The Arrangement

Chapter 10: Declan POV

"Hey, Declan. I didn't think I'd see you back so soon." A familiar voice called out from behind us.

I snapped my head around just in time to see who it was. Paulo Pereira. The man who saved my life. "Hey, Paulo!" I shouted as I closed the distance between us.

He threw his arms around me. "Hey," he said back.

He looked just like he did three years ago. The only thing that changed was his age- he's now 25 years old. Paulo is a Brazilian native with dark features- hair, skin, eyes- and the wavy, glossy black hair still hung just below his chin. He had a tight black T-shirt on with ripped jeans and brown work boots. His eyes fixated on Tess as he said, "And I see you got yourself a pretty lady with you this time."

Tess blushed. I chuckled, but I admit it made me jealous to hear another guy call Tess beautiful. She may not fully know it yet, but she is mine.

"And who do I have the pleasure of meeting?" Tess asked Paulo.

"My name's Paulo Pereira. Declan and I go way back. I'm actually-"

I cut him off. "Paulo and I are really good friends. I met him on a business trip to Brazil a few years back." I didn't want Tess to know that part of my past, and Paulo, as kind and selfless as he was, did have a bad habit of oversharing information.

"Maybe you can come grab some lunch with us. That way you can tell me all Declan's dirty little secrets," she said with a chuckle.

I forced out a laugh. "I already told you, Angel, I'm an open book. No secrets whatsoever."

Paulo smiled his typical lopsided smile, a piece of his hair brushing his chin. "I would if I could. Unfortunately, I already have other... arrangements."

Tess frowned. "Well maybe some other time." Her eyes lit up when an idea formed in her head and she added, "we're going to be here for seventeen more days. Maybe we can arrange to meet up for lunch once before it's time to leave."

"I'd like that," Paulo replied, grinning at me. He bid farewell to us and hustled back to whatever it is Paulo does.

"I'm hungry," I re-directed the conversation so Tess didn't have the chance to ask any questions. "I know a place."

Tess made a dramatic gesture with her hands. "Lead the way, Mr. Scott."

The "place" was about a mile and a half away, and wasn't exactly a place at all. It was really just a street cart that sold some of the best Brazilian food around Rio.

The vendor was still the same older gentleman. He had once told me he had been here for over two decades, with his cart still in the same place serving the same zealous tourists year after year after year. Nothing changed about him nor the cart, unless perhaps you count the fact he looked older. There were more bags under his eyes since I had last been here. More troubles clouding his gaze. His hazel eyes held decades worth of wisdom and stories, most of which I would never know. He smiled faintly when he saw me. He recognized me.

We ordered some coxinha- a tear dropped shaped pastry that wraps around shredded chicken and is deep fried- and some kibe-a type of Brazilian meat patty- to split with each other.

After we finished eating, we kept walking. Tess would point out all the beautiful artwork and clothes from the street vendors. People danced around to the music radiating down the narrow streets. Lovers embraced and kissed. Rio was always so full of life. I almost regretted not coming back sooner, but am happy that my first time coming back since everything is spent with Tess. Although it's not a traditional marriage, she has been growing on me.

*****
We continued to site see until the sun began to set. For the last stop today, we stopped at a little gift shop. We were looking around and all the sudden a group of young men in the corner caught my eye.

They had hoods pulled up over their faces, and while that in itself wasn't suspicious something about the way they were standing- hunched over with their bodies crowding around a middle figure- caused a knot to form in my stomach. My brows furrowed as I tried to make out why they were so familiar. Just as it was starting to click, the middle individual lifted his head. You know the moments where you feel like your life has flashed before your eyes? Well, that's how I felt. I was already cornered again with no hope of escape...

It took several long seconds for me to snap back to the present. It was the guys who nearly killed me. Their leader was the man who Paulo had to shoot in the knee to get off of me. I noticed he had a wooden cane, the body was a snake and the handle was the head of the snake. A sly smile swept across his face, his hood still casting shadows over his eyes. I didn't mind. I didn't want to see those soulless black pits ever again.

I calmly turned around and went to find Tess. She had fortunately just finished paying for an item she chose off the front rack. I gently touched her arm. "It's getting late. We should go." She yawned in agreement and I hurried us back home.