What you find

The Strangers

Carina shut off the dirty thoughts in her mind and continued to glare at the Italian brute. She opened her mouth to question his vague statement but was interrupted by his hand stretching out. She looked down to see him holding her wallet. It must have fallen down on the street. 

"Oh, thank you.", she accepted it and smiled graciously but frowned immediately after. 

"What is it?", he asked, unappreciative of the expression on her face.

"I don't know your name." Or anything about you, she continued in her mind.

"Matteo Giordano.", he replied.

"Matteo.", she whispered. 

Carina looked into his eyes when she heard his sharp intake of breath. The pools of honey captured her gaze straight away. They seemed a shade darker. Her breathing deepened as she noticed him take a step closer to her heated body. She felt like an acquiescent prey in his presence. 

She was not the only one experiencing the intense sexual tension. Matteo clenched his fists to control the powerful need to throw Carina down on the couch and sink into her pussy. Her long legs tempted him and her nipples turned hard under his stare. She is dangerous.  Matteo took a step towards her but thought better of it and turned to leave. He needed to prepare for tomorrow. Not yet, Carina.

Carina could only watch him leave silently. She hadn't realised she was holding her breath, waiting for him to make a move. Her body relaxed when she heard the door shut but her soul felt bereft and heart heavy. She had never consented to hand over the controls to her body to a stranger. Shaking her head, she picked up the phone and ordered dinner for herself.  

Watching 'The Bachelor' on the television, Carina once again stabbed her fork in the pasta bowl. She knew she was unnecessarily worked up but she could not chase away the feeling of being unwanted the encounter with Matteo had enveloped her in. He didn't seem as affected by her. The man is hot as hell. He probably has a girlfriend. She hadn't seen a ring on his finger. The thought of him sharing his bed with another woman pinched her heart. 

"Aahh", she groaned, looking up at the roof, "I'm being ridiculous." 

She glanced at the television screen to see Arie making out with one of the girls. Her thoughts turned towards Matteo again and she wondered how it would feel to have his lips touch her own, to have his tongue lick her lips and enter her mouth. She wondered how he would taste. One of the girls squealed bringing her back to the world. She could feel a blush rising from her chest. She had made herself wet thinking about a him. She prayed for a dreamless sleep for she knew if she dreamt it would only star him.

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Carina took a cab to El-Tahrir Street and got down after paying the driver. She walked up the steps and stood on the porch of the sixth house down the street. The house looked old and abandoned which, she assumed, it had been for about 25 years. The key weighed down her pocket. Is the truth worth it? Before she could second guess her actions one more time, she pushed the key in and unlocked the door. The dust and dirt made her cough. She closed the door behind her and walked further in. Her sneakers barely made any sound on the wooden floor. The house was small and it did not have much. The kitchen had a back door and enough space for only one person. The bed was visible from where she stood by a table in the living room.  She walked around the house, trying to think like her father. Where would he hide something so important? She was reaching her breaking point. The last week had not been easy; all the confessions and secrets. She walked around the table to the fireplace, stopped, took a step back. She got down on her knees and knocked on the floor. It was hollow. She took out a switchblade from her left boot and tried to pry open the floorboard. Removing three floorboards, she came across a small carry-on. Yes! 

She dusted it off and unzipped it. It contained three thick files and a couple of hard disks. She dusted a chair and opened a file on the table. Contracts? De Luca was the most common name on all the papers. The contracts were signed by Fernando De Luca. It seemed like the De Lucas made their business by usurping other businesses. Some of the contracts were armament deals. Carina figured this was what her father had been working on. She collected all the papers and put them back into the folder. She was zipping up the bag when she heard the back door opening. Ready to make a break for it through the front door, she quietly walked towards it. The front door suddenly slammed open and two men came running, each with a gun in hand. Her view of them was blocked by Matteo's body. How does he always know where I am? She slid the bag out of their view and put her other hand behind her back, ready to take her own gun out. 

"Do you have it, Carina?", Matteo questioned, pointing his gun at the men standing in front of them. She was confused. Does he know?

"Yes, but-" Before she could ask him anything he interrupted her.

"Get out.", he ordered. "Now, Carina!" He raised his voice when she took too long to respond. She hurriedly backed away and out the door. She jumped when she heard shots being fired. Worried about Matteo, she moved to open the door when he rushed out. 

"Let's go." He grabbed her hand and dragged her towards a silver Bentley. She looked back at the house once more and then back at him. 

Matteo knew she was itching to ask him a million questions but now was not the time. There could be more men close by. If he had known about this, he would have never let her come here. Luckily, he had been following her. He tightened his hold on her thinking of what could have happened if he had entered a few minutes later.

"Matteo, stop!", he heard her shout but continued to rush to the car. He had to get her out of here. 

"Matteo!", she repeated herself. Matteo gently slammed her against the side of his car pressed against her body. 

"What happened in there?", she asked. 

"I shot them in their heads, Carina. Any other questions or can we get out of here now?" His response seemed to have shocked her into silence. He pushed her into the passenger seat and rounded the car to take the driver's. She sat with her arms folded around her waist looking out the window. Matteo clenched his teeth. He started the car and sped out of the neighbourhood. He kept checking the rear-view mirror every five minutes. When he was sure they were not being followed he relaxed a little. 

"How did you find me, Matteo?", he heard her ask. Matteo had expected the question and opted to tell her the truth. 

"I followed you. I knew you were coming here because I had seen the address in your wallet. It is not a safe neighbourhood. I was just worried." He hoped his answer would quench her curiosity. 

"Do you follow all strangers you meet on the streets?"

"No. It's-" He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "You're different."

"I don't know whom I'm scared of more.", she whispered.

Matteo tightened his grip on the steering wheel and spoke through his teeth, "They could have killed you, Carina."

"So could you."

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