Karyme

Aziz has great taste. This girl is outright and subtly beautiful as if her allure screams and whispers at the same time.

Even badly dressed and having clearly cried for hours the last days, she is one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen.

"Okay then. Leave with me, if you want to go to that party."

I am so surprised by the answer I can barely keep my mimic from giving me away.

"Just like that? I have to tell you a little secret; I am searched by an Italian bad boy that I made very angry." I can't help my voice getting slightly deeper.

"Well, what did you do to him?" A surprise smirk appears on her face. So she is capable of a bit of sass too.

"Gave him blue balls."

"Oh." She giggles. "That's not a deadly offense, I would say."

"You are not the one being blue balled."

"Oh, my goodness, I needed this," she says between chuckles.

"So? Leaving together?" I wink. "You would have to buy me a dress for the party though. A beautiful one, maybe a bit tight."

She grins brightly and I understand. I understand how that smile could make Aziz fall so stupidly in love to keep her here, knowing that her husband would kill him for it.

"In the morning, at six," she says. "I will ask my husband for an escort so we don't get in trouble with your Italian bad boy."

"If you do, he will know where you were."

"He probably does already. But if he doesn't I will tell him."

I raise an eyebrow.

"Honesty and shit." She shrugs.

"So you do love him."

"Very much. I always will. Alex is amazing, we are just not in a good place right now."

I feel something rubbing against my leg. A tiny intruder.

"Oh, Abtilae. You are a very loving little baby." I pick her app and pet her fuzzy fur.

"She is cute."

"Yes, she is. You are lovely, even if your name is a bit weird."

"Why is it weird?"

"It means swallow in Arabic. You are a bit weird if you name your cat after a bird it hunts."

"Oh..." She blinks a bit of astonishment away. "So we leave in the morning."

Right.

At around six, I walk out of the house accompanied by the mystery redhead. Everything was foggy and silent. Only one street away a black SUV was waiting for us. A bald man, dressed in a suit exited the car and opened the door for us. He frowned when he saw me.

"Who is girl?" he says in a very thick accent.

"I made a new friend."

"Karyme, nice meeting you," I say, giving him a courageous, a bit cheeky smile.

Natalia doesn't sit in front, but on the backseat to my right.

"Well, nice meeting you, Karyme. You never told me your name. I bet you know mine though."

"I do. Yours, your husband's, your father's..." She gives me some raises eyebrows and a small smile.

"Are you Saudi? Like Aziz."

"No. Emirati. Born and raised in Abu Dhabi."

She types something on her phone.

"Karyme is a much to common name for you to just find me," I say.

"I wasn't searching. If I want to know who you are, I will have a folder prepped on my desk when I reach home in a few hours. And I would know it's all verified information. I was only searching for a dress. Here, pick one." She gives me her phone.

I look lengthy at her and at the phone screen.

"They are really cute. What brand is that? I have never heard of it."

"Small and quite brilliant."

"You could easily afford all the A, D, and V brands but you choose a small designer. Cute. I miss London. Life in Switzerland is nice but London was just next level."

"Why did you move away?"

"Because I am poor. I chose the job that gave me the most financial security."

"Fair."

"Not likely a concern you can relate to."

"How very presumptuous of you, Karyme."

"Well, your dad and your husband are very rich."

"But it seems you didn't research my childhood. I grew up poor. Surprise surprise. Very-very, contemplating eating out of the dumpster poor. Big minus point," she says in a slightly taunting voice.

I think I have a crush. Beautiful, humble, and down to earth. Aziz, I might have married her too.

Aziz...

He didn't stop us. He didn't come to say anything. No goodbye. But I bet he was watching. It was as if I could feel his gaze on my skin when I walked out. Maybe it was only guilt.

The big bald bodyguard is driving us to the airport and to my surprise we don't board a commercial plane but a very unusual private jet. Dark gray, very elegant, and unusually futuristically shaped.

"What on earth is this?"

"My husband's apology. This one is called Swallow, like the bird."

"Like Aziz's cat?" I blur out.

"It was certainly not called after Aziz's cat. My last name is Lyk; it means swallow in Polish. Well, now it's Lyk-Orlov. Which makes for yet another interesting combination but that's a story for another time."

Aziz named his cat after her, her husband named a plane after her. It's a weird comparison to draw. A super-expensive masterpiece of tech or a very cute creature that you sleep with in the same bed and pet constantly. Apples and oranges? Two different types of adoration or just the same?

And shesh... How can I compete with that? I laugh on the inside. This is a pleasant diversion. Alah, how I miss having a friend. A real friend.

The plane ride is short, about two hours, and I am to at all bored. I keep marveling a the plane and at its name sake.

Once in Rome, we are driven by the bodyguard to a house in town. It's a recently renovated old house on the slope of the Adventin. Not huge, quite cozy, and very tasteful.

"The house is beautiful. But the style doesn't fit with the plane," I tell Natalia.

"Oh, you like it?" Her face lightens up unexpectedly.

"Yes, I do. It's very tasteful. My best friend was a civil engineer. She worked a lot on the renovation of historical buildings. I have a basic understanding of these things."

"It's different because my husband designed the plane but this house is all me. I am happy you like it. A friend of mine will come by later. He is the owner of the online store I showed you. He will bring us stuff to wear tomorrow and I also asked for some casual things for you. It feels weird seeing you in those clothes. If you want, I can give you some of my stuff, meanwhile. You are a bit taller but otherwise about my size."

"You designed it?" Beautiful and talented.

"In a way. It's an old building. Me and my partner Helen just renovated the core and designed the interiors."

"Your partner?"

"Yes, we have a company together. I am an architect. We both are. Met in university and have friends ever since." And smart and a businesswoman. "And no, my husband didn't sponsor it or is a part of it." And self-made.

"Bitch, since when is only Helen your best friend, huh?" A black man with short cropped hair and two long neon pink dread-lock strains is looking at her in mock irritation. He is wearing a sleek business suit and flamboyant eye makeup. Unusual combination but he is certainly attractive.

"Malik, don't get irritated. You know I love you and nobody is ever going to take your place, it was just the nature of the conversation."

"I know, I just wanted to make a dramatic entrance. Who is she? And what are you wearing, love?" He scans me up and down.

"This is my new friend, Karyme. She will accompany me to the party."

"And Alex?"

"We are still not on talking terms but he will be there," she says with a sigh.

"Please make up. I know he has some issues he needs to work on but bitch you spent the night at Aziz's place. Did you...?"

"No!" she answers aggravated.

"Well, just making sure. You were upset, he is kind of hot even if I don't like him. And you two have a strange bond. This combination often leads to... situations."

"Karyme is Aziz's situationship if you ask me."

"Ah.." He brings out a sharp sound. "And you thought it's a good idea to take the situationship with you?"

"It's complicated but I happen to take a liking to her." She said she likes me. This is wet dream material.

"Ok, I quit trying to understand this. I will just make you two look fabulous. So, Karyme, my name is Malik. Nice meeting you though you frighten me a little bit. Not you but who you are. What you also are is every attractive so I hope you will end up being Aziz's girlfriend so nobody ends up..." Natalia is elboying him almost violently. He was definitely about to spill something. Now it's gone.

I am sent to take a shower and after that Malik provides me with two dresses to choose from. I choose the more sexy one. Might come of use.

Then he proceeds to do our hair and make-up. He is very skilled and I didn't expect such a service.

"Malik, what's up?" asks Natalia while he is pinning my hair up.

"Nothing."

"Lier. Tell me. I know you want to."

"I sleep with Christoph."

"Again?!" asks Natalia slightly exasperated. "Malik I know you are very attracted to him, I know he is hot and very much your type but he is also very troubled. Very. Troubled."

"You forgot good in bed and well big..."

"Very. Troubled. Repeat after me." I don't really know who these people are but this seems juicy drama.

"Ready, love. You look precious. Worth a caliphate."

I stand up to look at myself. I have not been this polished in ages. While I can do decent work with makeup on myself, this guy is a pro. I smile triumphantly. It's good to at least look good while you risk your life. The dress he chose is golden and matches my eyes and skin tone. it shows only a little cleavage but it is almost skin-tight and long.

I look good. But Natalia... He has straightened her hair and how it's a hip-long curtain of fire. Her dress is emerald green to match her eyes, also long and skin-tight.

"You are beautiful," I stammer.

"Thank you. You also look very pretty, Karyme," she answers with a rather sincere and innocent smile. Oh girl, it wasn't only sincere appreciation.

At around eight in the afternoon, the big bald bodyguard is driving us to the venue. Supposedly the creme de la creme of the business world will be there. And you are not invited, Stefano. Boo-fucking-hoo.

"The invitation states only Alexei Orlov and Natalia Lyk-Orlov. Who si the lady that is with you?" asks the Italian bodyguard at the gate of the residence.

"A very good friend of mine. Don Lorenzo will surely not mind, ask him," says Natalia confidently.

"It is a closed gathering, miss. I am sorry."

"My husband will be very upset. This is his cousin. They didn't see each other for a while and she is in town now."

"You said she is your friend?"

"Can it not be both?"

"It can, but mam, I can still not let her in."

"You heard what my wife said. I will be very upset," says a deep voice from behind him.

"Mr. Orlov, sir? So it is indeed a relative of yours?" stammers the bodyguard looking at the blue eyes, likely one meter-ninety tall, fabulously built guy that made him move away to open the car door for his wife.

"Were you doubting my wife's words?" he asks sternly. The guy almost wants to dissolve in ether.

"No, it's just..."

"Well then, let's go, ladies." He extends one hand to me too, to get out of the car and then the elbow that isn't claimed by his wife.

I try to look as confident as possible as I walk there with inside a mob gathering with his couple made of dreams.

"Who is she? Please tell me she does not have criminal intentions. I don't want to have to fight this family too."

"You owe," she answers coldly.

"So you trust her."

"Yes." The tone is confident. She is a good actress.

Some of the guests are prominent, few though, the most are not public figures but most certainly rich as sin and probably blood tainted.

"Nate, we need to talk," says the man.

"No shit."

"Now."

"Fine. Karyme, you good form here?"

I nod and they walk away. Shortly after I enter the main hall, I spot Don Lorenzo Medici. He is on the top of a panoramic stair and holds a glass of champagne.

He starts talking in Italian. Too bad, but I think I can get to him after the toast.

"I am happy you are all here today." Oh, now he speaks English out of the blue. "I know there had been rumors."

Oh boy. Now this is interesting.

"Don't move, kittycat or I will splatter your blood all over this marble floor." Stefano's voice is a low but furious whisper.

What the fuck is he doing here. He is not supposed to be here.

I feel the cold metal of the blade on the back of my neck.

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Yeah... More to this next time. But yeah, Kary is caught too.