Page 28 of Possess Me

“Oh, I see. That’s what you’re into, developing gambling establishments.” There was a wry look on her face. That’s when I noticed she was actively scrolling through her phone.

She didn’t try to hide what she was looking at, which appeared to be a post on Instagram with my face on it.

“You say that as if it’s a bad thing.”

“Not at all. Just… different.”

“You’ve been spending your time wisely, looking into the corporation of the man you’re stuck with on a tropical island,” I told her just as the bartender approached. “Vodka. Chilled. No ice, two limes.”

“I am a careful woman.” She was trying not to smile.

I noticed she’d stuck with wine, although it appeared almost untouched.

“Yes, sir,” the man said while motioning to her mostly full glass.

“No, I’m fine, Hendrik. Thank you.”

“Bedankt mooie dame,” he said in turn.

“Je bent erg aardig,” she responded in his native Dutch language.

He smiled, nodding before walking away.

I was fucking impressed. “He’s right, you know.”

“What is he so right about?” She swirled the tip of her finger around the glass, barely lifting her gaze in my direction.

“You are a beautiful lady.”

I was rewarded with a glint in her eyes. “You know Dutch.”

“I’ll let you in on a little secret. I’m fluent in several languages.”

She cocked her head as if my announcement was no big deal.

“That should mean something since obviously you are as well.”

While lifting her wineglass, she offered me a slight nod. “A benefit and necessity of my profession so you are correct. French. Spanish. Italian. German. What’s your excuse?”

“I’m not certain what you mean by that.”

“You obviously use languages in your business.” She removed her sunglasses, allowing me a direct moment of connection with her soulful eyes. My, oh, my. They had so many stories to tell.

“Yes, I do. I find it useful when attempting to discover who I can trust.”

“That must be very tough with what you do.”

What was she digging at? Now I wanted nothing more than to delve much deeper into what made her tick. “Actually, you are correct, but I certainly learn some fascinating stories when people don’t think I know what they’re saying. To answer your question, Dmitriyev Enterprises handles developments providing experiences, not just gambling.”

Chuckling, she took a sip of her wine, casually glancing out at the water. “A perfect disguise. I’m curious if Jeffrey knows anything about the family he’s working for.” With her phone on the table, she casually entered in her passcode, glancing at the same post I’d seen her studying before.

“May I?” I asked as I reached over the table. As soon as our fingers touched, her mouth twitched just before she pulled her hand away.

“Go ahead.”

I pulled her phone close, glancing at the picture. It was from a few months before, an event held at Ecstasy, a resort under Mikhail’s purview.

“I must admit the photograph isn’t one of my better ones, but I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”