"I can't believe I had to shower with a bar soap. A freaking bar soap. Ugh!" Valentina stomped into the room from the bathroom, wrapped in a bathtub.
From her position in the bed, Natalia stared at her friend who had won the childish contest that involved the one bathrobe, and towels.
The problem with losing was now she had to tie a towel around her body, while Valentina got to use the bathrobe.
And if she wanted to clean her body, she could also just use the other towel.
Yeah, there were two towels, and she felt like a loser.
"At least you get the bathrobe?"
Valentina paused, and spun around to face her. "You're such a sore loser Natty!" She giggled.
"Yeah, the bathrobe is the only cute thing in this room."
"See? You're finally speaking my language. If we're living like this, then I shudder thinking about Jackson." And to prove her words, she visibly shuddered.
"Yeah I know. I feel so bad."
"Dont start." She walked over to the closet and was opening it when she remembered the only clothes available were the shirts they had worn to bed.
"Ugh, I hate this place!" Her teeth clanked in frustration.
"Do you think we'll be free soon?"
"I don't know. That man seems like he enjoys inflicting pain on people."
"He scares me so much, Val. Why does he have to be that scary when he's so handsome?"
Valentina spun the second time, her face scrunched in disgust. "You think he's handsome?"
She nodded. "He is. Both objectively and subjectively handsome. They're all handsome men. I think it's a prerequisite for joining their organization." She shrugged.
"Organization? You'd think we're talking about a world health group," she scoffed, but paused as the former part of her words returned to her. "Natalie nun! Who are you?" She laughed, and plopped beside her on the bed.
"I'm not a prude. You're the almost virgin between the both of us."
"Almost virgin?" She chuckled. "What even is that?"
"You've never had an orgasm. I have."
"Well that's because I think sex is overrated. It's only men that benefit from that disgusting act. Besides, how are you sure what you had was an orgasm? You could have been gaslit into thinking it was one."
"Val! I think I'd know if I've had an orgasm!"
"Uh-huh, sure you do." She nudged her head in vivid disagreement.
Their gazes locked, one trying to seem annoyed, the other, clearly amused.
But in a split second, they burst into a fit of laughter.
"You know what? I'm glad I'm with you going through this crazy experience together. It would have been much scarier without you," Valentine admitted.
"Me too, baby. Me too."
They were about to hug when a knock sounded on the door.
Valentina's head snapped towards the door. "Hurray! Finally they remember we're here."
Forgetting she was in just a robe, she dashed to the door, and opened it.
Her hopeful eyes turned curious when she saw a girl standing in front of her, instead of the rude guy from the previous night.
The girl turned pale when her gaze fell on Valentina.
"Hello? I'm Valentina. Do you want something?" Valentina waved in her face.
She blinked. "I'm sorry miss. It's just like the rumours say. You're so beautiful."
"Oh," she replied, not knowing any other response to give.
"I'm so sorry," she shuddered out of the shock of seeing Valentina in person. "You and your friend have been summoned to have breakfast in the dining room."
"Breakfast? Summoned by who?"
"That I can't say. But first, Miss Natalia, your friend, has to come with me. You'll be directed to the dining room later when breakfast is served."
Valentina's brain went into active mode, as she whipped her head behind towards Natalia, and then back at Sonia.
"What do they want with her?"
"I don't know, Miss. I'm just a messenger."
"And what happens if she refuses to come along?"
"She can't refuse."
Two men appeared from behind, their looks telling Valentina they did not come to play.
"She has to dress up," she said as she shut the door.
"I don't want to," Natalia mouthed, shaking her head.
Valentina hurried over to her. "We don't have much time. I think they're trying to divide and conquer. You have to stay strong. No matter how many traps they try to set, okay?"
"Val, I don't think I can do—"
A heavy knock sounded on the door, interrupting her.
"We have to dress up, I said!" Valentina raised her voice.
"That's why you need to open the door."
She sighed, and walked over to the door. "What now?"
Her words returned back to her when Sonia stretched out a plastic bag.
"You've been provided with dresses," she said.
"Oh, thank you then. She'll be right there with you." She snatched the bags, and slammed the door shut again.
"What's that?"
"Dresses. You need to dress up first. But remember, do not panic okay? Do not. You'll be fine. You're smart and in control." Valentina reassured her with a head nudge.
A couple of minutes later, a shaky Natalia walked into the room she was led into by the two stone-faced men.
Her stomach tightened when she saw the outline of the man she assumed would be interrogating her.
She prayed silently that it wasn't Luciano. Although he seemed to be more relaxed, she couldn't feel easy around someone whose eyes switched like the tides.
One moment, he was smoothly making jokes, and the next, he brutally murdered like it was nothing.
"Hello Miss Natalia."
She heard Vittorio's voice before she closed the gap between them, and a bit of tension left her.
Vittorio was the visibly cold one. Yet she felt more comfortable around him.
To her, it was better to know someone's character head-on. Unpredictable people like Luciano were just too dangerous for her.
She sat on the seat provided, which was directly across Vittorio. A table was the only thing that separated them.
"How are you this morning?" He lifted his head to look at her.
His breath caught against his chest when he saw the fear in her eyes.
So pure, and dainty. Too easy to want to protect.
"I'm– I'm ok-ay." She replied with a quiver.
He could smell her nervousness. It excited him.
"You don't mind me asking a couple of questions then?"
She shook her head.
"Please, answer with your words, ragazza."
She swallowed hard. "You can do this, Natty," Valentina's encouraging words trickled into her head.
"I don't mind," she said, her voice more confident now.
"Good. Is everything you told us last night true?"
"It is. I don't understand why no one believes us."
"You do understand that Mr Giovanni is a pretty important man, hence why he's so clearly protected. We're just doing our due diligence."
"Do you really think we'd try to kill a man that powerful? Valentina? And me?" Her doe eyes summoned enough courage to look into his eyes.
And me?
Her words. The way she said them. So soft. Very feminine.
And her eyes too. The way they looked at him. The desperation behind her gaze. As if she needed him to believe her.
Vittorio blinked, breaking eye contact first, and cleared his throat. "We can't be fooled by your physical attributes. Over many centuries, there have been many female assassins."
"Well I would never try to hurt Mr Giovanni. Never!"
Vittorio suddenly leaned in. "Tell me why you're so sure you could never hurt him. Someone who is just a fan doesn't have that many pictures of the man in their purse. What are you hiding, Natalia? I can only help you if you help me help you."
"You can't say anything," Valentina's words again, haunted her just as she was about to open up to the compelling Vittorio.
His eyes were trusting. She felt like she could trust him.
Internally, she tussled with herself. What if he was really going to help her? It would be much easier than trying to figure out things alone with Valentina in a country they had no business being in.
"Trust me," Vittorio pressed, seeing an opening. "I can help you." His hands covered hers, and he felt the exact second she tensed.
"I was right," he thought.
The scared one was always the easiest to penetrate.