Cache

Chapter 25 ~Scrub-A-Dub-Dub.

I hide the shaking in my hands by tossing the salad through the dressing aggressively.

It's iceberg lettuce, beetroot, carrot, cheese, tomato and zucchini covered in a simple vinaigrette.

Dana is by the small stove, frying up some chicken while Rosik and Oliver talk at the table.

I know that Rosik is sharing his horrifying tips and tricks when it comes to trafficking and I know that listening in will only screw me up further but for some reason I just can't help it.

I have to know the ins and outs of this business, I'm apart of this and it's going to stick with me for a long time, whether I like it or not.

"-Play up your looks. You have decent enough of an appearance to make a woman follow you. Match your approach to the scenery. If you're at a club, come across heavily interested but not desperate, if you're at a park seem distant but curious.. Make the girl feel like she is doing you a favour by speaking to you because the reality is that she is getting you paid."
I glance up through my lashes to occasionally take in the two men and I'm slightly overwhelmed with how good of an actor Oliver is.

In his eyes is such a bright gleam of excitement as Rosik starts bragging about his past successes, I suppose it might not all be an act.

These details are what he has been desperately fighting for all these years and finally they are his to report to his base later.

"One girl I had seriously had the biggest tits! She was like fifteen and even at that age knew how to use them right.." Rosik begins gloating and I feel disgust clog my throat and a handful of lettuce falls onto the bench to my disappointment.

Most likely this girl was just another victim to his delusions, she was most likely doing everything she could to avoid him and he read it as playing coy. He is absolutely disgusting.

"-But I'm thinking of slowing down after this job.." Rosik cuts himself off saying as he notices my harsh glare as I scoop up the spilt salad and throw it in the nearby portable bin.

I can't let him misinterpret my anger as jealousy so I force myself to calm down and glance up at the men casually, acting as though I can't hear a word of their loud, obnoxious conversation.

"Oh? Why is that? How many jobs have you done anyway?" Oliver questions as he notices Rosiks attention being dragged away.

We can both see the situation slipping and we are both desperate for answers. We can't afford for him to get distracted.

"I feel like you're all talk. You've most likely only done a few crimes and now you think that you're some badass brute." I call out, keeping my eyes on the salad to remain unaffected by the contact with Rosik.

Being in the same room with him is enough to make me break out in goosebumps, having eye-contact just makes me want to cry.

I hear Rosik chuckle darkly and I feel his gaze sliding over my form.
I don't want to see what parts of me he is focusing on so instead I spin on my heel and stand by Dana, looking into the pan.

"Why do you keep annoying him? You're only getting yourself more hurt in the process." Dana scolds lightly and I watch as she angrily stabs a piece of chicken in half to check that it's cooked.

I run my left hand through her hair, untangling the knots to distract myself and her as the table behind me goes silent, the conversation officially lost.

I tried to keep it going, hopefully Oliver realises what I attempted.

He's right about what he said earlier in the car, I need to be involved in this plan either with his consent or without.