Only three chapters left and I’m done with Book One. But here’s a little excerpt from Anatoly’s Retribution: Book One.

Right behind where Anatoly stood mulling over his next move, a shiny black S-Class Mercedes Benz pulled up to the curb, and the driver, a Russian man with a low buzz haircut, jumped out and opened the back door for his boss.

A tall blonde man emerged from the back seat donning a tailored tuxedo under a black wool coat. He immediately noticed the young man standing on the sidewalk in a pair of jeans and light jacket too flimsy for the fall weather, but Anatoly didn’t notice him. He was too focused on the huge oak doors in front of him.

Snow crunched under the man’s Italian leather dress shoes. A deep baritone interrupted the silence. “Are you looking for someone?” Dmitry asked, stepping up on the sidewalk.

Anatoly turned around and ran his gaze up to the 7-foot giant’s piercing eyes. Flakes of snow landed in the man’s blonde curly hair and a gust of wind caused him to tug at the top of his coat. He looked down at the boy with ice blue eyes that seemed to burn straight through him.

Anatoly swallowed hard and cleared his throat. Digging in his hands down in his pants pockets, he answered. “I’m looking for Dmitry Medlov.” He stood up straighter. Something about the man, demanded it of him.

“What do you want with him?” Dmitry asked curiously.

“Kirill Derevenko sent me from Moscow,” Anatoly explained, noticing the driver’s posture tense. The driver didn’t bother to hide the guns under his jacket or his suspicion of the boy’s presence. Anatoly glanced back up to Dmitry, hesitant to blurt out their familial connection so quickly. “He said you were expecting me.”

There was a brief awkward silence.

Dmitry’s smooth tanned face finally lit up pleasantly with a toothy smile. His high cheekbones were rosy. “Kirill! Yes, he is a very good friend from back home.” He winked at Anatoly. “I’m the man you’re looking for.”