Honor Among Thieves

Like her mother had promised, the Valli's summer home in Barcelona was spectacular. It was a massive property built high up, where Ari felt she could see the all of Spain through those giant glass windows. When the sun hit just right, the view was breathtaking. She stood by the window for a bit, fingers twirling her freshly-curled dark hair around her finger. Her mother was upstairs somewhere, getting ready to go out that night with Ari's father, who'd been lounging on the stark white couches in the living room, checking emails.

Ari turned when his phone rang, watching him read the message on the display and frown at whatever was sent to him. Different emotions flashed across his face. Confusion, anger, frustration... He stood up a little suddenly, stuffing the phone back into his pocket. When he noticed Ari watching him with surprise, he smiled at her.

"Everything okay, Dad?" she asked.

"With you here?" he chuckled, taking a few steps forward to put his hands on his daughter's shoulders and lean forward to kiss her forehead. "Everything is wonderful. Not a minute goes by every day that I don't miss my little girl, you know. Take some time off work and school. Come visit Papa Valli every now and then."

Ari wasn't completely convinced that everything was okay, but smiled back at him. She knew better than to ask too many questions. "Dad, it's law school, not middle school. I work in city hall. It's not something I can just walk away from. I'm aiming for Washington, not the divorce court."

"I know, I know," he said. "I'm just glad you could be here-"

He was interrupted by the phone ringing again, and he bitterly checked the message again with a frustrated sigh.

"Dad, you shouldn't be this stressed while you're on vacation," Ari said.

"I'm not stressed, just a little frustrated with Alonso is all."

"Alonso, as in the guy who taught me how to throw a punch when I was six?" Ari raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know you still worked with him. I thought you said you let him go because he made you look shady."

Her father's smile wavered for a moment, as if realizing that Ari just heard something she wasn't supposed to, but she didn't notice. He cleared his throat and kissed the top of her head again, just as her mother came down the stairs and saved him from that awkward situation.

"Are you sure you don't want to come shopping, Ari?" her mother asked, fixing the floppy hat resting on top of her head.

"Yeah, I'll stay here," Ari nodded. "I'm still pretty jet lagged. And it's Martini Monday. You know how it is."

"You'll be alright alone?" her father asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm a grown woman, I think I'll be okay," Ari laughed. "Besides, I've Marcus here, plus the muscle you brought with you on your own fight. What was his name? Clark? The one who thinks I didn't hear him when he called me a spoiled brat."

"Be nice," her father warned. "We'll tell you where to meet us for dinner."

"Sounds great. Have fun."

She watched as her mother and father left, leaving her alone in the silence of the home. While she was aware that Marcus was outside and Clark was staying out of sight, out of mind upstairs, she still felt a little lonely. It was such a big house, with more space than she needed. She probably wouldn't be able to see the whole thing before the week was over.

She sighed and walked to the bar in kitchen, fixing the halter strap of her swimsuit and fishing what she needed out of the liquor cabinet. She'd been dying to go to the pool all day, but she ended up indoors instead, telling her parents all about law school, her job, and the life of being a runaway bride. In her opinion, marriage was a life contract. A business deal. She didn't love Evan Moreau in the least, but he was the perfect businessman. That's what scared her. She wanted to be on top of the world, not just seen as "Evan's wife". She intended on making Arista Valli a household name. The woman who changed the world. All this hit her like a brick a mere month before the wedding. Despite her custom-order gown and the thousand invites that had already been sent out, Ari would much rather had died than walked down that aisle to sell her soul and live in Evan's shadow forever.

No one understood her like Marcus did. She doubted that anyone ever would. While her failed engagement was the biggest scandal for a week or two, it seemed that Marcus was the only one who didn't look down upon her decision. In fact, he sat with her and downed glasses of the wedding's signature drink: A martini garnished with raspberries and blackberries. In fact, it was the drink she ended up making for herself in the kitchen. Martini Monday.

She took her drink outside where Marcus was lying on a pool chair, flipping through some nerdy Sci-Fi book while the afternoon sun warming his bones. Compared to the city, Barcelona's weather was a thing of perfection for Marcus and Ari. She sat down on the edge of his chair and sipped her martini, kicking off her flip flops.

"You're going to get a farmer's tan if you keep your shirt on, you know," she told him.

"I'm not going swimming, and you know that," Marcus told her, not looking up from the book. "Even if I wanted to, you remember what happened the last time I strained my knee. I was limping for days. I spent years in a wheelchair, and I am not going through that hell again."

"Yeah, yeah, my military man and his battle wounds," Ari rolled her eyes. "What about the hot tub? You can do that, can't you?"

"You enjoy yourself. I'll hang out from here."

Ari sighed and set the drink down on the side table to stand up and untie the wrap over her swimsuit. She caught Marcus looking, but she couldn't blame him. Even if he was her best friend, he was still a guy. And the swimsuits Ari owned tended to leave little to the imagination. She fixed the strap again and looked down at herself, thinking for a moment. She wondered if Marcus knew more about her father's business than she did. She wouldn't have been surprised. If Marcus wasn't with her, he was with Paul Valli.

"Marcus, remember when you promised me that you would answer every question I have with the complete and utter truth?" Ari asked.

"Of course," he answered.

"Well, I have a question," she announced.

"Ask away," Marcus smirked.

"Alright. And be completely and brutally honest," she started, locking eye contact with him. "Does this swimsuit make my ass look huge? In a bad way, I mean."

She tried not to giggle when a violent blush spread across Marcus's face, and he broke eye contact for a moment before awkwardly clearing his throat and responding. "Is there a wrong answer to this question?"

"No, there isn't," Ari said. "I'm serious."

"Complete and honest truth?" Marcus raised an eyebrow, finally looking up again. "I think you look great. And that the lifting is paying off."

"Thanks," she beamed. "My trainer thinks so, too. On the other hand, my mother said I was getting a little chubby. I was scared that I'd been stress eating without realizing it."

Marcus rolled his eyes as she picked up the martini and stepped into the hot tub near him, leaning on the deck and resting her chin in her hand.

"Tell me about your girlfriend," she said.

"There isn't much to tell," Marcus said. "She doesn't exist."

"Yes she does," Ari protested. "You can tell when a man only has eyes for one woman. And I see it in your eyes."

"Ari, if there was a woman in my life, you would know," he chuckled. "Out of 365 days in a year, only about 72 hours of it is spent away from you. And in those 72 hours, I'm probably visiting my mother."

"Your mother and some cutie from your hometown?" Ari pushed.

"My mother, and my four sisters," Marcus reassured her. "I already have too many women in my life. I am in no need of another one."

"Come on, Marcus," Ari begged. "Please tell me? I know there's someone."

"Fine," he gave in. "There isn't someone now, but there used to be. She was a little bit of a handful, but I guess that's what made me want to be around her, even if she rarely took notice of me."

"What happened to her?" Ari asked.

"She chose someone else," Marcus shrugged. "Chose to marry him. Reality hit after that, I guess. There was really no way we could have been together, anyways."

"Well, she's missing out. You're a wonderful, wonderful person," Ari smiled. "I'm lucky to call you my best friend."

Marcus paused for a moment, then smirked, shaking his head. As close as he and Ari were, he knew that she didn't understand him like he understood her. Not that she had any blame. If Marcus wasn't hired muscle, he would've made it big as an actor. Ari was simply oblivious to it all, sipping away at that martini and poking at the blackberries with a toothpick.

They were both casually lounging about when Paul Valli's security, Clark, came outside. Clark was a little younger than Marcus was. Marcus had only met him once or twice apart from this trip, but from what he could tell, it was very hard to like the guy. He was bitter and bold in his words. Ari wasn't a big fan either. She wasn't a fan of anyone that hated her. And Clark definitely hated her. Clark looked from Marcus to Ari to the empty Martini glass in her hand.

"Get your clothes back on," he ordered. "Marcus, I need a word with you in the driveway."

"Hey now, you can't tell her what to do," Marcus spoke up, defending Ari.

"By request of her father, I definitely can," Clark said, annoyed. "I need to speak with you, and she doesn't need to be out here while I'm doing that."

"It's fine, Marcus," Ari said, getting out and wrapping a towel around herself. "I should get out before I get wrinkly and gross anyways."

Clark looked from her to Marcus again, nodding towards the door. Marcus raised an eyebrow at him, still having yet to close the book. "What's the hurry, kid? I'll get up when I get up."

"It's important," Clark asserted impatiently.

"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to isolate me so you can take me out," Marcus said slowly.

Ari watched as the look on Clark's face changed slightly, though she wasn't sure how to read it. Marcus just shook his head and chuckled, closing the book and standing.

"Relax, Clark. I was kidding," he said, rolling his eyes. "I'll be back in a minute, Ari. Try not to die in that time."

"I'll try my best, captain," she said, saluting him.

He saluted back with a lopsided grin before following Clark out into the driveway. Ari went back upstairs to her room, changing into a pretty and breezy blue dress. Since she had time, she touched up her makeup and took a curling iron to her hair, fixing herself up for dinner later that night. Who knows? She could meet someone she needed to impress at any moment.