Free Dmitry's Closet by Latrivia S. Nelson Page B

They had watched as he embraced her not only with his physical touch but his pulsating eyes every time he was around her.
         The mysterious couple was the constant subject of endless conversations when Royal was not around. Everyone marveled at the infinite number of expensive gifts that he showered upon her; the quiet conversations between them in the back office that would erupt into sudden laughter and the sexual tension that wrapped the store like a hungry fog.
         "Thanks for today," Royal said, trying to change the silent subject. A faint smiled came across her face, but she continued to pierce her lips, visibly worried. Moving the soft wisps of her hair from her face, she focused in. "Remember to be here tomorrow by nine. We open at ten. I want to spend some time meeting about today and ensuring that we have it all together for the rest of the week. It's all up hill from here." She gave a fake, almost disturbing smile.
         "Sure thing," Renée said, cocking her brow.
         When the limo pulled into to the back parking lot of the shop, Cory and Renée jumped out and headed to their respective cars before the chauffer could properly open the door. Each was trying desperately to get away from the glaring pit bull Anatoly.
         Ignoring them both, Anatoly got out of the limo before Royal and helped her inside of the empty shop.
         "Thank you," she said, not expecting a response. He did not. Anatoly was always quiet, not bothering to respond to any of her constant gestures of kindness.
         He walked in front of her to check the shop as he had been instructed, while Royal stopped and looked over her office to make sure that she had left nothing out of place or unlocked. She was looking at a business card left by one of the women who had visited her earlier when Anatoly appeared in the doorway.
         He looked at her for a minute before he sighed. "I'll be downstairs, if you need me," he said, giving her the same icy stare as Dmitry. His eyes were a riveting cobalt blue shaded by layers of thick lash. His voice was a deep, silky baritone.
         Royal was startled. She had never heard him speak in English. His accent was even stronger than Dmitry's. She tried to suppress her sudden urge to ask him one hundred questions about their boss. Instead, she kept it simple.
         "Where is the basement?" she asked, trying not to look as shocked as she actually was.
         Anatoly walked pass her to the bookshelf, grabbed the large wooden furniture by its ends, grunted a little as he shifted the heavy oak and moved it further down the wall. There, as plain as day, was a door. He hit a code on the security system and opened the vault-like contraption.
         "You can buzz me from your place on the security system. Just hit 22#. I won't be here when you open or when you close. Just at night and early mornings."
         Royal shook her head in amazement. As normal, Anatoly showed no emotion and with a nod he disappeared behind the door and left her alone.
         "Well, I'll be damned. What else don't I know about this place?" she asked, taking her shoes off her aching feet.
         Letting her long hair down from its bundle, she slowly made her way upstairs to recover from a very tedious day.
     

Chapter 6
         Steam billowed up creating a marvelous and aromatic fog throughout Royal's marble bathroom. To set the mood for a more relaxing late evening, she had taken some of the candles Dmitry had given her a few weeks ago and lit them around the bathroom and her bedroom. The luminous glow made her feel pretty or at least relaxed.
         To purge her thoughts, she connected her IPod and let the music blast throughout the apartment. Chris Cornell sang his heart out on his Euphoria Morning CD, and Royal hummed along.
         The hot water cascaded over her body, relaxing her aching muscles and drowning some of her more disturbing thoughts. Unfortunately, there were many