Chapter 5

Matteo Rodriguez 

I pull the baseball cap over my head to cover my face well as I walk into the Wailea princess hotel which was wonderfully scented with plumeria.

I blended in well with the crowd, with my cap over my thick and rusty hair, rumpled suit trousers and a vintage shirt. Not many people spared me a glance but I know that if I was in my 'Detective Mateo' clothes, everyone would definitely notice me.

This is the only place I know I can be safe in at the moment. I couldn't sleep well last night because I slept on a couch in my old neighbor's house. Yeah you got that right. A rather-fucking- uncomfortable couch.

Chief's had cops patrolling over my house few hours after I left the station that I didn't have enough time to pack few things away from my apartment. Picking up my wallet and few guns, I gave Eve to my neighbor to take care of her for the main time till I get everything sorted out.

Who knew buying a penthouse in a five star hotel for your best friend as a surprise birthday gift would come in handy? No one knows I own a penthouse here so I'd be safe here for the time being.

It was becoming a three-ring circus in the lobby of the hotel. 

A queue of some German tourists were lined up at the desk, mothers were dragging their wailing children around, even a presentation on tourist attraction was taking place thirty feet away from where I was, with slides, films and even native music.

I might as well have been invisible at this point.

I tune out with what was happening around me, pulling a piece of paper that contains the various images I could make out of Arianna. Since she covers her face almost everytime, I made random images of how her nose and lips and even jawline would look like.

Where the fuck are you Arianna?!

My head snaps up when I notice the men who entered the lobby of the hotel. They were well clothed with suit and you can easily tell they are well trained in marital arts and they are bodyguards. I watch as they all move around automatically seeming like some sort of robots, stationing themselves at various spots and occasionally communicating with each other with airpods.

But that was what intrigued me. It was the tattoos that was drawn on various parts of their body-like their arms, wrists and necks. 

I open my briefcase hurriedly, flipping through different files and pictures until I got the one I wanted. Squinting my eyes at the image, my eyes widen when I notice it the same with the ones on the men's body.

Arianna's here!

I look around for a certain dark wavy hair lady with a mask but I couldn't find any. I see that some of the men have entered the elevator to God knows where, some where at the alcove which was the famous men's bathroom fifteen yards away from me and some where at the entrance. She definitely came prepared, no wonder all her works are done without any trace.

Goosebumps appeared on my body and I instantly looked up to see who entered the hotel. If it were a normal person who noticed her, they'd just think she's a tourist who's just dressed for fun. She moves gracefully around the crowd, making her way to the elevator and making sure her face was hidden.

Ignoring the weird feeling settling in the pit of my stomach, I follow her into the elevator.

This is bad. This is real bad.

Hiding my face and staring at her occasionally, I notice the way she taps her foot 

on the floor impatiently. I took a step back when she lets out a giggle and reach for the gun on her hip.

This bitch be weird as fuck.

I instantly pull out a gun from my pants pocket in case I need to protect myself from this killing machine.

④

21

The elevator dings and I smile when she signals for the guards who were on the floor to get off.

Looks like it'd be easy afterall.

Following her silently, I see how she breaks into a jog when she realizes someone was tailing her.

We did a little race of cat and mouse until we were on the top of the building, pointing guns at each other's heads.

I felt blood charging through my veins. I'm tense in the best possible way, adrenalized, mentally rehearsed and ready for the next scene to play itself out.

I knew she was scared and wasn't expecting this to happen because she was breathing really fast so I smirked and spoke up.

"T've finallv found von. Miss Arianna. Nice to meet you"

I could see fear in her brown bright eyes so I decided to tease her a little bit. I wasn't going to just kill her, yet.

"I know this is a weird question to ask in a situation like this but, how tall are you?" She speaks out and I freeze.

Her voice.

It's so soft and angelic and I want to hear more of it.

Snap out if it Mateo!! She's tempting you!

"I'm 6'6."

Her eyes widen before she shakes it off, gripping the gun and eyeing any movement I made.

"You're big." She comments and I just nod. "Are we going to do something about this? Or we're just gonna continue to stare at each other? Do I even know you?"

"I don't think you do. I'm Rodriguez. Maybe-" I was interrupted by the metal door opening and before I could process what was happening, she moved so fast behind me, hitting my head with the butt of her gun.

"Serves you right, you dickhead!" I heard her say before everything turned black.