Kent's POV...
Fuck. She just burnt me. I knew what she was going to do, but I wasn't sure and still let her do it. For fuck's sake. I have never seen anyone crazy like her.
I start laughing when I get in cold shower. I groan as first drop meets my skin. Every movement makes the pain worse. I still can't believe I let her do that. I'm chuckling as I run fingers in my wet hair, slicking them behind.
I step out from shower cabine, remove wet shorts and put towel on. I turn around, trying to catch burnt area in my eyesight. My whole back is every shade of scarlet, covered in rose petals. At that moment I hear the sound of door slamming.
She left. I walk in my room and put clothes on. Vera is coming tomorrow. I need to know more about her, every little detail can help easing the case.
Terrace seems best place to work. This settlement is built on low cliff and under is sea. I couldn't see sunset yesterday but I'll do today, Hope isn't here too. Hope. I can't decide how I'll punish her but I'll find some way.
I put my laptop, notebook and pencil on table. I hacked the personal information protection system and now search her past.
Mother, Jean Dubois died five years ago, French model and actress. So Grisha and Jean met in movie industry. Born: April 13, 1974, Paris. She died of leukemia.
Grisha Petrov, owner of P&H production, born: November 5, 1969, Krasnodar. Nothing important about parents, except Grisha's unusual protection for her.
She studied in university, in Germany, but which faculty? It's not shown. Transactions: Versace, Burberry, Prada, Hermès. So she's into fashion. Typical rich daddy's daughter.
My eyes run to notebook laying on table. I shut laptop and take pencil. Little mole on cheek and popped cheekbones. I rotate pencil in my fingers while staring at notebook, doubting about whether to do it or not. I lit up cigar, trying to distract myself. I exhale deep breath, knowing I'm making a mistake but I'm doing it anyway.
I open notebook and put tip of pencil on it but then stop, thinking if I should do it. I still start drawing circles, soften forms, specify the eye slit, remember nose structure. I correct shadows with my pinkie, clarify every detail. I can't hear and see anything, all my brain focuses on is picture I'm drawing. I'm outside of this world.
Cigar rests between my lips as I try to sculpt another shadow with finger. I'm not drawing with my hand only, I feel it with my whole body, I'm excited and anxious at the same time. After hair is done I come back to lips. While correcting it, I was overcome with an abnormal desire to kiss them.
I drop pencil and sigh. Shit... it's perfect. She's perfect. I mean drawing is perfect. I write one word on it "Eris". In Greek mythology Eris is goddess of chaos, strife and discord. Just like her.
I lean back in my chair and tap pencil on table while staring at picture of her. After minute I got message. It's from unknown number.
Unknown number
It's Hope. got new phone, call me.
What does she want? She wouldn't ask me to call if there's not any trouble. I'm dialing her number. "Speak" I say as she answers the phone.
"Come on baby,"
"What's wrong?"
"You remember we have reservations for two tonight right? We should dress fancy and can we go with your black Audi, mine has problem, okay?"
"Where are you?" I stand up ready to leave house.
"My day? Oh yes. I was at beach. Then I remembered that my phone BROKE and went to buy new one. Now I'm on my way back to the beach."
"Specify." She tells me her location. "I'll be there in 10"
"K. love you too." I can hear her sending air kisses. I laugh as I hang up, her acting skills are hilarious. So now I have to be her nanny too? She's taking hell out of me.
I left house and went direction she told me. I pass white buildings with many, I mean many flowers.
It's a problem.
End of crowded street there's road and a black Audi is parked in the distance. She's hunted down by two men in suits. I approach her slowly and without worry.
She's standing at magnets counter wearing glasses and I'm sure she's controlling everything and moving her eyes everywhere. "Hi" she turns, smiles and wraps arms around my neck.
"What are you doing?" I ask unsure.
"When you said ten I thought minute not a century. Shut up and wrap your hands around my waist." She says with smile. I know she's playing game for that men but I can tell she has playful tone. I touch her waist and pull closer. She's confused but doesn't show.
"Like this?" I ask as I grip her tighter, "tell me why are we doing this?"
"We came here as a couple, did you forget that we have honeymoon?" She makes hurtful face on purpose, "if anyone suspects anything, this mission is failed." Smile stretches on her face again.
"So I should smile if I want to curse too?" I ask with little smirk.
"Yes, husband." She returns with same irony.
"Fuck yourself Hope"
"With pleasure." She says.
We stand here another minute, pretend that we have lovely romantic moment. I'd let her go but she smells so good, so, so, goddamn good. I can't stop smelling her. It's like mix of white and black, day and night, strong and weak. It gives independent, composed, strong, dangerous and also weak, vulnerable, soft and sensitive woman scent.
"Now" I look at her, my hands again on her waist. "We'll go hand in hand without worry, did you understand?"
"Stop giving orders." She smiles and clenches her teeth together in rage.
"Stop acting like baby." I held her hand and drag her. She just poked her nails on my skin. For reward I squeeze her hand so tight I know it hurts. We approach stone stairs and make sure no one follows us.
"Get your dirty hand off me." she quickly removes my hand and walks upstairs. I don't say anything, willing to get home as soon as possible.
We're in house already and she rushes in kitchen. I follow her, curious to know who were they. She crosses her arms over her chest as if she's waiting explanation from me.
"Who were they?"
"I have no idea. They were following me since I left the beach." She clicks her tongue and looks at me with more persistent glance.
"We don't know if they were following you or not, stop making dramas and focus on work." She scoffs as I speak. I know that something isn't as it should be but I don't want to make her nervous before anything is clear.
"Excuse me, if I hadn't make dramas I would have ended up in jail a long time ago. It's a catching spare."
"You might have gone to jail. That's what I'm saying Hope, you're therefore not good agent for this work." Of course I said it to annoy her. I stand up to get beer from fridge.
She slam shuts fridge's door as soon as I open it. "Listen you little fucking, shitty ass, arrogant bastard—"
"How long have you been remembering this?" My eyes narrow and look at her. I turn around, ready to walk upstairs.
"What happened Kent? Your back doesn't burn as it should?" Her voice is filled with complacency and the triumph of victory. My jaw clenches. I tilt head and smirk, she got this point but it won't last long. I walk in my room and take handcuffs from dresser, I knew I'll need it for Hope.
I run down when I see her removing her dress and walk only in bikini. Holy shit. Perfect body, flawless curves. Focus, I tell myself, she can't distract you. Handcuffs are in my pocket and I'm ready to implement my plan. I walk to her, bend down, wrap my hand around her knees and fold her on my shoulder.
"What the hell are you doing? Have you lost your mind?" She yells but I don't listen to her. There's door in kitchen which goes to yard. "Put me down, now!" She punches my back but I act like I didn't even feel it.
There's three pool chaises in yard. I put down Hope on one of them, spread my legs and sit on her lap to stop her from moving. She's trembling, trying to remove me while her jaw tighten. Her eyes are full of disgust and she's still yelling. I have her wrists in my hands while putting handcuffs on. Afternoon sun shines directly on her. Her hands are tied above head and I'm still sitting on her lap.
"Calm down." I command, tired of fighting with her. She stopped and I reduced grip on her wrists. I'm looking straight in her eyes, my hands fall down. She calms down, knowing she can't do anything.
We're both breathing hard because of big battle we had minute ago. I'm looking at her face and then down at her body. I can't resist the temptation. My hand moves above her bare stomach and I look at her for consent. I took her persistent glance as approval, even though I knew it was a warning.
My fingertips slowly touch her rib as she sucks sharp breath, I look up at her face without tilting my head as her eyes shut close. Little smirk spreads on my lips because she gets dizzy from satisfaction. Her skin is soft and I'm touching gently too.
I watch my fingers as they slide down her waist and change direction to her stomach. Tension grows. Her stomach starts throbbing as I approach her lower torso. I know she likes it but also hates it with all her gut. She's breathing heavily, with each inhalation and exhalation her chest rises and falls.
She parts her lips so she can breathe better and gulps but then opens her eyes and looks in mine. "Get your hand off me. Right now." She says, gritting between her teeth. Anger rose in her voice, and it was more of a threat than a warning this time. I do what she requests.
"So you're going to give me a sunburn?" She asks calmer when I stand up but I know if she had opportunity, she would throw me off the cliff.
"Not only sunburn but sunstroke too. Maybe you'll have no energy to eat my nerves next few days." I say as I sit on chaise next to her.
"Burn for burn." She chuckles while shaking her head. "You're immoral human. You know this cause complications."
"You're not my problem." I stand up, ready to go back.
"Excuse me? Yes I am your fucking problem. We work together Kent. I am your biggest problem which you need to take care of." She says and shakes her hands as if to free herself.
"I'm not going to be your nanny, love. And yes you're right, you're my biggest problem which I need to get rid of."
"Call me that again-"
"And what?" I lean on armrests of chaise, "as if I am handcuffed." She sits there speechless. "Have a nice sunbath, Hope" I say and walk back in house.
"It's not a bath, it's a fucking volcano" she yells after me and it makes me smirk again.
. . .
I was out, trying to catch that men in my eyesight. The fact that they were following her is strange. Maybe someone knows why we're here. But how? I couldn't find anything, I believe they left as soon as we did.
I came back with girl I met in cafe. People here are way too horny and I'm loving it. They're down for every madness if it happens in bedroom. As I opened door I heard someone screaming, Hope.
"Maia wait here I have little thing to do." I leave her in living room and go to yard.
"Kent I'll kill you, I'll cook you alive." Shit, she's really burnt.
"So how was your day? Ouh, something is burning here." I walk to her and she starts laughing. It's not normal or cynical laugh, it's caused by nerves. Her face burnt the most, cheeks and nose are red as hell.
I slowly bend down to open handcuffs when she shakes her hands to tell me to open quicker. I stop and she looks right in my eyes, her brown eyes are warning me. I open them and she touches her wrists.
"Animal. Insolent, filthy animal." She mutters.
"Jack, aren't you coming?" That girl shouts from house.
"Did you bring someone here?" She says louder than whisper and sit up straight.
"Is there a problem?" She knows she can't say anything, she just presses her lips tight and stands up aggressively.
"You'll pay for it." She turns around and points at me then walks in. I follow her too.
"Who was that?" Girl standing on the terrace asks me.
"She's no one, don't mind her." I approach her. "Whiskey? Wine? Gin?"
"Wine, red one." She says and I walk in kitchen without smile or any emotion.
"Oh, what's that?" She asks when I enter in kitchen, approach wine bottle and start opening it.
"What?" I take glasses and bottle and go back on terrace.
"Isn't it your no one? Eris?" She shows me notebook where is Hope's portrait.
"Give me that" I take it from her hands, shut and put back on the table. "Wine, red one." I give her cup and pour wine.
She walks back in living room and sits on a couch. I sit next to her too and drink wine. It's not my favorite drink so I just put cup on the coffee table.
We talked, about I don't even remember what, when Ms.Hope decided to come down.
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