With Roses Come Thorns

Reese drove up the winding road that led to the estate near the edge of the cliff. Redwoods loomed on both sides of the road stretching up into the sky and as she took the bends; they seemed to be closer than from where they stood.

It had been cool when she stepped into her car to head on up there but she knew when she got out at the top, the heat would rub against her face already. She hadn't heard from Dallas but knowing him, he'd beaten her to the estate already and probably started talking with its grounds manager.

That's the way it had always been with him.

He had to lead, everyone had to follow or get out of the way but he'd always trusted her to watch her back on an assignment. Even now, as annoying as he could be he knew he'd do his best to keep her safe. But be damn infuriating at the same time.

She had walked out of Serena's after her appointment and sat in the car for a while trying to get herself together to head on back home. After getting inside the house, she just collapsed on her bed to rest and next thing she knew sunlight was streaming in her window and she had to rush out of bed and get into the shower. She had to slip into her clothing, grab a simple breakfast and head out the door.

At least there hadn't been any dreams, none that she remembered and the morning sun had shown from the other side of her on towards the ocean which shimmered like a mirror that morning with the low tides.

She and Dallas would be pretty much on their own at the estate. There might be some people hired to work there and an estate manager but they'd be working closely together. She wondered how that would go and how long it would take them to disagree on something, No, she planned to keep her head down and just do the work and pocket the extra pay when she finished. She didn't know what she planned to do with it like the rest of her life but it'd provide her some cushion to what she'd created. After all, how long she'd stay in the village she hadn't decided but it'd definitely be a while whether Dallas liked it or not.

The gate loomed ahead, hard rod iron with elegant concrete walls, and she stopped in front of it and looked over at the monitor eye level with her car before punching in the code to activate the call box to identify herself and why she was here along with passing along some silly code word to prove her identity.

She heard the whirring of the gate opening and after it gave her plenty of berth, she drove in and went to park her car next to Dallas' car. Up ahead, she saw him in his jeans and faded chambray shirt talking to some guy so she got out of her car and walked right up to them.

They stood in a grassy area that looked impressive in scope leading right to where the cliff ended. A pool and Jacuzzi were not too far away fenced in for privacy and boasting a waterfall spilling over the rocks and a cabana. The file of photos they had received had provided quite a bit of detail at least outside of the residence.

"Hey Reese I see you made it here…"

She just shot a sharp look at Dallas, masking it with a smile

"How long have you been here?"

"About ten minutes…Carlos here was just telling us about some of the schematics of the work they need done."

She stood listening as Carlos described a wonderland of different sectioned off areas of flora and other plants that would mirror different environments, including rain forest which they already had, tropic which would be more difficult and desert…that sounded nearly impossible without climate control measures.

Dallas looked over at her.

"I told Carlos that some of what he asked for could be quite complicated and expensive but he insists…"

Carlos who dressed in black cut a pretty imposing figure just there looking the part.

"The man I work for has a very specific plan for this estate," he said, "You see he's a bit homesick for where he's from and this was to e a very special retreat for him."

"I see," Reese said, "Well maybe we can walk the property and see what special needs will need to be taken care of first. It's very impressive by the way."

Carlos nodded.

"Yes, my boss looked far and wide for this property," he said, "He's just been notified of its purchase. His name's Gunthor and he's originally from the Ukraine but he owns properties everywhere."

Reese and Dallas looked at each other.

"Sounds interesting," Dallas said, "Will he be here to inspect the work?"

Carlos nodded.

"He's involved in an intricate business transaction right now but it should be wrapping up soon," he said, "Then he'll be flying here to set up."

"What type of work does he do," Reese asked.

"He's an importer," Carlos said, "He deals with the acquisition and disposal of merchandise."

Reese knit her brow that sounded rather generic but as long as she was paid for the work, no need to ask too many questions. She looked over at Dallas and he seemed to be studying Carlos carefully, his face neutral.

"Okay, I'll take you on a tour of the grounds now and you'll see what needs to be done in three dimensions."

Both Dallas and Reese fell in behind Carlos as they started walking.

Reese collapsed underneath a sprawling tree with her lunch. Damn she felt tired and the heat seared the air around her, air that had already been soaked by the ocean breeze leaving it muggy. Dallas had taken off his shirt while they'd been working on preparing one area to plant perennials for a Mediterranean section, and as always, he proved to be a damn impressive sight. She had to keep herself from staring at his muscular build but doing like just wasn't an option for her.

The tour of the grounds itself had been impressive. The acreage loomed widely and as they thought, ended at the jagged peaks of the cliff, creating an eye dropping view of the beaches below, and the waves that curled up. There had been an old tennis court, with cracked pavement and rusted fencing that would be ripped out and replaced by a facility more suited for martial arts and boxing than hitting a tennis ball back and forth over a net. It seemed that Gunthor had been a fighter of Olympic caliber some years back and still punched a bag and sparred to keep fit.

The pool area would have its landscaping touched up to include a plethora of bright colors from tropical flowers that she thought with some coaxing and tender care might grow in the climate. But most of what looked almost like wilderness in some places would be untouched though Gunthor had requested some manicured plots of roses surrounding a fountain.

That certainly was doable and Dallas had called the nursery to start ordering some of the plants that would be part of the landscaping. Reese just took a notepad and started mapping out different areas into grids to transfer to a computer software program later on.

And then they had started preparing a plot closest to the house…working closely together but keeping their thoughts to themselves. Reese kept thinking back to her appointment with Serena when she had put words to what had happened to someone else the first time.

Someone who listened until she had finished totally exhausted and barely aware that she still sat in the office and hadn't been transferred over a thousand miles away. But she felt better now and she set to work, sweating up a storm as she started shoveling the first plot closest to the mansion.

She wondered about it, how many rooms it had and who would live inside of it with its new owner. Did Gunthor have a wife and kids that would call that place home or would he house a clandestine mistress or two keeping his private life a secret from his family? Neither would shock her but she looked at the stony walls up to the windows on the second floor. She imagined that it looked majestic inside the walls, with all kinds of rooms and corridors.

After all, it had cost a pretty penny.

"Hey you are breaking all ready?"

Dallas who carried a layer of dirt on him that caked on his arms walked towards her, his chest gleaming with perspiration and lightly haired. She looked up at him.

"I'm just fueling myself for this afternoon," she said, "I thought I might get the plot dug and ready to be turned over with some fertilizer tomorrow and then take another look at the pool area."

He arched his brow.

"Intend to take a dip?"

She just wrinkled her brow at him.

"Dallas, I'm here to work just like you," she said, "So I'd appreciate it if you'd get off my case."

He pursed his lips.

"I'm just passing along that this Gunthor guy sounds like he wants most of the work done before he arrives."

She folded her arms.

"It'll be done if you spend time working and not getting on me."

His mouth quirked.

"Haven't done that in a while," he said, "but okay, you check out the pool. I'll map the fountain."

She nodded and then watched as he walked away and she saw him go back to talk to Carlos who'd left them alone most of the time, only occasionally checking on them. She wondered about him too, but she'd be too busy working to do much more than engage in idle curiosity.

Rodrigo looked up at Milan after getting off the phone.

"That's a new player in the auction," he said, "He's going to bid high enough to end it."

Milan smiled.

"You mean over $1.5 million?"

Rodrigo nodded, looking down at a photo of Reese or Rita as she'd called herself back then, of her on his bed, wearing skimpy lingerie with her legs splayed open.

"He owns over 100 brothels throughout Europe and Asia," Rodrigo said, "but he's not decided what he'll do with her if he wins."

Milan leaned against the doorway, folding his thick arms.

"Does it matter as long as she's spending the rest of her miserable life as someone's whore?"

Rodrigo frowned back at his lieutenant. Yes, he wanted her to pay for what she'd done to him but this guy…he hadn't known he'd want to throw a huge wad of money for a woman like her. It didn't make sense he'd just lock her up in some whorehouse somewhere unless instead…maybe he planned to keep her for himself.

"This guy's hard on his women," he said, "She won't last very long."

Milan chuckled.

"Isn't that the way that you like it," he said, "So what if he does win her?"

Rodrigo drummed his fingers on the desk.

"That's not all of what he told me," he said, "I did share with him that the merchandise wasn't currently in our possession but was in…transit and he said not to worry about it, to leave the acquisition up to him."

Milan shook his head.

"You mean he wants to track her down."

Rodrigo nodded.

"Said that's part of the fun for him," he said, "And his bid…it's double the current price and it's probably going to be enough."

Milan shrugged his shoulder.

"He buys her, he finds her, he makes sure she gets fucked the rest of her life," he said, "it seems that your problems are gone in one sweep."

Rodrigo nodded as if to agree but inside his mind, he didn't feel so sure.