The Professor

by Rachel Renee

  “Si,” Sophia and I say in unison, downing the small glass of champagne. The expression upon Santi’s face displays his pleasure in our act.

  “Let us find another and then we can mingle.” We hand the empty glasses to a nearby butler and slink our way through the crowd, following in young Rubio’s footsteps.

  The crowd is similar to what I have experienced in the past. Beautiful women dressed in slinky gowns, covered in jewels, intermingling amongst well-dressed, dapper, mostly older men. Everyone here is playing a part and if I am not mistaken, not one soul among us is starring in a true story.

  The three of us stop at a small bar in the corner of the foyer, each ordering a drink of our liking. Sophia has wine, red, the choice she makes more often than not. Santi orders a glass of white, and I take his lead and order the same. Not my favorite, but I want to appease my friend. Plus, unlike hard liquor, it takes quite a bit to affect my sensibility and I need all of my senses on high alert this evening.

  Santi tells Sophia and I he will be back shortly and disappears out the back door, his head swiveling from left to right until he apparently sees who or what he was in search of. Sophia and I walk amongst the crowd. Hand in hand, with the other on the stem of our glasses. We sip our drinks and talk about unimportant details. Sophia points her glass to a painting she wants to pretend we are discussing. I pull her hand, tugging her in the direction of another, all the while keeping an eye out for the man of the hour.

  Once Santi returns, Sophia excuses herself to the ladies’ room. I watch her as she leaves my side, my eyes trained on the direction she heads until I can no longer discern her figure in the crowd.

  “You are happy, my friend?”

  “I am,” I agree. “It is good to be with Sophia once more.”

  “She will make a wonderful wife to you someday.”

  I feel my eyes widen as my face turns to stare at my friend. How can this happen so perfectly? “I’ve been thinking…”

  “You want to marry her?”

  “Yes. I…I even bought the ring.” I force the smirk to play on my lips.

  “Please tell me you brought it with you.”

  I lower my eyes to focus on my glass.

  “You have to do it.” Santi is giddy, grabbing ahold of my arm, almost squealing the words into my ear.

  “I don’t know. It would be weird to do it here.”

  “It would be perfect to do it here. The terrace as the sun sets almost completely behind the horizon is the most perfect place to ask the question. She will say yes, I am sure.”

  “This is not my party. I don’t want to make a scene.”

  “What better way to proclaim your love. Make a scene. Sophia deserves it.”

  “Santi…”

  “No, you will do it. You brought that ring with you for a reason, yes?”

  “It hasn’t left me since I bought it a couple days ago. I didn’t know when the time would come, so I always wanted to be ready.”

  “Tonight is the perfect time.”

  Just like that, the plan is unfolding. “Okay. If you say so.” I look at Santi with a hopeful gaze. It was his idea, after all, and I’m just going to be following his directions.

  As the two of us peer out into the open garden, the sun is slowly moving to its spot beyond our eyesight. Within a couple hours, it will be set and Sophia will be engaged to me. Then it will be up to Paolo to make the next move, giving us the direction we need to further our mission.

  The moment I lock eyes on Paolo Rubio is the exact instant he notices Sophia. She has shimmied her way back to my side, reaching up to kiss my cheek and whisper in my ear. “Yes?” It’s a question that I answer with a forward tip of my head. I feel her lips spread against my cheek before she pulls away from me once more.

  Paolo is staring at us from his seat on the back terrace. He is surrounded by a number of women, a couple of men dressed in all black, and one other man whom I recognize as a player in the Rubio dynasty. McDonald’s Man, we’ll call him, has noticed that I’m looking in his direction. His eyebrows raise, motioning us to move closer. I smile and wave, looking to Sophia and pointing in that direction as if she wasn’t just gazing over that way.

  As the two of us step in that path, I watch Paolo, whose eyes never move from Sophia’s. Trying not to alert either of them to the fact that I notice, I move my gaze around, nodding to people as we pass, but always peering out of the corner of my eye between Sophia and Paolo.

  At our approach, Rubio stands, his hand outstretched, grabbing mine first, but never once looking at me. After a swift handshake, I’m practically shoved right when Paolo grabs Sophia, pulling her into an embrace, not unlike what you’d see with lovers. He kisses her cheeks, whispering words into her ears that no one else can hear. I see her head shake from side to side as she pushes off of him, reaching for me with an open arm.

  “Paolo, it is great to see you,” I offer. His eyes are lowered, staring only at Sophia. I see his face redden before he turns from the two of us.

  “Enjoy yourselves,” he calls out with a fling of his hand and moving back into the fray of his crowd.

  “Thank you,” Sophia and I answer as one. I see the flicker of a smirk playing on her lips and I’m hoping that means she has not completely lost herself in Rubio. She’s going to play him like a fool this evening, or at least that’s the plan. Which is another indication that she is able to separate work and play.

  Hand in hand, the two of us circulate throughout the grounds and into the house itself. We eat a light dinner at the dining table with the rest of the guests and play the loving couple that we want everyone to take notice of. It will make the next scene of our story all the more memorable to all who witness.

  Santi strolls over to Sophia and me after dinner. He closes in on me, and cheek to cheek, he whispers, “Everything is ready on the terrace. You might want to make your move soon.”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I watch as he turns and walks back in the direction he had just come from. “What was that?”

  “Everything’s ready.”

  I hear a gasp from the woman on my arm. She shivers as she releases it and my own nerves take note of her change. The entire walk out to the patio, I tell myself that this is not for real. This is part of my job and what I’m about to do is just an act. It still doesn’t stop my trembling fingers, my ragged breath, the sweat dripping from my brow.

  Sophia squeezes my hand as we approach the spot where I confess my undying love and seal this deal with a ring and a kiss.

  The kid in me is frightened, my hands a shivering mess and the words in my head a jumbled mess. Work, work, work, I continue to repeat. This is for show. With all eyes staring in our direction, my heart and mind just won’t shut down. A glass is being clanked within earshot. I hear Santi’s voice boom out like he’s speaking to me over a megaphone.

  Closing my eyes momentarily, I count backward from ten before I open them once more. The sky is filled with pinks and purples, the sun well-hidden behind a few clouds but her colors throughout the sky, in her wake, can’t be subdued. I steal a glance at Sophia, whose fingers are trembling almost as much as mine, but she smiles up at me knowingly. My lips part as a hush falls among the overwhelmingly, now crowded terrace. Seems like Santi rounded everyone up for this occasion.

  I get down on one knee, freeing the ring from my suit pocket and holding it out in front of me. I don’t recall the words that I said as Sophia looked down at me with love in her eyes. Not what I was expecting, but it calmed me enough to utter a few sentences and ask her to be my wife. She accepted and I placed the ring on her finger before standing and placing my lips on her soft mouth, sealing the deal with the kiss that caused the people to applaud.

  As I come back into myself, that is what I’m hearing. The whole terrace is cheering us, clapping and whistling at our proclamation. Sophia is smiling up at me, with an at-a-boy look much like I’d receive from my mother. As I turn, I see the giddiness on everyone’s faces, happy that t
hey were a part of such a memorable event. Scanning the crowd for Paolo, I lock eyes with our target, the dark gaze seething with hatred toward me. He believed us.

  I squeeze Sophia’s delicate hand. She looks over at me and then follows my gaze to the eyes of someone she cares about in a completely different way. I watch as her lids fall closed and a small tear escapes from the corner. I pull her toward me, breaking off Rubio’s line of sight. As I wrap the small frame into my own, much larger one, I feel almost deflated as Sophia shudders beneath me. I can’t even begin to comprehend the emotions this is bringing about in her.

  Santi finds me like this, unknowing that Sophia is distraught and not overjoyed by what just happened. “You two will stay here tonight. I have a room all set up for you. Padre agreed that you deserve a celebration.”

  “No, Santi, we…”

  “Stop. You will.”

  I feel the moment Sophia comes back to reality. Her shaking halts, her muscles loosen, relaxing into me. She wipes her tears upon my shirt, barely peering up at me through slightly swollen lenses. Looking down at her, I pull her tighter into my side, letting her know I’ve got her.

  Turning my focus back to Santi, I tell him, “We appreciate your generosity. We will take it.”

  Santi’s eyes grow wide as does his grin. “Let me show you the way.”

  I allow the woman in my arms to snuggle into me, releasing her from being a spectacle in front of the crowd that is dispersing just for our departure. I get a few nudges and slaps on the back from the men I pass. The partygoers extremely pleased with what I accomplished here tonight.

  And I must say, I’m pretty pleased with how well this whole thing has gone. Unfortunately, that was the easy part. If what comes next goes as smoothly, I just may die of shock. As the sun sets completely, there’s only one thing racing through my mind. Will Sophia have enough courage to do what she has to do without losing herself completely and getting me caught up in the crosshairs of a war I want no part of?

  30

  The moment the door closes behind Santi, Sophia lets out a huge breath of air. “Can you believe that went so well?”

  I place my finger to my lip. “I’m so happy you said yes.” Her eyes widen as I point my finger around the room. I don’t trust any Rubio completely and who knows if anyone is lurking outside our door.

  Sophia reaches up as if she is going to kiss me but moves her lips closer to my ear than my mouth. “How long do you think before Paolo comes looking for me?”

  “Not long. As soon as the party clears out, he will be knocking on our door. Are you ready for what comes next? Will you be able to remove yourself from the situation when the time comes?”

  “I have come to terms with the fact that this will not end in a happily-ever-after for me. I will do what I have to, to give you time to complete your next task. After that, I will extricate myself from the situation and free myself from Paolo once and for all.”

  We whisper into each other’s ears, moving toward the bed and falling into it. We both kick off our shoes and I release the knot in the tie Sophia insisted that I wear for the occasion. After throwing it to the floor and unbuttoning the top button, I lie back on the bed and stare at the ceiling. Sophia moves to the side of the bed, removing her stockings and throwing them as far as they will go, which isn’t very far at all.

  The two of us have no plans to actually do anything together other than sleep at some point this evening, but if anyone comes by, we want it to look like two lovers are enjoying the room Paolo Rubio has offered us for the evening in celebration of our engagement. As if on cue, there is a knock at the door.

  Sophia fakes a giggle but it turns real once I wag my brows and do a little shimmy to the door. I unbutton my pants and untuck my shirt on the way, just for good measure. Throwing open the door, I’m frustrated to see a man in a suit carrying a bottle of champagne and two glasses, instead of Paolo Rubio coming to talk to Sophia.

  “Compliments of Santi Rubio,” the man says as he makes his way past me to set the contents down on the small desk in the corner of the room. The two of us stand in silence as we watch the man pop the cork on the Prosecco and pour just the right amount into each fluted glass. He hands one to each of us before awkwardly moving back toward the bedroom door. “Please enjoy the room and if there is anything at all you need, just hit the button on the intercom.”

  He points to a speaker just ever so slightly jutting out of the wall by another door that I assume to be a bathroom.

  “Thank you,” Sophia answers.

  “Thanks,” I tell the man. “We appreciate what Mr. Rubio is doing for us this evening.”

  “I’ll be sure to let him know.” The man nods before closing the door behind him.

  Sophia laughs, lifting the glass close to mine. “To a night we won’t soon forget.”

  “Cheers!” I answer with a clank of my glass to hers.

  The two of us down the first glass with gusto but once the second is poured, we barely touch it. We must keep all our wits about us. My head is a little fuzzy already from the earlier alcohol and the events we’ve been a part of and will hopefully fulfill this evening. This plan will not work if Rubio doesn’t try to take Sophia for his own. If she can’t distract him, then I can’t try to get into his office and go through his files and computer. There are so many things that have to fall in place for this plan to work perfectly.

  Sophia and I lie in the bed and chat for quite a while. By the time the noise of the party has died down, we are both almost asleep. There is the patter of feet along the wood floor of the hallway outside our room that jostles us upright and we wait with bated breath for a pair to stop at our door and knock. None do.

  After the hall has completely silenced, Sophia decides to do the only thing she knows to do. Pretend to sneak out of our room in search of her other lover. “It’s now or never, Nic.”

  I reach out, grabbing her hand and pulling her back onto the bed. “Please take care.” Without saying the words, I hope she knows I not only mean her body, but her heart as well. I search her eyes for what I hope is reassurance. She blinks and swallows hard before bending over and kissing me on the cheek.

  “You do the same. I will meet you back in this room by morning.”

  Sophia is up once more, fluffing up her bed hair, rearranging her dress and flipping off the light just before she leaves the room. I stand immediately. Without bothering to mess with my appearance, I march to the door, immediately placing my ear upon it. Down the hall, I hear a slight tap, tap, tap. There is a creak of the wood opening, a small gasp, and then the click of a latch. I know Sophia has entered the lair of our subject.

  I don’t know how much time I actually have, so I wait until I think the coast is clear and open the door ever so slightly. Peering out into the darkened hallway, I stop and listen for any sounds of footsteps or people talking nearby. Once I know I’m safe, I venture out into the hallway, closing my door as quietly as possible and stepping silently through the darkness in my sock-clad feet.

  Sophia told me where I’d find Paolo’s office, directly across from the bottom of the staircase. The doors have always been closed, but I kind of guessed that’s where he’d do business. There are double wooden doors that hide the contents of Rubio’s business dealings. The brass doorknobs look ominous in the night as I creep slowly down the staircase, stopping every so often to listen for a person who may be approaching.

  If anyone catches me, I’m to say I’m on my way to the kitchen for water and a midnight snack. That was the only plausible explanation Sophia and I could come up with. The room we were given has all the other amenities one could need for an overnight stay, including toothbrushes and any toiletries you could imagine.

  The moment my foot reaches the cold tile floor, I catch my inhalation and step back as footsteps from the east side of the home get closer. Do I go back up the stairs quickly or stick to the plan that I am looking for the kitchen? The person is upon me before I know it. But just as quickly
as the steps find me, they disappear into a room, a door shutting loudly in their wake.

  I turn my head to and fro, assessing my surroundings before my feet carry me quickly to my target. I’m worried that the doors may be locked, especially since there were at least one hundred people in attendance just a short while ago. A shocked hmm falls from my mouth when the knob turns easily in my hands. The thought that this has all come too easily does not escape me as I slither through a small opening and soundlessly clasp the door behind me. I don’t dare to turn on a light for fear of being seen. It is certainly hard to maneuver in the dark in a room where you are unaware of the obstacles that are standing in your way.

  I stub my toe on a chair, almost knock over a floor lamp, and cause a few papers to fly to the floor before I get behind the desk and the items that I’m in search of. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I flip the small flashlight on. There is just enough light for me to see what is written on the stacks of papers lying atop the desk. After snapping a few pictures of documents that look important, I flip the flashlight off and open the laptop before me. Sophia and I brainstormed possible password options and when the screen pops up prompting me for one, I start with the most obvious. Santi.

  I knew it couldn’t be that easy. I try the wife’s name, Santi’s birthday, Paolo’s birthday, the wife’s birthday. I try the anniversary date and just as I’m about to be locked out and lose my chances of infiltrating the computer, I input the one name that unlocks it all. Sophia.

  As the computer boots up, I sit back in the leather swivel chair, pulling it close so that I can easily reach the keyboard. I know I don’t have all night, so I reach into my pants pocket, producing the pin drive I’ll use to copy files. I place the small object into the computer’s drive and wait patiently for the screen I need to come in view.

  As each icon takes its place upon the screen, the one I’d had my fingers crossed to see appears. Double-clicking the picture of guns, I highlight every file within and set it to save to my drive. After it begins downloading, I open a few just to see what I’m working with and am surprised to see links to military personnel. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised as the weapons he is trading had to come from somewhere. It’s just really hard to believe that there are so many crooked individuals in the government that I have sworn to protect.