Page 16 of Clean Point

Instead, she’d tried to take the easy way.

There was no sign of our fight from yesterday on her face, and apart from dark circles under her eyes, the usual mask of smug confidence was well intact. She scoffed before rolling her eyes with an unmatched aggression. ‘Elena sent me to get you. Breakfast is ready.’ She took a sip from her mug, slurping the liquid and ending with a satisfied sigh.

My eyes narrowed on her, my suspicions rising as I focused on the mug, and more importantly, the liquid inside. ‘Is that coffee?’

She lowered the mug a little, a mischievous glint in her eyes. ‘Maybe.’

‘Decaf?’ I asked, but her head shook in denial. ‘Jon banned caffeine.’

‘He did,’ she chirped, enjoying the fact she was breaking the rules. One day. We were one single day into training, and she already wasn’t sticking with the training. Why was I surprised?

Irritation burned under my skin, her pleasure in my annoyance only serving to feed the feeling. I was exhausted from travelling and having to deal with her yesterday, and all I’d had this morning to battle any of that was a decaf green tea.

With a sharp movement, I pushed myself out of the pool, sending water cascading down my body as I stood bare chested before her. Not bothering to grab my towel to dry off, I stood face to face with her, the cap atop her head coming into view and I realized … it was my hat she had stolen.

For a single moment, I would’ve sworn her eyes roamed every inch of my tattooed torso, following up my left arm and across my chest. The intensity of her gaze locked with mine, but it didn’t last long. My eyes narrowed in response as I broke the silence. ‘Where did you find the hat?’

Trying to maintain an intimidating stare, I struggled not to be distracted by her height, only a few inches shorter than mine. And I was reminded to ignore her long legs, to forget how soft they looked, to stop thinking about how they’d feel wrapped around my waist.

Her smile was a little devilish thing. ‘That, old man, is a secret.’

It was as if she already knew how much that nickname got under my skin. Unluckily for her, I’d thought of one that was perfect for her.

Katsarída. I had to stop myself from grinning at the memory of my mom beating the little black disgusting bug away with a broom, yelling their name in her native Greek.

Cockroach.

I exhaled in frustration, trying not to let her antics get to me. Despite the shared animosity, I knew we had to find a way to coexist during our time here. But as Scottie continued to smirk, I couldn’t help but wonder how difficult she might make that. Maybe she wanted me to quit, get Jon’s time all to herself.

‘Tell me where you found the hat,’ I pressed, but she seemed to revel in delight.

‘Why?’ Arching an eyebrow in question, she slowly lifted the mug to her mouth, her pink lips parting before she took a long sip. Her eyes fixed on me as if she wanted me to watch her every move. Her challenge hung in the air, and I was left to make the next serve in this game.

‘It’s mine,’ I grumbled, taking in the cap’s faded blue material, the edges beginning to fray from age.

If she could enjoy this little power play between us, so could I. With a swift, determined motion, I reached for the hat, ready to reclaim what was rightfully mine. But as I tugged it free, Scottie’s hand flew upward to stop me and in reaction, I accidentally bashed her hand holding the mug. She yelped as the coffee poured over her. I grimaced, watching the scene unfold, the hat held in between my fingers, paused in mid-air. She took a step backward, and I watched a renewed look of panic quickly wash over her face before she plunged into the pool with a splash, landing in the water behind her. Resurfacing with a gasp, she blinked a few times before they focused with an unmatched fury on me. Strands of golden hair clung to her wet face, and for a fleeting instant, I forgot to pretend she wasn’t a goddamn work of art.

‘Are you insane?’ she yelled, her voice echoing across the pool area.

‘I didn’t do anything,’ I said, shaking my head at her. Of course, she thought this was my fault. For a moment, I decided to revel in the sight of her in the pool. After the hat and the coffee, it felt good to watch her cool off for a moment. With a smug smile, I placed the hat on my head, and crossed my arms.

‘You did this over a stupid hat?’

If possible, my smirk grew as I continued, fighting it hard not to enjoy the chaos before me. ‘First off, I did nothing. You did this to yourself.’

A loud shrill noise escaped her as she shrieked in annoyance.

‘Second, this is my favourite hat, and you stole it.’

The noise she was making increased to a pitch only dogs could hear. I took that as my cue to leave. Immediately. Turning, I grabbed my towel from the sunbed, threw it over my shoulder, and slipped my shoes back on.

‘Enjoy the rest of your coffee,’ I said, not bothering to give her a second look. Walking down the path back to the villa and making sure to avoid the gang of stray cats that hung out around the grounds, I quickly used the towel to dry off. Heading through the kitchen, I was greeted with the smell of breakfast, three egg white omelettes plated up beside each other on the counter. Hungrily, I dived in, grabbing a fork and leaning against the counter for support.

‘You could have at least put on a T-shirt,’ Elena, the housekeeper, tsked as she shuffled out from the pantry. Despite her petite height, she exuded an air of authority and wisdom, which was exactly why Jon had hired her in the first place.

‘I was hungry,’ I said between bites. ‘It’s good, though.’

She smiled, although her eyes, while kind, held a sharpness that made me think twice about crossing her. It was as if she could see right through me, and with one stern glance and a slight waggle of her finger, I’d feel the same level of guilt as if I’d wronged my own mother.

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