Page 7

Chapter 6

Eve

After running the last metres under a cool rain which took her by surprise, Welcome to Ireland! Eve finally climbed the steps leading to her floor. Relief flooding her as she opened the door of her small apartment. She had been lucky to find this small slice of heaven in the perfect neighbourhood. Cyrus’s neighbourhood.

Well, lucky and helped by Erik, considering this was one of his investments propriety. The flat was basic but perfect, the door opened on a short corridor ending in the open kitchen. The kitchen was tiny but given her limited cooking skills it worked. The most important for her was the master bedroom.

She left her shoes in the first few metres of the entrance, throwing them away from her poor feet, hoping to avoid wearing torturous heels until Monday. She walked to her bathroom so she could try to look like a captivating woman for the evening.

After all, she had a plan. Get to know Cyrus to keep a close watch on him. In her mind there was no way this could go wrong.

After lathering in the warm shower, she went to inspect her potential outfits, it had been a long time since she had dressed for someone other than herself. Her gaze wandered for a few seconds on her photo wall, which she had fun creating during one of the many rainy afternoons. It was mostly pictures of her time in Oceania. Memories flooded back of the countless hours spent on her boat, exploring the Islands, the warm reception from the Aboriginal people. The dives with Bruce.

The precious necklace she wanted back so badly was all she had left from him… one of his teeth. The great white shark seemed to enjoy turning around Eve during her dives. Terrified at first, she screamed in her mouthpiece, already imagining the gruesome death coming to her, a death that never happened. The shark just chilled.

Sometimes it seemed she had lived three lives, perfectly distinct. The Pre-War, the War, and the Post-War. She shook her head, refocusing her mind on the present, deciding to divert her attention back to her outfits.

“So…” she began, addressing her reflection in the mirror. “Little red dress? Or little black dress?” She alternated between the two outfits in front of the full-length mirror, observing her image. Years spent outside and her dedication to fitness had sculpted Eve’s body, of which she was now quite proud of. Her long and slender legs had always been a prominent feature, and the red dress was undeniably sexy, accentuating her figure with its form-fitting material that left little to the imagination. Its deep V-neckline was one of the daring variety and she could already imagine Cyrus’s eyes being diverted. She swapped quickly for the black dress, while slightly less eye-catching, it exuded its own allure, boasting a modest length with a captivating open back that would reveal her tanned skin.

Eve let out a frustrated sigh. Why bother trying to look beautiful for this scoundrel? She tossed the dresses on the floor and picked up her favourite pair of jeans, the ones with holes in the knees. She paired them with a green top to complete the outfit, along with her trustworthy green sneakers. Looking at herself in the mirror she felt rather satisfied. At 29, she easily appeared at least 5 years younger.

She was about to go brush her bushy hair when a knock on the door stopped her, she didn’t think he would be early! Eve looked up, puzzled, someone could have opened the door of the building but how did he know her floor? And what about her apartment number? She released her hair, and it cascaded down her back, wild brown curls bouncing in all directions. Annoyed, she headed to her front door opening it, attempting to maintain a cold and impassive expression in the presence of the giant standing before her.

His gaze quietly lingered on her figure, burning with intensity, fixating on her unruly hair. She moved away from the door and the imposing man simultaneously, ensuring he had no opportunity to let his hands wander. Cyrus entered the apartment surveying the small space. He shrugged an inquisitive eyebrow before turning to Eve who promptly closed the door.

“You're early, I'm not ready.”

“I can see that, go get changed, we are gonna be late.”

“Oh no, my outfit is fine, I’m talking about my hair.” She pointed to her sparse mass of hair, not resisting giving Cyrus a childish but always efficient “duh!”

Cyrus scoffed, leaning against her kitchen island, arms crossed on his way-too-large-and-manly torso, making Eve look a bit too close at how the shirt was pulling on his full arms.

“The place we are going to, my beautiful Eve, is quite classy and I don’t want to be seen with an ordinary young woman, especially when you are worth much more than that.”

Eve pouted but continued to defy him, not moving an inch towards her closet.

“Well I’m not changing, I am afraid we might need to cancel our date then”. Don’t stick your tongue out at him, don’t stick your tongue out at him, you are a grown ass lady.

“Genevieve.”

Eve had a moment of stupor, how in the living hell did he know her name? Genevieve. What were her parents thinking when they named her? She had been using Eve as a nickname for as long as she could remember.

“Saying my full name is not gonna work on me Cyrus.” But it worked. It totally worked.

She could feel her heartbeat faster as a familiar sensation between her legs ignited a long-forgotten fire. The giant moved away from the kitchen island slowly, advancing towards her. His right hand flew over to one of her crazy bouncy curls, twirling it, pensively. Their eyes met, hers defiant, his playful.

“I never take no for an answer, my Goddess.”

Eve scoffed, and before she could answer something smart, he pulled her towards his strong body, a hand firm on her lower back, whispering in her ear.

“I have the power to make you do better. Willingly, or forcibly. And in case you didn’t know yet, the thought of being able to undress you so early in the evening before I buy you dinner is really enticing.”

Eve shuddered, tension hanging in the air, her thoughts racing as she debated whether to retreat to her room immediately and change to avoid any potential trouble. She could perfectly imagine him ripping her clothes off, hopefully he would let her rip his off as well. But this was going way too fast.

“Fine, whatever.” She pushed him back to get away and felt his heavy look on her until she closed her bedroom door. Taking a deep breath, she decided on the slutty black dress, and a few minutes later opened the door as violently as she could, expressing her discontent, which barely made Cyrus smirk.

He let his eyes roam her figure, up and down. “Perfect. Don’t touch your hair,” he added as she started to put her hair in a bun. “I like a bit of wildness in my life”

The comment made her eyes roll as she headed towards her shoe closet. Glancing in regret at her green sneakers, she grabbed a pair of black and gold heels, they would make the back of the dress sexier. Looking for trouble again la la la la .

She put on her shoes, but even with them on, she still felt so tiny compared to Cyrus, who was gazing at her with his calm but burning eyes. She would not be surprised if he reached 2m height, the guy was a freaking giant. They left the apartment building, and Eve reluctantly accepted Cyrus’s offered arm while rolling her eyes again, which made Cyrus chuckle slightly.

He escorted her to his car, an enormous black 4x4 - so typical! - and even opened the door for her. She wasn't quite sure what to make of this gallantry. Her feminist side found it rather ridiculous, while a buried, romantic, girly side within her found it thrilling. She appreciated the cleanliness of the car, which she didn't expect, and tried to relax. Expecting more of a cliché, she thought she would have to push aside beer cans and maybe cigarette packets. Even some used condoms, nothing would surprise her.

She felt Cyrus’s presence in the car and turned to him with a questioning look. Cyrus simply maintained eye contact and started the car, which only fuelled Eve’s inner frustration.

The ride went in silence, Eve fidgeting in her seat, while Cyrus drove smoothly, respecting all speed limits and stopping at every pedestrian crossing. She couldn’t help but wonder whether he did it out of genuine respect for traffic rules, or, as her preferred explanation, to annoy her even more.

After what felt like an eternity, they finally reached their destination. Even though she had nothing to complain about - I mean, besides the fact he threatened to rip off your clothes earlier - her perpetual state of indecision was not making things any easier.

On one hand, she believed getting to know Cyrus would not only protect her activities but also potentially aid in identifying the psycho killer.

On the other hand, she simply wished to get rid of him to avoid putting her second life in unnecessary danger. Not to mention the temptation. He did have a fine butt after all.

She stepped out of the car without waiting for him to open the door, giving him a mini provocative glance as she passed by, which once again elicited an enigmatic smile from him. God he is so annoying! Looking around, she recognised the rather chic neighbourhood of Ballsbridge which had been spared during the war. Boasting several intact wealthy mansions, designer shops she would certainly never set foot in, despite all the money she owned, and some of the best restaurants in Dublin. She wondered if Cyrus intended to display his wealth thinking it would impress her, she wasn’t particularly passionate about money or the way men related to it. However, her love for food might be her downfall.

They made their way towards a massive building made entirely of glass, The Fall, the tallest building in Ireland, home to some of the major corporations. Holding an excellent Japanese restaurant on the top floor she had heard a lot about. She couldn't help but feel a hint of excitement, her stomach fluttering, she loved Japanese cuisine and their customs. They entered the building, and while a few dozen people patiently waited in line for the security check, Cyrus slipped through, if one could use the verb for a man of this stature, and simply nodded at one of the three guards, who stood up at once and stepped aside to let them pass.

Eve took a deep breath when the room gazed upon them, whispers ensuing. If she was lucky, they would assume she was just another silly and rather cute conquest. She silently prayed no paparazzi were around, the thought of her explaining to Erik why her picture was on the first page of the Dublin Glamour was not as exciting as it sounded.

As they entered the lift and watched the door close, Cyrus turned to her, approaching dangerously close. Eve stiffened, pressing herself against the partition, once again stopping him by placing her index finger against his chest. Cyrus halted and simply stared into her eyes, causing Eve to swallow, hating herself.

“You're not very talkative tonight, my beautiful Frenchy,” he whispered, drawing his face closer to hers.

“The deal was not for me to talk.” She stuck out her tongue.

Cyrus burst out laughing “Stop acting like a kid, I'm sure you'll love this restaurant. And if you’re not gonna use this tongue of yours for something good, you should keep it in.” One of his naughty smiles lit his face, his eyes burning the very little will Eve had.

“I won’t even bother to answer that last comment. ANYWAY, I am sure the restaurant is amazing, too bad we had to book at least three weeks in advance to get a table.”

“When you own the place, a simple phone call is enough,” Cyrus replied with a big smile, showcasing his sparkling teeth.

“When… what?? You own the restaurant?” Eve exclaimed, astounded. “I've never heard that the great McRory was interested in culinary art!”

“People talk a lot but don't know anything about me.” He uttered the last words as he leaned closer to Eve’s face, his warm breath reaching her neck. Eve froze, a finger still in the air mumbling something incomprehensible. The doors opened and she turned, heading towards the restaurant, fully aware Cyrus was not only sneering at her back but also watching her backside.

She couldn't help but accentuate the movement of her hips, knowing the power of a feline gait over men, while sweeping her mass of hair to the right side of her face to free the view. She tapped her fingers inwardly for playing with fire, but she had always had this seductive side.

Cyrus caught up with her, and as they advanced side by side towards the restaurant reception, he slid his hand between the thin fabric of the dress and her back. A shiver ran through her body, goosebumps covering her arms. Cyrus had just enough time to whisper “pretty dress” before giving his attention to the young Japanese beauty at the entrance and spoke, much to Eve’s surprise, in Japanese.

She looked at Cyrus puzzled, she had no idea he was capable of speaking this language, and moreover to perfection, herself being close to fluent in the magnificent language. She had to admit, if she put aside Cyrus’s overly touchy-dominating-do-what-I-say side, he was quite surprising compared to what she had heard about him.

Even his appearance impressed her, the man was elegant, not too much nor too little. He had chosen a fairly classic pair of black trousers that accentuated his legs and muscular buttocks… something she shouldn't even have noticed. And a nice white shirt helped show off his body more than nicely. Though, he still lacked refinement in the context of the upscale restaurant, with the last button of his shirt undone, revealing a torso covered in what seemed to be a fair amount of hair. So manly. Not to mention his long hair, which he hadn’t bothered to tie up. Does he tie it up during sex? Eve rolled her eyes at her own thought, she definitely needed to stop thinking about him sexually.

But she continued counting on her fingers the months since she had some kind of sex abruptly stopping when she felt Cyrus and the young Japanese waitress staring at her.

“Are you ready to go to our table or are you still looking for an escape route?” Cyrus asked mockingly.

“Second solution,” Eve replied, before following a young woman wearing a stunning blue and white outfit, blending the elegance of the kimono with a practical outfit required for working in a restaurant. The waitress led them, and Eve, who had become a master at Evelyzing people's reactions, guessed a certain surprise in her. Seeing the great McRory with a woman, which, let's face it, was not only amazing but flattering to Eve.

As they made their way to their secluded table, which unfortunately seemed to be at the farthest end of the restaurant and far too private, much to Eve's dismay, Cyrus acknowledged the other guests with nods here and there but did not stop for anyone. Eve could feel their looks upon her, them and hated it. So much for discretion.

Eve surprised herself by praying to an unknown god that no one in the police would find out.

They finally reached their table, which was indeed at the very end of the restaurant, in a corner, hidden to everyone’s eyes. The table was half-moon-shaped, leaning against a glass wall offering an incredible view of Dublin’s illuminated skyline, a view that delighted Eve. However, her delight was short-lived when the young Japanese woman deftly closed the curtains, ensuring complete privacy for the couple.

Oooh not good, not good at all.

Of course, Cyrus used the opportunity to get closer, only to be stopped in his tracks as she placed her finger on his chest, AGAIN, raising an eyebrow, AGAIN.

“I prefer to keep my distance.”

Cyrus laughed. “That may be difficult given the outfit you're wearing tonight. You're gorgeous.”

The compliment made Eve uncomfortable, and she tried to regain some composure by grabbing a menu, attempting to hide her blushing cheeks. The curtains opened revealing Akito, Eve finally saw her badge, who elegantly placed a bottle of red wine on the table, first showing the label to Cyrus, who gave a small wave of the hand before serving Eve a drink.

Clearing her throat, trying to forget about the close presence of the giant, she found the courage to ask her burning question. “How did you come to own a Japanese restaurant?”

He took his time to respond, turning his glass between his fingers, taking a moment to savour its aroma.

“I like investing, I do have some legitimate business ventures.” He winked. “I tasted the chef's kitchen in Tokyo three years ago, and managed to lure him away and convince him, and his family, to come here and open one of the finest restaurants this city has ever known.” He took a sip of his wine. “We were nearing the end of the war, and I knew I had to protect my pretty ass when I got home. When you have a bad reputation, some people tend to forget what you did to save their skin,” he added bitterly. “And the Irish love what's exotic. Akito is one of his daughters, she will inherit the restaurant at some point, but if she wants to open a business here I am committed to providing her with the necessary funds. To her and her three brothers and sisters.”

Eve was quite impressed but tried not to show it, securing financing for a business had become a luxury after the war, and only a few fortunate could take the risk of starting anew.

Eve made a mental note to investigate why the police and politicians hated the man, besides the mafioso thing, obviously. She didn’t know the whole history of Ireland during the war, perhaps she should also inquire about the actions of the Golden Boy. Given what she had heard about the gentleman's character it was more than possible he had shed his share of blood as well. It was war and given her own actions in France she was in no position to blame him for a few murders.

Akito returned to take their order, and Eve became agitated, having not had time to read the fabulous menu.

“Do you want to share a boat of all the chef’s specialties?” Cyrus asked.

“Yes, perfect.” Eve handed her menu to Akito and as the young woman left, Cyrus turned a bit more towards Eve, resting his arm on her chair, smiling when Eve stiffened a little.

“Are you always on your guard like that? Or just with me?”

“Always.” Eve smiled.

“Well, there are many freaks around us to be fair,” he said before taking a sip of wine.

“No kidding, I'm at the restaurant with one of them right now.”

Cyrus almost choked on his wine but eventually started laughing.

“My goodness Eve, you are one of the few people I’ve met in my life who isn’t even a tiny bit afraid of me,” he said with a serious air.

Eve praised herself for her ability to hide her feelings, truth was she hadn’t been so frightened by anyone for a long time.

“At your service,” she said raising her glass for a toast.

“I'm serious,” Cyrus continued, “the only people who aren’t frightened by my presence are my two best friends, Ian and Zorfield, and possibly my mother. Everyone else shudders when I speak, pushes each other out of the way when I walk in.”

“On the other hand, I will not blame anyone for not wanting to be crushed by this…” Eve pointed to his body with her head, which again triggered a laugh in the giant.

To her surprise the conversation continued quite pleasantly, with some restraint on her side, and carefully chosen topics by Cyrus. Like, how did she get to work with the Irish police, specifically to assist a Commander so close to retirement? Eve relaxed a little, she was always wary of people asking too many questions, but Cyrus seemed open, and unlike many others he didn’t hide his inquiries behind a veil of hypocrisy. He simply asked the question.

Despite this, she found herself a little embarrassed and shy, it had been a long time since anyone had asked details on her life to which she intended to answer, and not just add lie after lie. So she had to be careful what she said or didn't say. As for her relationship with Erik that was the easiest part.

“I had a small travel company in Australia, I took tourists on sailing tours to the most famous corners of the country. One day, I was by myself away from the tourist spots to dive with the sharks. But very quickly I saw another boat seeming to sail freely and a storm was about to break out.”

Eve smiled as she recalled that day, when Erick and his wife had come face to face with Bruce in the water. She would have sworn she heard their screams suffocate in their masks.

“Erik and his wife were in trouble in the water. I took them back to their boat. End of story. Don’t tell him I told you though.” She paused a fraction of a second. “Actually, don’t tell him anything, AT ALL.”

“Hmmmmm.” Cyrus’s eyes widened. “Did you just say… Sharks?”

“Ahem… Yes. They're not as dangerous as we think.”

Cyrus seemed to consider the question for two seconds only to finally burst out laughing. “I would love to swim with sharks! And would have paid dearly to see Erik's head when he first came across her.” He took a deep breath. “I’ve always wanted a private aquarium I could throw my enemies in. ”

Eve almost choked on her wine as a snarky smile played on his lips. She placed a hand on her mouth, holding back a laugh, but the giant continued the conversation as if nothing happened.

“I’m guessing that explains the funny necklace pendant you were wearing. So you and Eric are… friends?”

“Um yes, I guess we can say that. We weren’t in contact during the war, I guess we were too busy on our own. After the war I went to Canada — you are saying too much girl, stop right now! — and after a while I wanted to come back to Europe. And I've always loved Ireland. Erik needed someone… to trust… I don't think I'm teaching you anything about current politics?”

Cyrus scoffed. “Not at all. Finding trusted employees has become difficult. Many people have tried to survive the hard way, and some bad habits from the war have remained.”

Eve wasn't sure what he meant by that.

“We lost the extremist invaders and ended up with extremists in our own country. I am not surprised you went to Canada, it was one of the only countries where women didn’t lose their full rights.”

A feminist bad boy. This was amazing. Eve didn't know how to react. She definitely had to stay on her guard.

“Indeed,” she said cautiously, “and those men jumping on you in the street out of nowhere are THE WORST.”

Cyrus laughed again then bent down over her, gazing with his dark look, Eve gulped, her heart racing again, the desire to feel his hand on her skin coming out of nowhere.

“I didn’t say I was perfect, as my behaviour with you will attest. You are temptation.” He brushed a soft finger along Eve’s jawline, down her neckline, and to her displeasure, he stopped right at the edge of the fabric.

Eve sighed, and without a word, caught the giant’s hand placing it where it belonged, on her breast.

His body tensed, holding back one of his sarcastic smiles, but he kept his hand on the curve. She crossed her legs, trying to stop the fire in her loins, but she didn’t let go of Cyrus’s eyes, which were getting heavier and full of desire by the second. She moaned when his fingers pinched her sensitive nipple through the fabric, pulling, turning, rubbing it between his expert fingers. Laying her head back on the giant arm behind her, she internally cursed herself for openly flirting with Cyrus. THIS.WAS.NOT.THE.PLAN.

This said, she whined when Cyrus let go of her breast and sat back in his chair, pulling lightly on his pants, trying to get comfortable.

Akito arrived with their order — he must have seen her somehow — Eve still in shock and feeling her entire body blushing, tried to sit straight awing at the huge wooden boat filled with delicious Japanese food.

The only kind of sex I’m having tonight is the starfish-kind.