Deceiving Dexter

Chapter Three - Coffee and Conversation

Natalia POV

I ran into the café, throwing my bag behind the counter and smiling to the customers I passed.  The café wasn’t too busy but some of the tables hosted people who I recognised as associates of my fathers. I payed special attention to smile at them when I passed.

My father’s associates, especially those who we had been friends with for years, always adored me. I was the youngest and the only girl, so as my father saw me as special, so did those around him. When my father told his associates of the café they would instantly become regulars, knowing that to be on my good side meant being on my fathers as well, and believe me, no one wanted to be on my father’s bad side.

My café was on the corner of a bustling Chicago street. The neighbourhood was upcoming but the majority of my frequent customers were locals who had grown up in the area. The café was dark on the outside with large glass doors and windows, with a bright white and green sign on the top saying ‘Klara’s’. Papa and I decided to name the café in the memory of my Mama.

Inside the café was white and black themed, holding an elegant feel, while still maintaining the spirit of the old fashioned neighbourhood. I had spent the last two years building up the Café and now it was a thriving business.

Dominika was serving a short brunette man when I arrived and as I passed her she whispered, ‘You’re late,’ and nudged me.

‘Hey, it’s my café, I can work when I want,’ I countered.

‘The slogan for all successful people, I am sure,’ she laughed sarcastically and continued serving.

Dominika Milodanovich had been my best friend since I was five. She was three years older than me and her parents had moved in next door when we were kids. Her hair was almost black but she insisted that her wavy mop of hair was a chocolate colour.

She had a slender frame but she was hiding some serious muscle. Like me her voice held a Russian accent, not as prominent as our parents, but still noticeable.

Her father worked closely with my father before her father was arrested and killed in prison three years ago. After that Dominika took over her father’s responsibilities and she worked closely with my brothers. She used to help organise the prostitution rings we were running  until a last year. Now she works with me and lends a hand to my brothers when needed. I tried to ask her numerous times why she quit, but she wouldn’t tell me.

She was an only child and had become a part of my family over the years.

‘Give these to table five,’ she instructed, passing me three coffees.

I may be the boss but she was the glue that kept this place going.

I walked over to table five only to see two of my favourite people and one of my not so favourite people at the moment.

‘Natalia!’ Oleg greeted me as I put down the coffees.

I sat at the spare chair and looked at the other occupants of the table.

To my left sat Oleg. Oleg was a computer genius and was loved greatly by my father. He had dirty blonde curls and deep brown eyes. He was wearing jeans and a button up, but the colourful bruise on his face told me that he had seen better days.

Next to him sat Alexander. Alexander had only just turned twenty but my father had taken a liking to him. I knew that by his fast promotion and harsh treatment of the boy. Although it would seem that he disliked the boy, he used his threats to hone him and to create a better employee, which Alexander was slowly becoming. Even with the harsh job he has, Alexander always saw the positive and he always bounced back quickly, a trait coveted in this business, where being arrested or held hostage was not as uncommon as it was believed. His usual bright eyes were dull though today.