The Drop: The Lena Series, #2

By Sabine Marlowe

Lena travels the world as a highly paid assassin. Always in demand and richly compensated, Lena makes it a priority to remain invisible. And to work alone. Her only comfort is the odd day off and her friends from childhood, Will and Eric. So when the two men decide to hunt down Trey Merrick, a wealthy charmer notorious for torturing women, Lena's concern grows...for Eric was fresh from a tragedy and Will was rapidly headed towards one. Can Lena stop them from possibly causing more harm or should she let them fall and protect herself? Lena won't let them make mistakes, but in doing so, she might make the costliest one of all.

Another version of this story that centers on Will's perspective can be found in the book Pride written under Sabine M.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sabine M.
• Release date: Apr 15, 2020
• ISBN: 9798201199999

Sabine Marlowe

Hello, I'm Sabine Marlowe. I live in Los Angeles and when not writing noir fiction, I enjoy writing erotica under Sabine M. My passion has always been to publish writing for others to enjoy. If you like your characters complicated and twitchy with their moral compass, I believe you'll enjoy my fiction. If you love pleasure and unapologetic exploration, check out my erotica. I write vanilla, threesomes, and BDSM, focusing mostly on D/s power dynamics. Come visit me at www.sabineava.com where you can read about upcoming releases as well as visit my blog and so much more.

Book preview

The Drop

Note from the Author

Dear Reader,

Lena is me every time I read a horrific headline or go through yet another summer of missing folks. Especially children. I don't have the skills Lena does. So I write her instead. It's how I handle my feelings of helplessness. It keeps me out of trouble and also; hopefully, fingers crossed, delivers you a good read.

Stay safe and stay kind. It's a true superpower if you can swing it.

-  Sabine

When a man wants to murder a tiger, he calls it sport; when a tiger wants to murder him, he calls it ferocity.

-  George Bernard Shaw

This book is dedicated to everyone who knows that justice doesn't always arrive and how we have to make peace with that particular horror somehow. A little dark, right? Yeah, well, so is this series.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter One 

It wasn't lack of funds or drugs that was causing my current target to sit in a hotel room directly beneath mine, waiting to sell her child. She was doing it simply to do it. Really. Oh sure, there were deeper reasons at work here, but I didn't have time to unravel the sickness, and quite frankly, neither did her daughter. Therefore, I wasn't about to give her the gift of time to figure her mess out.

I'm not a generous person anyway.

There were no security cameras over the balconies. Nor were there any in the parking lot. The fewer the eyes, the better, of course, but I still had to work fast. A fresh kill sets the timer every time. And that timer was now her once over eager buyer, no longer eager and stuffed into his trunk with the details of the purchase stuck forever to his temple with a nail gun. Dummy printed it out. More times than not, most of my work is done for me.

I had his phone and was counting the text messages coming through. Mommy was starting to wonder what was taking so long. Good. Impatience tends to trip judgment.

I went out on the balcony and listened. Cartoon network. She had just turned it up. Ah, she was getting ready to call. Perfect.

I grabbed the tote, pulled my mask down over my face, and climbed over my balcony onto hers.

It will never cease to amaze me how nothing looks like a warning sign to some of these people. A strange figure suddenly appearing on your hotel balcony, holding up a teddy bear while wearing a teddy bear mask and making a peace sign? Legit. No worries. Let them in. Awesome.

She looked like any other mom in suburban USA. Her hair was a little long for her face, but I'm sure she thought it looked pretty. Her clothes were conservative. She could have been headed to the local Target. Her nails were immaculate. One would easily ask her for a brownie recipe. Or a lemon bar.

Behind her, on the bed, was her daughter. She looked like a bony little seven-year-old. According to the paper I nailed to dickwad's head, she was five. Wow. Just, wow.

In her lap was a coloring book, and on the bed was an empty juice box. Her hand was clutching a dark crayon, and she was staring at some cartoon and laughing. Pretty thing.

Sorry, kid.

I'm going to kill your mother.

You're here, cool. The mother grinned as if greeting a friend.

I walked past her and held up the teddy bear for her daughter to see. Hey, Ruby, how are you? I have something for you.

Wait, what? The mother said. You're a woman?

I glanced back at her. I'm his partner.

There never was a him. But that was all she needed. She nodded and shrugged. Again, that was good enough. Crazy.

I turned back to the little girl who looked at me then looked at the bear. She wasn't so sure about me. After all, I had come out of nowhere. Smart girl.

I leaned in close, lifting my mask so she could see my eyes. I gave her the same face I give my targets who outweigh me when I want them to think I'm kind and soft.

I'm neither.

Can you wash your hands before I give you the bear?

Ruby looked over my shoulder at her mother, who must have nodded because Ruby suddenly scooted over to the bed's edge and went into the bathroom. I picked up the remote and quickly turned up the volume loud enough to block out what was about to happen but not too loud to alert the neighboring hotel guests.

I have the money, I mouthed to the mother as I increased the volume and placed my index finger against my mouth with my free hand. I winked.

She smiled and did the same. I tried to keep my contempt to myself.

I stepped towards her holding out the large tote that had nothing but foam and some newspaper in it. She grabbed it with both hands and looked inside it as I closed in.

The mother looked up from the bag. Yeah? Um, where's the-

It's in there. At the bottom. Money's heavy.

She opened the bag again, dipping her face lower.

I took my gun out of my jacket and lifted the bottom of the bag, pushing it up towards her face until I was met with resistance. I shot through the bag and held her as she slumped. Sliding the gun over the woman's heart, I shot twice, gritting my teeth at the sound. The suppressor only ever helps so much.

I slid the gun back into my jacket before I got to my feet and turned around just in time to see Ruby emerge from the bathroom with wet hands.

I slid my mask up onto the top of my head. Dry your hands.

She nodded and ran back into the bathroom.

I grabbed the duvet and threw it over the body. Grabbing the teddy bear, I headed to the bathroom. Ruby saw me and smiled as I held out the bear. She hugged it and waited. I knelt until I was eye to eye with her. So, your mom is sleepy and wants us to go get milkshakes. Wanna go get some milkshakes?

And fries?

Oh, yeah. All the fries you can eat.

She didn't move.

Ah.

Sorry, Ruby. I forgot. Your grandma told me your word is Opal.

Ruby finally relaxed. What's your name?

I shrugged. I'm a superhero, so... yeah, I can't tell you.

Her eyes got big. Can you fly?

Sweet kid.

It was time to go.

Chapter Two

No one was around when we got to the parking lot. I was careful not to say her name just in case some people might overhear from their windows. No endearments either. It was too soon for that and usually pissed kids off.

I opened the back seat and gestured towards the kiddie car seat. Get in.

Okay. She didn't get into the kiddie seat. I let it go. I didn't have time to argue.

You want to hold on to your bear?

Is it my bear?

It sure is. My gift to you.

Is that okay?

Yes, everything is ok right now.

Can we get fries?

Yeah. We can get anything. I shut the door and got into the driver's seat. Turning on the engine, I reached into the glove compartment and retrieved a water bottle with a light sedative in it. I turned in my seat, popped the lid, and handed it to her. If you finish this, you can have all the milkshakes. Water first.

She took the bottle and drank it enthusiastically.

Throwing it in reverse, I let out the first half of my exhale as I backed the car out slowly and got us out of the parking lot. Everything you need to do when getting away feels so counterintuitive. Never rush, not at first. I’ve never gotten used to it.

Ruby's dad told me Ruby was a well-mannered child. That could be problematic going in—loyalty and listening to mother and all that. But once the child was with me, I could count on her not bringing too many issues to the