2°: Chapter 18

He walked through the long corridors of the hotel, checking the doors, anxious. It seemed to be a hallway with no end, and his nerves were getting louder and louder.

204, 205, 206, 207. He knocked twice on the door and in less than two seconds, a slender woman with a familiar face stood in front of him.

- I didn't think you were coming. - She looked at him tensely. He snorted.

- I've come. May I come in?

- Until you ask.

The door opened further and James entered the room. The smell of cigarettes was almost visible and a table was positioned in front of the huge window.

- Oh, that's your place. Sit down. - she ordered. James obeyed and sat down in front of the window.

Angelica disappeared for a few seconds but then positioned herself in front of him, holding a box in her hand.

- What are you planning? - he asked impatiently. She smiled.

- Nothing bad, just a look around. - James looked at her doubtfully. - Let's go back in time. A young James Bexell, interested in experimenting, maybe something...violent.

- What do you want to do?

Angelica slid a photo across the table, all the way to James. He looked down and his expression changed completely. He was holding a gun, and a huge smile was plastered on his face. Under his left arm rested a black bag. As James remembered, it was stuffed with money.

- Look at your smile, it was your first big payment.

James was silent. Angelica slid another photo. She stretched out her tongue and he deposited a kiss. It disgusted her.

- Remember that day? We just stole two hundred thousand dollars. You were okay with that.

Another picture. James looked at the camera with a blank expression. Nothing else.

- Everything changed here, you were changing, James. You had met the love of your life, blah blah blah. You wanted to leave everything. Yet you didn't.

Another photo. James posed smiling next to another boy.

Angelica laughed. James felt his stomach sink. The past weighed on him.

- I loved him. Where is he now? Oh, he's dead.

- I didn't kill him.

- You sure didn't.

- I didn't murder him, I can swear to that.

Angelica looked at him sympathetically and then her face changed completely.

- I don't care! - James got excited. - Do you know how many times I've wanted to rebuild my life? Thousands, thousands of times. And I couldn't, because you, James...you had abandoned me.

- I wasn't going to let you mess with Sarah. The same shit again? You want me to put you back in jail? I assure you, you won't get out this time.

- Of course I will. You messed with me, so I messed with you. remember that?

James looked down. She laughed.

- It was a mistake.

- Your hands on my body, I can still remember. Your voice was scratchy, and your skin so smooth....

- What do you want to achieve?

- What do I want to achieve? I want to remind you of what you are, because even though you are a noble family man today, deep down you are a criminal, a cold and despised murderer, James. What would happen if your little son made the mistake of being just like you? Oh God, I can just imagine your face when the little boy comes home asking for help because he has killed someone.

- He won't! - he exclaimed. Angelica looked at him with a smile.

- Why?

- Because I'll see to it myself that none of my children go near some bitch like you. - He finished with a smile. A feeling of remembrance filled his chest. He moved his hand and tried not to bring it to his chest.

- You want me to tell you what I think?

- What? - He replied without wiping the smile off his face.

- That karma is coming.

James laughed.

- You think I haven't paid? My wife died, my daughter was on the verge of death more than ten times, you were meddling in my life like a larva and I almost lost my entire family. I have no desire to commit another crime, believe me. What do you want?

Angelica looked at him incredulously, had he insinuated that he intended to kill her? She thought for two seconds, and answered.

- I don't want anything.

- What do you mean?

- I don't want anything but you.

- What?

- There's nothing you can give me, James. Did you think it was going to be like this?

- What do you need me for, then?

- What an unfortunate time for this, isn't it? You're in your prime; rich, you're getting married, you've had beautiful children.

- You're not going to hurt my family.

- I'm not interested in hurting them, not physically.

James watched her, he was trying to understand her but he didn't understand her fucking catch phrases.

She kept talking.

- When you became a good man, you forgot the one most important rule in business.

- What?

- To be armed at all times.

James's eyes widened in surprise. A gun was pointed at him.

- Don't do it.

- How can you defend yourself now?

- Angelica, I'll give you whatever you want. Tell me the number, walk away, make your life, start from scratch. This is not the way.

- What life do I have left? - he asked, and fired.

James fell to the ground, completely unconscious. His chest began to leak blood and Angelica watched the scene in pain. She killed him, and nothing had changed. In anger and helplessness, she screamed in despair. There was nothing she could do, nothing to ease the pain of her ruined life. She placed the gun in her mouth, and closed her eyes.