A Debt Owed

Chapter 8

Kirill let me shower first so I changed into my new clothes while he took his turn in the bathroom. I studied myself in the full length mirror located on the inside of the wardrobe door, the mid-thigh black leather skirt fitted okay. I checked out the rear view, good it covered all that needed to be very nicely. Don’t want to over advertise, we were there to nab the attention of only one person; our contact. All I knew was that Kirill needed to get information from them about the job he was hired for. My purpose was to tag along as ‘eye candy’ and more so an extra pair of eyes for added security, although I seriously doubted he was going to let me carry a weapon.

My attentions went back to my outfit. The corseted top was a different story from the skirt; it was designed to make a statement. I had to wriggle into it, the fabric a deep red velvet with a back embossed design as decoration and two thin spaghetti straps more for the effect than the function of holding it up. I pulled on the satin cords laced down the back enough that it wasn’t going to slip down then adjusted my breasts, the thing women needed to do. No bra needed there was substantial cleavage ensuring that everything would stay in place when strapped up tight enough. I was going to need some help with that. My make-up was done: lipstick, eye liner, a dab of eye shadow. My hair was done, not a hell of a lot you can do with it o it just sits there. So I sat on the bed and waited for him to emerge.

My lap top chimed announcing that it had finished part one of the tasks I set it. I covertly scanned the photo I found at the bank that morning setting the computer the enormous task of ferreting out any information on it. Although the face recognition program was going to take a couple of hours. I went to turn the sound off and darkened the screen so as not to alert Kirill to my little secret, leaving it to work in silence.

Kirill walked out finding the TV on and me slipping on the black calf high boots. He leaned against the doorway and watched me slide on the boot. There was no real lady-like way to do it and not flash your underwear, especially in that skirt. Good thing I wasn’t facing him but I doubted he would have complained any. My leg was raised and the skirt inched its way up further exposing more thigh flesh as I wriggled the stubborn boot on. I stood struggling to push my heel into place, praying that I didn’t twist my ankle in the process.

“Don’t laugh it’ not funny.” Hearing his soft chuckle I looked up finding him walking towards me with a smile tugging at his lips. He was wearing black dress pants and a dark olive button down shirt, I half stumbled to sit back on the bed forgetting about the boot. He looked painfully handsome.

“Sorry but it is very funny.” He knelt down in front of me, one hand holding the bottom of my boot and the other on the rim where his fingers lightly skimmed my skin as he tucked them inside. He yanked the boot up and my foot effortlessly slid into place. Then he was massaging each boot gently squeezing the leather, and me underneath it, causing me to flinch at the unexpected contact.

“The leather is too tight. You didn’t soften the boots before putting them on.”

He was looking up at me and all I saw was luscious green; the green of his crisply ironed shirt and the wonderfully hypnotic green of his eyes. The top two buttons were undone opening the shirt more as he moved giving me a clear view of those well defined muscles under smooth skin. God was I perving on him? Hell yes and I was not ashamed of it. Damn I wished this was a different time, definitely a different place and we were different people. Where being attracted to him wasn’t such a disastrous thing but we are who we are and here in Berlin any emotional attachments was a hazard.

“We have to get going or our contact will be gone before we get there.” He stated standing.

His voice slapped me back to reality. I got up turning my back to him asking if he could tighten the laces crisscrossing my top. He stepped closer taking the ends of the cords in each hand and pulled in one swift motion.

“That’s just a little too tight.” I could barely get the words out as everything constricted forcing the air from my lungs causing me to also stumble into him.

“Sorry.” He said it so softly and I hadn’t even realised he spoke as his hand was across my stomach steadying me while the other loosened the laces enough to allow me to breathe again.

I couldn’t be totally certain but I thought I could feel his hand shake a little as he held me still. It could be nerves. Nah, must have been my imagination nothing got to Kirill he was a stone wall. It probably was the lack of oxygen to my brain making me hallucinate. The cords were tied, I could compose myself again. He moved away retrieving his hand gun from the table, checked it was loaded, clicked the safety back on then tucked it into the back of his dress pants before putting his coat on.

“I’d give you a gun but …” His eyes slowly travelled from my head to my toes, “I am not sure where you would carry it.”

“You’d be surprised. I’d find somewhere to put it.” I smiled back as he held my coat open for me.

Guess it was time to go.

The city rushed by the taxi as I gazed out the window. A few days ago this was the last place I ever thought I’d be, sitting in a taxi cab with Kirill on my way to a Berlin nightclub. He too was quiet mesmerized by the city lights dancing across my face. I was lost in a daydream unaware of how long he was watching me and only noticed when I saw his reflection in the darkened window. He held no expression, his eyes dark and unreadable in the confines of the car but this time he was looking directly at me. His body half turned towards me giving him more room to stretch his legs, one arm resting along the back of the seat, totally relaxed. It felt like he was touching me even though his body was just out of reach.

Catching a glimpse of his refection again finding his eyes were cast down I followed his gaze to see what he was transfixed on and found it. My coat had slid open and off my lap revealing a great deal of my legs, he was checking out my legs yet again. I secretly smiled it wasn’t often I had men admiring my legs.

He glanced behind every now and then scrutinizing the traffic making sure we weren’t being followed. The city has many eyes and ears someone always sees you no matter how well you plan. The silence shrouded us surprisingly offering some comfort against the uncertainty of meeting a new contact and entering unfamiliar territory. Anxiety and adrenalin is very potent, addictive and a seductive combination. Currently both were pumping through my veins convincing me that I was invincible, enticing me to be reckless. That sweet rush from my chosen career always drowned my sense of logic and fuelled my love for it. There was never any doubt of the thrill of living life on the dangerous side of the tracks. Buying and selling illegal weapons on the black-market was a narcotic which left you wanting more. More money. More excitement. Even hacking into the impenetrable computer system of a fortune 500 corporation to siphon off a million or so without them even knowing gave you a sense in immense power.

It wasn’t an ideal life it had its risks but it was all I knew and it did allow me to work alone most of the time and from my computers. Isolation is not a problem for me and I made an okay living. That is when people pay their money.

Club Inferno loomed over the street greeting us like a dragon waking from its slumber. We had finally made it. The blood red neon sign baring its name surrounded by artificial flames pulsated as if it were a frantically beating heart fighting to live. There was no line as such to get in, people generally came and left when they pleased, small crowds did gather outside engaging in; business, conversation or romantic liaisons. I walked ahead of Kirill, the huge bouncer at the door gave me the once over that men do when they’re checking out a woman. He let me pass, with the Russian his eyes narrowed studying him for a long while unsure what to make of him, and Kirill just stared back in silence and waited. The contact was somewhere inside so there was no point in causing a scene. The bouncer then turned to me perhaps wondering to himself if we were a couple or as to why I was with him as he didn’t seem my type. I nodded answering his silent questions then he gave Kirill the once over again before stepping aside to let him through.

The popular night spot was not yet packed to capacity there was still enough room to move freely between people and thankfully no paparazzi was milling around. The club was a usual hang out for some celebrities. The booming music bathed us in a cloak of rhythm as the energetic lights brought the beats to life highlighting the darkened corners and the patron’s faces. The main bar and the dance floor were separated by a seating area consisting of couple couches scattered around small dimly lit tables that allowed privacy and intimacy. An ideal setting for conducting business deals aw well as sexual ones.

Kirill returned from the bar with two drinks after leaving a request with the bartender to see our contact Raul, and motioned for me to grab a seat in one of the remaining vacant couches. In the short time he was gone the club had filled more. The music got louder and I turned down three invitations to dance, five requests for drinks and two propositions to disappear into the toilets for a quick fuck. Needless to say I refused all. It only served as a reminder of why I avoided crowds and people most of the time. With that many bodies blocking our view it was going to be difficult to locate Raul. I had only briefly met the man on several occasions in the company of others I couldn’t be a hundred percent sure I would recognise him tonight. The couch we were in faced away from the main bar and the stairway that lead up to the office and private rooms on the next level where Raul was no doubt watching all that was unravelling in his club. I had to constantly crane my neck around to see anything. Raul Ramirez was Inferno’s manager, a flamboyant Spaniard who spent the greater part of his young life emersed in all that was; good, band and ugly in this city. He spoke his mind, usually got what he wanted and had countless friends in high and low places. If you desired information, contraband, narcotics or even a high priced companion for the evening he was the man to see.

Reaching for my drink on the table I quickly glanced up to discover that we were the only couple not partaking in some form of intimacy. No kissing, making out, caressing, and canoodling unlike everyone else here.

“If we keep watching for him like this he’s going to think we’re cops staking out the place.” I said only loud enough for Kirill to hear.

“Who?” He frowned at me.

“Raul Ramirez.” At the mention of the name his full attention landed squarely on me. I calmly answered his astonishment. “I figured he was the contact this is his club after all and not much happens in Berlin that he doesn’t know about.”

I moved closer to him. “He’s probably watching from upstairs right now so like I said, if we don’t start acting like we’re here to have some fun and blend in Raul will get suspicious.”

It was Kirill’s turn to study everyone around us and that included the foreplay opus on show. The couple sitting opposite us, the woman sitting straddling the man’s lap, were making out like two sex starved teenagers groping each other in the backseat of some car hoping to score for the first time. All tongues and hands exploring everywhere.

“What do you have in mind?” His eyes locked onto me and intensely focussed on my lips awaiting a reply. The sexual tension unexpectedly crackled amplifying its existence.

My lips parted on the verge of forming that first word, his eyes never left them and I couldn’t help but notice him suck in a deep breath, everything started to close in around us. His eyes then met mine and remained there as I stood to slowly slide into his lap to sit side-saddle. It was more likely out of habit on his part as his hand went to rest across my knees. I ran my hand along his shoulder steadying myself as I leaned more into his body. I felt his warm breath brush my neck then the top of my chest as I placed my cheek to his, the stubble tickling as I pressed my lips against his ear.

“How’s this. Fun enough for you?” I whispered, this was me being reckless.

There was a short pause and his eyes closed before he answered. “More that enough.”

I felt every word he spoke resonate from his body through me. His voice was deeper, rougher that I had ever heard it. More intimate. The scent of his cologne washed over me, sandalwood with a hint of musk, and I exhaled. My sigh was involuntary as I felt his body shift under mine. The sexual tension flared up a notch from simmering to sizzling.

“We have to focus Madison.” He cleared his throat but his voice was still strained. “Do you see Raul?”

Damn he was right we had to concentrate on why we were here. I opened my eyes not realising they were closed and my lashes brushed against his ear forcing him to draw in a sharp breath. I scanned the room, not moving away so as it appeared to any onlookers we were necking. “Yes I see him he’s at the bar now.”

Raul Ramirez wasn’t a tall man but what he lacked in height he made up for in confidence. Tonight he wore black leather pants that left nothing to the imagination of how well toned his body was along with a fitted red satin dress shirt. Unbuttoned to expose his entire chest. Yep there was nothing reserved about this man. He leaned over the bar smiling and talking to the female bartender who kept running her hand up and down his chest. She told him something then pointed in our general direction. Having kissed the back of her hand he then followed where she was indicating. He straightened in one fluid motion and his eyes instantly locked onto mine from that distance as he made his way towards us. His shirt gaped open more with each choreographed step. Dark hair, dark eyes God he was beautiful to look at. People milled around him, spoke to him but his gaze was solely on me as he approached.

“Where is he now?”

The sound of Kirill’s voice broke the trance I was in. For a split second I temporarily forgot I was sitting on his lap and why I was in the club in the first place.

I finally spoke. “He has found us.”