Deadly Embrace (Deadly Assassins Series Book 1) Page 8

Natalia walked up to the group looking amazing, wearing a bikini and carrying some scuba gear. Mr. Thompson walked over to the group to give us instructions.

  “Okay everyone, get in line. Tonight, we will be practicing your underwater competency. You will be paired up in teams of two. Natalia you will team with Maurice. Nick you will team with Chase. Jason you will team with Vince. One of each team will put on the scuba gear and jump in the pool. The other on the team will jump in and simulate a disruptive water environment by grabbing for the mask and cutting off the oxygen to your partner. The purpose of this exercise is to see how you respond mentally in the water while under difficult circumstances. Get ready,” Mr. Thompson said.

  I walked over to Natalia. “Good luck. Don’t be easy on Maurice,” I said

  “Oh, don’t worry I won’t.” Natalia smiled.

  I watched as Natalia put on the scuba gear and stood next to Maurice at the edge of the pool. I put on the scuba gear and stood next to Vince at the edge of the pool.

  “You will all be timed for this exercise. On my whistle you all will jump in the water.” Mr. Thompson instructed.

  Mr. Thompson blew the whistle and we all jumped in the water. Vince came for me right away wrapping his arms around me and pulling me under water. I held my breath as I went under but was able to escape his hold. As I came to the surface of the water I could see Maurice holding Natalia under the water. She then elbowed Maurice in the face and he let her go and she swam to the edge of the pool. Mr. Thompson blew the whistle.

  “Okay everyone out of the pool, now.” Mr. Thompson shouted.

  We all got out of the pool and sat down on the bench. As I looked over at Maurice, his nose was bleeding. The medic came over to look at his face.

  “Hey Natalia, what the hell was that about?” Maurice yelled.

  “Well Maurice, I was reacting just like you were an enemy. If we were in a real situation I would have reacted the same way,” Natalia said.

  “She definitely a firecracker.” Vince said to us.

  “I hope my nose isn’t broken!” Maurice stated.

  “Sorry Maurice, I didn’t mean to hit you so hard.”

  “Hey Mr. Thompson, why is she even here with us anyway,” Maurice said.

  “I’m sorry Maurice, last time I checked I don’t answer to you and it looks like you need to toughen up some. Natalia is a valuable member of this team just like all of you are. Natalia did exactly what she was supposed to do. When you are facing the enemy, there are no rules. Following your instincts and training is what’s gonna save your life.” Mr. Thompson said.

  “Hey Maurice, did Natalia hurt your ego a little?” I said.

  Maurice started to walk away when I walked up to him and grabbed his arm. “Hey Maurice,” I said. As he turned around he tried to punch me, but with my quick reflexes I moved, and Maurice lost his footing and fell into the pool. Everyone started to laugh. He even began to laugh himself as I reached down to give him a hand to help him out of the pool.

  “Hey, sorry man I guess I deserved that,” Maurice said.

  “Hey, no need for apologies. We are all learning here. It’s gonna be hard,” I replied.

  “Sorry Natalia if I was too rough with you earlier.”

  “It’s okay, I can take care of myself Maurice. Sorry about the nose.”

  Mr. Thompson walked over to the three of us.

  “Is everything okay over here?” Mr. Thompson asked.

  “It’s fine, sir,” Maurice said.

  “Hey Jason, way to go mate. Maurice is a real asshole sometimes,” Vince said.

  “Wow I hope this doesn’t cause problems within the team Jason,” Chase added.

  “Listen, everything is fine. Let’s finish up training so I can go pick up Ryan. It has been a long day.”

  Chapter 18

  Over the next hour Mr. Thompson had us complete several underwater exercises. Natalia and I were in constant competition with one another. She was already a champion swimmer and the best of us all in the pool. After training was over, Natalia and I walked toward the locker room together.

  “You did good today Natalia. I was impressed,”

  “Well thanks, you didn’t do too bad yourself,” she responded smiling.

  “Hey Jason, call me later okay?”

  “Okay I will after I have dinner and help Ryan with his homework.” I said.

  I jumped in the shower. Vince, Nick, Chase and Maurice were all in the shower as well.

  “Jason you gonna tell us all what’s going on with you and Natalia?” Maurice said.

  Chase turned and looked at me.

  “Well Maurice you seem real interested in her and I,” I said.

  “No, just interested in her is all,” Maurice said.

  “Well dude, it doesn’t seem like she is interested by the way she elbowed you earlier,” I said.

  “Oh Jason, that was just a love tap from that fine ass little darlin’,” Maurice stated.

  “Well her and I are going out Friday night after the game, so I’ll keep you updated,” I said.

  “Umm Maurice I think you need to give it up dude,” Nick said.

  “Yes, mate I agree she clearly wants Jason man,” Vince said.

  All of us started to laugh as Maurice left the shower with a frown on his face.

  I dried off and got dressed and sat in front of the locker gathering my things. I left the training facility and walked over to the library to pick up Ryan.

  “Hey Ry. You ready to go?” I said.

  “Yes, I’m starving.”

  Ryan and I jumped into my truck and I drove home. When we got home it was around 9:30pm and Ms. V was still hadn’t got home yet. Brooklyn ran up to us barking as we walked in the door. Ryan put some food and water in his bowls and he immediately calmed down. I looked in Robert’s office and he was sitting in his chair talking on the phone. He waved to me. Robert had made dinner for Ryan and I and had left it on the stove. Ryan and I sat down and ate dinner.

  “Ryan how was your first day?” I asked.

  “It was better than I thought it would be,” he said.

  “Do you need help with your homework?” I asked

  “No, I got it all done.” Ryan responded

  “Okay, here take your vitamins.”

  Ryan took his vitamins. Brooklyn followed Ryan as he went upstairs to his room. I loaded the dishes in the dishwasher and went upstairs to my room. I had been doing my calculus homework for about an hour when my cell phone suddenly rang. I looked down at the number but didn’t recognize it.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey Jason, it’s Natalia.”

  “Hi, is everything okay?”

  “Yes. It was getting late and I wasn’t sure you were gonna call,” Natalia said.

  “Sorry this calculus homework is crazy and I kind of lost track of time.”

  “Well I’m right outside your window.”

  I got up off my bed and looked out my window. Natalia was standing in my backyard. I wondered why she was here.

  “Okay, I will come down and let you in,” I said.

  I hung up my cell phone and ran downstairs to the family room and opened the door so Natalia could come inside. Robert had already gone to bed and Ryan was in his room. I bought Natalia up to my room and closed the door.

  “What’s going on Natalia? Is everything okay?” I asked.

  Natalia smiled and moved closer to me as we sat on the loveseat in my room.

  “Everything is fine. I snuck out of my room to come over and see you.”

  “See me about what?” I asked.

  “Well I couldn’t wait ‘til Friday for our date so I came over now,” she said.

  “Oh okay.” Suddenly I was really nervous.

  “I don’t make you uncomfortable do I Jason?” Natalia said.

  “No, I just don’t want Robert to catch us in here and besides Ms. V isn’t home from work yet.”

  “Well, we’re not doing anything. We can just say we’re studying right?”
She suggested.

  “Yes, I guess you’re right,” I said.

  Natalia put her hand on my thigh and my heart started to beat quicker. I could see her perky breasts through the white tee shirt she was wearing. I could feel myself getting aroused. I grabbed her hand.

  “Natalia let’s take things slow okay?” I said.

  “Okay. Don’t you like me?” she said.

  “Of course, but there is plenty of time for us to get to know each other right,” I said.

  “For sure.”

  Natalia leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. Then suddenly my door burst open and Brooklyn ran into my room barking and jumped up on Natalia’s lap. Brooklyn began to lick her face. For a second, I admired how Natalia rubbed Brooklyn and calmed him down to where he sat down at her feet and looked up at her with his droopy eyes.

  Ryan walked in my room and began to blush when he saw Natalia in my room.

  “Hi Ryan, I’m Natalia.”

  “Yeah, I know you’re Jason’s girlfriend, right?” Ryan said.

  “Hey Ryan, you got manners, right? That’s not how you greet a lady.” I scolded.

  Ryan reached out his hand to shake Natalia’s hand.

  “Sorry, nice to meet you Natalia. Hey, you’re gonna get grounded if Robert or Ms. V catches her in here.” Ryan said.

  “Listen don’t worry about that. Take Brooklyn in your room and get ready for bed it’s almost midnight,” I said.

  “Nice to meet you Ryan,” Natalia said.

  “You too. Come on Brooklyn,” Ryan said.

  Brooklyn just laid there and stared at Ryan.

  “It’s okay, he can stay in here for now,” I said.

  Ryan left and went in his room. After he closed my door Natalia pulled me toward her and placed her hands on either side of my face. She then looked in my eyes and kissed me softly on the lips. Brooklyn stood up and gave me a strange look.

  “What was that for?” I asked smiling.

  “Sorry, I couldn’t resist I have been wanting to do that since we met. I know you want to go slow and I understand. I’m willing to wait for you,” Natalia said.

  “Wow. That was nice. I gotta go before my parents realize I snuck out,” Natalia said.

  “Are you gonna be okay getting home?”

  “Sure, I drove my car over here. I’ll be fine.”

  Brooklyn licked Natalia’s face as she petted him to say goodbye. I started to walk her downstairs when I saw Ms. V’s car pull into the driveway.

  “Hurry, out the back Natalia,” I said.

  As I looked down the street I watched Natalia run and jump in a black Mustang parked at the corner and drive away. As I closed our French patio doors. Ms. V walked into the kitchen.

  “Hey Jason, what are you still doing up?” she asked.

  “I was up studying calculus and came down to get a snack,” I said.

  “Is Ryan in bed asleep?” Ms. V asked.

  “Yes, I think he is.”

  “How was your first day at Briarwood Academy?” she asked.

  “It was okay. I got a lot of homework, had football practice, met some new kids, and had training with Mr. Thompson.”

  “How was Ryan’s first day? I was hoping to be home earlier, but this case I’m working on has gotten complicated.”

  “He did good. I walked him to his first class and checked on him throughout the day. He was in the library after school with his tutor getting help with his math homework.”

  “Who was the girl I saw you sneaking out the back door?”

  “It was Natalia. She came by to study calculus with me.”

  “Did she really come to study Jason? It’s only day one. Is this the same girl you met this summer?” Mrs. V asked.

  “Yes, it’s the same girl, Ms. V. We got a lot of homework today and she’s my lab partner in Chemistry.”

  “I guess you and Natalia will be spending a lot of time together. Well she shouldn’t be coming over so late on a school night okay?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” I said.

  “Okay go to bed Jason. See you in the morning.”

  I went up to my room and got into bed. I checked my phone and Natalia had sent me a text message telling me she got home safely. She also sent me a picture of her blowing me kisses. I drifted off to sleep looking at her beautiful face.

  Chapter 19

  The next morning, I woke up to Brooklyn barking and licking my face. I didn’t know why he was in my room at all. As I got out of bed I walked out onto my balcony and admired the beautiful day ahead. After I got dressed, Brooklyn followed me down to the kitchen. Robert, Ms. V. and Ryan were all in the kitchen eating breakfast. I poured some food and water in Brooklyn’s bowl and he began to eat.

  “Good morning Jason,” Ms. V and Robert said

  “Good morning everyone,” I replied

  “Well Jason I hear you had a girl over after I went to bed last night,” Robert joked.

  “Yes, sir. She’s my friend from school and chemistry lab partner. We were studying calculus.” I explained.

  Ryan started to laugh. “Yeah, butthead. It didn’t look like you were studying to me.”

  “Shut up Ryan,” I said.

  “Well no more girls over past ten on a school night. You got me, Jason?” Ms. V said.

  “Yes, ma’am,” I said.

  “Okay off to school boys have a good day,” Robert said.

  Ryan and I grabbed our stuff and jumped in my SUV to head off to school. Ryan didn’t say much on the way there. He just stared out the window. I pulled into the space in between where Maurice and Vince had parked and watched as Maurice took off his helmet and rested it on his Harley Davidson. We all noticed that his face was really bruised where Natalia had hit him. He walked past Ryan and I then nodded in our direction.

  “I guess he’s still mad about that bruised ego,” Vince said.

  “Okay Ryan, see you later, I hope have a good day,” I said.

  “Okay bye, See y’all later.” Ryan said.

  As Ryan walked away. I saw Natalia walking toward me.

  “Well here comes your girlfriend mate,” Vince said as he walked away.

  “See ya later Vince,”

  “Hey Natalia, how are you?”

  “I’m good, how are you?”

  “Ms. V saw you last night I got busted.”

  “Wow sorry! Did you get in trouble?” she asked.

  “No, it’s okay.”

  “Well I’ll make it up to you Friday night when we go out,” she said.

  “Okay I’m looking forward to it. Do you wanna walk to class together?” I asked.

  “Sure,” she replied.

  “Wait Natalia, there is something I wanna ask you.”

  I was so nervous about giving Natalia the necklace I had bought for her the day before at the mall.

  “Okay.”

  “I wanna know if you will be my girl? There is something about you that is special.” I said.

  I was so nervous waiting for Natalia’s answer. I then pulled the necklace out of my pocket.

  “Of course, Jason. I thought you would never ask. Oh my God the necklace is beautiful.” She responded as I started to put the chain around her neck.

  Natalia leaned in toward me and kissed me passionately on the lips as I fastened the necklace around her neck. For that brief moment I felt like she and I were the only two people on the planet. I grabbed Natalia’s hand as we walked to class. I knew from that moment on nothing would ever be the same. As we walked in to English class all eyes were on Natalia and I. Mr. Thompson was writing on the board as we both took our seats. I let Natalia’s hand go as she sat down. Chase was sitting next to me with Vince behind me. Vince leaned forward and whispered in my ear.

  “Wow mate you didn’t waste no time with Natalia,” he joked.

  “Shut up dude we can talk later,” I said.

  Mr. Thompson continued with our lesson on The Great Gatsby.

  Chapter 20

  The rest of the week went p
retty quickly. It was finally Friday and time for the big game tonight against Madison Prep. Ms. V and Robert were coming to watch me play tonight. After my last class I stopped by Mr. Thompson’s office.

  “Hi Jason, come on in.”

  “Hi, sir.”

  “You ready for the big game tonight?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Okay, your progress has been exactly what I was expecting. You have exceeded my expectations. Have you been taking all your supplements as scheduled?” he asked.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “How have you been feeling?”

  “Great, sir.”

  “I know you and Natalia are dating. Am I right?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Well I just want to make sure you stay focused on your goals. Girls are a distraction. Your leadership and focus is what I am counting on to make this new elite team a success. Natalia was recruited for this program because there are some missions where you two will have to go undercover as a couple. How much have you told her about the program?”

  “I haven’t told anyone anything like we agreed. I am laser focused, sir. Natalia and I have developed a friendship that will be very valuable to the team. She is my equal in every way. With her by my side I will not fail you, sir.”

  “When the time is right I will tell the rest of the team more details about the D.S.A.T program,” Mr. Thompson said.

  “Yes, I understand that completely, sir. I will not disappoint you.”

  “I’m sure you won’t Jason. Your country is counting on you and your team being successful. Okay now go ahead, don’t you have a game to prepare for?”

  “Yes, sir. Thank you.”

  As I walked out of Mr. Thompson’s office I was more confused than ever. For years Ryan was the only person I worried about protecting besides myself. But now Natalia was an unexpected entry into my life. I didn’t want to lie to her or hide things from her either. What was I going to do? The one thing I did know was that I would never let anyone or anything harm her. There will come a time that I will have to tell her everything.

  I ran over to the stadium to get ready for the game. I looked up in the bleachers and Natalia, Maurice, Nick,Vince, Robert, Ms. V and Ryan were all there. I was glad they all came to support me. Chase and all the guys were in the locker room getting dressed. All the coaches were in the office having a meeting. I sat down in front of my locker and started to get dressed. After we were all dressed, Coach James came out to talk to us all before the game.