Dmitry's Closet by Nelson, S. (read people like a book .txt) 📕

get you to the airport. The plane is waiting for you there to take you to Prague.”

“The airport? But…”

He grabbed her shoulders. His virility evident for the first time. “Get dressed.” His voice was husky and masculine, completely different from the Cory she had known before.

“I’m not going anywhere with you until you tell me who you are!” She looked into his eyes.

“I don’t havetime to explain all that to you. If you don’t want to die, get dressed!” He released her.

Royal ran to the bathroom with tears in her eyes and grabbed a pair of jeans. She slipped them on without closing the door and grabbed a sweater from the dirty clothes hamper. Not bothering to put on her boots, she slipped back into her house shoes and grabbed her purse.

“Where’s your other bag?” Cory asked, looking for the bag full of money Dmitry had given to her earlier that day.

“What other bag?”

“Get the money, Royal. You’ll need it. Don’t forget your passport.”

She ran to the other side of the bed and grabbed the bag. With a look of total disgust, she followed him out in the hallway where two bodyguards waited for them with guns and ammo.

“I guess you were a part of this whole thing,” she said accusingly of Cory.

“Not now, Royal. There are more important issues right now, like getting you out of here alive.”

She looked around shook her head. Everything that happens in the dark must at some time come to the light, her adopted mother used to tell her. Well, the light at the Meldov house was blinding her.

They ran quickly down the hall. She clutchedthe bag close to her. Her heart pounded as they hit the marble staircase. Guns out, they headed towards the garage.

The men were in front of her and behind her, guarding her from whoever had gotten Dmitry. She couldn’t believe it. Someone had killed him. Ivan? Dear God. He had warned her. She cried at the thought. She never even got a chance to say goodbye.

“Their already here!” a man screamed, coming from around the corner shooting.

“Head back!” Cory shouted,grabbing Royal. “Upstairs! Upstairs!”

The men turned and headed back through the corridor. Royal screamed and ducked as Cory pushed her to run. She dropped the heavy bag of money and fled. The hundred dollar bills spilled onto the ground in large, endless bundles and blanketed the stairwell.

Bullets whizzed past her impacting the wall as she ran up the stairs in front of Cory. Adrenalinepumping, she slid into the wall as she took cover. Cory shot back at the men behind him and followed her.

“Run, Royal. Get back to your room!” he screamed. “Get to a phone and call 9-1-1.”

She ran as fast as her feet would take her to her room and closed the door. She locked it quickly. Grabbing the phone off the nightstand, she dialed the police.

Time seemed to slow as the phone dialed. She could hear the shots as they got closer. A man screamed. It sounded like Cory? Tears ran down her face. Shaking, she ran into the bathroom and locked the door. Trying to pry open a window, she waited for the operator to answer.

“911. What’s your emergency?”

“There are men shooting inside of my house. Someone is trying to kill me!” she said, hearing her bedroom door fly off the hinges. She pushed against the window again, breaking her acrylic nails against the pressure. She cried out in pain and fear.

“Please help me!”

“Police are on the way. Where are you in the house?”

“Third floor. In the master bathroom.”

The doorknob turned violently. She pushed back in the corner by the window with Dmitry’s razor blade in her hand.

“Hurry,” she whispered. “They’re going to kill me.”

Suddenly, the door was kicked open. Instinctively, she wanted to cover her face but forced herself to meet her attacker head on.

Royal breathed heavily, trying hard to fight the tears that ran freely down her face. She held the razor out – determined not to give up without a fight.

Ivan strolled in the bathroom alone with a large automatic weapon in hand and a clever smile on his face. His size was more intimidating than ever now. He wore a black turtleneck and a pair of black tactical pants that tucked into black steel toe boots. He made eye contact with her and licked his lips.

Royal swallowed hard. She wanted to meet her end with some dignity. Wiping the wet tears from her face, she tooka deep breath. Her nostrils flared, she stood up a little straighter.

Ivan walked up to her, biting his lip and looking her over. His gun wasno longer pointed. She was not a threat, just his prize. Reaching for her, he felt the sharprazor slice his face. He smiled as he caught her wrist, blood marking her hand.

Slowly, he bent her fingers back and made the blade drop to the ground. She winced in pain as he pushed her back in the corner and put his large hand around her warm neck. Like a rag doll, he picked her up off the ground. Nuzzling his head in her hair as he whispered.

“Do you know how long I have thought about us being alone together?” He kissed her cheek. “Hang up the phone, Royal,” he said, licking his lips.

She put the phone to her ear, gasping for air. “His name is Ivan Medlov. He killed my fiancé, now he’s going to kill me,” she cried to the operator before she droppedthe phone.

Ivan stomped the phone into rubble as he held her off the ground. “Kill you? What would make you say that?”

Royal couldn’t speak. She kicked and struggled to breathe for air.

“Do you have anything smart to say today withoutyour posse to back you up? Go on. Make a joke.” He eased her down to the ground so that she could breathe.

She gasped for air and cried. “I know why