chapter six
Sister-Sister
Kurtrina
I can’t stop running. I have to keep moving. I won’t take this to Brenda’s door. I saw the news. They are trying to cover it up, but the same bastard’s that showed their asses up at my place went after my other sister, I know it in my heart.
I’ve never met Monique, and now I’m not sure I will get to. I’m running for my life. The text that sent me running from the restaurant, where I was supposed to have lunch with my sisters, Brenda and Monique, said that Keisha was murdered.
It was a warning for me to get my shit and run. Faina Krupin has been keeping me in the loop with my sister for seven years, behind her nephew’s back. I still remember the day she showed up on my doorstep with a bag of cash.
“My nephew possessive. You will not see sister again, useless Misha wants. Keisha tell me of sister here in America. I know you struggle. This will help,” Faina told me, as she stood on my run-down apartment door step.
“Why do you want to help me? You don’t know me, and my sister and I haven’t seen each other in years,” I grumbled folding my arms over my chest.
“You do not understand the type of man your sister has gotten involved with. People will hurt you, to hurt her and him. Take this,” she thrust the money in my direction. “I will keep eye on you. I tell you run, you run. There is enough to live and something to put away to run.”
With that, Faina Krupin was off. I stood confused, holding a bag of what I would learn to be one and a half million dollars. It took me a week to decide what to do.
I decided right after Faina sent me the first letter. It pretty much told me the address to my new apartment and that I had no choice but to move. The big Russian guy that dropped the letter off, stood waiting for me to get my things so he could drive me to my new place.
Afanasy became a fixture in my life from that day. I should have known something wasn’t right when he didn’t show up for dinner. Afanasy is the only person in the world I can trust.
I hold in my sob and push forward. I don’t even know if he is still alive. I found the note on my kitchen table. It was in Faina’s handwriting. Two simple words slashed across the page.
Run. Now.
I didn’t think twice, I run for my closet for the bag I have kept there and I started to get the hell out of there. Afanasy and I joked about this damn blonde wig so many times, but it saved my life. They walked right by me, I heard them murmuring to each other as they passed by.
They weren’t Russian. Afanasy has taught me to speak Russian. He said it was good for me to know. If his uncle ever sent someone for me, I would understand them and know to run.
No, these men were speaking something else. It was close enough to Russian for me to pick up a few words and phrases, but it was not Russian. I made it out of the lobby of my building before an explosion went off on my floor.
I took off running and never turned back. That was four days ago. I’ve been clinging to the shadows, trying to decide my next move. I’ve thought about going to my brother.
I just don’t know how he will feel about me. I know Monique wanted nothing to do with meeting me. Brenda had waited until the last minute to tell her about our lunch. From the sound of Brenda’s voice when we spoke the night before our lunch date, I’m not even sure Monique ever planned on showing up.
I don’t know what to do. I don’t feel like I can trust anyone right now. I’m afraid to try to travel. It may give my location away to whoever’s trying to find me, if I purchase a plane ticket.
I know, I know. I watch too much TV and read too many suspense books. However, I’ll take my chances on my over active imaginations at this point. It’s kept me alive the pass four days. Something I can’t say for my sister, Keisha.
I’m getting hungry. I don’t think my stomach will be able to take one more street dog or greasy Knish. My stomach gurgles at the thought. I dip into an alley, pressing my back to the wall and closing my eyes to think.
I need food and some place to lay my head for a few hours. I have cash on me. I think it’s time to find a little place. I’m exhausted, I can’t keep moving.
Afanasy said that if anything like this ever happened, I should leave the city on the fifth day. He would find me by the fifth day, if not, I should become ghost. I’m losing hope that I will ever see him again.
“Never close your eyes and lose awareness,” a thick Russian accent rumbles through the alley, causing me to nearly jump out of my skin.
I open my eyes and I swear the man before me looks like a large bear. He has a hard, but ruggedly handsome face. Dark hair and thick brows. His face is covered in a thick beard and his dark eyes are locked steadily on me.
My flight instincts have not kicked in. I’m frozen in spot. My cross-trainers feel like they have been glued to the dirty New York cement. My jeans feel heavy like they have been soaked and are now weighing me down.
The hoodie I have on is covering my face, hopefully covering the split second that fear enters my eyes. I don’t know if I can even move fast enough. Suddenly, my backpack seems so weighted. I knew I should have kept moving. Why the hell did I stop?
“You are scaring her,” I hear the familiar voice of my friend.
My eyes flicker to the bear of a man’s side and sure enough a bruised looking Afanasy, is standing at his side. I bite back a sob and lunge myself forward into Afanasy’s arms, knocking my hoodie off my head. My blonde wig revealing itself. This man has become the brother I never knew I wanted or needed.
When his arm wrap around me, the dams break. I didn’t realize how much I needed him, or how much I feared I would never see him again.
“Shh, little one. You’re safe now. Faina may be my boss, but Misha all of our boss. He has given the word for your safety. We take you to new home. This Shura, Misha trust him, I trust him. Come,” Afanasy says soothingly.
“But Faina’s note said to run,” I say shakily. “My sister has been murdered and one of the others has been attacked right here in New York.”
“For that I am sorry,” Shura speaks up. His voice hard, but a soft sadness is in his dark eyes. “Keisha was like daughter to me. I will forever resent not being there for her.”
“You knew my sister,” I ask, narrowing my eyes at this man.
“Yes, and your niece. Speaking of your niece. I would like to get back to hotel. It will make me feel better to be with her.”
“Keisha’s little girl,” I gasp the question, already knowing the answer. My heart aches with the knowledge of what I’ve lost and missed out on.
I never wanted to leave my sister behind. She was my twin. We had a special bond. I just couldn’t take what was going on in our adopted family a moment longer. When I asked her to come with me and she refused, I left and didn’t look back. If I looked back, I would have gone for my sister.
My chest aches, maybe I should have. Maybe if I had, she’d still be alive. I look down at my shoes. I have so many regrets.
“Yes, once I get you settled. I can go back to her,” Shura says.
I look back up into Shura eyes. “I would like to meet her, to see my niece,” I lick my dry lips and hold my breath.
Afanasy and Shura look at each other. My brows knit as I watch the look that passes between them. I shift on my feet, questioning for the first time in years if I can trust Afanasy.
He turns to me and gives me a weird look. “We will get you settled first. Then we will see what Misha wants,” Afanasy says, he winces as soon as the words fall out of his mouth.
Like I said we know each other. He knows I’m about to light into his ass. I don’t know much about the man my sister ran off with. Faina has always made it seem as if I should steer clear of him and my sister’s life. Now, my niece is all I have left of my sister.
If she is here in New York, nothing will keep me away from meeting her. She’s my niece. I narrow my eyes at Afanasy, but Shura speaks up.
“Give Misha time, Keisha was important to him. This is all hard. There are things you won’t understand about Misha. It will be best to wait,” Shura says.
I roll my lips getting ready to argue, but I bite back my retort and nod curtly. I’m too exhausted to put up a fight. After some rest, I’ll revisit this. I don’t care who this Misha is, or about the fact that he has everyone around here shook to death.
“Fine, I’m hungry and tired,” I huff. I start to walk beside Afanasy, then pause. I look up at him and give a firm glare. “I need to know…Monique?”
“She is recovering. As I said, Misha has given word. No one will dare to touch you. He has made himself clear,” Afanasy replies.
“For now,” Shura murmurs, causing me to turn and look at him sharply. “Things will change.”
“Enough,” Afanasy spits harshly.
Shura glares at us both and shrugs. “I have job to do. Get girl to safety and report back to Misha. Let’s go.”
With that we disappear deeper into the shadows. Something about it all feels like I’m walking further into the rabbit hole, instead of heading out. So many things are floating through my sleepy brain, but I’m too tired to focus on a single one.