coherent, Marc didn’t know; it was probably sheer willpower.

  Marc knew that he needed to keep his emotions in check, so he would be able to start with his search to find the person responsible for Alec’s death as soon as possible. He would grieve after he killed the scum who murdered the love of his life.

  ******

  Marc stood in the living room from what once had been his sanctuary. Most furniture was gone, sold, and some things were in storage. Marc wasn’t sure if he ever would use them again, but he wouldn’t sell them since he wasn’t sure. The new owner had wanted to buy the house with the existing furniture, but Marc had declined. Also, he didn’t know who had bought the estate, and Marc didn’t care. All that he wanted now was to leave and start a new life, a life without Alec.

  Marc still had no idea of how to pull that off. He always thought that he was the one who would die first because, well, he was the one who lived the dangerous life, not Alec. Marc glanced around; he felt empty. First, however, he needed to check the complete house to assure himself that there was no trace of him left behind.

  Two hours later, Marc walked out the door for the last time. He had an appointment to drop off the keys at the real estate office that had sold the house. It had taken more than two weeks before Marc was permitted to enter his house again. The first thing that Marc had done was hiring a cleaning crew to take care of the basement. After that, Marc had hired a team to sell most of the furniture and put the rest into storage until he knew what he wanted to do with the stuff that mostly had belonged to Alec.

  To Marc’s astonishment, he had sold the estate within a week after putting it on the market. He should have been suspicious, but Marc didn’t care; all he wanted was to leave his old life behind and start over. The real estate manager had shown Marc a beautiful estate at the outskirts of a small town called Madison Valley. Marc had never heard of it, but it seemed nice enough. Since he had to buy another house, why not in Madison Valley?

  Chapter One

  Three years later

  Marc parked the car in front of the cast-iron gate. He didn’t exit the vehicle but kept staring at the gate. Marc sighed; before he finally opened the door and climbed out of the car. It had been a long time since he had visited Alec’s grave.

  Marc had just returned from his first assignment since Alec’s death. Even though it had been three years, he had no problem executing the hit on some scumbag. It had felt good, and he felt the urge to talk to Alec about it; well, that wasn’t possible anymore. It had been six months ago that Marc last visited Alec’s grave. He missed him so much, even after three years. But the man was dead, and Marc knew that he needed to get his life back on track again, which meant that it was better not to visit Alec’s grave anymore. It didn’t mean that he had to forget Alec had ever existed; Marc knew that he would never forget Alec. For three years, Marc had mourned the loss of his partner, he would always carry Alec in his heart, but now, it was time to move on. Alec was dead; Marc wasn’t, it might sound heartless, but really, it wasn’t.

  Alec and Marc had talked a lot about death because death was part of life. Without it, there would be no life possible. People lived, and then they died; some would meet death much too early. Some of them died a violent death, but in the end, everyone faced the same fate.

  Even though it hurt, and Marc didn’t want to, he said goodbye and knew that this would be the last time he visited Alec’s grave. A broken Marc left the cemetery, slid behind the wheel of his rental, and sat for a long time staring at the cast-iron gate again. He didn’t cry; even though he felt like he was losing Alec all over again, it was something that he hadn’t expected.

  Marc didn’t know how long he had been sitting in his car in front of the c
emetery before he came to his senses. He backed out of the parking lot and drove to the airport to catch a flight home to Madison Valley.

  Marc smiled when the gates opened and the mansion came in sight. Several acres of land surrounded the house, so there were no direct neighbors. Marc had been lucky because he had bought the estate before it had hit the market. Even though it was called an estate, the house wasn’t that big. It had five bedrooms, all with adjacent bathrooms: a spacious living room, a sunroom, and a huge kitchen. Marc had two studies, one was opposite the living room, and the second was in the basement. There was only one room left that still was empty, and he was in no hurry to change that any time soon.