Scattered

18

Silver Tongued

'Whatever.' Olivia dismissed Natasha and slid down her hospital bed. 'I'm too tired to argue anyway. Let's go home.'

'Amen.' James grumbled and turned to the door. 'You ladies get things sorted. I'll go get the car ready.'

When James saw himself out, Olivia walked around collecting her little belongings and bags. Natasha silently finished up the flowers and stood guarding the bundle near the door with Lee as Amber picked up Mr. Fluffington. Soon the group walked out of the hospital room with a light conversation and arms full.

As soon as they came to stop at the pavement outside the hospital, James' silver Fiat came to a stop in front of them. The driver's window rolled down to show a grinning James.

'Hop in.'

Lee opened the trunk and Olivia wasted no time in unburdening her supplies hanging on her shoulders. Amber got in the backseat of the car with Mr. Fluffington and Natasha followed her carefully with the bouquet.

'You can ride shotgun, I'll just get in the back.' Olivia mumbled as Lee shut the trunk.

'Alright.'

Just as Olivia opened the door to get in the car, a loud horn startled her. She looked over her shoulder and her forehead crumpled in confusion. She turned around fully to face a black Bugatti Chiron that was revving its engine to a stop next to the measly Fiat.

'Woah...'

It was clear from James' impressed drawl that his jaws were conveniently on the floor. Olivia could hear the buzz of multiple windows rolling down to get a good ogle at the expensive sports car. The door to the super-car's driver seat opened and a man in black slacks and a blue dress shirt slid out. He closed the door and took long strides towards the little group, his gaze fixated at Olivia alone.

'I am David Strrom. We have met before, Ms. Summers.'

He introduced himself as he offered his hands which Olivia took confusedly. It was then Olivia's memory of the handsome man clicked. Of course she had seen him before, he was the man who led her to Keres in the Konstantinos' firm.

'Um, hi.' Olivia greeted with uncertainty. 'May I ask you why you are here?'

'Sure. My boss had sent a note with me.'

With that, he handed her a piece of paper. Olivia shot a look at Lee who was curiously watching the exchange from next to her and opened the note which Keres had sent her.

I had sent Strrom to take you to my estate where we can talk. If you are still interested that is.

K

Olivia looked up at the man who was watching her with his icy blue eyes. She sighed as she mentally weighed the pros and cons. Even though she was dying to know the answers to so many burning questions she had, she wasn't sure she wanted to know them in his domain. Judging by the office she saw that day, she was sure that his estate would be just as disarming as he was. And for what she wanted to ask him, she needed all the self-esteem she could gather.

Moreover, she wouldn't be able to lock herself where that man... that creature lived, whatever the benefits were.

That would just be stupid.

'I will come with you.' She told the calculative man, 'But not where your boss wants me to go.'

For the first time, Strrom seemed genuinely taken aback. He arched an eyebrow in question. Olivia tied her arms under her breasts defensively and set a hard stare at the man.

'You heard me. Tell your boss that yes; I would like to talk to him but in a neutral environment where I am comfortable.'

The duo stared each other down for a moment. Eventually the man nodded.

'Fine.'

He wasted no time in whipping out his phone and turned away from Olivia's gaze; not before flashing her a heated glare. It seemed that he wasn't so keen on asking his boss about changing decisions for someone. Just as Strrom turned away, Olivia felt Lee's hands grabbing her elbow.

'Who is it that you are going to meet?'

Olivia looked into Lee's chocolate eyes in dilemma of whether or not to tell her everything. But she decided that the lesser they knew, the better.

'I will tell you, Lee. Just...not right now. Trust me.'

Lee stared at her unnervingly before nodding hesitantly. The women stood silently next to each other in the sidewalk as they listened to Strrom fire through the phone in a tongue wrenching language.

'Dáskale, i anthrópini gynaíka thélei na se synantísei alloú.' He said into his cell gravely. 'Thélete na tin apokefalisteíte gia tin prosvolí tis?'

'Greek.' Lee whispered, more to herself than Olivia.

'What?'

'Greek. That man is speaking Greek.' Lee nodded in the man's direction and turned to her. 'He doesn't sound right, Liv.'

'Ópos théleis, kýrie. Tha tin afíso na zísei gia tóra.'

'What do you mean? And how do you know Greek?' Olivia asked incredulously.

'Let's just say that before I met Amber, I knew a Greek woman.' Lee said, her voice deep with loathe. 'I have no idea what I was thinking.'

Curiosity gripped Olivia's mind. 'Why did you say he doesn't sound right?' Olivia's whispered question made Lee lock her eyes with her. She sighed.

'It just reminded me of---'

'Your request has been accepted, Ms. Summers.' Strrom's steely voice cut through their conversation, 'I shall drive you to a restaurant where he will be waiting for you.'

Olivia mutely nodded; her peripheral vision on Lee's face that was glaring at the stone-faced Strrom. She desperately wanted to ask what Lee was about to say but thought against it. It can wait and she had much pressing questions to be replied to.

'Okay then. Let's go.'

Olivia followed Strrom to the sleek black car and he opened the only other door for her. Just as she was sliding in, she could see Lee standing with her arms crossed and frowning with worry at her. Natasha, James and Amber were gaping at her from inside the car as she shut the door to the expensive vehicle with a smooth hiss.

Strrom revved the car's monstrous engine and they were off.

NEXT UPDATE: 10 July 2019