Chapter 15 - Damien
I glance in the rearview mirror, and my heart skips a beat. The three cars tailing us are far too close for comfort. They have their headlights on full beam, blinding me. I begin to panic, not knowing who it is and what they might want.
My only concern is keeping Genevieve safe. I need to know who we are dealing with in order to decide what must be done next.
I take a swerve onto a wider path, allowing two cars to come to either side of us. I look to my right and focus intently. Then, I recognize the man sitting by the driver’s side. I could never forget him, with his flaming red curly hair. It’s one of Alexai’s lackeys.
Alexai. God damn it. I ignored a few of his calls today, but I would have called him back tomorrow. It’s been less than twenty-four hours since we cracked a deal at the boxing ring. The match never ended and the deal never reached fruition, what with the cops turning up.
“Damien, what’s going on?” Genevieve asks, her voice trembling with fear.
I suddenly feel furious. He’s shown no patience, and he’s sent his men to scare not just me but my wife. That won’t do.
“Genevieve, listen to me,” I say, gripping the wheel tightly. “We’re being followed by some dangerous people. I need you to trust me right now.”
“Okay,” she whispers, her eyes wide with terror.
With that, I slam my foot on the gas pedal, accelerating as fast as the car can handle. The engine roars as we tear down the street, weaving through traffic like a snake. I can feel Genevieve’s grip on my arm, her nails digging into my skin.
“Damien, please drive slower,” she begs, her voice barely audible over the sound of screeching tires and honking cars.
“I can’t with those men after us,” I explain hurriedly, my focus split between the road and the cars behind us. The ones by our sides have trailed behind, too. “Just trust me.”
As I make a sharp turn onto a side street, I notice that the cars are still hot on our tail. I push the car even harder, my tires skidding across the pavement. They follow.
I need to get rid of them because I know what they want. I know this world like the back of my hand. If we stop, they’ll take us off the streets and bring us straight to Alexai. Had I been alone, I would have gone and negotiated what I could. But the experience of being kidnapped isn’t one I wish to put Genevieve through. She’s to be protected from that traumatic outcome, no matter what.
I wonder if I should use gunfire to blow out some of their tires. But with Genevieve by my side, I can’t risk it because it might aggravate them enough to fire back. She could get hurt.
So, the only option I have is to lose them.
The chase continues, each turn and acceleration more heart-stopping than the last. I can sense Genevieve’s fear mounting, her body tense beside me. My mind races, strategizing our escape route while also trying to calm her.
“Oh my God,” she says, over and over again with panic. “Oh my God.” She holds her chest like she’s in pain. I recognize it as a panic attack.
“Genevieve, listen to me,” I say, my voice firm but gentle. “I need you to breathe. In and out. I won‘t let anything happen to you.”
“Okay,” she manages to choke out, her breaths keep coming in short gasps.
The cars behind us start to gain ground, forcing me to make a split-second decision. I swerve down a one-way alleyway, narrowly avoiding a collision with a parked car facing us. The tires screech as we speed through the narrow space, debris flying past us. The alley becomes narrower, now just big enough for one vehicle at a time. I exit it, and to my surprise, like a gift from the Gods, a slow, rumbling crane tractor enters it just when we leave, going the other way.
The crane will hold off the other cars. They’ll have to reverse around, and by the time they might come this route, they’d get lost. Finally, with one last sharp turn, I lose sight of our pursuers.
“Damien... are we safe?” Genevieve asks, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Looks like it,” I reply, still wary as I scan the area for any sign of them. “But we can’t let our guard down just yet.”
I drive further into the darkness, my eyes scanning for a hidden spot to park. The adrenaline coursing through me is like a potent drug, heightening my senses and sharpening my instincts. I feel vividly alive, lucidly angry. I can feel Genevieve’s ragged breaths beside me, her body trembling from the chase.
“Damien,” she whispers, panic still laced in her voice.
“Shh, we’re safe now,” I assure her as I ease the car into an abandoned warehouse lot shrouded by shadows. “We lost them.”
The engine purrs to a stop, and for a moment, all we can hear are our own heavy breaths. My fingers grip the steering wheel tightly as I fight to regain control of my emotions. Genevieve’s hand reaches out to touch mine—it’s warm and comforting, but the tremors that run through her fingertips betray her fear.
“Are you okay, Ginny?” I ask, concern etched into my features.
She nods, trying to smile. “Yeah, I’m just… shaken, that’s all.”
“Let me handle this,” I say, my voice firm with determination. I pull out my phone and dial Alexai’s number, my heart pounding in my chest. He answers on the second ring.
“Zolotov? This better be important,” he growls.
“I would say it is, Alexai, considering how your men just tried to run my wife and I off the road,” I snarl at him, each word dripping with ice.
“Ah, so she’s with you,” Alexai replies, his tone smug. “That wasn’t part of the plan, Damien.”
“Plans change,” I retort, clenching my jaw. “Now listen here, you son of a bitch. You had no business sending those men after me.”
“I want my land,” he says.
“You want your land? I repeat his words back at him with an edge to my voice. “For that, I’d have to have lost the match. The cops came, and the match never finished. I owe you nothing yet.”
“Well, if the match didn’t end, it’s forfeit. You still owe me the land. The deal was if you won, you would get one of my underground fighting rings. If anything else, I get my land back.”
“Attempting to manipulate the agreement, Alexai?” I inquire evenly. “Do you presume me to be na?ve? The terms are binding in the case of a win or loss, not forfeiture. And hey,” I add, voice lowering, sharpening, “I know how you rake in most of your cash from the gambling scene. Big bucks you put down from your winnings for that penthouse on Upper East, the villa in Barcelona. What happens when word gets out that Alexai doesn’t understand when a deal’s a deal?”
I hear Alexai take a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line, his attempt to mask his surprise failing. “You wouldn’t dare,” he threatens, but I can hear a touch of unease in his voice.
“Try me,” I challenge, my tone icy. “You know what I’m capable of. I want a rematch in the ring, and then that’s that.”
“Fine,” he concedes after a tense pause. “One week from now. You win, my ring’s yours. But if you lose… well, that land is mine.” He hangs up before I can respond.
The satisfaction of showing Alexai his place washes over me, but it’s short-lived as I notice Genevieve trembling in the passenger seat. Her hands shake as she clutches the edges of her skirt, and I can see the fear in her eyes.
“Hey,” I say softly, reaching out to touch her shoulder. “What’s going on?”
She looks at me, tears brimming in her eyes, and I realize just how much this ordeal has affected her. She’s strong, no doubt about that, but even the strongest people need comfort sometimes.
“Come here,” I tell her, lifting my arm for her to slide under. Genevieve hesitates for a moment before scooting closer, allowing me to pull her onto my lap. I wrap my arms around her, feeling her body tremble against mine. “I’ve got you,” I whisper into her hair.
“Damien, I was so scared,” she confesses, her voice shaky. “What if they had caught us? What would they have done?”
“Hey, don’t think like that,” I say, trying to soothe her. “We got away, and we’re safe now. Even if they’d caught us, we would only lose some time, nothing more. This Alexai chap’s a weak man, a greedy man, but he’s afraid of the Zolotov wrath. He’d never have hurt us, just inconvenienced us.”
She looks up at me, her eyes searching mine. “Why are you doing this, Damien?” she asks softly. “Why risk your safety for a bet in the ring?”
I give a small, wry smile in response to Genevieve’s question, brushing a strand of golden blonde hair away from her face. “Because, Ginny, this isn’t just about a bet in the ring,” I explain. “It’s about the game, the fight. About holding my ground against those who would try to beat me down. It’s about proving that I can make it on my own merit, finally have something that’s mine and mine alone to do with what I want.”
“I don’t understand,” she whispers, laying her head on my shoulder. Her breath tickles my neck, and desire seeps through my entire body like trickling water. “But I’ll never stop you.”
She doesn’t even know how much that means to me. Relief washes over me. I never wanted her understanding, or anyone’s, really. All my life, I kept my fight hidden, for I feared I wouldn’t be accepted, but with that one sentence, I realize she accepts me. “Thank you,” I murmur, laying a gentle kiss on her cheek.
The darkness envelops us like a cloak, making this moment so intimate that I forget a world exists outside this car. I breathe in deeply, taking in the intoxicating scent of Genevieve’s perfume—a heady mix of jasmine and vanilla that wraps around me like a warm embrace. The dim light from the streetlamp outside filters through the car windows, casting a soft glow on her face. She looks ethereal, almost otherworldly.
Genevieve shifts on my lap, her body moving against mine in a way that sets my blood on fire. Her skirt hikes up her thighs, and I gently place my fingers on them, caressing her skin. She seems to sense the change in the atmosphere, her eyes meeting mine with newfound vulnerability. Her breath comes out in shallow pants, fanning across my face and sending shivers down my spine.
“Damien,” she whispers, her voice barely audible above the pounding of my heart.
“Genevieve,” I reply, my desire for her growing stronger by the second. I close the distance between us, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. She melts into me, her hands clutching at my shoulders as our mouths move together in perfect harmony.
I let out a growl of approval, my hands roaming over her body, memorizing every curve and dip. I can feel her trembling beneath my touch, her uncertainty warring with her need for comfort and safety. I decide to make her forget she ever felt scared.