Chapter 2 – Family Vacation
Ashley followed Javor Dragoslav back into the hotel, her senses still on high alert.
Even though she had looked into his eyes and saw honesty, and believed that he really did care for her mother, she still didn't know who he was.
She concluded he must be an abnormal if he knows her mother, and as his picture suggests, has lived along time. She wondered if longevity was his power, or just a bi-product of his power. Big Guy also had lived a long time. Who knows, he looked perfectly normal, but what was behind those steel-blue eyes that he was keeping from her.
He walked up to reception and conversed with the manager for a moment.
She eyed him, his posture, the way he held himself, the way he moved his hands, and how is eyebrow slightly lifted when he talked.
Reading body language had become like a habit to her, ever since she was young her mother had taught her how to read people, to know whom she could trust. It was almost essential in their line of work.
She could read basic signs, like when they're lying, or nervous, or even just gassy.
But Mr. Dragoslav, it was almost like he knew she was analyzing him, and he kept almost charmingly collected, save for the occasional glint in his eye that went along with the just subtle smile he shot at her.
He was much better at reading her than she was at reading him.
Of course, she wasn't Uncle James, he read people as if they were children's books.
He finally nodded and accepted something from the manager and came back to her.
"I've told him you are my niece visiting me on her break because your parents are going through a tough divorce back home, if anyone asks you're 18, taking your Arts Degree at Emily Carr, and your just here to enjoy the peace and quiet and the sun, all expenses paid by your loving Uncle, who has no children of his own to spoil, here is your key," he handed her the hotel keycard with a cheeky smile.
"I suppose that means I have to join you for dinner?" said Ashley, putting her a hand on her hip and giving him a look.
"Oh, absolutely, what kind of niece doesn't want to spend time with her uncle?" he grinned even wider.
"Perhaps a niece who isn't actually his niece," she glared at him and he sighed.
"It's a good cover, besides, we can't just burst into this guy's villa guns-a-blazing without a proper plan, not before he completely destroys your mother into a walking sex zombie," he stated nonchalantly.
"Ok, I get it, just stop talking about my mom being a sex zombie, that is beyond creepy," she crossed her arms.
"I am on the third floor, room 303, if you need me, or get scared in the middle of the night," he smirk, "I'll meet you in the dining lounge at 7, sharp, please be on time, I hate waiting."
Ashley rolled her eyes.
"Go settle in, make yourself comfortable, the flight probably took a lot out of you, and I will see you then, at 7," he bowed slightly and started towards the main entrance.
"Wait, where are you going?" she took a step to follow him.
"I'll see you at 7!" he waved her off and walked out.
She sighed.
"Men," she grumbled.
She took her bag and trudged upstairs making her way to her room.
Her room was stunning, and she tried not to think about how much it had cost her new 'uncle' as it were.
It was huge room, despite being a single bed, but the hotel was expensive on the whole, royalty stayed in places like this. Beachfront, air-conditioned, room service, and rooms that made you feel like you had just walked into happy princess land.
It had a balcony with a view of the ocean, a massive canopy bed, a tv with cable, and not just moderate cable, and a mini-bar.
She put down her small bag, she hadn't really put a lot of thought into packing, it wasn't a vacation after all. Her bag mostly contained her guns, and some of Henry's little contraptions. She brought her toothbrush, and a wad of cash, that was it.
She'd have to see about buying more clothes later.
Ashley pulled out a frameless picture from one of the pockets and sat on the bed as she looked at.
It was her and her mother, she must've been four or five, it was her mother's favorite picture of them, it brought comfort to her, and she hugged it close.
She didn't deny that she had thought for a moment, when she was talking to Javor, that he was her father. There was something about him that seemed familiar to her. His eyes? His cheeky grin? The way he spoke?
The first thing he said to her was "You look like her?"
It was hard not to want to believe that she had found him, this mysterious stranger.
But he wasn't, and he knew she would ask. Maybe he knew her father.
All these questions buzzed around in Ashley's head.
She wouldn't deny, he was exactly the type of person her mother would makes friends with, she was always drawn to the arrogant and cheeky types. Even the way he dressed was to her mother's tastes. Clean-cut, organized, and impeccable, just like her mother.
If Ashley didn't learn anything about her father from this man, then she would definitely learn something about her mother.
