Davina King
With getting no sleep last night, coffee would become my best friend today.
I walked down to the gym alone after realizing I was home alone. Matteo was already there with his headphones in, hitting a bag with such force I thought it might fall off its stand.
I didn't know how to talk to him after last night. Was I supposed to act like I was asleep and I didn't know he was there? Should I tell him that I actually wasn't asleep?
I decided to just avoid him for now and start my workout with a run. Running was something I genuinely enjoyed doing. It was calming to me and helped keep my mind at ease.
I preferred to just keep to myself in the gym so I could get done what I needed to and then leave. That's why when I would run I always went to the same treadmill. Far off in the back corner away from anyone else.
A mile was all I did today. I didn't run it fully, I cheated and walked some. When I stepped off the treadmill to grab my water bottle, I could sense a pair of eyes on me. Thinking that it was Matteo, I turned to where I had seen him a few minutes ago.
He was still standing there but his back was facing me and his head was tilted down to look at his phone.
So it wasn't him staring.
I still felt like I was being watched so I started to scan over everyone in the gym. Most people were off in their own world, doing whatever workout they were in the middle of.
Then I saw them.
Two guys on the other side of the room. One of them was facing the other talking to him, while the other was facing me. Not even attempting to hide the fact that he was staring.
If I'm being honest, these two men reminded me a lot of Matteo and Kian. They were both tall and muscular, and they gave off a sense of confidence.
The one that was facing me gave me the type of stare that Matteo always did. Head held high even when his gaze would be down on me. A slight curve on his lips to give the cockiest grin known to man.
But this stranger did something Matteo still doesn't do often.
He smiled at me.
A bright smile to showcase perfectly straight and white teeth. Too be friendly I smiled back at him. We held our eye contact for a moment before he tilted his head to the side to point towards the doors of the gym.
I know this means he wants me to meet him there, but should I? He is attractive but he's a stranger and the last time I was friendly with a stranger, I ended up living with a crime lord.
The odds of this man being involved in the same line of work as Matteo and Kian was small. I mean how many people would choose a life of crime?
Fuck it. I don't really know anyone beside Matteo and Kian.
I started making my way towards the doors. Once he saw me moving in that direction he said something to his friend and then started walking as well.
He was already close to the door so he beat me there. Waiting for me, he leaned against the wall behind him and raked his eyes across my body. A blush made it's way onto my face.
I got to him a few seconds later. Stopping a few feet away from him to keep my distance just in case.
"Hi."
Simple.
I wouldn't introduce myself right away but only if he went first.
"Hey beautiful." His voice was deep. It matched his build.
Not much of a talker. I would like to get upstairs sooner rather then later so if he wanted something he should get on with it, but I guess I can continue my nice girl act for now.
"Are you gonna actually talk to me, or are you just gonna keep staring at me?" I kept a smile on my face so he knew I wasn't just being a bitch.
"Sorry Doll. I just don't think I've seen anyone as beautiful as you."
Ugh. Such a cliché pickup line.
I replied to him with a simple thank you.
"Well my name's Giovanni. What's yours?"
Well since he went first I can just tell him my name. "I'm Davina."
He smiled even more at my name. "Just as beautiful as you."
Again with the clichés. I think I liked him better from across the gym.
"So how come I've never seen you in here before?" He asked.
"Oh I'm usually not here this early. I was just woke up earlier than usual so I decided to come down earlier." It wasn't a lie. Matteo running circles in my head all night had me staring at the wall until the sun started to come up.
"Yeah I'm usually one of the first people in here every morning, so I'm out pretty early too." I only nodded my head to show Giovanni that I was still listening.
Thankfully the alarm on my phone started to go off. An indication for me to start heading back up to the apartment to start getting ready for the day.
"Oh I'm sorry for that but that's my alarm to leave." I faked a sympathetic look to see if he would fall for it and think I didn't want to leave.
Of course he fell for it. Most men do.
"That's okay Doll. Maybe I'll see you around again sometime."
"Yeah, bye Giovanni." With a small wave I turned to walk over to where my stuff was laying.
I grabbed it and made my way out. I was almost at the door when Matteo's broad figure came into view.
We made eye contact but it wasn't good. He was back to being pissed off at something. He always tried to hide it but I've always had a way of reading people and their emotions.
He was pissed and the flames in his eyes showed it.
-
I didn't think it was me he was mad at. I thought it was just that someone else was getting on his nerves at the time that we saw each other.
Oh how my brain deceived me.
He came back not long after I got out of the shower. The sound of the apartment door slamming echoed. Had I seen it get slammed shut, I probably would've seen the walls around it shaking.
"Davina!"
His voice rang throughout the walls of the apartment. I jumped slightly at the sudden yelling for me.
In my head I was debating on pretending like I was asleep.
Last night proved that I could fool him with that.
But something seemed off with his tone of voice.
When Matteo was mad at me it was always because of me teasing him or giving him an attitude. Even then he would never yell. He just got close and whispered something sexual in my ear to make me shut up.
That asshole knew it worked every time too.
I left my room to go out into the living where he was pacing back and forth, something he didn't do often.
"Yes?" I slowly walked out from behind the wall of the hallway, making sure to keep my distance. Not because I thought he would hurt me, but because I've heard stories of what he could do when he was angered.
"What happened in the gym?" His voice had leveled out again but the look on his face told me he was still mad.
"What do you mean? I went for a run."
Maybe he was just mad because I didn't do a proper workout like I had been doing since I got here.
"Giovanni." He said the only thing that could confuse me right now.
"How do you know him?" I asked.
"Davina you better not have fucked everything up in there." He finally stopped pacing. Now he was leaning over the back of the couch.
"Matteo, what the hell are you talking about?"
I hated how he always did this. He would start to give me a whole lecture before he even told me what I had done wrong.
"Giovanni Ian Hansen. Son of Leonardo Hansen."
He acts as if I'm supposed to know either of those names. Again with the shitty explanations. So I gave him a look to say continue.
"Leonardo Hansen is basically me but of the west coast. He's one of my biggest rivals and psychotic enough to burn down entire homes of the people that have done him wrong. Killing everyone inside including the innocent families of the men he wants dead." He took a breath for a moment. "So Davina, I need you to tell me you didn't fuck things up in the gym."
Fuck.
How is it I always manage to throw myself into a pile of criminals?
"It's him isn't it?" Matteo knew what I was asking.
"Yes. He's the target that I need you to get close too so I can get to his father." He explained.
"Well in short answer, no I didn't fuck things up. He was flirting with me but I didn't know he was like you." At this point I came over and sat in one of the chairs so I could still see Matteo.
"It's my building Davina. There's nothing but criminals and dirty businessmen walking around." He rubbed his temple out of frustration. "I was going to give you the information on him today and then tomorrow I got word of him attending a club, that's where you were supposed to start the mission."
I took a second to think about everything. "But this works out better I think."
Now it was his turn to send me a look to explain what I had stated.
"New York is big but it's not impossible to run into someone you already know. I got his attention in the gym without even meaning too so now when I go to the club tomorrow night I can approach him easily by just claiming I recognized him."
Matteo studied every word I said carefully. Probably trying to find a flaw with my idea but I don't think there would be one.
"Okay you have a point. Follow me." Matteo started in the direction of his office.
Coming through that door I looked at the desk. The memory from the night before when he had me tied up and bent over it flashing through my mind. But this was serious, no time to fool around and end up back in that position no matter how much I wanted it.
We both sat down and Matteo slid a small stack of papers towards me. I started to go through them seeing everything about Giovanni.
Birth records, flight dates and times, travel records, criminal records, the schools he attended, known relatives, and even information about his specialties when it came to weapons and torture.
"He'll be in New York for a week, he got here a few days ago. You have tomorrow night to try and set up a date with him. There I want you to somehow make him stay in New York for a little longer so then I can get to him myself." Matteo laid out the whole plan.
"And once I get him to you you'll use him to get to his father, taking out you're competition?" I had to make sure I was on the same page as him.
He laughed slightly and shook his head. "You do catch on fast. I'm actually lucky I found you Davina."
His words brought a smile to my face. Not only because I was proud of myself, but also because Matteo was proud of me. It was nice hearing that I was already doing good at my job.
"So what I'm hearing is look sexy tomorrow night, seduce him, and then use him?" A smirk was on my face as well as Matteo's.
"Don't look too hot Angel. I'll be there as well and I don't need a repeat of the last time you looked hot in a club."