Chapter 18 Anton #2
When all that’s done and I hang up, Natalya appears at the top of the stairs.
The outfit she’s chosen, tight jeans and a white T-shirt that I can see the pattern of her bra through, looks really good on her.
Her hourglass figure compliments this simple outfit, making something so rudimentary look like sex on legs.
Her hair is up in a ponytail and she’s barefoot.
Of all the thoughts that come to mind the moment I see her, I also think that she looks like she belongs right where she’s standing.
“That sounded important,” she says as she walks down the stairs.
“Somewhat. Somebody has to clean up this mess and take care of the clothes in the car.”
She tilts her head as she looks up at me. “You could’ve done all that.”
“Not likely,” I tell her. “Are you hungry? I can fix us something to eat.”
“That would be lovely.”
We go into the kitchen and start cooking breakfast while she sits at the kitchen table, tracing a finger along the pattern in the lacy tablecloth. “So, I guess you haven’t gotten around to doing any redecorating.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Why wouldn’t you? I mean, I imagine you want to keep it all this way to honor your Pakhan and all, but don’t you want this place to feel more like… I don’t know, you?”
“Who says this isn’t me?”
I glance over at her to see her raising an eyebrow as she lifts up a corner of the lacy tablecloth. I chuckle.
“All right, maybe a little redecorating is in order,” I say. “When I have time.”
I bring the plates of food over to her. It’s nothing fancy, scrambled eggs, toast, and orange juice. Nothing special. She digs in hungrily, stabbing at the eggs with voracity.
“This is really good,” she says through a mouthful of food.
“Thank you.”
“Is this indicative of your cooking skill? Can I expect more while I’m here?”
“Maybe,” I tell her. “I have help come in and handle most of this stuff, though. Dinner and lunch will more than likely be prepared by someone else.”
She nods and chews, the delicate skin of her cheeks turning rosy from the sudden rush of nutrition. “So, it sounds like you’ll be busy with business all day. What’s there to do around this giant castle while you’re away?”
I have to sit back and think. I’ve only fully explored this place once. Mikki might’ve said something about a sauna somewhere, but I can’t be sure. “Mikki might be better to ask that question than me.”
She raises her eyebrows. “Seriously? You live here. Don’t you know?”
“No. You have seen how big this place is, haven’t you? I’m afraid if I did do some exploring, I’d have to bring a map and a guide.”
“Touche’,” she says, laughing. “Well, I guess I’ll do a little exploring while you work.”
“I had better not find a single thing out of place.”
She gives me a coy smile and says, “Yes, Daddy.”
A chill runs up my spine and I smile back. I finish my orange juice and say, “I’ve got a little time before I have to do some errands. Come on. Let’s play a game.”
I stand up and put my hand out. She takes it, a playful smile on her face as I lead her out of the kitchen.
We walk through the halls until we get to my study.
Here, I’ve been a few times since I moved in.
Somehow, it’s the quietest room in the house.
It’s an old place, so even when there’s no one here, I usually hear sounds of the wood settling or the window whistling against the windows.
In this room, however, it’s so quiet I can hear a pin drop.
She walks in behind me and looks around at the wall of books on the shelf on the south side of the room.
The ceilings are high and the shelf goes all the way to the top.
At the end of the bookshelf is a ladder that you can climb on to get at the books near the ceiling.
There’s a writing desk on one end of the room, couches by the window, a fireplace near the couches, and on the other side of the room is the reason we’ve come in here.
“Over here,” I tell her, leading her to the large stone chessboard in front of the fireplace. She follows and her smile falters.
“Oh,” she says. “You literally wanted to play a game.”
I pull out the chair to offer her a seat. She sits and I take the chair on the other side. “Have you ever played?”
She shakes her head. “I’d say I was more of a checkers girl, but I’ve never really played that either. Being an only child, there wasn’t a lot of opportunity to play board games at my house.”
“Hmm. Your father should have at least taught you. It’s a valuable game to know how to play.”
“Is it?”
“It’s all about strategy and patience. This was the first game I learned to play that didn’t involve gambling.”
She smiles softly at me. “Was it your father who taught you?”
“Maksim. Once he decided to train me to be his successor, this was the first thing he ever taught me. This game was my first lesson in how to run a brigade and how to run my Bratva. I first learned how to plan steps ahead of my opponent.”
Her eyes are shining with interest. “You make it sound like more than just a game.”
“To me, that’s exactly what it is.”
I start to show her how to play. I name the pieces and show her how they move.
She watches everything with rapt interest, keeping her eyes on my hands.
As we start to play, I note how quickly she catches on.
Pretty soon, she manages to get a move away from putting me in check.
I smile as I look at the positions of the pieces in front of me.
“Why do I feel like I’ve been hustled?” I ask her. She just shrugs. “Hmm. You know how much I hate it when you tease me, Devushka.”
She wiggles a little in her seat. “I like to keep things interesting. What can I say?”
“That you have done well,” I say. I move my queen across the board, locking her king in place. “Checkmate.”
She looks at the board, her eyes darting over the pieces. “I didn’t even see that.”
“Always watch your back in battle. All your focus was on my king. You forgot my queen was still in play.”
She gives me a sideways smile and says, “I want a rematch.”
“Mmm.” I look at my watch. The morning is almost over. I need to get going if I’m going to be back here by dinnertime. “Later. I have to get going.”
“Oh, come on. One more game. I’ll make it worth your while.”
I feel the cool touch of her toes against my pants leg under the table. Her foot moves all the way up my thigh, pressing against the half-asleep beast in my trousers. “That would take more time from me that I can spare, my darling.”
“Not necessarily.” She moves her foot up and down slowly. The pressure of her foot through the fabric is enough to get me going. I grab her foot to stop her.
“You take far too much pleasure in tormenting me, Little One.”
She just smiles and wiggles her toes against my zipper. “Come on, Daddy. One more game? Please?”
I stand up and walk around the table, then I take her by the hand and pull her to her feet, wrapping my arms around her waist, kissing her. To hell with it. To hell with everything. All I want right now is her bent over this couch—
My phone buzzes in my pocket as she bites my lip. Her hands are against my chest, nails digging into me through my shirt.
It buzzes again and it brings me back down to earth. I take her hands and push her away gently. “I have to answer this.”
She stands by while I pull out my phone. To my shock, it’s Nickolai Novikoff. I stare at it for another ring before I answer it.
“Hello?”
“Anton. We need to talk.”
“So, talk.” I step away from Natalya. The change in my voice is evident, even to her. She’s staring at me with her big, frightened blue eyes.
“Not over the phone. Let’s meet somewhere neutral.”
I pause. “There’s nothing for us to discuss, Nikolai. You know that.”
“Oh, I think we have plenty to discuss. Meet me at Christ’s Cathedral. One hour.”
He hangs up and I’m left confused… and stunned. What game is he playing?
“I have to go,” I say to Natalya. “Several people will be coming by while I’m gone to clean up the mess and bring in your clothes. You’ll know them because they will tell you that Iggy sent them. If anyone else shows up at the door without giving you that message, do not let them in.”
She nods. “And Mikki. What about him? Should I check on him?”
“Please. Tell him Iggy wants to see him as soon as possible and make sure he eats something. He likes to starve himself when he’s been injured. It’s very annoying.”
She chuckles, but it’s a high, nervous sound. I start to leave and she stops me with a touch on my arm. “When will you be back?”
I don’t know. I don’t know if this is Nikolai’s moment to take me out or what. All I know is that if I don’t go, he’ll come here. That’s the last thing I want.
“Before sundown,” I tell her. “Keep yourself busy while I’m away.”
I turn, but she steps in my path and kisses me. It’s a quick kiss, just a gentle pressing of her lips on mine. “For luck,” she says.
“For luck,” I repeat. I’ll need it.