Chapter 13: Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Winter in Okunevo was merciless. It didn’t matter how warm she dressed she felt butt naked.
The sky hung low and colourless, pressing down on the village as icy wind sliced through skin and bone. Each step she took along the frozen road produced a soft, betraying squeak dry snow protesting beneath her boots. Her feet felt wet and frozen, even with snow boots she was freezing. She was going to demand a vacation to somewhere warm next. She couldn’t take anymore of this cold.
She pulled her black down jacket tighter around herself and exhaled into her hands, breath blooming white before vanishing into the cold. Her cheeks were flushed red, lips pink from the chill, dark hair tucked beneath a black wool hat.
Even a day like this couldn’t dampen her mood. She was excited for today. She was going on a date. Her first in three years.
Paris had given her many things discipline, ghosts, scars but romance hadn’t been one of them. Not once had she allowed herself something as foolish as a date anywhere. She couldn’t compromise her team. But she allowed herself this cheat day because she was feeling down on her luck recently.
Here, in the middle of nowhere, she had. Normal, she reminded herself. Just one normal night. Even though she had no idea what normal was anymore. She had to learn what normal was. She was going to be normal even if it was just for one day. She deserved this much.
After everything she’s been through. She deserved one night not having to worry about coming out alive.
"Widow." Trina’s voice crackled in her ear. "You’re going to hate me..."
She rolled her eyes and quickened her pace. "If this is about work, pretend I’m dead for the next few hours."
She wasn’t letting anyone take this from her. She was going to get laid tonight even if it was the last thing she did.
A sudden impact slammed into her shoulder. She didn’t even hear anything coming her way.
She reacted instantly, twisting, steadying both herself and the man who’d collided with her before either of them could fall. Her hand swept him quickly no weapon.
She frowned when she felt something wet on her hands. She knew what it was.
Blood soaked through his coat.
He was injured. Badly at that. She rolled her eyes dramatically. Of course something was trying to come in between her and her darn date.
He was young. Mid-to-late twenties. The kind of face that had people do a double take. Expensive clothes.
That meant he came from money. Green eyes, dark green almost moss green in colour. It was glassy with pain. She could even see it in the dark.
"Sir, are you alright?" she asked in Russian, easing him upright.
He sagged against her, shaking his head. "They’re coming." he rasped in English. "They’re chasing after me."
Footsteps echoed down the road. The snow softened it but she heard it.
"Damn it all..." She cursed softly and shifted him behind her, already bracing.
"Trina." she murmured. "I need backup. Now."
The two men rounded the corner and froze when they saw her holding onto the injured man.
One smirked. "Move aside sweet thing..." he said calmly. "You don’t want to be involved."
She smiled. Her smile formed slowly, she gave then a sweet smile. The kind of smile she normally gave when she was pissed off. And God she was really pissed off. They caught her at bad time. She was going to be late for her date. "I’d love to see you try." she slowly put the man down so she could fight better.
They lunged at her.
She moved like she’d been born for this dropping low, when their fist came flying at her face. Jumping up, kicking the one man against his ear, then flipping forward sending a fist into other’s throat. When the other tried to hit her she downward kicked him on his head. Sending him crushing to the ground.
Why did the damn ten minutes feel like an eternity. They tried to rise again. She kicked them so more while they were down, she was so pissed off having to deal with this while she was on her way to a darn date. She was supposed to have a normal night. She didn’t know what normal was anymore, but it sure as hell wasn’t this and she was going to take it out on these bastards.
She was going to make sure they never got up for the rest of their damn lives.
A car screeched to a halt.
Relief run through her body. She was relieved they’d arrived.
She watched Trent and his goons get out and pack up the two fools who tried to attack her. She liked how Trent never asked questions, he just handled whatever she told him to. He was loyal like that.
She hurried back to the wounded man, helping him into the car.
"Get him treated." she ordered.
Trent studied her. "You’re not coming?"
She smiled brightly. "I have a date." And she meant it. She wasn’t going to miss her date.
Trent handed her a fresh coat and she was on her way. The rest of the walk to the diner was quiet just the way she liked it.
The diner glowed warmly against the cold when she arrived. Russ was already inside, waiting calmly. Too calm.
Taking off her coat and hat she walked toward their table.
"Sorry." she said, sliding into the booth. "Was I late?"
"No." he replied. "Perfect timing."
Her instincts screamed. Something was wrong. Russ was making her skin crawl in a way he didn’t when they met. She couldn’t put her finger on it. But she couldn’t trust him.
She mapped her exits. Counted the bodies. Kept her smile in place. The couple across from them kept watching their table.
Shit!
"Widow." Trina whispered urgently. "The place is swarming with Deaton’s men. You need to leave."
Thank you captain fucking obvious. She knew something was wrong the second she walked through the door. Maybe moss eyes was trying to save her from her death...
Widow sighed and picked up her glass. "So..." she said lightly, eyes locked on Russ. "What exactly does your business deal with?"
He glanced toward the kitchen.
That was all she needed.
The glass shattered against the table. A sharp edge sliced cleanly across his throat. He never spoke again.
Chaos erupted. Six men rushed toward her.
Widow flipped the table, gun already in her hand as bullets tore through wood. She fired carefully one shot, one body. Seven more bodies... Shit...
"If I don’t die tonight you’re coming with me to a bar for drinks Trina..." Widow made her promise...
"Sure as long as you make it..." Trina said softly.
"You could’ve vetted my date like I asked." she muttered into her comm. "Now I’m bleeding and irritated."
"B team is ten minutes out." Trina replied.
Too long.
A bullet tore into Lisa’s shoulder. She hissed, fired back, and dropped the shooter.
Smoke curled through the air.
Fire.
She turned toward the kitchen and swore. The flames reached the ceiling. The exits were sealed.
"Trina." she said tightly. "I’m trapped. There’s a fire and they’ve trapped me inside. I need the team to create an exit for me."
Silence answered, she knew it was bad. She wasn’t getting out of here a live. She really wished she’d followed moss eyes and Trent back to the base.
The fire roared louder. Heat pressed in. No windows. No backup.
Widow stood alone in the burning diner, blood soaking into her sleeve, gun nearly empty.
And for the first time in a very long while she felt fear of dying...
She didn’t know how she was getting out.
======
I startle awake.
What was that?
I don’t remember anything, other than Chase’s eyes.
What did I just dream about?
Did I know Chase from before I lost my memory.
I jump out of bed and rush out of the room. I run down the hall toward Chase’s bedroom.
I push the door open and he is still a sleep.
"Chase..." I call out softly.
He didn’t move.
I move closer to the bed and touch his arm lightly.
Wrong move he tried to stab me. I don’t even know where he got the knife, but with in seconds the knife was in my hands.
We both stared at my hand in shock.
How did I do that?
"Carly?" he asks softly. His voice deep from sleep. "What are you doing in my room?" he asks sitting up taking the knife from me.
"I had a dream..." I tell him. "I think it’s about my past..." I tell him excitedly.
"What?" he asks.
"My dream. You were in it. I can’t remember what it was about but I remembered it was dark and you bumped into me and looked into my eyes. Have we met before?" I ask him.
He looks at me before shaking his head. "I think I would have remembered if we’ve met before Carly..." he says softly. But I could see he was thinking about whether we’ve met or not.
My shoulders slump. I thought I had a clue as to who I was. But no I didn’t.
If Chase didn’t remember me, was my dream wrong? Did I imagine it? I couldn’t remember the rest of the dream only Chase’s eyes.
"Carly..." Before he could finish his sentence Stella rushed into the room.
"Carly, Daddy. Carly are you feeling better?" Stella asks excitedly rushing over to us. She tries to inspect every piece of me.
It warms my heart. She was worried about me.
So this is what it felt like to have someone care for you?
My phone ringing loudly in my room brings me out of my thoughts. I rush over to my room.
I see Amy’s name flash across the screen.
"Amy..." I answer excitedly. "You won’t believe what happened..."
She cuts me off. "Carly have you been taking your medication?" she asks.
"I’ve been so busy recently, I haven’t gotten a chance to..." she cuts me off again.
"Carly you need to take your medication. Your migraines will only get worse and what if you collapse one day and no one is there to look out for you?" she asks worriedly.
"Actually I’ve been meaning to call you. I no longer work at the bar. I got a job as a nanny." I tell her.
"For who?" she asks.
"Uhm Chase Jacobs. I don’t know if you know him."
"Jesus Carly. You need to get out of there. Those people are dangerous. How could you work for a stranger. I’m going to be back in a couple of days. You need to leave that place. I’ll come and get you and I’ll get you a new job..." she says before hanging up.
I pull my phone away from my ear and stare at it in shock. I know Amy was worried about me. But I wanted to find out who I was. What I liked in life and I knew Chase was the answer to that, the second I met the man.
I didn’t want to quit my job. I liked spending time with Stella. I liked how calm I was around Stella and Chase
"Carly?" Chase calls from behind me.
When I turn, I see him standing by the door looking at me.
