Chapter 14
CHAPTER
FOURTEEN
Maxim
I threw open the door of Rasputin’s.
They knew me well here.
No one questioned me as I stalked my way to the bar. They just moved.
And what I saw…
One of my Bratva brothers had his hand lifted. I didn’t know him well, but I did know he frequented this bar just like the rest of the brothers here.
His hand reared back, swiftly striking it down in the direction of the curly-haired woman beneath him.
Sia went flying upon impact, hitting the floor and landing in a heap before his feet. She grabbed her face where he’d struck, and the fucker drew back to hit her again.
He didn’t get the chance.
My blade was in my hands only seconds before it left my fingertips. A flash of silver cut through the crowd before the knife sliced precisely into the palm of my Bratva brother. The blade stayed, and the brother howled. He gripped his hand, and everyone whipped around in the direction the knife came from. Many reached for their gun holsters.
They stopped when they saw me.
Everyone stopped. Everything stopped. People took notice when I entered a room.
I supposed being the adopted son of our leader did that.
It wasn’t official, but Natan had basically raised me. Everyone here knew that, and even outside of that, they knew who I was. Natan’s executioner got respect.
They even stopped the bar music, the room parting for me. Goal-oriented, I only headed for one place.
Sia was on the floor holding her face. She had her eyes closed, her body locked up in anticipation of another hit. I assumed this because everyone in this bar had eyes on me, but she cowered beneath the bar, her small frame shaking.
Little one…
She had no right to be here, obviously thinking she could play with the big boys. This behavior was completely in her nature, but was foolish. One couldn’t dick around in my world.
Eventually, Sia realized she wouldn’t be struck again because her eyes opened. The first thing those brown eyes spotted was me standing above her, and they widened immediately. She scooted back, her back hitting the bar and her hand still on her face. She’d been brave in front of me before, but that didn’t seem to be the case now. Now, I clearly scared her with my presence.
The reason why was evident, considering the last time we’d been together, and her fear and shock was only exacerbated upon seeing the bleeding man in front of her. The brother had stopped screaming, but I think that was only because I was here. He’d silenced himself in front of me and definitely noticed the second blade in my hand.
I’d pulled it out only seconds after I’d thrown the first. I toyed with it, his eyes and everyone else’s on it. He swallowed. “Maxim.”
My eyes still on him, I lowered my body in Sia’s direction. It was instinct to keep him in my line of sight. I glanced toward Sia, the young girl still cowering. My eyes narrowed. “You struck this woman?”
He obviously had, and he knew I’d seen it. During this exchange, Sia’s gaze passed over my shoulder. Her eyes shot large again upon seeing all the attention in our direction.
“Maxim,” the brother said instead of answering my question, and I growled.
“Did you strike this woman?” I repeated, and though the man was bleeding profusely, he let go of his hand. Tears were in this fucker’s eyes, but he was clearly trying to be brave.
He nodded once. “Yes, but I didn’t know she was yours.”
“She works for me,” I said, and I was proud of myself. I was actually still cordially speaking to this motherfucker and didn’t allow a shred of emotion to enter my voice.
I wanted to tear him apart. I wanted him to bleed , and the demon inside only goaded the urge. I was a hunter by nature, but I didn’t hunt animals.
I hunted people.
The chase brought me life, enlivened me. My jaw tight, I fought my natural instinct. Especially when the brother started to speak again. I was sure anything he voiced would surely set me off, and it was only Sia’s sudden movement that kept me from acting. She took my attention, her cheeks flushed. Her hand lowered from her cheek, and I noticed a cut on her brown skin. The brother must have been wearing a ring when he struck her.
The sight of the blood had my demon growling, the metallic scent of blood growing in the air. It was potent, but, instead of wanting to draw more of it out, I wanted to stop it. I didn’t want Sia bleeding.
My demon redirected toward the brother, my blade heavy in my hands. I gripped the handle but resisted the urge to use it. I forced my attention to Sia instead. She was quivering like a leaf. “Are you hurt?”
Besides her cheek, I meant. Her eyes scanned mine, and a quick shake of her head forced the scent of coconuts into the air. It was light, airy.
I wet my lips. “What did he say to you before I got here? On the phone I heard yelling.”
I heard her tell someone to shut their filthy mouth which meant he said something to her.
“What did he say to disrespect you?” I asked, and movement occurred behind me.
“Maxim, I swear to God I didn’t?—”
I lifted a finger toward the brother who still had my blade lodged in his hand. I was waiting for Sia to speak, but she suddenly had no words. She was usually so quick to voice them.
Come on, malyshka. Use your voice.
I’d coax the words out of her if I needed to. Someone would pay today for hurting her. I had no idea why I suddenly felt protective over her. I was always a man who believed in justice. The innocent should never be punished.
And Sia Reynolds was an innocent. Especially in my world.
Eventually, Sia took her attention off the crowd and focused on me. She wet her full lips. “He called me a bitch for not wanting to suck his cock. He explained how he wanted it…in detail.”
Good girl.
I gave her my hand then, and though she was shy about taking it, she did let me help her stand. She was unstable with her footing. This might have been because she’d clearly been drinking earlier.
“Go to the car,” I told her, nodding. I left it running outside because I was going to get her out of here. She had no business being here.
Sia gazed around, everyone’s eyes still on us. Her expression changed as she looked at the bleeding brother who disrespected her, her eyes cold. Her gaze found me. “What will you do?”
She didn’t want to know, and what I was about to do wasn’t for her to know. I folded a hand on her arm. “Car, Sia. Now.”
That was all I had to say. She didn’t question me anymore before touching the blood on her face. It was dripping down to her mouth now.
I fought the animal inside me, and I studied her back as she left the bar. The crowd parted for her easily. Even the brother who hurt her gave her a wide berth.
After she was gone, he studied me. “Maxim?—”
That was the last word he’d ever say, but not because I laid him out. The punishment always fit the crime in the Brotherhood.
And it did today.
I studied the second blade in my hand after I used it to slice my Bratva brother’s windpipe. A deep red dripped down from it to the floor, and I glanced up to hear gurgling noises.
Blood gushed around my Bratva brother’s hand as he fell to the floor, and others quickly crowded around him. I’d been precise with my strike. He wouldn’t die tonight, but he’d never speak another word.
Again, the punishment always fit the crime.
I made my way outside after retrieving both my blades. They’d need cleaning, but I wrapped them in a handkerchief in the meantime. I didn’t enjoy the smell of blood. It was triggering.
I got into the car.
Sia didn’t speak for a while, until the question I knew was coming finally came out. “What did you do to him?”
“Best you not speak,” I said, accelerating. I headed toward the house. I frowned. “Not after what you did.”
Her head shot back. “What I did? You’re kidding.”
I cut her a look, not kidding. “Your actions have consequences.” And in this case, they had me acting against a brother. It wasn’t that that didn’t happen, but it was the way in which it did. The confrontation shouldn’t have happened at all.
Grunting, I faced the road, and Sia huffed. She was all puffed up and trying to appear like a badass again. This was the exact opposite of how she’d been at the bar. She’d known her place there, but clearly didn’t now.
She sighed. “Look. I get you’re pissed, but that guy came onto me.”
“And are you going to be the one to tell his family that?” I didn’t even look at her at this point, too angry. The fact I didn’t know whether that was more so directed at her or myself pissed me off. I forced back my hair. “That man will never speak again because of you.”
“What?”
I glanced her way, my expression serious. “He’s forever silenced for disrespecting you.”
She didn’t say anything. Not at first.
“I never asked…” she started, then pushed back her curls. It sent a waft of that coconut scent flying into the air again, and I gripped the steering wheel. I’d always been sensitive to smells, the only reason I was affected by hers. She shook her head. “I never asked you to do that. Be crazy like that. Fuck.”
She had her feet up on my leather seats, her hands in her hair. Her panic reminded me of how she’d reacted when I shot that traitor point blank in front of her.
“And then there’s what you did to his hand,” she continued, rubbing hers. She was right about his hand. If he regained use, it’d never be right again.
He was lucky I didn’t remove his fingers.
I would have if others hadn’t been around, if I’d been allowed to give in to my rage and what the fuck did that mean? I didn’t lose control.
For some reason, this dog trainer was making me. Sia hugged her arms, but let go once she glanced out the window.
“We need to stop,” she said, studying the motel I quickly cruised past. She sat up. “That’s my motel. The one I’m staying at. We need to stop.”
“We’re not going to stop.”
“Why?”
If she didn’t stop asking me fucking questions… I squeezed the wheel. “You’re going home. To my home .”
And I noticed she’d sobered up a bit. Her words weren’t slurred or anything, but I bet she’d had a hard time getting into the car on her own.
Her mouth parted. “Why are you taking me there?”
To do something about her face for starters. “You’re bleeding. You need care.”
“And you’re going to give that to me?” She sounded shocked, and when I said nothing, she laughed. She shook her head. “I need to go back to my motel. My stuff is there and Polly.”
I almost asked what a Polly was, but then remembered. I’d been calling the dog, Dog . “I’ll send someone for her. You’re going home.”
She didn’t argue with me this time. She just opened the door, and I was forced to wheel my Mercedes in the opposite direction. The door closed right away, and Sia screamed.
I bared teeth. “The fuck you think you’re doing!”
“I’m going to get Polly. Now, you either stop this car, or I’m rolling out of it.”
The look she gave me was deadly, and she didn’t let up. Rather than risk scraping her off the pavement, I doubled back. I was silent all the way to the fucking motel, but only to keep myself in check.
Because if I had it my way…
There wouldn’t be any taking her back home. There’d be me letting her out on the side of the road and telling her to run. There’d be me chasing her, punishing her…
“You get that dog, and you come right out,” I said, my car still running. She was outside of it now, but actually listening to me as she stood with the door open. My eyes narrowed. “Don’t make me come in there after you.”
She really wouldn’t want that and slammed the door in my face like the kid she was. She was inside too long, but came out just shy of me doing something about that.
Sia strode quickly with the dog, a bag on her arm. She told me she’d gotten her stuff, but this was all she owned? Once she got the dog inside, she returned to her seat and didn’t dare say another word. Neither of us did.
We got to the house quickly. The bar wasn’t far from my home, and once we arrived, I shut off the car. I got out, and when Sia started to do the same with not just herself but the dog, I walked around the car. I gripped the door. “Dog stays here. I’ll have someone take it to its room.”
“ She comes with me.” Sia had the dog’s leash in her hands and was acting completely petulant. “I’m not leaving her.”
She then proceeded to direct the dog around me and into my fucking house. “Miss Reynolds…”
I went for her arm, but the dog got in my way. It blocked my reach, and I could do nothing but watch Sia walk away from me. She was still a bit off kilter (I assumed from the alcohol), and at one point, I attempted to get her arm again and stabilize her.
She recoiled from my reach, and I shook my head.
“Let me help you, goddammit,” I gritted. Though I wondered why I was trying to help her. I was wondering about a lot of things tonight.
Sia felt the same way, judging by the way she analyzed me. I was hoping she’d leave the dog at the foot of the stairs once we got inside, but hell if I was getting any favors tonight.
Sia kept the dog close to her, and it stayed with us all the way to Sia’s room in the servants’ quarters.
I opened Sia’s door, and when she took the dog in there, she dropped her stuff on the floor. She started to sit on the bed with the hound, but that was the last fucking straw.
“Dogs don’t belong in this part of the house, let alone on my fucking sheets,” I cut, striding toward them both. “Dog stays at the door.”
“I told you: Polly stays with me.”
She started to amble onto the bed with it, but I got the dog’s lead.
“The dog is fine by the door,” I stated, begging her to test me on this. “Now, sit down so I can do something about that cheek.”
She may not be bleeding anymore, but it could still get infected. Who knew where that fucker’s hands had been and what was on his ring?
Sia’s head tossed back in laughter. “You know what? No, and I’m done with this conversation now.”
She ripped the dog’s leash away from me. She moved to get by me, but at this point there were no fun and games. There was no more of me saying something and her refusing me.
There was no more.
“I said sit ,” I stated, looming above her. She attempted to distance herself, but I took a step for every two she had. Before she knew it, I had her against the wall. I peered down at her. “Back. Down. ”
The words radiated in the room and even the dog sat at this point. I found that curious since it hadn’t listened at all when Lettie had been looking after it.
I watched Sia, studied her response, and I noticed she wasn’t as brave when the flush hit her cheeks this time.
Right away, she told the dog to go to the door, and it did, surprisingly. She must have been able to teach it something. Sia sat on the bed, her arms crossed. “I’m sitting.”
She thought she was cute.
“Stay there,” I said, putting my back to her. I left the room and dared her to leave it.
She didn’t.
I passed the dog, still in its place by the door, now playing with a toy, when I returned with a medical kit.
“Surprised it listened to you,” I said. I pulled up a chair from the armoire and informed Sia to sit on it.
She did, begrudgingly. She also had a hard time walking to it but once again refused my hand when I offered.
Stubborn girl.
She was stubborn, headstrong. I didn’t do well with either. I cleaned her wound first, and she cursed. I assumed because of the sting from the antiseptic.
“She’d listen to you too you know,” she said. I stopped dabbing her wound. Her eyes narrowed. “If you bothered to take the time to train with her.”
I smiled that she was still on that. I cleaned away the blood from her cheek. Her cut hadn’t been that deep, and she didn’t need stitches. I glanced back at the dog. “I don’t need a dog, and the only reason I have one is because of my daughter’s meddling.”
Sia propped her feet up on the bed across from the chair. She hugged her legs every time I touched her wound, and when she sucked in a breath, her lips puckered. A soft breath expelled into the room after she released it and the smell of coconut touched the air.
“Well, maybe she feels like you need something.” She closed her eyes when I touched her this time. I assumed from the pain. Her chin touched her knees. “Some one …”
She was wrong about both and cursed again when I dabbed at the wound. My jaw clicked. “None of this would have happened if you hadn’t done something so foolish tonight.”
Her lashes fanned open, her frown hard. “It’s my fault I got hit on?”
No, that was the asshole at the bar, his arrogance.
The rage lassoed me again. Not enough blood was spilled tonight for what he’d done. Men in my world tended to think they owned women. They were nothing but objects, trophies…
“I meant your sobriety,” I stated, and when her eyes flashed my way, I nodded. I sat back. “I don’t know why you’d do something so dumb. You’re a drug addict for fuck’s sake.”
“Oh, and you care about that?” I handed her a cold compress for her cheek. It was still red from when that fucker struck her, and she held it to her flesh with a pout. “You don’t care.”
I didn’t. “I just know what it’s like to have an addiction. Something you can’t control.”
She eyed me. “You do? In what way?”
Well, that was none of her business.
I turned, avoiding her question when I told her I’d be right back. I had to pass that infernal dog again, but it kept playing with its toy and didn’t follow me.
Regardless, I grunted at it. I left the room, returning with a bandage. The medical kit I grabbed had been out of them.
I gestured for Sia to remove the compress, then placed the bandage on her wound. “What you did was just dumb.”
She glanced away. “Well, I wouldn’t have gotten drunk if I hadn’t run out of jellybeans.” She’d mumbled under her breath. Her hands gathered in her lap. “That’s what the jellybeans are for. They take the edge off.”
She was obviously referring to her addiction, and though I understood the need for the candy now, I also thought about what would trigger her in the first place. She’d certainly been through some things recently, seen some things.
My jaw shifting, I peered away.
“Anyway, thanks for everything, and this,” she said, pointing to the bandage. She got quiet after that, and that was different for her. It was different for both of us.
In her silence, she started to get up. I waved my hand.
“You’re staying here tonight.”
She frowned. “What?”
“You’re not going back out drunk.” She’d barely been able to get up here in the first place, for fuck’s sake. I shook my head. “Not until you sleep off whatever you drank.”
And there’d be no discussion about that. Zero.
Her arms folded. “You can’t tell me what to do. Or have you forgotten I don’t work here anymore?”
“You don’t, but you’re in no condition to be wandering anywhere.” Especially not this late. My jaw clicked again. “You’re going to stay here for the night. You can leave in the morning. You’re safe here.”
I was surprised to hear that come from my mouth. I wet my lips, starting to turn away, but the dog got up. I watched it stride over to Sia and, though I should tell her to put the thing downstairs, I didn’t.
Sia rubbed the pooch, smiling a little. My head cocked as I watched her. In fact, I hadn’t moved and didn’t really know why.
Sia caught me in my observation. She chewed her lip. “Did he deserve it?”
I didn’t know what she was talking about so I didn’t answer. Instead, I continued to watch her and how gentle she was with the dog. Not a lot of things in my world were gentle. Sia Reynolds was too pure of heart to be in my world, my home.
Regardless, here she was, and, after a beat, she told the dog to lay on the bed. It did right away, and, for some reason, I once again didn’t stop her.
She continued to stroke the hound. “That man you killed. Did he deserve it? Did he deserve what you did to him?”
What a curious thing for her to say. “Why would you ask me that?”
She’d been repulsed by what she saw, and that was natural. But now she wanted to know if he deserved it? Again, curious…
Sia once more guided a hand over the dog, and I noticed she wouldn’t make eye contact with me. She shrugged. “I guess I just wondered…”
“If his death was justified?”
Finally, those brown eyes lifted. Her nod was subtle, and I angled further into the room. “Would that make it easier for you? Knowing that he deserved it?”
She remained silent, and I decided to push her.
“Are you saying some people deserve what’s coming to them, Miss Reynolds?” I asked. “That what you saw was okay as long as the person deserved it.”
Something feral awoke my demon at the thought. It caused excitement to pulse through me.
It made me hard.
This was a dangerous line of questioning, and, eventually, Sia stopped petting the dog and looked at me. “Some people do deserve what’s coming to them, yes.”
I went to sleep with those words in my head that night, but not before watching images of Sia Reynolds. I studied the Sia Cam. She did nothing out of the ordinary. She simply slept, but my mind raced. Not many people would say such things out loud to someone else. They may feel that way but never say them.
Perhaps Sia Reynolds wasn’t most people.