Dangerous Numbers

Chapter 4

I hear the alarm clock screaming next to me. I woke up blinking my eyes to adjust them to the light that was forcing itself on my room. I forgot to draw the curtains. I get my phone from the nightstand next to my bed. I have an email, probably from Vittorio's assistant with the location. I open it and realise that the meeting is not going to be in the company's office, but at a restaurant in a very luxurious part of the city. I check the time and my eyes turn wide open. It's almost ten o'clock and in two hours I have to get ready and be almost on the other side of London. I curse under my breath as I jump out of bed.

***

I get out of the bathroom and browse through my clothes; I need something that clearly suits the occasion. After spending some time, I take out of the closet a black high waist A-line dress that hits just below the knee level with sleeves that come just above the elbow and a v-line that reaches a bit below the collar bone. I also take out my favourite pair of black heels and a small envelope bag. I let my hair down naturally with only two small braids on each side attached to the back. I put my lucky red lipstick on and grabbing my keys and phone I close the door of the apartment behind me.

***

I arrive just a few minutes before the clock strikes noon, and I see a guy standing just outside the restaurant wearing a uniform. He spots me trying to find where to park my car and motions me to approach him. Stopping the car in front of him, I open the window and he greets me with a wide smile.

"Can I help you miss?"

"Yes, I think I have a meeting here, is this the place?" I say hesitantly while I show him my phone with the location pin on the screen.

"You're correct. Please let me arrange for your car."

He walks to the other side of the car and opens my door while he offers me his other hand to help me get out. I must say I enjoy it, it is not every day that they treat you like this. The guy in the uniform takes the keys and drives away to park the car so, I get up the stairs to the entrance of the restaurant. I can say that the view of the exterior of the building was breathtaking. It must be a very old building. There's another guy standing on the inside of the door that instantly opens it when my feet hit the top step. He greets me with a smile, and I follow his gaze towards a woman standing behind a tall table a bit further in.

"Do you have a reservation?" she asks with a soft smile on her face.

"Yes, I believe it must be in the name of Mr Conti"

Her face lightens up like a Christmas tree.

"Mr Conti waits for you. Please follow me."

I follow her puzzled as we pass the main dining area and we keep walking further inside the restaurant. I wonder if I was late or if Mr Conti was too early when she said he was waiting for me. Suddenly, we stop in front of a big white door with decorative details around the frame.

She opens it and motions me to follow. The room inside is like a private dining area and I struggle not to let my mouth fall agape. The room is decorated in neoclassical style, walls painted ice white with hints of gold around the architrave. There is a huge arc window in the middle of the opposite wall, with a breathtaking view of an orangery outside. Duck egg blue curtains were falling elegantly on the window's sides. I feel some kind of warmth on my right, and I turn to see a fireplace on the wall opposite that I haven't noticed. When I finish my wandering around the room's decorations, I spot Vittorio standing on the one side of the only table in the room, looking at me, intensively. His face is unreadable.

He approaches our side with slow steps like a predator surrounding its prey.

"Let me take your coat-" the woman next to me tried to say.