DELTA - BAD BLOOD a specterverse short story [book D]

Chapter SIX

★★★★★★★★

ASSOCIATE FILE
CLASSIFIED : CIA
OPERATION : MOSCOW
AGENT : VIKING
HANDLER : RED
TARGET: OSKA ROMANOV
------
KNOWN ASSOCIATE : KONSTANTIN IVANOV
POSITION : SOVIETNIK
AFFILIATION: WHITE SWAN CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, INMATE NO#347713
CONVICTION: ESPIONAGE, TREASON
HISTORY: ARMY, SPECIAL FORCES, KGB
HERITAGE: UNKNOWN
FAMILY: DECEASED
STATUS: LETHAL
AUTHORISATION: MINIMAL CONTACT

★★★★★★★★

Katya Romanov (Czarina)

... three months later ...

I tip-toe quietly out of Axe's bedroom with a dopey smile on my face.. Sleeping with The Sovietnik is the closest I've ever come to feeling free and even though it's risky, oh god, he is so worth it.. Axe Hunt is a sexual deity with dynamite between his legs..
The more time we spend together and the more secrets we share and the closer to him I feel.. For the first time since Kostya left I feel like I have an ally in this house, somebody I can actually trust.. Somebody who cares about me and sees me as more than a prize to be bought or a claim to be staked..

I am not silly enough to say as much or risk our agreement falling apart, but I love him.. And I can't help holding out hope that maybe one day he might love me too..

Closing the door behind me and with a soft click, I prepare to return to my bedroom in the East Wing when a smug voice startles me and I spin around to see the wrinkled and weather beaten features of the mansion spectre, the sly and spritely concierge, Mikhail Lipovsky..

Boze Moi!

"You are lozt, Mrs Romanov.." The snoopy old man glares at me down his nose with implied assertion..

"Mikhail! You gave to me such a fright!" I try to make light of our encounter.. But he is not amused..

"Did you find for what you were looking?" He snarks sharply, a scalding distrust burning hot in his gaze..

"I was actually looking for you.." I lie sweetly with a forced saintly smile..

"The west wing iz a vury strange place to start.." He hums a doubtful droll in return..

"I can think of much stranger.." I shift uncomfortably.. "Anyway, I was thinking, I would love to retrieve some trinketz from Oska's safety deposit box this week, I would like to wear them to our anniversary dinner.. Do you think you could arrange this for me?"