Page 19 of Croatia Collateral
With Fearghas and Peter on either side of them, they left the building, climbed into the waiting vehicle and said hello to Dmytro, their driver.
Minutes later, the four of them exited the car and entered a high-end men’s clothing store.
While Giva and an attendant combed through expensive trousers, shirts and undergarments, Dax stripped in the dressing room and tried on whatever they brought him.
One by one, he stepped out of the room for Giva’s approval. He started with the trousers, coming out wearing only a pair of beautifully tailored black slacks, no shirt and bare feet.
Giva found the man attractive, fully clothed. Seeing him half naked like she had the previous night had her blood burning through her veins.
She gulped, hoping to swallow the rising tide of desire rushing to the surface. Now wasn’t the time to lose focus. They were short on time and had much to do in preparation.
They settled on two pairs of dark trousers and a pair of khaki pants. When he matched shirts with the trousers, she stood and helped him with the buttons at the cuffs. Jolts of electricity ripped through her whenever her skin brushed against his.
Giva retreated to the viewing chair and let him secure his own buttons before she made a fool of herself in front of him.
After selecting trousers, three button-down long-sleeve dress shirts and a blazer, she added a couple of polo shirts and a single necktie. Before they were done, she insisted on a black leather belt, black leather shoes and a pair of casual deck shoes. She wasn’t sure how long he’d be meeting with the Nexus Collective and didn’t want to scramble to find additional clothes.
She paid extra to have the seamstress on staff make a few alterations while they waited.
“On our way in, I noticed a ladies’ boutique next door.” Dax gave her a pointed look. “Your turn.”
“I have enough outfits that will fit the bill,” Giva protested.
He shook his head. “Are they new or hand-me-downs?”
She wanted to tell him they were fine but knew he would see through her words. “Not new.”
“Would your person be caught dead in second-hand clothes?” Dax asked.
“Oh, hell no,” Giva sighed.
“We have to wait for the seamstress to finish my alterations,” he pointed out. “Besides, you promised to try on clothes if I did.”
“Fine,” she said less graciously. “We’ll go next door.”
Dax reached the front entrance of the men’s clothing store, passed through the door, and held it for Giva.
She held her head high, very Sasha-like and walked through with confidence and an air of entitlement she’d seen on Sasha’s face in the photographs.
Fearghas and Peter stood guard on either side of the entrance, wearing sunglasses and black jackets. They didn’t blend into their surroundings at all. Which was exactly what they’d aimed for. Visual deterrence was half the battle of protecting someone.
Giva entered the ladies’ clothing store and headed straight for the trousers, blouses and matching blazers.
Dax stopped in front of a mannequin wearing a shiny royal blue, silky sheath.
“Sasha, sweetheart, you’d look amazing in this.”
“I don’t need a dress,” Giva grumbled. After selecting a handful of pants, blouses and light-weight sweaters, she marched into the changing room.
An attendant valiantly tried to catch up to the woman on a mission and finally did when Giva needed to go into one of the changing rooms.
The woman took the items from Giva, hung them inside the spacious room, and smiled. “If you need a different size, I can get that for you,” she offered in heavily accented English. “Your husband can sit outside the door.”
Giva bit down on her tongue to keep from saying he’s not my husband. “Thank you.”
She closed the door, stripped and pulled on cream-colored trousers, and paired them with a black, sleeveless silk shell. After a quick glance in the mirror, she stepped out of the stall.
Dax sat in a white leather chair directly across from the room where she’d changed.
