An Aegean Prophecy - Jeffrey Siger [91]
‘And that bitch who was making a play for Vladimir.’
‘What bitch?’ said Tassos.
‘Baarrrrbarrraaa.’ Katerina drew out the name as a child would in a schoolyard taunt.
‘She was hitting on him?’ asked Kouros.
‘Fellas, please. How blind and naive are you men? Believe me, I know how to hit on a man and I can tell you, that bitch is a master.’
‘What are you talking about?’ said Tassos.
‘That’s right, you weren’t there to watch the show. No woman would allow a man to stroke her back as she did if she weren’t interested. And then she’d make just enough of a subtle push back against Vladimir’s hand to let him know he had a shot at her. He was so hard I thought he’d come on the spot.’
Neither cop bothered to ask how she knew that.
‘But Andreas better be careful. Vladimir is no one to fuck around with. Don’t forget where or how he made his money. It took a body count as well as brains to make what he made in Russia. People tend to die who get in his way. I never forget that, and Andreas better not either.’
Tassos shrugged. ‘Thanks, but Andreas has nothing to worry about.’ He didn’t bother to say there would be no competition for the woman.
Katerina poured more wine into their glasses. ‘Let’s hope Vladimir sees it that way. For all our sakes.’
‘Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.’ As Barbara moaned she thrust her hips up to meet his, her legs wrapped around his back, squeezing and touching wherever she could.
I can’t believe this woman, thought Vladimir. It’s our third time since the plane landed. And that one time in the air. His mind was lost in her completely and without warning he was on the verge again. My God, how does she know how to do this? As if on cue, she touched him in just the right place at just the right moment, and from that instant on it was nothing but, ‘Barbara, Barbara, Barbaraaaahhhhhhhh.’ They came together. Again.
They lay together in the dark without moving. Then she gently stroked her fingers along his spine.
‘Where have you been all my life?’
‘Athens.’
He laughed. ‘I hope you like Moscow.’
‘A nice place to visit.’
‘But you wouldn’t want to live here?’
‘Vladimir, are you proposing?’
He laughed. ‘You have too many boyfriends for me.’
She patted him on the back. ‘Don’t start getting jealous on me.’
He cringed. She probably was right about that. ‘Well, I can’t help remembering what that policeman said.’
‘Andreas?’
‘Yes. I bumped into him the day after we met and he said, “Obviously, you’ve never slept with Barbara.”’
‘I have no idea how that subject ever came up, but one thing’s for sure, we both know he’d be wrong now, darling.’
‘Yeah, but it still bothers me.’
She grabbed his dick and squeezed it. Then pulled at it twice. ‘My love, that’s the most Andreas ever got from me, and he was out cold when I did it. All I did was rub some lubricant on his dick so when he woke up he’d think he’d had me, and could have me again. I wanted to see if he was like every other man chasing after my girlfriend, Lila. He’s not. Darling, he’s my best friend’s almost-husband, I’d never screw him. He just needed me for company for the night.’ She kissed his cheek. ‘There, that’s the truth. So, now, do you feel better?’
It was dark in the room so Barbara couldn’t see his face. It was not a look of joy. ‘Excuse me, my love, I must make a telephone call.’ Vladimir left the room.
* * *
‘Anatoly, we have a problem.’
‘Vladimir, it’s almost five o’clock in the morning.’
‘We’ve been set up.’
‘What are you talking about?’
‘The cop used the woman to get next to me. It’s been a hustle from the very beginning. He wanted to make me curious enough to break into the woman’s house, copy the information, and pass it on - to make it seem real and legitimate. We have to stop it.’
‘We can’t. It’s too late.’
‘I was afraid of that. Then we must do whatever it takes to make it seem that the information did not come from me. I’m certain I’m being set up as the link to something intended to embarrass Mother Russia and get me