Dominik

by S F Draven

  I’d done all the right favors for all the right people, and I knew that when the time came for them to do their part, they’d have no choice but to follow through. The days passed me by before I could even gather myself, and I woke the morning of our flight with perfectly-packed suitcases which my housekeeper made sure to do. I slipped a few of my papers and important business-related documents into the top pocket of my carry-on as I wheeled it out to meet a very distressed Katerina by the front door. I knew this trip was going to be the final nail in the coffin for her old life, and I wondered if this was going to be the very thing that made her believe that she’d had enough. I was beginning to think that there was a part of her that thought she could play me in return, and I had to keep a close eye on her to make sure she didn’t get the chance to step out of line.

  She was the kind of girl who kept her personal life private, especially in the line of work she was in because she always feared that someone would take advantage of her. From all the background information that I had Alexei collect on Katerina, I noticed that she’d dealt with her fair share of stalkers in the past. There had always been people that wanted to hurt her for the things she may have wrote about them, or the light she may have portrayed them in, but none of that ever seemed to faze her. She handled everything she’d seen and everything I’d thrown at her thus far like a champ, and I was beginning to think that there was much more to her than met the eye. Well, we’re going to have quite a long plane ride to discuss it. I have to lay down a few more ground rules to make sure that she doesn’t get any whimsical ideas about what’s going to happen in New York once we arrive. It’s all business from here on out, and I have to make sure that I keep that separate from any fascination I may be harboring for her.

  I had my black sedan take us to the airport where I got comfortable in the seat of my private plane, looking over at Katerina on the other end, clutching her new purse to her chest like a small child. It was the first time that I saw genuine fear in her eyes, and I couldn’t believe that such a thing as going home could do that to her. She’d always managed to hold her head so high, but this was something that even she couldn’t have seen coming. This time was completely different. It was like I wasn’t even looking at the same girl anymore, and I worried that she wouldn’t be able to hold her own once the paparazzi began to snap pictures of us together. I told myself I’d give her some time before I began grilling her, just as the plane finally reached its cruising altitude.

  I ordered a glass of Chardonnay for her, sending it over as she glared back at me. I undid my seatbelt, making my way over to the seat directly opposite her, shooting her as warm a smile as I could muster.

  “It’s time we have another little chat,” I said.

  “I’d rather not, at least right now,” she said, and I wished I could’ve just backed off and left her there, but she had to know what she was up against.

  “I don’t think you have much of a choice, Katerina. As much as I’d like to say I can let you off the hook for the stunt you pulled that almost made me lose everything I have, I can’t. You did a terrible thing, and now you have to pay the consequences for your actions. That’s just the way that this little arrangement is going to work. I know that going back home will be hard on you, but something tells me that you’re going to pull through just fine. In the short time we’ve managed to get to know each other, I’ve begun to understand just how many things you value that to some, may seem like a bad move. Yes, leaving your friends and family behind may make them resent you forever, but they’re going to be proud of the accomplishments you’re going to make. You’re about to enter into one of the biggest publications the country has to offer. Isn’t that something you’ve always wanted?” I asked her.

  “I wanted to get there on my own. I didn’t want to have to compromise my integrity to do it,” she spat.

  “Now, let’s not forget that it was your own decision that led you here in the first place. It’s no one’s fault but your own. It’s up to you now to decide how you’re going to let the rest of our little arrangement play out. If you prove to be useful to me, I may find a reason to keep you around for longer,” I said, and I could see that she was thinking about my offer. It was already going to be hard on her to finally leave behind the life she’d always known, but now she had to decide just how much of herself she was willing to give to me.

  Once she made the decision to follow all of my orders and abide by all of my rules, there wouldn’t be much room left to argue. I knew how much of a toll this lifestyle could take on someone, and if she were to give her all to her new job and new life, it very well may result in her losing herself trying to ensure her safety. I couldn’t ignore the fact that there was a part of me that wanted her to stick around, because not only did she have a captivating personality, I could already see that there was a fire inside of her that many wouldn’t be able to pick up on. Owning that fire was becoming a top priority of mine, because she couldn’t even begin to understand the kind of things we could accomplish together if we somehow found some middle ground.

  When we land in New York, she’s going to see it from an entirely different angle. She’s not going to feel like an outsider in her own city anymore, and I have yet to meet a woman that isn’t enticed by the lifestyle she’s always wanted but could never have, I thought, sipping on another glass of whiskey as I reclined in my seat, trying to get a bit of shut-eye before the plane finally began its descent. There was a lot of work still to be done to get ready for this hotel opening, and I looked forward to getting a bit of time for myself to relax. My life had been a whirlwind of stress from the moment I had to start dealing with the man who was trying to destroy my business, and it became increasingly clear to me that I had to start doing more to watch my back when Katerina almost had the chance to release a story that would put my career and my family’s legacy in the ground before I could swoop in and do anything to save it.

  It was my turn to have a little fun, and the big apple was certainly the place that I was going to do it. I hadn’t stepped out of Moscow in far too long, and I had begun to lose connections with the people who could aid me in furthering my business ventures, as well as solidifying my reputation as anything but a global threat to society. That was something I certainly had to keep under wraps.

  Chapter Ten: Katerina

  How did I let this happen? How did I let a story destroy everything I’ve ever loved about my life? It’s only now dawned on me that I won’t be able to live the way I once did, and everything that I’ve been trying to achieve on my own has now gone up in flames. Dominik is in full control of my life, and he’s the one that can call the shots whenever he pleases. If I want to ensure that nothing is going to happen to me, I have to maintain my strength, because I will not rest until someone gets to read this story one day. For now, I have to do as Dominik says, play the role of the good journalist, and take the job that he lined up for me at this powerful publication he’s been speaking of. He hasn’t so much as told me which one it is, but I suppose that’s because he enjoys keeping me on edge. I have to stay strong, I have to at least try to pretend as though I’m grateful. The happier Dominik is, the more I’ll be able to understand him, and the more I’ll be sure that I’ll survive this when it’s all over.

  We finally arrived back home in New York City, but it was no longer home to me. Now, it was a thing of the past, and I had to rid myself of every good memory I had associated with it if I wanted to make it through this trip. Dominik hadn’t even told me how long we’d be here, or what the true nature of the trip really was. If he thinks I’m going to believe that we’re just here to open up a new hotel and save his image then he really must take me for a fool. I know how these men work, and I know that I’m going to be counting my blessings very soon, I thought, hoping that whatever Dominik had planned wouldn’t put me in too much danger. I quite liked having this moment of ease, even though I knew that I had to start learning to separate my old life from the new. It would only be a
matter of time before someone from my old life saw what was happening and decided to reach out. When that time came, I would have to do everything in my power to drive them away, to both protect them and prove my loyalty to Dominik.

  I hated that he had so much power over me, but the more time I spent with him, the more I felt that there may be some redeeming qualities in there somewhere. He had this aura about him, this charisma that made everyone in the room want to be his friend. It was so interesting to watch, and I supposed that now, seeing as my job was to make sure that the world saw him in a favorable light, I was going to have to start paying very close attention to all of his mannerisms.

  Once we got off Dominik’s private jet, we were immediately led through the terminal and out through an exit I didn’t believe I’d ever seen before. Dominik appeared to be so freshly put together despite the fact that we shared the same long haul flight, where I must’ve paled in comparison to him. He didn’t seem to mind much as a black town car pulled up to retrieve us, and I finally began to see what Dominik meant by a shift in lifestyle. Now, we were on my turf, but Dominik seemed to be much more of a local than I was, because he knew how to navigate parts of the city I’d never had the opportunity to grace. This is an entirely new ballgame, I thought, reminding myself to be on my best behavior and do what I was told. Any snooping that would happen from here on out would have to be done in secret for fear of Dominik learning that I wasn’t as compliant as I may have led him to believe.

  I sat in the back seat of the black town car as the chauffeur drove us down the familiar streets that reminded me so much of my old life. Dominik was far too busy answering emails on his cell phone and pretending like his life only consisted of conquering the hotel market and attending high-profile parties. It made me wonder just how many other celebrities were involved with underhanded criminal activity, seeing as Dominik managed to maintain his reputation without so much as a smudge to his name. Coming from Moscow with years under his belt where Bratva was concerned, I expected him to be much harder when he came to the city. I expected him to appear much more closed off than he was, but he was so pleasant with whomever he met, even the people that were supposed to be at his beck and call. It showed me a different side of him that I truly didn’t believe existed, and it was then that I realized I was starting to see much more humanity in him than I ever would’ve guessed was there to begin with.

  I lowered the clear glass of the car window, taking in the heavy Manhattan air, reminding myself to soak up the feeling of freedom any chance I could get, because it was going to be stripped away from me faster than I could bat an eyelid. We were turning the corner at a side street downtown when I finally caught sight of the lavish hotel that Dominik bought, how perfectly exquisite it was, and I knew that it wouldn’t be long before he would relaunch it onto society with a new name to match. I stared at it in awe, and I could even feel the sliver of excitement begin to well up inside of me when I realized that we would be staying here. I wanted to kick myself for even having a moment of enjoyment, seeing as I was being kept against my will, but I had to acknowledge the fact that Dominik could’ve gone about this much more cruelly than he was. He very well could have dumped me in the trunk and kept me in the dark – figuratively and literally – until he was ready for me to do a job. This was the kind of luxury I didn’t feel like I deserved, and it made me wonder why he was choosing to be so nice to me in the first place.

  It’s no secret that he finds me interesting. He’s made that quite clear from the first conversation we had, but I still don’t know what he really wants with me. He’s parading me around like a circus animal, but behind closed doors we still manage to have pretty real conversations. I’m beginning to think that even he’s confused as to how the rest of this is going to play out, and it may be in my best interests to follow that confusion right up until I find the chance to escape.

  “Like what you see?” asked Dominik, noticing that I was a little taken aback by the whole thing.

  “I have to say that it is incredible,” I said, and I wished I was lying, but the place deserved that kind of recognition. I could see why he’d chosen this hotel to be the one to solidify his name in the community as well in the hotel market. It was going to take the city by storm, rivaling some of the biggest names in the business. He’d managed to mix Manhattan luxury with a little Russian flair, and it was absolutely stunning. Once the excitement began to wear off, I realized that it was only a matter of time before I would have to take on a new role of my own. I still had no idea what was in store for me, but I was anxious to see what Dominik had planned.

  I followed him through the exquisite marble lobby as the receptionist at the check-in desk ran over to take our bags and hand him our keys. I noticed that both little envelopes read the same room number, and my heart began to thud loudly in my chest. Are we staying in the same room? I asked myself as I followed him into the elevator, where we finally had a moment alone.

  “Now, Katerina. I know this must be a lot to take in for you, but I expect you to be on your best behavior when I let you back out into the real world. You’re here to do a job for me and as it stands right now, whatever you do is a reflection on both me and my business. I really don’t feel like cleaning up any messes today, so do us all a favor and just do what you’re told,” he said, sounding much more tense than he had when we just got off the plane.

  “Of course. Though you still haven’t told me which publication I’ll be working at to cover all of this,” I said, hoping he was in the mood to give up a bit more information.

  “Enquête,” he said, and my jaw dropped.

  “There’s no way that you were able to get me a job there. I don’t care how many connections you have, but that is one of the most coveted publications in the country!”

  “A dream, isn’t it?” Do a good job, make me proud, and you’ll be on your way to receiving so much more. Don’t think of this as a consequence, Katerina. Reap your benefits, but don’t forget who you have to answer to at the end of the day,” he said, and it was the first time that his tone began to scare me.

  I gulped, as the elevator finally opened up to two grand, gold double-doors. I took a deep breath as he opened up the lavish one-bedroom suite, and it was so much more beautiful than I could’ve ever imagined.

  “One bedroom?” I asked, hoping that it didn’t come off as ungrateful.

  “If the public is going to see us as a couple, booking a two-bedroom suite at my own hotel doesn’t seem like the right move, now, does it?” He said, and he had a point. I was just not looking forward to having to share a bed with him in any regard, especially because I knew exactly how capable he was in bed. I thought back to the first night we spent together, how stupid I felt when I woke up in the morning and began snooping. I felt incredibly dirty for making a move like that, but I had to look around and tame my curiosity. I knew that a job like this was always going to come with strings, I just didn’t expect them to be those of a puppet. I was at Dominik’s beck and call, just as all of his other minions were, but I wouldn’t let that deter me from finding out all of his secrets.

  He may believe that there will be no way for me to get my story to the press, but I promised myself that I will get it done no matter what the consequences may be. I’ve been given an unusual opportunity, one that has allowed me to get into the minds of one of Moscow’s greatest criminals, who now has his claws in my city. I have to be diligent, I have to stay alert, because I have a feeling that things are going to get a bit more complicated from here on out.

  “Make yourself at home, Katerina. I should let you know that there are two guards stationed outside of this room at all times, who have been instructed to make sure that you’re not allowed to leave the premises until I give the order. Feel free to peruse the hotel, eat to your heart’s content, and get your portfolio ready for your big day tomorrow. I would like to stay and chat more, but I’m afraid I have a bit of business to attend to,” he said, loosening his tie as he left
me alone in that grand suite bored, alone and absolutely starving.

  Since arriving in New York, I couldn’t help but feel a bit differently about Dominik. I didn’t know if it was because he’d been rather hospitable to me, or if it was because I’d actually begun to lose my mind, but there was something about him that led me to believe he was softening up around me. I took one look around the empty hotel room, glancing over at Dominik’s packed bags just as I heard the doorbell to our suite ring. It startled me as I leaped off of the chaise lounge to stare through the peephole to see who it was. There was a man standing on the other side of the door with a few garment bags in his hand, and he appeared to be dressed as a bellboy. I took a deep breath and opened it up, as he greeted me with a smile. I’m entirely too on edge and certainly not used to this.

  “Good afternoon, Ms. Auclair. Mr. Volkov has asked that I drop these off for you as well as to let you know that if there is anything at all that you need help with, please feel free to call me on my extension. I’m at your service,” the kind man with a sliver of an English accent said. It seemed to me that it must’ve been stronger in the past, but that he’d lost it over the years. I could relate, as both of my parents were born and bred in France, where I too was born, but when my father moved us all to New York, I lost that little tidbit of my identity somewhere on the plane ride over.

  “Thank you very much. My apologies, I didn’t quite catch your name,” I said to him.

  “Robert, Ms. Auclair. You’re American? It’s interesting that you have a Russian first name,” he said.