Chapter 24: Dimitri Manilov, the dark angel and the kiss

- Russia, 1987 | 20 years ago -

— This place is creepy — said a beautiful young brunette walking behind a nun, who shrugged her shoulders casually and said:

— It's a juvenile hall, Miss Dwyer.

The beautiful woman continued walking silently, with her black briefcase tightly clutched in her hand, down the dark corridor through which she was guided. It smelled wet and the lights flickered as if the place was abandoned or a haunted house.

— Where are all the boys? — she asked when the nun stopped in front of a thick, black door. The nun took out a key and turned around.

— Miss Dwyer, behind this door, are the next serial killers, professional thieves, scammers, and the best and baddest guys in Russian society. Are you sure you want to continue? -Renée frowned and sighed. She was always professional and loved what she did, so she nodded confidently, and the nun turned to open the black door.

There were dark cells, completely closed, with thick bars reaching up to the ceiling. Everything was grey, made of concrete. Everything smelled the same and even worse. The smell of dampness was everywhere.

— There are three brats locked up in each cell, and the ones at the end are the most dangerous. Some killed their mother, and some robbed a shop, but all, all are criminals — said the nun calling one of the guards who were in the corridors of that dark place. The guard nodded politely to the two women and Renée gave him a forced smile. — Guide her to the last cell, Phil, Manilov's.

The man nodded and turned his back on Renée, who followed him. Everything was so quiet that it frightened her; it was abnormal that in a place like that silence should reign, even more so if there were problem children locked up there. The guard stopped in the last cell and hit the bars with his truncheon, making them produce a strange noise.

— Manilov, the psychologist is here to see you.

The cell was dark, nothing could be seen at all, so it seemed to be empty. Renée heard a noise and then a few steps. A boy of about fifteen years came out of the darkness. He was tall, stocky, and thin, but that's not what made Renée retreat. No, she recoiled when she saw his black eyes, dark as his soul. His chest had a tattoo next to his heart in Chinese letters and his feet were chained.

— I… I'm Renée Dwyer and I'll be your psychologist for the next two weeks.

The boy smiled at him openly and Renée felt a chill.

— You can't be my psychologist, you're afraid of me — he said, taking a chair that Renée hadn't seen and sitting down without waiting for her to sit in a chair that the guard had left behind. The bars and more than five meters separated them.

— You're very observant — said Renée, taking a seat as well.

— Aren't you going to ask me what I did or why I'm here? — said the boy looking at her carefully. Renée opened the bag she had with her and took a book from it. She got up and walked with hesitant steps to the bars.

— If it's a bible or a religious book I don't want it — said the boy almost grunting.

Renée stopped, then sighed and with courage took another step to the bars. She put her hand in the one with the book and said:

— Have you read Sherlock Holmes, Dimitri? — the boy sighed and stood up. He walked to the bars, but the chains prevented him. He groaned and hit the ground and Renée smiled without realizing it. When he looked up and saw her smiling, for once in his life, he smiled sincerely too, without malice because that woman who was afraid of him had smiled at him sincerely too.

- Present day -

— I'm not going to say it again, next time I ask you the question you won't have your eyes.

The man shivered and Dimitri tightened his neck a little more.

— I don't... I don't know, I... I just... I just receive orders — said the man with the strangled voice.

— From who? — Dimitri urged.

— From me — said Eleonora's voice behind his back. Dimitri squeezed the man's neck a little more and said:

— I told you the way to finish with the girl.

— I didn't send this inept man to finish her and I don't have to explain myself to you — snorted Eleonora. The man who Dimitri was holding by the neck began to turn blue, so Dimitri let him fall to the ground.

— You refused to do the job, Dimitri, there are many in the street who will do it without hesitation.

— Are you telling me you're going to kill that girl?

Eleonora turned smiling and said, with her eyes on Bella's building:

— Edward is going to hate her first.

- Russia | Second psychological session -

Renée turned the page on her book and that was all Dimitri could take.

— Aren't you going to ask me anything? — he asked grunting. Renée closed her book and took off her glasses, saying softly:

— Have you read the book? — Dimitri frowned and then answered.

— Yes.

Renée nodded and asked:

— Is it good? — Dimitri frowned even more confusedly and answered:

— Sherlock is a genius.

Renée smiled and nodded, then put her glasses back on and went back to her reading.

The days with Renée were always like that, little comments and then silence, a silence that Dimitri began to like and yearn for.

— Your tattoo, what does it mean? — Renée asked that afternoon, looking at it carefully. Dimitri's eyes darkened with sadness and after what seemed a long time Renée said — I'm sorry, I shouldn't have...

— One last time — said Dimitri interrupting her, and then continued — My mother said it all the time. She had a lot of optimism, faith in second chances. Unfortunately, she didn't have it when my father killed her in one of his drunken sprees.

Renée gasped when she heard that and didn't know what to say. Dimitri instead smiled and hid in the dark. Renée thought he had gone but he came back with something fine in his hands. It was a necklace, a beautiful and delicate necklace with a star.

— This is the only thing I have left of her — Renée stood up and went over to the gates, taking the delicate necklace in her hands.

— It's beautiful.

Dimitri smiled and said:

— And now I want to give it to you.

— You know I can't… — started to say Renée, but Dimitri interrupted her saying:

— Let me do something good one last time. That necklace was never mine.

Renée took the necklace and put it around her neck.

— See? — said Dimitri when she was already wearing it. — That necklace was never mine.

And that was the last time Dimitri Manilov felt his heart full of peace and happiness. Renée didn't come back but sent him a letter that said:

Dear Dmitri:

There's no way to say goodbye to someone. I'm not the kind of person who says goodbye. If you ask me, I admire your mother, may she rest in peace. She didn't believe in one last time, she believed in second, third, and many more opportunities that we can have in life. I've spoken to the prosecutor handling your case and I've given my report to the state. This letter only announces what will happen soon, I hope. You will be released and have the right to live one last time. Freedom is a right but it's also a responsibility. Take care of her and take care of yourself.

Farewell.

Renée Dwyer

- Present day -

Bella opened the door to her apartment and closed it with all the locks she could. She walked over to her phone and did something she didn't think she'd have to do. With her laptop, she tapped her phones with the security program that Edward Cullen himself had brought to London a few weeks ago.

.

.

— Do you have any idea what you're saying to me, Isabella? — Jason Jenks said from the other side of her phone.

— I know, Godfather, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner — said Bella opening her email on her laptop.

— Do you suspect someone? — Jason asked, worried. Bella sighed and then answered.

— That's the thing, Godfather, there's no one to distrust.

— If there was no one to distrust, this wouldn't be happening to you — Jason scolded her. Bella closed her eyes and rubbed her temples.

— I'll be more attentive — she said in a whisper.

— You can still let me protect you.

Bella denied a few hundred times, saying:

— I won't let two of your gorillas follow me all the time making me look like the president.

Jason Jenks' fresh laugh was heard over the phone and he said:

— They're not my gorillas. This company is practically yours Isabella but I'm not going to insist on the same thing. Listen to me and just take care of yourself, okay?

— I promise — whispered Bella with a bad feeling in her heart.

— Edward, your son's teacher wants to see you — said Eleonora with her teeth clenched.

Edward looked up from his laptop and took off his glasses to rub his eyes. He had been waiting for Bella to arrive but at least he wanted Anthony to be present. Anthony would surely succeed in reassuring Bella, while he would do the opposite. Unfortunately, the imp (1) had run off with his godmother when she arrived.

Coward.

— Eleonora, I need you to bring Laurent Ing's contracts. And Apple's signed permits — Eleonora clenched her fists. She hadn't even reviewed those contracts. She wanted to hit Edward, but she held back and said:

— Those contracts are in the company. I haven't had a lawyer look at them yet.

Edward leaned back in his chair and said:

— It's your job to get a lawyer to do it, Eleonora. You are supposed to be my assistant and those contracts have to be ready for tomorrow's dinner.

Eleonora nodded and put on her sad face, saying:

— I'm sorry — Edward nodded, and Eleonora turned to leave but Edward's voice stopped her.

— Please show Miss Swan in.

— Of course — said Eleonora, clenching her fists until she hurt her palms.

Bella looked up from her book when the door to Edward's study opened. It was time to face him, and she didn't have the courage to do it. She focused on the strange way Eleonora was looking at her. That woman gave her chills.

She was beautiful, too beautiful, and cold. Her blue eyes looked at her strangely.

— Miss Swan, Mr. Cullen is waiting for you — Bella got up, grabbed her purse, and smiled at Eleonora, saying:

— Thank you.

When Bella turned around Eleonora took the letter opener that was on her desk and turned furiously in her direction, but Bella had already entered. She squeezed the letter opener and nailed it to her desk, then she walked out of that mansion.

Bella entered the office leaving behind her nerves and willing these two to give her a very good explanation. Although deep down, and she would never admit it, she had loved to have them follow her and try to boycott the date.

As soon as she walked in, she realized that Edward was alone, so she was straightforward:

— Where's Anthony? The conversation we're having is for him to be present as well.

Edward looked at her for a long time, sitting in his chair behind the desk, and although nothing seemed to make him nervous and he was completely calm, inside he was pulling his hair out. Well, he had no choice but to face the consequences.

ALONE.

— Rosalie came to see him, and Anthony took the opportunity to escape. So I think we're gonna have to talk about it, just you and me. We'd better leave Anthony out of it. He's just a kid.

Edward meant that, after all, he's his son and although he was the criminal mind behind it all, he was still a child and he would protect him from Bella's fury.

— Well, can you tell me what you and Anthony were doing at Dodger Stadium yesterday? — Bella asked, still showing her anger, although deep down she had been moved by Edward's taking the blame off Anthony when she was sure the little boy had had a lot to do with it.

— Well... so... Anthony and I, we were bored yesterday, and decided we could go see the stadium. We've never been there together so we thought it would be a good day to go and see it.

A drop of sweat ran down Edward's temple because although he had had all day to plan a strategy to follow, he had gone blank. (2)

— And you suddenly decided to take aim at Jacob?

This was the part that had bothered Bella the most, but she couldn't deny that she had also had a lot of fun.

— And how do you know it was us who did that to Jacob? Maybe it was you, who in your rookie aim, hit him. You don't want to blame us for your marksmanship. Besides, how could we have hit him from where we were? It's not like we have a ball peeler to...

Edward swallowed thick. He had accidentally told Bella exactly how they had done it. He looked Bella in the face and saw her raise an eyebrow, waiting for an explanation.

Shit!

He had been caught because of his loudmouth. He just couldn't keep his mouth shut, no. He had to tell everything.

He got up and walked around the desk so he could face her. He would use his height to try to face her, even though her anger was making him shrink.

— Okay, yeah. It was us. But how can you think of going out with that, that, that mammoth, King Kong's attempt, since all he wants is to be able to have you in his bed?

Since trying to explain himself was going so badly, Edward thought it best to try to divert some attention and also to find out why the hell she had gone out with that one.

— Edward! Jacob is a friend, and whether I want to go out with him or not is up to me. It neither goes nor comes to you. (3) Is that clear to you? I'm old enough to decide who I want to go out with or not.

Bella had been caught totally off guard by the change in topic, leaving her both stunned and angry.

What right did he have to demand that she went out with anyone? It's not like he was her father, he wasn't her partner either.

Meanwhile, in the heat of the discussion, the two had been getting closer and closer, until they were only a few inches away from each other.

— I don't want you dating him. Not with him, not with anyone else.

— And why is that?

— Because I want you for myself.

After saying that Edward took her face with both hands and kissed her deeply.

1) Imp: Here I originally used "dwarf", as it's a direct translation from Spanish. I don't know you guys, but here in my country we use those words when referring someone small or a child like Anthony (even Alice sometimes!). We use the word "enano" meaning: 1. That is very small in its kind. 2. Loving or derogatory name to address the children. 3. A person who is smaller than normal height.

2) Had gone blank: is an expression that we use very often. Is like saying that you have gone out of ideas. I think in English you say something like "blank out" (that's what I found on Wordreference)

3) It neither goes nor comes to you: it's an expression very used here. It means that it (the situation) is not important for the other person; you don't want that person to be involved (you can say it in first person too, it has the same meaning). An English synonym, (searched everywhere on the web) could be "it's none of your business" or "it's nothing to do with you". But, at the end it means that Edward shouldn't have opinion on whether Bella dates Jacob or not. The Spanish expression is Ni te va ni te viene (in 2nd person) or Ni me va ni me viene (1st person).

I could name this chapter as: Clara trying to translate and explain Spanish expressions that don't make sense in English hahaha. Do you like when I teach you some Spanish?

I loved writing and reading this chapter. It has drama, fun and romance! AND WE HAD A KISS!

I've read every single of your reviews and I just wanted to say THANK YOU, you guys are so sweet! I have last exam this Wednesday so let's hope your good luck arrives on time ;)

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PS: Did you know we hit 150 reviews today!? Like... WHAT!? I remember weeks ago celebrate 50 reviews hahaha. I love you guys!