O N E

57 3 0
                                    

SICILY, ITALY

"We are nearly there, you ready sweetie?" Peter Sopazzo leans in a whispers in my left ear. When he pulls away I look at him and bat my false eyelashes a couple of times, sending his senses into overload.

"Are you?" I teasingly ask back, if there's something I've learned about this creep is that he loves when women tease and test him. For the rest of the luxurious car journey to the Coaster Mansion, Sopazzo keeps his right hand glued to my lower thigh just above my knee. My long dark green dress has a long split up the left leg and stops just above where his hand rests, the other side my leg holds a small tiny concealed handgun. However he has already spotted the lingerie I am wearing on my left leg, he's hoping he can remove later on when the deal is done, he hopes.

Speaking of deals, the car slowly pulls to a halt outside a large white mansion with a series of steps that lead to the double doors at its front. I wait for the driver to exit and open my door, he holds his hand out and I gently hold it as I disembark the black Rolls Royce. My blonde curls bounce off my shoulders as I make my way around to where Sopazzo awaits, his arm held up for me to slip mine through. The man who is over three times my age leads me up the stairs as I watch my heels so I don't step on the expensive dress curtesy of Sopazzo's bank account. My Louboutin heels click as we quickly ascend the stair case and make our way towards the lavish entry to the multi-million dollar house of our hosts for the evening- the Coasters. Like magic, the door suddenly opens and the faces of the pair I have been studying relentlessly appear equally as dressed up as my associate and myself.

Elizabeth Coaster, age fifty-nine, is the joint CEO of a large web company who provide security of other companies. She's ruthless, cunning and uses her good looks and slim figure to persuade clients to side with them over rivals. Tonight she wears a spotless white dress that matches her perfect teeth, one that shows a lot of cleavage.

Her husband is John Coaster, he is younger, nearly half her age but that doesn't phase him. He's the other half of the joint CEO position but the financial aspect is his speciality. He trades with and destroys others with his high IQ and numerous degrees from prestigious universities. A deadly pair, perhaps why they are widely unpopular but highly successful. He wears a tuxedo that is as smooth as his set gelled hair. With my forced but seductive smile, we meet for the first time.

"Peter, it's been too long my friend" John announces with glee and delight as he embraces his old friend in a hug.

"It has, how are you my dear friend and I must say Elizabeth you are looking fabulous tonight, as always though" John makes the woman giggle and blush slightly as he kisses her diamond ring covered hand.

"And this is the young lady you told us about, oh my" John takes a step forward and let's his eyes give me the once over, naughty thoughts flash before his eyes also. They drift from my eyes to the long slit which I make sure is visible. Next he also takes my hand and places a rather long kiss on it.

"This is Victoria, she has been helping me with the deal" Peter introduces me and has a sparkle in his eye.

"Victoria, you are very welcome to our home" Elizabeth steps forward and we exchange two cheek kisses.

"Thank you, I'm honoured to be here in such wonderful company" I sweetly say in a flawless British accent.

"Is that a London accent I hear?" John questions curiosity as he rubs his chin like Sherlock Holmes.

"Very good, yes I spent my childhood in London before re-locating to New York to study. Now I'm here in Sicily" I feed them lies but the lies impress.

"Fascinating, I look forward to hearing more about it over dinner, let us go. We best not kept the wine waiting" John motions for me to follow Elizabeth into the mansion. I can feel his eyes on my rear as I join his wife's side.

"Your home is beautiful" I exclaim as I look wide eyed at the white modern interior. Glass and marble take up most of the surfaces, it's nice I won't lie.

"Thank you, despite the size of the house it only cost nine million dollars" Elizabeth explains so nonchalantly, as if that isn't much. Well, for them it isn't. To keep up my pretence as Victoria I pretend the figure means very little.

"I paid the a similar amount for a New York City Skyline Apartment and this is much bigger and much more beautiful, what a great buy" I applaud her money bargaining skills. As I follow the well spoken woman, I can't help but think that I hope this evening goes quickly as there's nothing worse than spending time with people like this.

- - -

"What wine is this, it's fantastic but I cannot remember the name of it?" Peter questions after the dinner and the general chit chat which I am pretty sure led to me losing a few brain cells, he smells and sips the wine but struggles to place a name on it.

"Chateau Mouton - Rothschild from 1945, it's quite delightful isn't it" John replies as he too sips on the wine.

"Oh yes that's it, it's very distinct" John replies recognising the name of the $25,000 per bottle wine. We all nod in agreement, I play the part and John's next words prove to be that Im keeping up my act.

"Now, should we get down to business?" John Coaster asks as he leans across the table to face Peter and myself. 

"Yes, I think it's time" Peter replies, a serious tone in his voice. After two hours of talking about my life, all made up of course, and talking about other people and money, finally we get down to the best bit. We all rise from the grand table that holds an assortment of different and expensive foods, only the best for this group of people. I link arms with my man while Elizabeth and John do the same however before we stride out of the room, John has a few words.

"Let's go make history" he announces as he holds up his wine glass. The rest of us smile before taking off behind him. In less than two hours, history will be made, but it definitely won't be the kind John is imagining.

------

The Girl Behind The BulletsWhere stories live. Discover now