Her Empire

Chapter 3

Anatonia

Imake it back to the mansion and I know things are different. Posy and Natale don’t leave their room all weekend, and Capo tells me that Natale ended Posy’s fear. I wanted to do it for her, and for him, but he chose to do it while I was away. I’ve spent the last two days trying to forget about Vitaly. He’s an enemy. I don’t know which Bratva he’s with, but I do know he’s a hired killer. A hitman. He didn’t tell me that, his tattoos did. Everything on his body tells his story. He’s been in prison a couple times. He went to jail before he was eighteen. He commands respect from his tattoos.

My judgement was completely off. But I can’t regret it. It was the best experience of my life that I’ll never forget. Every time he took me after the first time, he commanded my body. He gave me pleasure before he took his own. He played my body like a piano. We never talked about ourselves beyond our crosses. He never questioned me about my breakdown in the shower.

The doorbell ringing causes me to stop that train of thought, and I make my way to the door. Domino and another officer are standing on the other side.

“Hello, Anatonia,” Domino says. I nod at him. “Can we come in?” he asks with the respect due to this household.

“We need to come in,” the other officer says, and I turn stone eyes toward him.

“What is your business?”

“We need to speak to Natale,” Domino says.

I step back and allow them in. Taking in the fact that this other officer is using Domino. He knew we wouldn’t let him past the front door otherwise. I lead them to the kitchen where Capo and Maria are.

Maria excuses herself to go get Natale, and the other officer is staring Capo down. My body is tight and ready to knock his knees from under him. Make him respect this man. But I can’t do that. We have to hide in plain sight.

When Maria returns, she gets them both coffees. I don’t offer hospitality. I’m here for one reason, and I know my job is going to become more difficult. This other cop is here to cause problems. I can tell from the way he is taking everything in.

Natale and Posy enter the room. Domino introduces the officer as Grant Taylor. Taylor tries to get Natale to incriminate himself in the death of Officer Lackey, but he doesn’t. He asks Officer Taylor what proof he has of his involvement. That’s the thing, he doesn’t have anything.

I’m not disappointed when Taylor, against Domino’s suggestion, arrests Natale for the murder of Brian Lackey, the police officer who assaulted Posy. He has no proof, but he’s making an example of Natale. As Natale is led away, I stand at Posy’s side, letting him know I will protect her in his absence.

As soon as the door closes behind them, we are in motion.

Posy looks at us. “I promise I will make this right,” she says.

“You can do this.” I assure her.

As the day goes on, we get updates from Natale’s attorney that Officer Taylor has been denying him the ability to see Natale with different excuses. He won’t allow Domino in to see him either. Domino calls us to say he has some information but will need to check it out before he can confirm it. He’ll be by in the morning with it.

I spend the time keeping Posy calm. Security is on alert, checking the premises and assuring Capo we will get through this. As the sun sets, I stand at the window in my room of the mansion and think of everything that happened with Vitaly. It’s only been three days but it already feels like it was too long. This is what every day is going to be like from now on. Memories of him and craving him.

I’ll never see Vitaly again.

I can’t see him because I can’t confront the real reason he’s watching me. If I deny it, it can’t be true. But in my heart, I let the thoughts of him through for just a moment while I’m alone. I don’t know how long I’ve been standing here, but I realize full darkness has fallen. The moon full and bright. I make out a vehicle sitting down the block. I know in my body it’s him. Just like I know in my soul that this isn’t going to end well.

Why is he back?

I don’t think, I just move. My legs leading me to him. The man I crave.

The house is silent as everyone sleeps, and I know for a brief bit Posy will be safe.

I’m dressed in a pair of black leggings and a black sweater. I slip out the door past the guards who don’t pay any attention to me. I make my way to the wall near where he’s parked. Standing back from the wall, I run at it. Using some of my parkour skills, I leverage against it and pull myself up and over. I silently drop to the other side a bit behind his car. I make my way to the driver’s door. He hasn’t seen me in the side mirror.

It’s been years since I’ve had to use these skills, but I haven’t lost them. I pull my gun from my ankle holster and yank the door open.

“What are you doing here?” I demand as I point the gun at his neck.

He strikes at my abdomen, but I twist into the back door away from him. He jumps out of the car. His body springing like a leopard. He yanks my gun from me and drops it on the driver’s seat. He doesn’t expect my other hand to come up with a knife pressed to his carotid.

“Kotenok, don’t make me hurt you,” he growls. His body between my legs pressing me into the door.

“I’d kill you before you made a move, Vitaly. Why are you here?”