*Hey, I hope you'll like this chapter :) it'was kinda complicated to explain so if you don't get something just comment. ;)*
Written by me
ZOFIA'S POV
We were walking down the hotel hallway to get back to our rooms. But now, after the incident in the store, the vision of going back to my room which I shared with Harry wasn't that fascinating.
We landed in Ibiza not even a day ago and he was already clinging to random chicks in shops. Two days ago he was acting so sweet and caring and now he was only giving mix signals. I'll go crazy with his attitude.
I looked down into the shopping bag I was holding in my hand. We were in a mall mostly for professional reasons, everyone needed fancy clothes for the upcoming Gala.
Archiebald was organising a huge Gala at his villa and the fact that mafia people were invited was more than obvious. It was the perfect moment to get to Archie, we just need to get invitations and blend in without attracting too much attention.
It's good that we got two invitations earlier this day with Harry because I couldn't collaborate with him after what happened. We broke into one of the invitees and knocked him out to take his invitation and all the information we needed about him.
Arthur White was a drug dealer who, luckily for us, never saw Archiebald in person so Harry could easily take his identity for the Gala. We were a bit lucky when I was about to break our victims neck in his hotel room, when suddenly his wife entered the room, also invited to the Gala. So instead of only one invitation now we had two.
But I wouldn't do it now, if it was the case, I was too angry at Harry and really couldn't bare the thought of working with him, let alone kidnapping Arthur.
Nova insisted on keeping him alive because we could need him in the future. But she didn't need to put much effort to it. I wouldn't kill a person knowing he had a family.
I wanted to finish him at the beginning when he said he was alone, but after his wife came in, it turned out to be a lie. I would feel bad after killing someone with a child, wife, husband, anyone who was bonded with someone.
We left them in Nova's room, tied up, luckily they were still unconscious after Rania had injected them with a dose of a sleeping pill.
"Meeting in my room in one hour, I'd have enough time to interrogate our 'guests' " Nova turned around and said to everyone before heading back to her room. I only took a glance at Arthur and his wife, tied up tightly on the chairs before she closed the door behind her.
Malak, Rania and Ana disappeared in their rooms and I stormed into mine only to leave my stuff on the bed and go somewhere else knowing Harry would stay inside and I didn't want to spend more time with him than I should have.
I took my new dress out of the paper bag. It was white, with a hole on one side of my leg so when I walked you could see it, accompanied with a pair of heels which I bought in the same Gucci store.
I remembered Nova complaining about this dress in the store, saying it would be too attention grabbing, but Harry didn't mind. That's why I took it after all.
This idiot has too much influence over my choices.
I ran my hand over the delicate material and hung it on the hanger, hearing Harry slam the door behind him followed by the silence.
I was wearing a flowery dress whole day and now it was getting kind of chilly outside so I decided to change into sweatpants and maybe go for a run to calm my thoughts. I knew Harry was staring at me but I completely ignored his attempts of a conversation going straight into the bathroom switching on the lights and starting to change.
"Can you stop acting like a child?" he said leaning over the door frame of the bathroom as I tried to untie the knots at the back of my dress glaring at his reflection in the mirror. He ran his hand through his brown curls irritated by the situation.
Maybe I was overreacting but I had enough of his shit. He can't just be a cute and loving toward me and then when he sees a pair of tits, starts drawling like a dog. He might have acted normally from the beginning of our friendship not leading me on for so long, but he decided to play with my feelings instead.
It was more obvious than the fact the earth is revolving around the sun that he knew what I felt but he decided to play.
Let's see how funny it is when there's two in the game.
"Can you stop acting like a fuck boy?" I say calmly, sliding the dress off my shoulders which left me only in my lace lingerie. I knew he was looking but I didn't give a fuck of what he thinks right now.
Maybe I'll regret it after but I know how make a person forget about everything.
Women's body is powerful and can be an excellent weapon when it comes to men, if only we use it swiftly.
He gasped smiling in disbelief "Don't tell me you're mad about what happened in the store" he said and I saw his refelxion examinating my body from behind but then he stopped looking blinking rapidly.
His gaze was directed into my eyes in the mirror as I unclasped my bras which landed on the floor, and his features changed into astonishment.
It was easier than I thought honestly, I might use it in the futur to shut him up when needed. He swallowed quickly as I looked into his eyes with a neutral expression on my face.
I turned around facing him and walking slowly in his direction as his breath got stuck in his throat. The light was behind me so all I could see was my growing shadow that was starting to cover Harry as I approached him, completely paralysed now.
"I'm not mad at you" I whispered softly stepping closer to him, not returning my gaze from his eyes who restrained themselves to look down at my naked breasts. His breathing accelerated and I could feel his hot exhales on my collar bones as I was close enough.
My wandering eyes looked at his broad shoulders and muscular arms covered in tattoos, then my attention was caught by his abdominal muscles, which were pretty visible from under his thin black t-shirt. His lips parted slightly as I ran my fingertips over his muscular chest examinating every bit of it.
" I was just wondering about something..." I said calmly reaching for his hand. My eyes never left his but he unfortunately couldn't stand the temptation to not look down at his hand which was slowly guided by my delicate fingers up my body, starting by my hips...waist...abdomed.
"Yeah?" he breathed out in question as I let him grab one of my breast and leaned seductively to whisper something into his ear as he started caressing delicately this part of my body.
I knew he was turned on already but the rage in me was stronger than my desires, even though I wanted to push him onto the bed and fuck him hard until he begs for my forgiveness.
But I restrained myself, my jealousy today was beyond the roof and I wanted to make him suffer, just a little bit for now.
"You know what's funny Harry?" I murmured into the side of his neck exhaling hot air which made him shiver in excitement and need.
"What?" he breathed out again, this time impatiently. I knew he would push me onto the first wall as fast as possible if he only had my permission, because the tension was just unbearable and suffocating.
His other hand grabbed me by my waist and as he was about to kiss my neck I whispered into his ear touching it slightly with my parted lips.
"The fact that it's the first and last time I'm letting you touch me this way, so memorize it well, because it will never happen again, and you know exactly why" I say emotionless as he stop his moving hands realizing the weight of my words as it hits him like a wave.
I pull back and look into his confusd eyes and pass by him leaving him alone standing there frozen. I walk back to the bedroom and put on a sport bras before getting into an oversized grey sweatshirt, dismissing his presence.
I search through my bedside cabinet but when I don't find a pack of cigarettes where I left it I only growl to myself annoyed and start walking to the exit taking only my phone with me.
"What was that for?" Harry's voice follow me to the door as I pull the door handle, opening it wide. He seemed angry but I didn't know why, the only thing I did was telling him the truth. I'm done playing and it's the time he realizes that.
He must make up his mind, and that was his first warning. I have no strength for his games, especially before an important mission. I'm not a toy he can play wherever he wants, I have feelings too and he has to understand that.
"Ask the girl you were fucking with your eyes not even an hour ago" I told him before frowning my eyebrows "Oh wait, I forgot you gave her your number, so when she calls and comes here, make sure you protect yourself I don't want the poor girl to get chlamydia"I pouted at him in fake sorrow.
His reaction wasn't exactly what I had expected. He smirked looking at me astonished and I could see devious sparkles dancing on his iris. I only frowned my eyebrows and left the room closing the door behind me.
I stood there for a minute trying to not make a sound as I listened to what he was doing in the room after I left. When I heard the shower running it was my cue to go.
Maybe my attempts of getting him pissed had the opposite effect on him than I intended. I didn't think he would take my words for a challenge, but I guess he did.
Shit.
I still felt the touch of his hand on me but I had to stop thinking about it. It will never happen again so why am I tormenting myself. This asshole has to understand my reason is stronger than my heart. I was hiding it for one year, I can handle more than that.
I passed by the hotel lobby where the lady only gave me an unpleasant look, focusing on my messy hair I didn't have time to put in a pony tail. A cold wind hit me with force when I passed through the glass exit door scrolling the instagram front page with my finger. I still had time until I have to go to Nova's room for a meeting.
But as I was about to start my run I noticed Ana sitting on a bench in front of our hotel building. She was drinking wine from a bottle and smoking cigarette, only in a thin tshirt and shorts.
Mood.
"What you doing here?" I asked her confused about her particular choice of clothes for this kind of weather.
"Thinking" she answered taking a sip from the bottle, I saw it was a rosé from Cahors. Good pick. She noticed me looking at it and directed the bottle at me " You want some?"
I smiled and sat next to her on a bench feeling the cold wind envelop my cheeks, leaving them pink as I sniffed with my nose once, because of the evening cold "Thanks" I grabbed the bottle taking a sip, feeling the sweet alcohol running through my throat. I sighed looking at the palm trees across the street and the cars running back and forth.
"Tough day?" Ana asked passing me the cigarette and I felt it wasn't a normal one, but filled with weed one.
"Yeah you can put it like that" I took a puff, the drug filled my lungs and I slowly puffed the smoke upwards, getting lost again in my wandering thoughts.
NOVA'S POV
Before coming here I left River with my parents, knowing they would be in their holiday cottage for a week. I didn't want to break apart from him, but work was always the reason for it.
The atmosphere between my two workmates was intensed after we got back from the mall but I hope they'll arrange their things, better sooner than later.
For the past couple of months I felt like a third wheel in the group, they didn't annoy me, I have to admit it was even kind of funny watching their endless fights. But one of them will eventually have enough of it, and this moment would happen very soon if they continue like that.
I just wait for it to bring my popcorn and enjoy the drama.
Arthur and his wife were now unconscious as Malak came to my room earlier searching for something to drink from my mini bar, on the pretext that she couldn't find anything in her hotel room. The moment she saw Arthur's wife earings she tried to take them off without waking her up, saying she wouldn't need them anymore for the Gala.
But her attempts finished with a fiasco when Arthur's wife woke up and I had to shoot her unconscious one more time. I had some time to pull out some info from them, without the need for violence. I hope this mission goes as smooth as interrogating Archie's people.
"Stop it Malak, they can't wake up and someone has to keep an eye on them" I recharged my gun and folded my new dress on the edge of the bad as she raised her hands up in defense. I glanced at my watch and started thinking if they were late on purpose or too caught in whatever these fuckers were doing.
"Where are the others?" Malak asked jumping onto the bed and putting her hands behind her head, laying comfortably.
"Only if I knew" I breathed out getting unpatient, the view outside the window was not the worst, the panorama of the beach with other holiday resorts that only tempted tourists with their huge swimming pools.
"Teasing idiot, Jealous overthinker and an always stressed Mama... you're like Powerpuff Girls on steroids" I turned around to see Malak starring at the ceilling lost in her thoughts.
"Funny how it comes out of your mouth" I said and she raised her head frowning her eyebrows at me. I gasped at her confusion " Don't think I haven't seen your files already, you have a surprisingly remarkable criminal record on your side" I explained accentuating the word 'surprisingly'.
"Yeah well, with a father like that what could you expect." she responded and I started to feel bad for her. My parents were always a loving couple who would have done anything for their children and there was her. But biological parents cannot be chosen.
"I don't blame you, but don't you think that attacking the guarded property of the biggest mafia leader in the world was a slight exageration?" I said pulling the chair away from the round table and sitting astride it, resting my head on a wooden chair backrest.
He huffed in directing her gaze at the ceilling, and I immediately saw that she regreted what she did deep down inside her, she knew it was a reckless move.
"Maybe" she answered " but it doesn't change my mind about getting my revenge. He made me suffer enough".
I didn't hear any sounds behind the door meaning we still had some time before they could come. I saw she was lost in her mind but I wanted to help her, everybody lost someone, and survived through the attrocities of this world, she wasn't the only one lost in it. Every wound can blind a man and lead him off the right path, which has just happened to her.
Everyone wanted to get to Archibald but she had more important reasons and stuck to them. It didn't change the fact she was an impulsive person, very turbulent.
I didn't want Archie to slip out of our hands just because she decided to kill him her own way, without anyone's help. last time she was sent to prison because of rash decisions, and Ana also ended up in a jail, so I wanted to guide her a little.
I couldn't send untrained people on suicide missions. She was skilled with knives, but it wasn't enough for this kind of a mission.
"Ana is your friend right?" I asked and she nodded slowly staring at the white plafond. "Well maybe you should also think about her safety and not only your ambitions, because it's sure as hell she does care, and she wouldn't just leave you go there alone and risk your life"
"I also know you have people in London, who care about you, Immy wasn't it? " I continue trying to sound as calm as possible but when she doesn't tell anything I decide to finish it here. I stand up from the chair and pick Rania's number.
"Think about it." I say one last time before I head out to the hallway to call Rania in peace, leaving Malak alone in the room.
I knew Rania was up to something but I couldn't start jumping into conclusions. If my guessings turned out to be untrue, people would quickly turn against me. I did not want to accuse people without any cause, and if Rania was really this spy who framed us, she was damn good in her job, because she didn't made any mistake that could tell me something.
But just in case, it was better to keep her at distance and don't let her participate in the mission as if she wanted to.
She picked up pretty quickly and I tod her to go and grab stuff we needed for this mission from a car. She couldn't be there when we talk through our plan, it was too risky.
After her resisting she finally agreed and she hung up when at the same moment I heard approaching voices in the corridor. Ana walked down the hallway with Zofia by her side ignoring Harry behind them.
Some of us sat down around the round table in my room so that I could introduce them to the plan for the Gala. Except Malak who was still laying on my bed, Zofia sat on the green armchair next to the TV, watching us from the distance and bringing her knees to rest her head on it. Ana and Harry were around the table waiting for what I was about to say.
I took Arthur's and his wife's invitations and files Harry and Zofia needed, giving it to them who immediately started looking through the papers getting to know their new personas.
"And what about us" Ana beamed from the table a little bit confused as everyone looked at me in question.
"You're gonna stay in the van, waiting for us to come with Archie" I stated firmly directing to Malak and Ana who was about to protest as her friend interrupted her "We'll stay, ".
Ana widened her eyes at the short haired girl as I nodded being satisfied with her final decision.
"Gala has not been canceled and everything is as it's supposed to be,which means that the opposite agency didn't attack just yet, or Nika didn't tell them what they wanted." I start to explain when everyone's attention is on me now " Malak luckily revealed some information about her father which is our advantage" I said glancing at the girl who smirked in approuval.
"We found out that Archiebald had a work partner who often visited him and knew all investors and buyers." I proceeded looking over everybody to see if they understand " We cannot attack Archiebald in the middle of the Gala, putting civilians in danger. We have to work efficiently and smoothly, that's why it would be good to first reach his work partner unnoticed to get the codes from him that lead to the safe containing the files of every single one of his people"
"So who's the lucky guy we're looking for?" Harry asked leaning into his chair and crossing his arms.
"Garry Boomer" I said to Harry as he gasped trying not to laugh.
"Well, I doubt the guy would have something against his death, with a name like that I would have begged for it myself" he commented looking over at Zofia who was now putting a silencer on her gun, focusing on her actions " I'd be begging for something else if I was you, Harry " she said under her breath tensing her arm tightly, sliding the silencer over the gun with a loud click.
He closed his mouth in a blink of an eye, clearing his throat.
"You're not killing anyone Harry." I said to him.
"What? Why?"
"You're Arthur White, a highly appreciated brittish investor from Manchester who was invited to the Gala" I look at Harry who was listening carefully "with his wife" I turned to Zofia who exhaled loudly, not hiding her disappointment.
"How lovely" she said rolling her eyes in exageration.
"You are supposed to pretend to be a guest Harry, talk to important members of the mafia who were also invited so that you can learn more from them and meet other leaders in the industry, getting to know Archiebald's weak points. If the plan to get everyone's files using Garry for it fails, at least we'll have that information." I clarified when he slowly nodded " We can't return with nothing."
"And what should I do?" Zofia asked me from her place.
"Our advantage is that no one knows what Arthur or his wife looks like, he was an internet investor, he has never met anyone from the mafia. You have to act like his wife..."
"...which will be difficult" she interrupted whispering and Harry gasped mockingly.
"... and find the way to the room with the safe which is in the basement, nothing more easy, you only have to pass through the guards unnoticed" I continue dismissing her bite that was surely meant to piss Harry off.
"And when I finally find it, what then?" She asked and I smiled sneakily reaching for the last papers in my bag and getting them out.
"I had time to call Aleesha and she has sent me the files of Mr. Arthur White's intern, who can accompany you without invitation" I tapped the papers with my finger throwing them at the table in front of Ana who looked at it curiously, reading through the pages.
"My target is Garry who has the safe codes, find Garry, take the codes, pass them to you on the earpiece so you can open the safe in the basement. You get the codes and head out of there with Harry"
"Woah woah hold on" Malak suddenly got up of the bed sitting down on the bed shaking her head and pointing at me with her finger " What about Archiebald? We were supposed to get to him"
"And we will." I answered " We can't rush with it, he has powerful allies who would kill for their leader, so if we get him just like that and end his life, we will be pursued by all possible gangs." I continued feeling Malak's anger grow.
"When we get the files of the people he works with, he will feel threatened, and he will do whatever it takes to get them. We will arrange a meeting when he shows up alone, it will be easier to catch him. Having also the files of people cooperating with him, we will have a hook on all of them knowing their whereabouts and crimes they will not attack us knowing that we can manipulate them and ruin them easily." as I finished telling them about the plan the entry door swung wide open revealing Rania.
She came with two black briefcases with our equipment, putting them on the ground with a deep breath. "Why does this hotel have no elevator" he exhaled quickly kicking lightly one of the cases " I almost spat out my lungs bringing this shit up to the fourth floor."
"Thank you Rania" I said lifting the heavy briefcases by their silver handles and put them onto the table in front of Harry and Ana who stood up from their places.
I clicked the code on both of them and opened them after revealing what's inside to the others. New gadgets shone at us untouched. I felt like a child who got a lot of shiny toys for Christmas. I took one of the 'toys' into my hand checking his gravity in my hand and it was perfectly balanced.
Harry had a different preference for weapons so he took something I personally wouldn't choose. Malak swiftly took what I was suspecting and Zofia stayed with her already tried and efficient gun with a silencer.
It was the time to taste this brand new equipment tomorrow evening. And I couldn't be more excited about it.
***
I wanted to drop you a double update but you were too quiet in the comments...what a shame...