It took her 4 hours to fall asleep. She was in the midst of it when a creek behind her snapped her eyes open. One of Deena's greatest fears was that she'd wake up to the sound of someone in her room but when she checked, she'd see no one there.
This is why she never watched horror films. Driving herself insane with flashbacks from the film and imagining their possibility of finding life in hers was something that she knew was well within her ability.
This, however, was not the aftermath of watching a horror movie. Someone was in the room with her.
Even the air shifted to occupy another set of lungs.
Pretending to roll in her sleep, her hand slid under the pillow- she wrapped her fingers around the rubber grip of her gun. But before the panic fully set in, she smelled it. His cologne.
Ferhat was in her room.
She let go of the gun, and turned around. Deena looked up at the man's figure. It was too dark to make out his face.
"What're you doing here?"
"I read your papers" he began, dropping what sounded like documents onto her hardwood floor. "I have a question."
Ferhat motioned with his hand for her to scoot up. He sat on the edge of her bed when she did. "Where did you get this information from?"
She sat up. "What time is it? You couldn't wait 'till morning?"
Deena knew there was no point in addressing his presence at that hour. He didn't really seem like the kind of man who cared for morals or proper visiting etiquette -let alone the law.
"I'm a man of urgency."
He stood still. Ferhat was waiting for her to answer his question. There was no avoiding it. But it meant the success or failure of her plan if she gave into his allure. Deena suspected that the reason he was in her room that late at night was not because he was a 'man of urgency'. The real reason he was in her room at that time was because he wanted to intimidate her. He wanted to let her know that he can get whatever he wants, whenever he wanted it and at that moment he wanted information.
"You know I can't give you that information."
"No?"
"No."
"You see," Ferhat moved strands of hair from her face "the fact that you were able to have access to this kind of information poses a problem for me."
"I don't have access to the information- those," she looked in the direction of the documents "that's all of it. There aren't any copies. None that I know of."
Ferhat chuckled.
"But then you remain. I'm sure you read what's on those papers."
"If I were going to pose a problem, would I have come to you in the first place?"
"Maybe not. But not knowing what your stake is in all of this isn't a very comforting omission of information."
"You know what my stake is in all of this."
"How could I, when you're withholding that bit of information."
"I told you, not in so many words- but you know."
Deena didn't have to see his face to know that he was puzzled. Maybe the night hid a frown. Ferhat was digging through his memory bank for every word they've exchanged up until that moment.
His voice dropped to a whisper. "Mr. Masser killed your sister?"
No. Mr. Masser killed someone else. He killed her as well. Her sister-self, the part of her that wasn't cold, calculating, cynical.
"So you bring me information that would make me end him?"
She didn't like the way this conversation was going. He was unfolding her plan. It didn't occur to Deena that he would draw that conclusion so fast- he was clearly not easily distracted. Instead of focusing on the information- he spent all his time and energy in trying to figure out exactly who she was and why she brought the information to him.
"You're admitting- to my face- that you're trying to use me for your own benefit?"
Deena didn't respond. She didn't know what to say. Admit it? or Lie? Either way she felt as though he would know the truth.
Eyes adjusting to the dark room, she noticed his eyes travel down her body. Would it work on him as well? If she tried to seduce him? No, no. He wouldn't fall for that. It would only infuriate him more. Afterall, ferhat didn't seem like the kind of man who was short in that department. Deena was sure he had an entire list of woman at his beck and call.
"You're the only person I knew who would be capable of doing it."
He stood off the bed like he's been shocked. "I'm not a pawn. Find another way to take your revenge."
Panicking at the failure of her plan, Deena got onto her knees. "He had these papers in a California bank, why don't you ask yourself why he's got a safety deposit box in a state he has absolutely no connection with?"
Ferhat had his tensed back to Deena. His stillness encouraged her to continue . "Do you really think Mr. Masser has nothing planned for you? That man does not like to have a leash around his neck."
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
He turned and leaned forward with his fists on the mattress. Their faces were inches apart- he whispered. "How do you feel about a leash around yours."
"I'd put a bullet in my head before I become another one of your slaves."
"Nobody said anything about slave." His eyes lingered on her lips. "And you wouldn't be another one- you'd be the first and only one."
Why doesn't he care about the information that was just given to him? Ever since he set eyes on her all he did was throw sexual comments her way. As though she was nothing but a play thing. Like what she presented him with didn't matter because she was a she. Deena wondered if he was just trying to play it cool. Maybe his men already went after Mr. Masser. Maybe he was already dead.
Regardless of it all, the way he treated her like nothing but a pound of flesh bothered her more than it should've. This was just business.
He was trying to distract her from her goal.
But maybe a path to the goal is in seducing him? A voice chimed in.
Her eyes met his.
What were they talking about? Something to do with sex, that much she remembered.
"What're you going to do with Mr. Masser?"
Ferhat slightly backed away. As if her question pushed him. Here he was talking about one thing. And there she was adamant about punishing Mr. Masser.
"What do you want me to do? Kill his family-"
"No!" She blurted.
His head tilted to the side.
"You care about them?"
"I don't."
"You do."
"I don't like seeing innocent people get hurt."
"How are you so sure they're innocent." Ferhat questioned.
"Isn't yours?"
She didn't know much about his family. Hell, Deena wasn't sure he even had family. But his silence didn't answer any questions.
"You know..." Ferhat whispered playing with the curl of hair that fell over her collarbone. "I've been with many woman. From many places. And you don't smell like a Valentina."
The back of his fingers skimmed over her skin where the hair lay. "I know a woman of my people when I see one."
Deena swallowed away the lump in her throat. Ferhat's eyes followed the movement her neck made.
"So are you going to tell me your real name? Or do I have to force it out of you?"