The Romanov Series Book #1: My Rogue Girlfriend

Chapter Twenty Three: The Problem List

Last but not at all least, Ferrer is missing and I have no idea where he could be! Now this is a big problem. I have checked back at the hotel several times but he never came back. His bags were picked by a woman. The security guys gave me a photo after a little talking to. Their language; an envelop of cash.

I don't know this woman.

I have been waiting on Katerina to call me back. She left her son in my living room. I never met the boy but I can't imagine Terrence as ash in an urn. It's thoughts of him getting hurt that make it necessary for Lorraine Hall to exist. Katerina and I have had our share of close encounters with death. Sometimes we have held on by mere strings. I don't want my son to know that side of my life yet he already knows my name.

"Finally!" I answered the phone before it rang a second longer. "Are you seriously returning my call after five days?"

"Who were you looking for?"

"Katerina."

"Ah!" She laughed. "I am not sure where she is. I'm Georgette LeBlanc."

"Is this a secure line?"

"Have I ever called you on anything less?" She actually has a French accent. No one gets into character faster than Katerina. Her superpower is to blend in. She adapts to any situation and can sell a character she made up s condos ago. I am not an actress. I don't have the patience to build up a whole new person and drop it when ordered. I'll lose myself in the hundreds of characters she has. She can make a great spy. Perhaps she is. I only made up one. Lorraine Hall and I would like to keep it. Katerina would have moved on to a new alias. Papa would call her the spy because she can manipulate her way out of anything and me the soldier because i will shoot or fight my way out if trouble. "What is wrong?"

"Did you get the picture?"

"Who did you send it too dear sister?"

"Katerina."

"I told you she's not around. Send it to me."

I slapped my forehead. An email address followed. I sent it to her. "Have you received it?"

"Ah yes! I know this one. She's soldier. Bad one."

"Papa's?"

"Oui!" She answered. "Did she take something from you?"

"Ferrer." I answered.

Katerina didn't respond. She hanged up. I wasn't going to call her back. She called me with s different number. Her number.  "Listen to me Katya. Don't pursue her."

"He has my man! Ferrer wasn't built for our world! He is a nice person!"

"Nice people evolve. Papa needs him he won't hurt him. At least not in a permanent way."

"That is not consoling!"

"No it isn't but it's true. Little sister, don't go after her. I don't want to lose you."

My papa is no way a sexist. He believes boys and girls are the same. He trains his soldiers the same way male or female. He doesn't cut anyone any slack. If Katerina thinks I won't beat this woman, then she may be right. But the depth of my love for Ferr won't allow me to sit at home and pretend everything is going to be alright.

"I don't want to lose him. It's not just his life. It's his good nature. The longer he is around papa, the higher the chances that I won't get back the man I lost. I'm going after that woman."

"You're as stubborn as an old goat. You win. I can meet you with you and help. Fairyland?"

Fairyland is our palace in Moscow.

I rubbed my temples. "I'm not... sure."

"Very well. Think about it because once you go back home, you may not return."

Papa has a bounty out on me. If I set foot in Russia, I'm dead. He did that after my dramatic escape from him that involved a little knife in his neck. I barely managed to survive when Sinclair took my son to Russia. "What makes you think she's there? She could be anywhere. Did she take Ferrer there?"

"Of course she took Ferrer to papa. Where else can he be if not in his playground?"

"Fairyland... I don't like it. What will happen to my son?"

"People are disposable. You move on. But since yours is still alive,leave him with your nice friend. Katya, tiè up any lose ends you have because you may not be coming back."

"I know."

"Three days, fairyland when the sun is in the middle. Bye."

I have a difficult task ahead of me.

I should probably say goodbye to Terrence and Kei, the only two people I care about. But I am not good in farewells. I am better off just leaving.

I got dressed to meet up with Sharon as she demanded. She picked a busy restaurant  in SoHo. I am not big on crowds especially now that papa has an agenda. I know it's bait. He took Ferrer to lure me to him. That conniving man will never stop his wicked games.

"I didn't think you would show." Anderson smirked.

"Why wouldn't I?" She stared at me and started laughing. I hate it when people laugh and I don't get the joke. It's absolutely frustrating to feel out of the loop. She reached into her bag. The blackmail file is what was put in front of me. I know how the game goes because I set the rules. In our law firm, I'm the one who blackmails. With my contacts it's easy to get dirt on people.  "What is this?"

"Incentive."

When I checked out the file, I smiled to myself. What else can I do? She picked a public restaurant because she knows who I am. "How did you find this?"

"Does it matter?"

Yes! I have to know so that I can tie up that loose end. "Give me the courtesy. This is after all the last time we are sitting across from each other." All the colour drained from her face. I'm not threatening her. But if she prefers to think it, it's not my fault. She pushed a torn piece of paper my way. I nodded when I read the name. ",What do you want Anderson?"

"I want the law firm. I respect you for putting up an act for this long and fooling everyone along the way. I will give you your cut. In exchange, leave and don't come back. It's that simple."

I loved being a lawyer.

Deep inside, it was my way of trying to make up for my dark deeds. I imagined myself as Lorraine Hall, a woman who upholds the law. A law abiding citizen. It's crumbling if not all gone. She's gone. "Write me a check."

"Done." She placed one in front of me.

"No hard feelings." I assured her. "Good day."

Lorraine Hall is dead.

Now it's back to the default setting. Katya Romanov.