In the Name of Revenge

Prologue and Chapter One

I will be publishing here "In the Name of Revenge," the first in my Ivanovich series, chapter by chapter. Here is the Prologue and Chapter One. Enjoy! Keep checking back for more chapters.

Prologue

Thousand Oaks, CA. A young adult escapes a brutal killing last night. Contacts say Pavel Ivanovich, barely eighteen years old, was left alive after his parents were executed in mob style. Police reports indicate that Ivan and Valentina Ivanovich were ruthlessly killed while their young son was made to watch. Officers are asking for your assistance. If anyone has any information leading to this atrocious crime, please call (800) 555-3700. You will remain anonymous.

Pavel didn’t need to read the clipping from the newspaper that he ripped out and saved. He knew it, word for word. He also remembered in detail the events of that tragic night. It wasn’t something he’d likely ever forget.

PART I

ONE

            “You’re hiding something from me. What is it?”

            Felice pulled her long legs over the edge of the bed, grabbed her silk robe from the floor where she let it fall earlier, wrapped it around her thin frame and stood up.

            She looked down at Pavel and smiled sadly, knowing what she would tell him would change the course of her life, their lives…forever.

            She met Pavel Ivanovich walking out of the grocery store. She was juggling two grocery bags, while digging in her purse trying to locate her car keys. Not paying attention, she ran smack into his chest as he was heading towards the empty carts.

            “I am so sorry,” he said in his deep accent as her bags flew to the ground. He continued, “Let me help you,” as she started scrambling to retrieve her fallen groceries.

            She couldn’t help but notice the firm chest she ran into and how nice it felt.

Blushing, she admitted, “It’s my fault. I should have been watching where I was going.”

            “Your bags are ripped. Wait here while I go in and get you some new bags.”

            Before she had time to protest, he was inside the store. Felice jogged after a can of soup that started rolling down an incline towards the parking lot. As she picked it up, he returned with two bags.

            “Thank you. I am so sorry I ran into you like that,” she told him.

Although, part of her knew she wasn’t actually sorry as she remembered feeling that rock-hard wall she hit.

            As she looked up at him, even though she stood five feet, six inches, she couldn’t help but notice he towered over her. He must be over six feet tall, she thought to herself.

            “Please don’t worry about it. It happens all the time.”

            She smiled up at him, realizing how handsome he was. He had what one would describe as boyish good looks with curly locks of hair tumbling down his forehead.

“People just run into you all of the time?”

He laughed and said, “Well, I didn’t mean that happens to me all of the time. I’m glad it did this time though. My name’s Pavel.”

Felice finished putting her groceries in the new bags.

“Here, you missed one,” he said, handing her another can of soup.