The Ten Dates

15. Aladdin and his Princess

"What do you think?" Jean asked waving her hand at the castle in front of us "Do you like it?"

Are you f*cking kidding me? What's not to like about this adventure? I just got dropped by a jet on a mountaintop with a huge-as$ castle standing in all its illuminated glory surrounded by the darkness of the night. Perfect. Murder. Location.

The mountains are probably filled with wild scary animals. She wouldn't have to worry about the after-murder rituals. The animals will do the deed. I should have brought Liam along. I would have at least died with the satisfaction that the ungrateful bastard doesn't get Eva either.

Just kidding. I don't think Jean will take such drastic measures......yet. I plan on behaving all nice today. The day I tell her that we wouldn't work, that could be my last day on earth. But then I'm clever so I will make sure I'm at an overcrowded supermarket with a fifty-percent discount when I do the deed. The plan's almost foolproof in my head.

"Ray?" I felt Jean's hand on my shoulder.

"Huh?" I should stop dreaming at odd times "Oh yeah it's magnificent" I told her.

"And serene" she added with a happy smile "Let's get in" she nodded at the pathway that led to the huge entrance.

"Is this even safe?" I asked walking with her "There isn't even a gatekeeper here. What if there's someone waiting with knives inside? How do you keep a tab on that if you don't have people surveying this place?"

All I asked for was a normal date from her, really. And this is what she dishes out for me. Why God why?

"It has a surveillance system connected to my office and the gates are under my control. Only I get to decide who enters through that" she replied like she had no doubt about the security "Trust me. This is safe. And I kind of sent people over to arrange things before we arrived. Does that comfort you?"

I shrugged "Not that I'm scared. I was just worried about when you come alone"

She laughed like she didn't believe me "Of course you were worried for me"

We reached the door. She started with the whole voice, iris and fingerprint recognition security to open the door that was the size of an entire wall of my house. I looked away to give her some privacy until she was done. The jet that dropped us was gone. The howl of the winds surrounding the mountains was the only sound breaking the silence of the night.

"You think I can't be worried for you?" I asked as the door parted into two and slid sideways to make way for us to enter. It shut back after us.

"I'm sure you worry for me" she turned to look at me "Just not the way I want you to" she opened her palm to me. I looked at her hand in confusion "Your coat" she said nodding at the antique looking coat-hanger.

I smiled while opening my coat and put it on the hanger myself. She withdrew her hand.

"Wow" I walked ahead looking around "This place is magnificent. I would pay to visit it. It's like a witch's castle" she raised a brow at that "Not that you are a witch. This place just looks magical" I quickly corrected myself "Did you get it built or did you buy it from someone?"

"I built it" she lifted her chin proudly "It took me six years to have this finished without dad's knowledge"

"Wow!" I whistled "That's an achievement. Your dad is not easy to fool"

"Neither am I" she fixed me with a stare which I awkwardly ducked.

"It's a good thing that you both are so clever" I said walking up to a couch and plopping down "I will have an easy life"