Charlie's Devil

3- "Maybe, my beautiful Charlie, I am simply a man in love."

The CIA safe house we were provided with was, putting it nicely, disgusting.

It was a dingy one bedroom house with broken windows, a large crack in the main door and stains that I did not wanna look in to.

And apparently, Frazier felt the same way.

So as soon as we'd stepped inside, he'd turned on his heel, popped out the word 'nope' and made his way out.

I'd stood there for exactly two seconds before running after him, hand at my waist and ready to blow his brains out.

But when I got there, he was already stood waiting for me, patiently watching the road.

I frowned in confusion. "What are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm waiting for a taxi, Charlie, what are you doing?"

My frown deepened. "What the fuck..?"

"Charlie, my dearest love, there is no chance in hell that I am staying anywhere within a 2 mile radius of that shit hole. Let alone inside it." He explained sarcastically. I rolled my eyes. "I have a perfectly good and rather beautiful home right here in Verona. But you know that already, don't you?"

He was giving me a side grin as he said that, a knowing look gleaming in his silver eyes. I tensed.

"Shut up." I muttered weakly, and his grin widened a fraction.

He was about to speak again, but the sound of a horn interrupted us.

I sighed heavily, shrugging distractedly at the fact that he'd picked up my suit case as well, before going to sit inside the taxi.

Frazier joined me a few moments later, giving the driver his address in Italian, the nature and simplicity of the language leaving me speechless.

I sat in silence, unaware of what this small change would trigger.

• • • •

His mansion was precisely as I recalled it.

High, golden columns lined the main entrance, leading to a four story, white and gold encrusted building. The mahogany balconies lining the top floor had vines draping from front to back, giving the house a historical yet memorable look.

It was stunning, I had to give him that.

"You do not have to ogle at my home like that, Charlie," He said, giving me an amused grin. I snapped my mouth shut and glared. "It is as much yours as it is mine."

I rolled my eyes. "Fuck you."

"At last, you admit that's why you called on my help." He said, allowing me to snatch my suitcase from him and wheel it behind me. "Speaking of which, why was it me in particular that you decided to instil this...mission... upon?"

I sighed as I pulled my baggage up the staircase leading to the front door. "Because-" I grunted out then stopped, huffed and glared as he swooped my bag up in one swift gesture and settled it on the foyer. "Show off." I muttered under my breath. "Because... you hate Xavier almost as much as I do. You have every desire to piss him off, and with this you can."

He gave me a side smirk. "My darling, the betrayal he gave me can never be up to par with the betrayal he bestowed upon you. If you wish to be the one to finish him off, I will not stop you."

I rolled my eyes. If only he didn't know you so well, Charlotte, maybe he'd be easier to resist.

"We're not here to kill him, Frazier." I said with a tired sigh. The jet lag was beginning to hit. "We're simply here to take back what he stole. It's mandatory that we do, before, that is, the end of this month."