As we throttled down dizzying dirt roads under the faint hue of the moon's pale light, I held tighter onto Jack, his strong frame providing me with comfort against the bristling air, and a warmth of embrace I'd only longed for since my last boyfriend. It was a long time ago, don't bother counting in human, nor dog years. Still, Jack wasn't my boyfriend, we'd just met. Better yet, he'd just saved my life, and now we were winding down between tiny hamlets of darkened olive trees to somewhere he declined to mention. I didn't feel in danger though...not around him. I felt something else...

  Bright lights shined from a short distance away as we passed between some larger brush, and I felt an even more unnatural feeling...luxury. A brilliant villa towered before us, its rustic shutters bouncing our headlight along its expansive marbled siding and illuminated various tiers to the home, even above and beyond its initial facade.

  Jack guided the growling motorcycle past an extravagant, yet forgotten, looking iron wrought gate and came to a stop near the majestic oak door, before cutting the engine. “We're here, he remarked, flipping the side kickstand out and laying the bike to rest. “You can let go of me now,” he tilted his head back to me.

  I released my grip, shaking the romantic haze from my mind.. “Sorry, first time and all.”

  “It gets easier,” he said, taking my hand and helping me off the bike with ease, his eyes looking brightly into mine.

  “Um,” I started up, after a long moment. “Where are we?”

  “An old friend's place.” Jack turned and headed to the front door, where he flipped open a small keypad and tapped a short sequence of numbers, before an audible click sounded, and the door opened inward.

  Jack crept inside, while I followed suit right behind him, a musty odor hitting my face, before the lights flicked on. It was a luxurious interior; the fixtures, the seating arrangements, everything...but lived in...definitely not that. “Guess your friend doesn't stay here very often.”

  “He used to,” Jack said, “but that was before he exchanged it with us.” Jack locked the door behind us, noticing my head tilt with intrigue. “Sometimes, bad deeds actually do go punished...and for that, you can make some pretty good acquisitions out of things.”

  “So the US government took an Italian villa from a bad guy?”

  “No, no,” Jack laughed, “the US government took an Italian villa from a crime kingpin....it's a little bit different.” Jack saw my brow raise with intensity. “The Italian government knows. We do kinda coordinate these things, though the public tends to think we all hate each other.”

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  “Oh,” I said, nodding with slight affirmation, and looking at the viscous looking panther rug in front a large, dusty, flat screen TV.

  “Why don't you go pick out a room?” Jack spoke up from the kitchen.

  I remained in shock, stunned at the environment around me, forgetting myself in silence, as Jack stepped out of the kitchen, a dish towel over his shoulder and wielding a cast iron pan with olive oil drizzled inside, while manipulating a cheshire like expression. “What? You thought we'd be sleeping in the same room?”

  I could feel color simmering over my cheeks. “Uh, absolutely not!” The words fumbled out aggressively and awkwardly, a combination I had perfected, though certainly not an enticing one.

  Jack nodded, in his ever-so relaxed manner. “Shower's upstairs on the right...or left...there's more than one. Eight to be exact. Go find one, and I'll make us dinner. Deal?”

  “Deal,” I nodded, as he slipped back into the kitchen. After collecting my thoughts and cleansing myself in a fabulous marble shower, the aroma of spices and pasta helped me navigate back through the labyrinth and to the dining room, well knowing that donning solely a bathrobe was not dinner table etiquette. Jack didn't seem to mind though. In fact, he seemed to like it quite a bit, as I clasped together the top over my chest, hiding what little was showing.

  “Sorry, it's not much. I've sparingly used this place, so It hasn't been graced by many trips to the market.”

  “No,” I slurped up some delectable broth served on the side, “It's heavenly.”

  “Well, I'm glad.” Jack sat pursed in deep thought. I wanted to ask more, knowing it was finally a peaceful moment, but wasn't sure if we'd be better off just enjoying that peace either. So many questions, so little answers.

  “I'm gonna head up,” Jack said, pushing off the table and bringing his dishware to the trough sink. “It'll be a long trip tomorrow. Get some rest.”

  “Thanks,” I said, eyeing him longingly as he swiftly exited the kitchen. Could I even trust him though?

  As I finished up my meal, I explored some of the other areas around the house, enamored with their majesty, even quaintly at times. Finding my way up to my previously chosen room, I recognized Jack's muffled voice behind another door, and couldn't help but sidle up for a listen, my ear pressed lightly against the soft wood grain.

  “She is secure, I assure you, Beckman....we'll make our way to base from mark 21 at 0600 hours--”

  Beckman? I stood in thought. In adjusting my position, I slipped ever-so slightly and rubbed against the door, halting his conversation. He must have heard, as the silence was deafening.

  “Acknowledged,” he whispered, and presumably hung up, which meant it was time for me to skedaddle off to my room, hopefully unnoticed.

  As I slid into my room undetected, and closed the door behind me, I finally felt at ease, even if for a moment. The large windows before me opened onto a courtyard in the middle of the property with shadows of statues and smaller trees dancing in the moonlight. It was beautiful. The satin sheets weren't too bad either. I flopped down backwards onto the bed and found myself snug under everything, but couldn't stop thinking of Jack, wishing he was wrapped around me instead.

  At that, I drifted to sleep, falling into his embrace...

  CREAK!

  Suddenly, I was thrust back up, as if I had never slept, but the time on my phone glowed 2am, with a tap of its screen. It was the middle of the night.

  “Jack...?” I whispered. For some sinking reason...I didn't think we were alone anymore.