Sonata (Butcher and Violinist 2)

“Hmm.” Natalie nodded. “Okay.”

“I was just wondering, if I could talk to him privately.” Emily gave her a weak smile. “I’m sorry. This is your apartment and—”

“Oh no. Go ahead and use my room.”

I eyed Emily.

Emily walked inside. “Thanks so much. We won’t be long.”

“Girl, take all the time you need.” Natalie sighed. “You both have a lot to talk about.”

It was in that moment, where I realized Natalie still thought I’d gotten Emily pregnant. Natalie and the baby left, before I could throw in an explanation.

Whatever. It’s better than her thinking I’ve kidnapped Emily.

I followed the Mouse into the bedroom. “What did you want to talk about?”

She paced back and forth. “What’s your plan after this is over?”

“Oh. You want to have a brainstorming session with me?”

She stopped and stared. “You’re going to try and kill Kazimir.”

“Why would I tell you my thoughts?” I asked.

“I had a few days of peace with Kazimir. I want that to continue.”

“I agree. There’s nothing more that I want, than to reunite with Eden, and spend lazy days with her.” I placed my hands in my pocket. “But a smart man would say that Kazimir is now motivated to retaliate. What are your thoughts?”

The Mouse returned to pacing. “It doesn’t have to be this way. It was kind of a misunderstanding. There doesn’t have to be war.”

“I was thinking that would be an acceptable excuse too, but when Kazimir started shooting the rocket launcher, I figured I’d taken it too far.”

She rubbed her face. “This is going to get ugly.”

“As war gets.”

She mumbled something under her breath.

“Why did you want to talk?” I asked.

She shook her head and walked around the room, taking in the things on the wall. Natalie must’ve had an obsession for ballet.

Ballerinas covered almost every inch of the space—posters and dolls. Ceramic figurines and tons of books on the craft.

Emily stared at the massive poster over Natalie’s bed and frowned.

I looked at the poster. It was Kazimir’s ex-girlfriend, Olesya—the ballerina. On a highly decorated stage, she balanced on her toes. A man in tights held her waist.

What was interesting, was that Natalie, had tapped a picture of a crown, on top of the head of the one lonesome black ballerina far off on the side of the stage. That ballerina had smiled with her back arched, and hands high above her hands.

Emily walked over to the other side of the room and stared at Natalie’s bookshelf.

A porcelain black ballerina covered the dresser. On the other bookshelf was a collection of worn out ballerina shoes with dates written in marker on the bottoms.

The Mouse studied the ballet shoes. “Sometimes I wish life was this simple.”

“Like Natalie’s life?”

“Maybe.”

“I’m sure Natalie has had some hardships.” I gestured to the mountain of diapers in the corner and the basket full of scattered toys.

The Mouse looked in that area. Her hands shook. “Good point.”

“We all must deal with shit.”

She stared at me. “And now, Kazimir will be your shit.”

“He will, but why do you care? You’ve been around him. I’m sure you’re confident in the Lion.”

“A smart person doesn’t go to war, unless they’re confident that they’ll win.”

“You don’t think Kazimir is guaranteed to win against me?”

“I think that it’s not smart to go to war at all.” She placed her hands on her hips. “And I’ve been watching you.”

I gave her a weary smile. “Many do, but where is this going?”

“We exchange the women, safely,” she said, as if she wasn’t one of the women. As if she was going to help coordinate the plan. “But how does everyone get out without the other side killing each other?”

“You don’t think a pinky promise will work?”

She blinked. “Are you always this sarcastic?”

“When I haven’t slept and have gone through the roughest fears in my life…yes.”

“You can’t just meet Kazimir at the location.” She sighed. “Let me go to him on my own, and I can get Eden safely back to you, while making sure that no one has to look over their shoulder.”

I frowned.

“Okay. This sounds crazy, but you have to trust me. I can talk to Kazimir. If I am with him, Eden will go back—”

“I don’t trust people, I don’t know. Why would I trust you?”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Jean-Pierre, there will be a moment today, where you’ll need to trust me. If I get to Kazimir before you, then I can make sure that you all get out safely. I just want that same promise for Kazimir and me, when we leave Paris.”

“You won’t get to Kazimir before I do.”

“If I do?”

“Then, I would be impressed—”

“And you would let me and Kazimir leave France safely?”

I couldn’t believe I was even considering the conversation. I wouldn’t let her go until the exchange. Still, I went with it. “Kazimir would have to behave the whole way to the airport. No more of my men killed.”