Natalia's POV

My altercation with Oleg left me with a bad feelings, not only in my bruised hand, but in the pit of my stomach. I needed this whole situation to be worked out, so that I could live out the life I wanted. I wasn't going to be held back by the fear and confliction I had been harbouring, but I was going to calmly fix the situation as best I could.  

I had a plan, one that may work, but might not, and I knew that I would need help. My options were severely limited, Oleg was completely out of the question and Alexander would relay anything back to Oleg so he was out of the question as well. Leo was too close to the situation and would try to change my mind, so that left me with one person. 

Dominika.  

My best friend was not on-board with my real relationship with Dexter, but she was my best friend, and I hoped that with some persuasion she may be willing to help me with my plan.  

I looked at my watch and knew that there would be a few employees at the Café today, so I called Dominika.  

'Natalia? Aren't you supposed to be here?'  

'Want to ditch work and have an early lunch with me?' I asked and I heard her laugh. 

'I would love to, but it seems that my boss isn't here and someone has to be working.' 

'Aren't the other girls there? Please Dominika, it's important, I need to talk to you.'  

She didn't answer right away but I kept silent until she spoke, 'Fine, where are you?'  

I smiled into the phone telling her where to pick me up. 

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_ 

'It looks busy,' I told her, gesturing to the restaurant she had just parked in front of. 

'Of course it's busy, this place is amazing,' she smiled, taking her seatbelt off.  

I stepped out of her car and couldn't help but admire it. Dominika's car was a total representation of her personality, it had a sleek golden paint job and it was the type of car that you would find in The Fast and Furious. Just looking at it made you want to race other cars, with the absolute knowledge that you would win. She loved her car, more than anything. It was pretty and sleek, but powerful and deadly, just like her.  

We entered the big building and were shown to a quiet table in the back, of which, I was grateful for, the rest of the place seemed to be loud and buzzing with activity. I could see most people were in business meetings, and some were dates, but I couldn't see a whole lot of families or children around us. I nervously twirled a blonde ringlet around my finger, suddenly realising that I had been curling my hair pretty much every day, even days when I wasn't meeting Dexter. I had never liked my hair curly, I thought that straight blonde hair was more sexy, but I liked the curly look. It softened my features and made me look more grown up. I also noticed that my style had changed, even when I was just being myself I would catch myself wearing bright colours mixed in with the dark. It was strange, but somehow it felt more like me.  

'So what's up Kitten?' she asked and I fought the urge to ask her not to call me kitten anymore because I needed to be on her good side today if I was going to get her help with the plan.  

'I need your help.' 

'With what?'  

The waiter chose that moment to get our orders and I ordered quickly, eager to get back to my conversation.  

'What do you need help with?'  

'I have a plan which will not only benefit Papa's 'business' but will also leave Dexter unharmed.'  

'Natalia...' she warned me, sounding like we had this conversation a million times already. 

'Please hear me out'  

'You don't know what you're saying Natalia, your Father already wants him dead, to try to counteract that wouldn't work in your favour'  

'Nineteen years.' 

She looked confused, 'What?'  

'I have been by your side for nineteen years.'  

'Yes.'  

'And in that time have I ever questioned your judgement?' 

'This isn't-' 

'Have I?' I questioned and she gave in.  

'No, you haven't.' 

'And when you quit your projects a few years ago for no reason, did I push you to tell me why? Did I question your judgement on that?' 

'No you didn't.'  

'Do you care about me?' I asked quietly. I was used to people using me or not being who I thought they were, namely Oleg and Erik, and I thought for a second that maybe my best friend may not be the friend I thought she was.  

She looked like she had been slapped for a second before composing herself, 'What sort of question is that Natalia! Of course I care about you.'  

'Then please, please Dominika, please help me out here, I have a plan, a good plan and I need help' I knew my expression must have seemed desperate, but I was at a loss for options at this point.  

She looked conflicted, contemplation evident on her face as she thought about what I had to say.  

'Do you really love this guy? Is he worth risking this for?'  

I didn't hesitate, I didn't stutter, because there was only one answer to that question.  

'I love him with everything I have, and I would give up my life for his if it came to it.' 

She was taken aback for a few seconds, 'What's the plan?' 

'I want to talk to father, I need Erik out of the office, because if he is there then he will shoot down my idea, so that's where you come in.' 

'I distract Erik?' 

'Exactly, take him to lunch or ask him on a date, anything.' 

'Ok, then what?' 

'My father loves me, he has a soft spot for me, right?' 

'Of course, you're his Kitten.' 

'So I will ask him, very persuasively, if I can tell Dexter the truth, and tell him I think that I can get Dexter on our side if I can tell him everything.'  

'And you think he will say yes to that?'  

The waiter brought us our meals and I thanked him before continuing the conversation.  

'I can be very persuasive, especially when it comes to Papa.'  

'So you really think that you can do that? Tell Dexter everything and then live happily ever after?' she asked sceptically.  

'No, but I think that I can tell him who I am and he will take some time to adjust, but he loves me, I know he does, so he will come around to it, and I can convince him to stop what he is doing for my sake'  

'What if-' 

'Dominika, I know that things can go wrong, so that's why I have thought of a back-up plan.' 

She leant towards me, 'And what is this plan exactly?'  

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_* 

We spent over an hour making sure that we had our plan perfect, plus the backup plan. It felt like a weight had been lifted, but at the same time, that another one had been placed on my shoulders.  

I had called Papa and organised to meet him the next afternoon to talk to him. He thinks that it's to talk about information I have found, but it won't be.  

As we were leaving the restaurant I looked over and happened to see a flash of a person who looked familiar. I slowed my pace and focussed.  

At a small table sat two people, and woman and a man.  

The woman was speaking while the man nodded his head, obviously agreeing with what she was saying. The woman was wearing a dark dress, her hair in a loose bun. The man opposite her was dressed in dark pants with a light jacket and not the police uniform he was wearing when he left my apartment that morning.  

'Natalia, what's wr- Is that Dexter?' Dominkia must have noticed that I stopped walking, and was now standing next to me, looking at the same table as I was. Their table was anged away from us, but with a slight turn of the head, Molly would have spotted us easily.  

Knowing that two people randomly standing and looking at them would probably draw some attention I pressed my hand to her side and gently pushed her to the side where they wouldn't be able to see us.  

She looked confused, like she wasn't sure why I wasn't just going over there to say hi, 'That's Dexter and Molly' I told her, and he face changed. She must have realised who the woman was and the predicament she could leave me in if the woman recognised us for the waitresses in the coffee shop.  

'Molly? As in Oleg's girlfriend Molly? Police officer Molly?' she said, but her tone suggested that she wasn't really asking.  

I nodded, 'that's the one.'  

Dexter had never spoken about Molly with me, I had assumed that they were just acquaintances, nothing more. They talked at the party, but they didn't seem to be friends. Why would he not tell me that he was having lunch with her today? I saw him this morning, and he didn't lead me to think that today was anything but another day at the office.  

'Let's go.'  

I walked past Dominika and emerged into the street, the sun bright in my eyes.  

'Natalia..' she grabbed my arm gently, her manicured fingers stopping me from storming further, 'what was that?' 

'I don't know,' I admitted and she nodded solemnly and she didn't say anything more until we were safely in her car. I couldn't help but wonder what I was missing at that little table back at the restaurant, what were they doing? Was he cheating on me? Was Molly cheating on Oleg?  

I didn't have much sympathy for Oleg in that moment, but he didn't deserve to be cheated on, even if we weren't on the best of terms.  

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_* 

'Did he tell you he was having lunch with the cop?' she asked me, the first words she had spoken, probably realising that my mind was too busy before running through scenarios to actually have any human interaction.  

I shook my head as I let us into my apartment, 'No, shouldn't we go to work?' 

'Nah, the girls can handle it.'  

I nodded, leading her to the couch were I sat next to her. I fidgeted with my fingers, trying to keep my thoughts away from the dreadful thoughts of cheating and lies. Suddenly a hand was on mine, interrupting my nervous fidgeting. 

'Call him.' 

'What?' 

'Call him Natalia, maybe he has a perfectly reasonable reason, I mean, we only left like ten minutes ago, they should still be there. I bet if you call him, that he will tell nothing but the truth'  

She was right, I was completely over-reacting. I reached into my bag and pulled out my cell. The brunette gave me an encouraging nod as I dialled the numbers and pressed it to my ear.  

'Nat?' 

'Hey Dex.' 

'What's up?' his tone was stressed and he spoke fast, there was some low background noise, but it wasn't distinct.  

Dominika looked at me, mirroring the confused and concerned look covering my features at his strange tone.  

'Nothing, just wanted to see what you were up to?' I asked casually.  

'Nothing important, I'm just at the station.' 

The police station? He was lying to me, I knew that for sure. The station was half an hour away from that restaurant, there was no way that he was already back at the station.  

'Ok, well, could I stop by and say hi? I'm in the neighbourhood,' I lied and Dominika gave a slight nod, approving of my method.  

He faltered before speaking after a few seconds, 'Uh, well, Bridgette and I were just leaving the station to go on patrol, sorry, how about dinner tomorrow?' 

'Oh, ok, why don't you come over tonight?'  

'I-I can't, I have to w-work late,' he stuttered nervously.  

'Oh?' 

'Yeah, I have to go Natalie, sorry.'  

'That's fine, I'll see you tomorrow, I guess,' I told him and he hung up the phone less than a second later.  

'That didn't sound too good,' Dominika admitted and I placed the phone back in my bag. 

'I think he's cheating on me,' I said quietly and her hand clasped mine.  

'We still going through with the plan?' 

I loved him, even if he was cheating on me, he didn't deserve to die.  

'Yes.'  

'Are you sure?' she asked sceptically and I nodded.  

'Yes.' 

'How are you going to deal with this? You can't do nothing.' 

'I can't do anything until I know his life is safe.'  

I just had to focus on saving him, on keeping him breathing. If he didn't want to be with me after that then I would deal with it. Somehow.  

'Can you really trust this guy Natalia?' 

'I don't know, I thought so, but if I do nothing and let him die, then I will never know the truth. He could be just, I don't know, there could be some explanation for why he lied to me, right?' I clutched at straws, knowing all too well that if there was a reasonable explanation, that he would have told it to me just now, but he hadn't.  

She didn't answer me, just squeezed my hand sympathetically as I wiped traitorous tears from my eyes. I had to be strong, I had to get through this, for all our sakes, yet the fears and thoughts didn't stop. 

Why did he lie? What had happened to push him to this?  

The thought of him with someone else sickened me to my stomach. I remembered all those small loving touches and adoration filled glances which we had shared only the night before and wondered if those same touches were being given to someone else.

I guess I wasn't the only one keeping secrets.