Deceiving Dexter

Chapter Thirteen - Another Day At The Office

Natalia’s POV

‘Hi, Welcome to Klara’s, what would you like?’ I politely greeted the girl across the counter.

The girl couldn’t have been much older than me, her dark down hair in curls down to her shoulders, and sweet smile on her lips.

‘The biggest Cappuccino you’ve got’ she smiled, pulling her purse out of her handbag.

‘Been that kind of day?’ I asked her as I rung it up in the cash register.

‘Yep, I am in great need for a coffee fix,’ she admitted happily.

‘That’s $3.95,’ I told her and she handed me the change.

'Is that a russian accent?' she asked and i nodded.

'Yes, my family is russian.'

'What a beautiful country, I would love to go there one day,' she smiled before walking over to a small table.

I got started on the drink and watched as Dominika served drinks to other tables. She still hadn’t realised that she had missed my birthday and neither had anyone else. I didn’t want to bring it up, it would only make her feel bad. When she returned to the counter she seemed to be staring at the girl I had been serving before.

‘You know her?’ I asked my friend and she shook her head, dark strands swaying around her head as she did.

‘Not personally, but she’s a cop.’

‘A cop?’

‘Yeah, I’ve seen her before.’

Having a cop in the Café was bad news, considering some of the not-so-legal activities and exchanges that frequently happen within these walls. I looked around, silently being thank-full that the current customers were just normal people, not any of my father’s men or friends.

‘Recon she’s looking into the place?’ I asked quietly and she shook her head.

‘Oleg would have alerted us if the police had caught onto this place.’

‘Yeah true’ I agreed, but the uneasy feeling didn’t waver in my stomach. I had built up this café and the thought of the police getting into it was a dark prospect.

My voice must not have conveyed as much faked confidence as I thought it had held because Dominika hadn’t turned from me, ‘Just act natural Kitten, I’m sure she just wants a coffee, nothing more.’

Her words were of little comfort but I put my recently developed acting skills to good use as I picked up the hot coffee and sauntered confidently towards the table. She had a book in her hands and she seemed to be currently absorbed by the pages until I placed the coffee next to her and her bright green eyes rose to meet mine.

‘Thank-you so much, you’re a life saver,’ she smiled brightly at me and I thought how strange it was for a cop to be so chipper.

‘I hope you enjoy it,’ I smiled, not as brightly as her, but bright enough as she turned her wide eyes down to appreciate the steamy mug of caffeine next to her.

I went back to serving and it wasn’t long before the phone next to me rang and I knew that my father would be on the other end. The truth is important, I have to prove to him I was doing this well, and information like this would be a good boost for me in my father’s eyes and probably Erik’s as well.

‘Hi Papa,’ I greeted, hoping my voice would stay steady.

‘Kitten, how are you?’ He asked as I walked into the back room.