Wicked Games

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Hope's POV...

"Get up." Someone whispers and brushes my hair away from face.

"What?" I mumble, eager to go back to sleep.

"Wake up, we have to go." Sweet and low voice repeats as I feel another stroke on my cheek.

"But where?" It's early in the morning, where do I have to go at this time?

"Italy." He announces.

"What?!" I raise myself in an instant.

"We're going to Italy."

. . .

We're in Italy.

In sweats, hat and sunglasses despite the fact that it's BURNING outside. I'm wrapped like Christmas gift.

Staring at tourists I wipe sweat from my forehead. "Why are we here?" I ask without turning to Kent, well-covered next to me. Goddamn it! The corner we're standing is practically not visible, why the hell are we boiling ourselves?!

"We have meeting here." Two hours, I spent fucking two hours on boat to get here for a meeting?

"Jesus Christ," I snicker, "with who?" 

"Someone who'll help us." He lightly tilts his head, telling me to follow him and starts walking. He takes off sunglasses, I do too, he removes sweatshirt and pants on the way, I do too. Instead, little sundress falls after having it tucked in my pants. Thanks god, I was dying, literally dying in that double clothes. Throwing everything in trash bin we continue our way in totally new clothes and characters.

"We have to be in Santorini in three hours, either way we're fucked." I mutter.

"Relax, everything is going to be alright." Moving to sales counters he grabs and hands me new pair of sunglasses. "Put this on." We mix in crowd but stop at some arched sheltered place, still far away from them.

"What are we doing now?" I whisper to him, roaming everything around us. I put my glasses atop my head.

Whilst I'm scanning area he makes move and hoists behind me and my eyes follow him. What is he planning to do?

And suddenly I feel ghost of touch on my back.

Maybe it seemed like touch and I just imagined it but there's lightest brush of fingers running close to my hip and I don't believe I imagined that too. I'm standing here, still like pristine doll letting owner to do whatever he wants. Strong arm of his slips around my waist and holds me that causes me suck deep breath. He pulls me closer.

Dear lord, if you hear me now, please give me minimal strength to survive this nightmare.

His mouth is on the side of my head while his other hand slithers up my arm deadly slowly. He caresses my skin with softest touch. Warm exhalation meets my ear and mere neck, I sense how blood pumps straight into my cheeks and temples, my heart races million beats right now. I suppose he can hear my heart willing to pop out of my chest, it's unnecessarily loud. And I wish I could touch my cheeks though, they feel too hot.

I'm struggling to analyze and then ignore his action. But he won't let me with that dip of his head and brushing my shoulder with his lips. And all I manage to do is just standing there like statue. This tiny brush of lips burns on my skin, freezes and all I can feel from my entire body is that specific part of my skin, as if he's never kissed me before. But it feels different now. Good. Disturbing.

Turning my head slightest bit my face appears dangerously close to his. His exhalation meets my cheek as my spine and arms cover in coat of goosebumps.