Betrothed (currently being edited)

Chapter 44-Missing Pieces

Carina Romanov, date of birth: 03/14/1987, adoptive parents: Boris and Nadia Romanov, Birth mother:  Natasha Grinkov: age 17
Carina's hands were shaking while she pulled a letter opener across the top to gain access to the material inside.  She dumped the contents onto her desk; it was pictures of the orphanage, her on a swing set, her mom and dad, her entire life in pictures!  Notes with dates and times, surveillance information; why did Liev have this ?  She was freaked out and didn't realize that Marco had been standing there calling her.  "Carina, are you okay?"  he asked again.  She slowly looked at him and shook her head.  "Marco shut the door and lock it please and sit down."  He did as she asked wondering what had happened.  "Marco I know Dimitri trusts you with his life, that you are not only his employee but his friend and this is good enough for me.  I'm scared Marco" I finished,  sliding the envelope over to him.  I watched his face go through a range of emotions and I knew I had every reason to be scared.  "Carina where did you get this?"  I pointed to on top of the supply cabinet.  He pulled out his phone and I knew he was calling Dimitri.

"Boss we've got a problem" he told my husband and then told him about the envelope that I found.   Marco answered questions that Dimitri fired at him and then he handed the phone to me.  "Car, do you trust me?" he asked.  "Dimitri you know I do!  What does this mean?  Why did he have this in his office?"  He tells her he doesn't know but he will use his contacts while in Moscow to find out.  "Just please listen to Marco and keep him close.  Understand?"  "Da, I understand". I said this but I didn't believe what I was saying.  Marco got up and went back outside of my office.  I just stayed there until he came back.  "Gregor is here Carina."  I nodded and pulled myself together and went downstairs to meet the manager of Fusion.

Gregor and I got along great. I was really going to enjoy working with him. We decided tomorrow we'd come dressed to do inventory and see how far off we were with all that I had uncovered. I spoke to the staff as we implemented a better way to keep track of bottles and then reference that with our inventory. Gregor gave me everyone's receipts for last night and delivery invoices and purchase orders for our liquor. I thanked everyone for their hard work and willingness to give my idea a try and then I excused myself back to my office. I put the paperwork on my desk, grabbed my cigarettes and went to the smoking balcony followed by Marco. I looked at my phone...two missed calls and two texts; all from Dimitri. How's it going? Gregor really likes working with you and so do the staff, of course this is not news to me. How could they not? I love you and miss you more than you know. D. That was sweet. Second text: Please call me...D. I hit his number and it maybe did a half a ring and he picked up. "Alexandrov" his silky Russian accent was my undoing. "How does someone exude pure sexuality just by answering the phone?" I asked him softly. He laughed softly and said "Hey baby. How are you?" she could tell he was concerned. "I'm not sure" I answered truthfully. "For 22 years I never knew my mother's name and now it's all I can think about. Why were there references to Boris and Nadia? Pictures of me, my friends. Dimitri what the fuck is going on?" She was this close to losing it. "Car, I promise I have people working on it right now so please trust me when I say I will get to the bottom of it and soon." I sighed; God love him, he was trying, he really was. "I know Dimitri. I'm just really missing my husband right now." We talked a bit longer then I heard someone tell him they were ready to start. "Carina I have to go baby but I will call you tonight, okay? I love you dorogoya very much." "I love you too Di. Talk to you later." I sat the rest of my break dragging on my cigarette and flicking the ashes.

I was so glad when 5:30 got there. I loaded up my paperwork, lap top and calculator and told Marco I was ready to go. We headed downstairs and I waited for him to get the car and bring it around. Fusion was preparing to open for Happy Hour so I was glad to be going home; I was not in the mood tonight. Marco opened my door and I slid in. "Feels like it's getting colder" I said to him. He nodded and said "Maybe a storm heading in." We took off out of the parking lot when I said to Marco "Want to grab some dinner? I don't want to go home to an empty house just yet." He nodded sympathetically and said he knew a quiet little place, turned the car around and headed the opposite direction.

We had a nice dinner in a quaint little family cafe; we were there about an hour when we finally got up and left.  I laid back against the seat and dozed off until we pulled into the compound.  I swallowed a huge lump in my throat when I realized I was walking into an empty house.  "Marco, would you please stay here in the main house tonight please?"  "You don't even have to ask; I'd already planned on it before you asked and Dimitri asked me to." he finished winking.  I smiled at him.  "Thank you" I said softly as I forced myself to go upstairs to an empty room and empty bed.  I walked into our bathroom, took a quick shower and then went into Dimitri's closet looking for one of his shirts.  I looked in his dresser and found a really soft Pink Floyd shirt, which I never pictured him as a fan and that made me smile.  I walked slowly to my bed and laid down on his side and inhaled deeply, his scent still lingering on his pillow and I fell into a fitful sleep.