The heat was unbearable. The Riviera was empty; tourists and residents hid from the scorching sun in the depths of shade or their own air-conditioned homes. Palm trees, completely still, loomed over the burning stony pathways.

Iris desperately tried to tie her thick red hair on the top of her head, but it kept constantly falling down, spilling all over her naked shoulders and back. Sometimes she hated the wilderness of her hair.

"We are going to burn to ashes on a yacht." Iris complained, hoping there would be more wind in the middle of the sea. They walked to the dock. Iris could feel the heat from the stone reaching through her flip-flops. The wide, flowy wine-coloured dress she had on felt sticky on her skin. Fortunately, they would eventually dive in the beautiful crystal blue sea.

"But we will be on a yacht." Lora countered. "And if I have to burn, I'd rather do it on a yacht." She wore a white dress, too short for any occasion. Iris could almost see her butt cheeks peeking under the fabric. Her huge white sun hat hid most of her face in the shadow. The rest was hidden behind large Gucci sunglasses.

As they approached the dock, Iris took in all the moored yachts, until she noticed the white flybridge luxury sedan-style yacht. Its length reached at least 70ft. The deck was spacious and open and the living area was above the main bridge, allowing a peek through the glass sliding door. Sunshine reflected off the darkened windows and the white exterior. There was an open area at the top, where one could suntan. The name was written on the side with a pretty font.

Bela Ruža.

White Rose.

"Hello, ladies." Bane exited through the sliding door, dressed in a navy blue polo shirt, a cocktail in hand and a smirk on his lips. "Ready to ride this beast into the middle of the sea?" He actually pointed at himself.

"Yay, this is going to be so amazing!" Lora giggled and hopped on ahead, pretending to stumble on her way up the yacht, making Bane catch her.

"Careful there, clumsy." He flashed a wide grin; oozing bad intentions.

Iris couldn't believe her partner would actually sleep with this man. She sighed as she climbed on board. The yacht didn't move as she stepped on it; the ground underneath her felt solid.

The folksy music reached her ears momentarily; a potent sound, fast, rhythmical and a tad dramatic. Iris involuntarily smiled, there was something contagious in the beat.

Right under the scorching sun, Igor rested in one of the four deckchairs, placed next to the small wooden table. He had his sunglasses on and his tanned chest was bare. Iris could see his defined sweaty muscles. His arms, back and neck were strong and strained, but he had no six-pack or any kind of gym-gained muscles that required a strict diet and self-control. No, these muscles were gained fighting. His body spoke of indulgence. A man who loved to fight, fuck and enjoy all other earthly, carnal pleasures. His legs were spread wide in his black swim trunks and he held the champagne glass by the bowl. He wore flip-flops. Iris found herself staring before she said anything; there was wilderness in his relaxed posture. Dominance, carefreeness and content.

"Like what you see?" He took off his sunglasses.

"Do you have to flash your junk at us?" Iris narrowed her eyes.

"Why, wanna lick it?" He grinned.

"How about a drink first?" She raised her brow slightly, knowing she wouldn't get anywhere if she got on his bad side.

"Gemišt?" He nodded towards his glass.

"What's that?"

"White wine and sparkling water." His eyes darted behind her, towards Bane, who immediately grabbed Lora's hand and pulled her inside the yacht. "The name comes from a German word gemisht, which means mixed."

"Ah, a crash course on alcoholic beverages." Iris smiled tightly. "Lovely."

"I'm an educated man." Igor gestured towards the deckchair next to his. She made herself comfortable as the yacht slowly began to move and a dash of breeze passed through her sweaty hair.

"Where are we going?" Iris looked at the dock distancing itself from the yacht. The safe shores of Opatija moved further away.

"Rovinj. A small coastal town." Igor answered. "I owe you dinner."

Moments later, Bane exited the sliding door with a glass full of sparkling liquid.

"My lady," he handed it to Iris, "enjoy your beverage." The glass was cold to the touch and Iris immediately took a sip, enjoying the taste of cold wine and bubbles on her tongue; it helped with the heat. Lora's purposely whiny voice reached them.

"Bane! Come back."

"Nemoj da je jebeš na mom krevetu." Igor said flatly and Iris pretended not to understand.

Don't fuck her on my bed.

"Neću uopće da je jebem na krevetu, gazda." Bane flashed a self-satisfied grin, making Iris cringe inwardly as she outwardly tried to hide her discontent.

I won't fuck her on a bed at all, boss.

"You owe me dinner?" Iris quickly changed the subject, careful not to show any understanding of the language, which proved to be quite hard with all the obscenities they spoke.

"It's only fair, considering I took all your money playing poker." Igor sipped his drink, not bothering to close his legs, or change his posture.

Iris became aware of her own guarded stance. Her legs were crossed, her back hunched. She closed in on herself subconsciously and it angered her. Immediately, she relaxed her hands, let them rest on the arms. She leaned back and brushed her hair off her neck. If Igor could try to assert dominance, so could she.

"You won fair and square, there's no need for refunds." Iris said.

"If you want to miss out on Istrian truffles, suit yourself." Igor shrugged, a knowing smile emerging on his lips. She couldn't see his eyes behind the sunglasses, but she imagined them roaming over her face, her body.

An unwilling shiver crept through her spine, making the tiny hairs on her arms lift despite the heat. And she couldn't say no to truffles.

"Fine, but only because you mentioned truffles." She answered.

"Ah, she has taste." Igor smiled for himself and leaned back, seemingly done talking to her.

The yacht moved across the sea silently, parting the gentle waves. Sunshine heated the yacht, but the breeze made it hard to notice. Iris drank four glasses of the carbonated drink and applied her sunscreen for the third time, when Igor removed his sunglasses and sat upright.

"I did a background check on you."

Iris's heart flipped upside down. Only slightly irrational thought that he was going to fling her over the deck and leave her to drown crossed her mind. She forced boredom on her face.

"That's kind of creepy." She admitted. Beads of sweat broke through the skin of her forehead, her pressure rose, burning through her veins.

"Well, I'm a businessman. We're paranoid." Igor smiled, his dark eyes roaming over her face, searching her expression. Iris felt her spit collecting in her mouth, but she refused to gulp. Her hands wished to hug her, guard her, but she forced them to rest by her sides.

"Still creepy." Iris shrugged, guessing this was what a normal women might think about it. Iris, on the other hand, was eager to know what he learned, but she couldn't outright ask. He was right, businessmen were paranoid.

Especially when their side hustle was crime.

"You're a behavioural economist." Igor said. "Won the math state championship two years in a row. Got accepted to Harvard. Dropped out. Returned a year later. Finished. And now you're working at some boring company in finance department."

Iris didn't feel all too good knowing the information was out there, but no one could erase her life.

"Actually," she bit her lip and looked at the man next to her, "I only finished second the third year in a row because I was on my period. And Harvard didn't accept me, they begged me to join."

"No one likes a bragger." Igor commented.

"No one likes a snoop." Iris held his gaze.

"I only searched LinkedIn." Igor pursed his lips, his shaven beard peeked through his skin. Iris glanced at his lips, thin and the same colour as his skin. "And something about your curriculum vitae rubbed me the wrong way."

Iris smirked, camouflaging her concern.

"And you wanted me to rub you the right way?"

Igor leaned towards her, his eyes abandoning all playfulness. She could kiss him right now, he might forget about the loopholes in her resume. But kissing him would reveal her desire to distract him. There was no other way but through this.

"I researched more thoroughly. You came wasted to your high school prom and held a speech and sent all of your teachers to hell." Igor's lips twisted into a smile for a moment, quickly disappearing as he regained his seriousness.

"Not all of them, only those who deserved it." Iris leaned even closer, feeling the heat radiating from his body. "What can I say? The corsage wasn't the right colour."

"Hah." Igor chuckled. "Why did you drop out of college for a year?"

"I have a problem with authority." Iris shrugged.

"And how does someone like that end up working in a finance department?" Igor's eyes still roamed across her face, searching for lies and truths.

Iris opted for the world's greatest manipulation trick.

"I tried to change for my fiancé." Iris let the slight smile envelop her lips.

And the world's greatest manipulation trick was the truth.

"And where is he now?" Igor asked, his forehead slightly wrinkling. Iris found it interesting, how confused he appeared for a second there.

"He's dead."

Igor's frown relaxed, his lips dropped. Sincere understanding crossed over his features.

"I'm sorry."

Stumbling Lora fell out on the deck, followed by sweaty Bane. Their clothes were wrongly buttoned and their hair rustled. Despite the air on the deck, they smelled of sex.

"We're here!" Bane exclaimed. "Gosh, I'm thirsty."

"I'm hungry!" Lora shouted.

Igor still stared at Iris, not even bothering to acknowledge their presence. Iris read his expression. He understood loss. And he respected it enough to give it a moment of silence, even for a man he's never met.

There was honour in the gesture. Honour rarely seen.

***

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