Katya's POV
I'm learning to be patient.
Patience is not a quality I posses. Oh no! I like it when things happen fast at the snap of my fingers and under my control. I like it when I get fast results. Sitting in a car for four days without any results is frustrating. Katerina seems to be enjoying the stakeout. She eats continuously. I can't help but wonder where all that food goes. She manages to look the same year after year.
The scene is dull.
It's cold probably heading towards the subzero temperatures I loathe. I think the snow will start falling any day now. It's just dark coats and ushankas. This place makes me sad.
"Eat something." She offered me the bag of chips. "You skipped breakfast."
"You burned the pancakes." I pushed away the bag. I'm not hungry. I'm thinking about Ferrer. If we get the woman who was with him last we stand a chance of finding out where he is.
"I am a lot of things but I'm not a chef."
"Why can't we grab her?" I asked. "She's right over there! Snatch and grab! What is do complicated about it?"
"You should consider breathing exercises. You're one of the most hot tempered people I know."
"I'm not hot tempered!"
"Why are you using your yelling voice?" She asked softly.
"Fine! I'm angry!" I struck the dashboard. "The man I love is missing! The woman who took him is right over there! Papa is in this damn country and we don't know where! I'm angry!'
After my outburst, I slowly steadied my heart to a normal rate. She put away the bag of chips. "Katya, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that he took your man. Now you understand why I became his puppet. It's troubling to know someone you love is in his hands. But he's a clever man. He's not muscle but he has a brain. A big one. He will find a way to survive. Till then we play this smart, not fast. Fast equals mistakes. Mistakes leaf six feet under. I may have nothing more to lose but I won't go out on papa's terms. Trust me. I have a plan."
"I'm sorry about Nicholai. I know how it feels. Sinclair took Terrence from me to keep me away from Kei. I couldn't keep sane."
"What is with her and men tripping all over her?"
"She's beautiful."
"If I was her, I would have my own army of men who adore me. I would pick the most powerful men and enslave them to do my bidding. I would rule them as their queen."
"This is why it just happens with Kei. She's nice. She doesn't take advantage. The universe drops powerful men at her lap. But her first husband was a jerk ass. I still get pissed when I think about that man."
"What did he do?"
"He used her as a punching bag."
"That pretty thing?"
"Yeah. She never left him. I was happy when she said she met someone else until it turned out to be Nick. Then Sinclair made me think of Nick as the lesser of two evils. Sinclair is such a grey character. He's a hero when he needs to be and a villain if he doesn't get his way." I smiled to myself when I thought of the whooping I gave him.
"I wish I could meet a man who tries to beat me up."
"Why would you say that?"
"So that I can beat him up. I will mess him up so bad, he will call me the boogyman!" She made a scary face. "But the only man who bullies me is papa. No other has the balls. I squash them like bugs."
There are things about my big sister that make her the toughest person I know. She has been through much and still manages to be funny. She's the joker and I'm the serious one."
"Papa is a bully. He needs to be taken down."
She reached to the back of the seat. She picked a stuffed toy. "Sit tight."
"Where are you-" she slammed the door shut. "... going."
I trailed her to a little girl who has just arrived. She offered her the stuffed toy and pointed to the car. Seconds later she is holding hands with the girl and leading her to the car. She strapped her in the back seat.
"This is my sestra, Katya. Do you remember my name?" She made conversation as she drove away. There's a little girl in our back seat and she's not ours. I just told her about how horrible I felt when Sinclair took Terr. She lost a son. Why would be she abduct someone's child? Why is a child involved? Why isn't this child scared? I am eye balling her and she is blowing me off.
"Tati." The little girl answered. "Are we going to the ice rink?"
"Did you bring your skating shoes?"
"No."
"Next time then. My sestra and I are going home. Do you want to see where we live?"
"Yes!" The little girl stared at me. "You have pretty eyes."
I returned her smile. When I was pregnant, I wished for a boy. I never wanted a daughter. I'm not against feminists but women have it rough. Men sail through life. I wanted a son so that I wouldn't have to worry too much. I got what I wanted.
"Thank you." I looked away sitting quietly until we got back to the house. While the little girl was busy getting intrigued by every ancient thing in the room, I pulled my sister aside. "What are you doing? I don't abduct children!"
"No you don't. I don't either!"
"Then what do you call that?"
"Okay... so technically it's not kidnapping if I befriended her first. We are just two friends hanging out without her mother's permission." She shrugged.
I think Katerina has some loose screws in her head. "She's a child! There's another way-"
She made a scary face. "Did you grow soft somewhere between stabbing papa and your boyfriend missing? That woman who took Ferrer from the hotel is not the ordinary girl next door. She's a soldier. She's trained not to surrender to anything or anyone. Dr o you think she will willingly point us to Ferrer? No. We will babysit her daughter as an incentive for her to point. Simple. If you don't like my way, I'm glad to go back to Georgette LeBlanc and let you do things your way dear sestra."
I dragged my fingers through my hair. Ferrer better love me forever!
*
Like any mom, her surrender came quick. Katerina was unfortunately right. Her soft under belly is this sweet little girl who has no idea what is going on. She responded to Katerina's call and showed up at our door step early in the morning.
"The faster you talk..." Katerina shrugged her shoulders.
"Your father will end me if I answer your questions. You do know him, right? He doesn't forgive betrayal."
"It's not betrayal if there's no trust. Leonid Romanov doesn't trust anyone. You are a disposable little pawn. Just talk."
"He asked me to get the doctor. I did just that."
"Where did you take him?" I asked.
She shifted uncomfortably on the chair my sister tied her to. "Winchester."
I pulled Katerina aside.
"There is no way Ferrer is in Winchester. I know papa is here and so is Ferrer!"
"I'll take your daughter to Timbuktu if you lie. Where is the doctor?"
"I already told you! Winchester! We never left the country!. I left him and came back here! I was retired. But with your father there's no retirement. When he calls, we have no choice but to answer."
Papa is a clever man. His personal army doesn't trail him. A handful who are soft of his security stay by his side. But the rest are normal people with normal lives. When he calls, they show up and they do as they are told.
"She's not lying. Let her go."
"Beat me up. If he finds out I told you anything, he will kill me. Beat me up."
"Gladly." I answered.
Leonid's POV
Nothing pleases me more than a good plan coming together. I have been planning this since the day my little girl stabbed me. I can still feel that pain of a knife lodged in my neck. I placed my hand on the scar. Everytime I touch it, I remember the day my favorite child turned her back on me. It's a painful memory. I have been driven by a vendetta to punish her since. She has been s ghost until recently.
Who would have known the doctor I chose would be the man she loves? They have a son together. Terrence is growing on me. I am fond of him. In the absence of Ferrer and Katya, he's mine to raise. I'll do it my way.
"Grandfather." Terrence showed up out of the blue and out of breath. "We don't have much time. Julio... is... right behind me."
I got up from the bench and helped the boy into the back seat of the car. I stood around for the bodyguard to lay his eyes on me. I want them to know exactly who Terrence is leaving with. When he noticed me, I waved and we left.
"Loose the Italians." I instructed the chauffeur when I noticed an SUV following us.
I paid attention to the young man. He doesn't have the cold serious nature Katya has. He's light hearted like his father. I touched the top of his head. Katya may have escaped my grasp but it all worked out. She gave me a grandson. When I look at Terrence, I see a future for all my hard work.
"Where are we going?" She smiled.
"Have you ever been to Russia?"