Read The Possibilities - Desire - A Collection of Short Stories for Free Online

shoulders and a very large camera bag hanging
in front of him.  He wore a weathered chambray work shirt, faded jeans,
and black cowboy boots that were worn down and the heels and scuffed. It looked
as if they hadn’t seen polish in years.  His height and general build were
the same as his brother’s.  His features were more angular, as if chiseled
out of granite.  His eyes were a stony gray and his wavy black hair was
clipped shorter and more neatly than his brother’s.  When he got close,
Bridie smelled the Old Spice and smiled.  It was a very simple and
inexpensive scent, but it brought back familiar memories of her father and
grandfather, memories of being safe and protected.
    Other than his dress and his
grooming, the family resemblance was strong.  The man’s one hundred eighty
degree difference in sartorial choices from his brother was immediately negated
by his brusque response to Jason’s introduction.  Nathan looked her up and
down as if she were a head of cattle and then turned to Jason for specific
details, completely ignoring her.  He did have that in common with
his brother Bridie decided.  Her body’s response to this man was
instantaneous heat, but he was an insufferable prick.
    When Jason was finished talking,
Nathan simply took Bridie by the arm and directed her towards the
elevator.  He didn’t say goodbye to Jason nor speak a word to
Bridie.  When they were inside the elevator, Bridie turned on him
angrily.  “I don’t know who the hell you think you are,” she spit
out, “but I’m not some rag doll you can just shove around any old way you
want.  You can either talk to me like a human or you can kiss my
ass!  I won’t be treated like this!”  Her face was a bright red and
she was magnificent in her anger.  Nathan looked at her, his serious gaze
seemingly taking her in for the first time.  His large, strong hand reached
out and flicked a switch on the elevator control panel.  The elevator
stopped.
    “Ornery, aren’t you?” he asked
quietly.  He didn’t wait for an answer.  “I’m not going to tell you
Torres is a ‘bad man’, I’m guessing you’ve already heard that enough tonight. 
Let me tell you something specific so we can be clear about who we’re dealing
with.  Six years ago I was working undercover in Colombia.  Even
undercover a man has a private life.  I fell in love with a dark eyed
Columbian beauty.  I wondered how I was going to be able to talk her into
coming back to the states with me when my assignment was done, especially after
she discovered that I had been lying to her about who I was.  Torres
suspected me, and unknown to me, he had me followed to Estrellita’s house one
night.  I left her, as was our custom, to go to my apartment to change the
next morning.
    The next time I went to visit her
Bridie, I found her in the kitchen…and in the living room, and in the
bathroom.   There were three very select pieces of her arranged on
the bed in her bedroom.  It was very clear to me that being cut to pieces
was not the only indignity she bore before she died.  So if I turn into
the same kind of asshole as my brother when I hear Torres is in my hometown, I
apologize.  I’m not usually like this, but for some reason, whenever I
hear Torres name I become an unpleasant person.”  He reached out, flicked
the switch on the control panel, and they were moving down again.  Bridie
was nauseous.
    They had taken only a few steps from
the entrance of the newspaper office towards a Ford SUV when Bridie, still sick
from Nathan’s story, caught a flash of moving shadow coming at them from
between two parked cars. There was a muffled grunt from Nathan as he doubled up
in pain, but he managed to rise before the muscular Hispanic in dark clothing
could grab her.  Just as the man’s hands were about to encircle her waist,
Nathan fired twice from a large semi automatic pistol in his hand. 
Bridie’s assailant dropped straight to the ground and