Codename-Siren

Chapter Four-Italy

Chapter Four

Italy

It takes me three months to find him again.

I'm in southern Italy and it's hot. He's working the grill at a stuffy club with that so easily recognizable arm hidden under a light blue swimming shirt and hand clothed in a grill glove. Smart, but hot. I'm too close already, walking around the pool in a bright yellow bikini that attracts too many eyes, but then again, being in the open is often the best disguise.

After Natalia's actions and words, I'm not sure what to do anymore. For now, he's under my observation. And, occasionally, my protection.

A man catches my eye across the pool and I allow a slow smile to work its way across my face. He crooks a finger at me and I work my way over.

"Hey sweetheart. Looking for a good time?" He asks with a slick smile to match his slicked back hair. I turn towards the man and smile my most innocent smile.

"You think you're the one to give me that, honey?" I ask in return, consciously putting my hands on my hips to draw the eye to my skimpy bathing suit. As I wanted, his dark eyes scan my body hungrily before he hooks a finger at me. I sashay over and sit comfortably on his lap, slipping two yellow pills into his whiskey sour while he stares at my rack. Some are just too easy.

"Do I not look fun, sweetie?" His tongue shoots out and licks his lips as he glances at mine. I hum to myself, pretending to think for a moment.

"Maybe. How about you come find me once you're a couple more drinks in. Then you'll be on my level." I instruct and hand him his drink before slipping off his lap and walking away, leaving a wink in my wake. While I watch, he downs the rest of his drink and I grin. It's easy to lose his gaze in the throng of people, but impossible not to feel the other set of eyes on me. After a second of hesitation, I look up and scan the people in the pool before looking at the man at the grill; Barnes. His blue eyes are already on me and I do a good job of acting surprised. Partly, because I am.

His eyes are striking, just like his picture, but unlike his picture there's a curiosity in them. Unlike many men here who scan me and then meet my eyes, or look away as soon as they're caught, he holds my gaze a moment more before slowly caressing my body with his eyes. Gently, those blue pools brush over my lips, skim my breasts, slide down my waist, pause just a moment at my hips to send heat shooting through me, then bounce from my feet to my eyes again. I swallow when I find my throat suddenly dry. A dry smile curves his lips up and even he seems partially surprised by it. He crooks his head in his direction and now I smile.

"Try harder than that." I mouth and his eyes now sparkle from the challenge. Indecision now staining my mouth stronger than whiskey, I walk over to the far side of the pool and lay out in the sun. What am I doing? I wonder to myself. My lips press together as I think of the man I just poisoned for the man I'm supposed to be hunting. A waiter swings by and I request a McKellen neat only to find determination settling in my gut as I take a sip.

I'm just playing the game.

Minutes later, a shadow falls over me and my lips lift before my eyes open. "So, an older man crooks his finger and you come over, but a younger guy doesn't have a chance?" His voice is gruffer than I thought it would be and contains a sliver of amusement. Despite the ease in his voice, his body is still coiled to pounce like a cat. Casually, I take a sip of my drink and tilt the corner of a small pack of folded hundreds from my bikini top. His eyebrows raise.

"I wasn't exactly after what he was after, if you know what I mean." I reveal and smirk as I tuck the bills away again. "Besides, got to be more than pretty to earn that, sweetheart." A crooked smile decorates his face and crinkles appear at the edge of his eyes.