Karma 14

Katerina pov

“Who is she?” One of the men asks as soon as we join them.

I expected the meeting to be in an enclosed and formal area but I am thrown in surprise and feel overdressed when we end up outside the hotel around the swimming pool area.

The men that Mr. Thorne meets are three, two seem to be identical twins, they are dressed in white Thawbs and they are set apart by their keffiyeh. one is in black and white Keffiyeh, and the other in red and white Keffiyeh. The third and last guy seems preoccupied with his phone but acknowledges Mr. Thorne with a nod.

“She is my assistant.” Mr. Thorne answers.

“These are not the kind of business that involves assistants.” The one in red and white keffiyeh laments. “She can not be here.” He adds.

Mr. Thorne cast him a glance and thinks for a moment. He takes his briefcase and removes a brown golden card that he hands over to me.

“Look around and spent only on the basics.” His eyes narrow at me and I squint mine in a mimic manner before giving up when his company seem annoyed their time is being wasted.

I study the foreign card on my hand, it is palladium. I wonder its material worth leave alone what it can buy for me. Pfft! This is not a card that affords you to shop for basics like a burger probably it can allow you to shop for a yacht or island.

Maybe I should test its limit, a devious thought takes over. I smile while imagining his face when he gets billed. He deserves it, after all, he did bring me here without enquiring first.

Before I leave and wander around, I stand aside and pretend to take a selfie while pointing my camera at Mr. Thorne and his company. I may not be able to meet all of Cassandra’s requests, but I’m hoping a picture will suffice.

I take a covetous look around this paradise, and all the possible things that I could do flood my mind at once, drowning it in confusion.

If only I had taken Oliver’s phone number when I gave him mine. He did want to show me around, but Mr. Thorne’s ego got in the way.

“Hey you?” While strolling, I turn to the familiar voice.

I turn to see Oliver, who is shirtless and lying on a beach lounge chair. He smiles at me, and it’s impossible to deny how gorgeous he is. He resembles his father more. “Hey?” I walk to sit on the chair beside him.

“Have you abandoned your duty to Christian?” He raises his brows.

“You know your friend can be a real ass?” I say instead.

He chuckles, “Yes, he can be sometimes.”

“Are you and Mr. Thorne close?” I ask again.

He nods pensively.

“Do you know what the meeting is about?” I prod, seeking to elicit information from him.

If my intrusion in any way raises alarm to him he never shows.

“You’re in Dubai, and you choose to worry about your boss and your job?” Instead, he teases.

“I love my job.” I try to keep a straight face, but the lie is so amusing that I end up laughing.

He joins me in the laughter.

I decide to take advantage of the mood and ask, “Does he have a thing with Ava?” Mr. Thorne’s surprise face, whether real or contrived, regarding his mistress and pregnant wife left me unsettled last night.

“Why? Are you sleeping with him?” He flatly asks.

I cough up with shock.

“What? No!” Even the words are foreign as they leave my mouth.

“But seriously are they?” I persist.

“If you tell me why you want to know, i may consider answering.”

“I just don’t think it would be fair for Cassandra to be cheated on.” I say hoping that my words won’t raise any suspicion but i desperately want answers or just to clear my conscience for sleeping with her husband.

“Cassandra? Fair?” He mocks in unbelievable tone and adds, “Only know that despite what they can’t leave each other.” He states. It leaves me unsatisfied and with more questions only explaining why Cassandra wants me to punish her husband instead of leaving him.

But why can they just leave each other if unhappy?

“Forget about their problems, my offer is still on.” He speaks after he notices how deep in thoughts i am.

“Sure.” I cast him a heartfelt smile but more glad at least he is familiar with the place and that is the fun.

*******

Hours later we stumble back to my floor. My arms full of shopping bags and so are Oliver’s bags. Most of the things in them i don’t know shit about them but just chose them on the merit of price and design.

Oliver did offer to pay for them but i wanted to punish Mr. Thorne, and his precious card.

I throw my head back and smile content, Dubai so far is not even close to what i imagined. When i thought of it, Burj Khalifa first came to mind. Then i imagined people driving Ferraris, riding with lions and Cheetahs in them.

We saw the aquarium, not the peak because i am not very enthusiastic with things related to water. Took a walk at the beach, eat at a restaurant and we were served by those celebrity chefs but the entire time, he seemed engrossed with Oliver as they spoke about business and LA Cooper Hotel. My peak was running Mr. Thornes Card to maximum. Which probably i would need a year of extravagant shopping to achieve that.

I don’t know how long Mr. Thorne was planning for us to stay here but i hoped it would be extended and i would get the opportunity to go to Burj Khalifa, cliché’ but what else was someone expected to do in Dubai if not experience it?

As we get close to my door i notice Mr. Thorne standing outside. His face goes from relieve to anger.

“Where have you been this late?” He roars.

“You told me to look around.”

“This late?” He asks annoyed.

“I was with her.” Oliver says.

“I can see.” He says sarcastically.

I ignore his tantrums and walk around him and open the door to my room. Walk in leaving the two men who were trying to prove who can pee the furthest outside.

After some minutes, Mr. Thorne walks in with the bags Oliver had and deposits them on my bed.

“You are something else?” He says in a not so kind manner as he strides towards me, his eyes hooded with something familiar.