53
See you soon, sukin syn !
I opened my eyes slowly, I felt terrible, another nightmare had shaken my body until I started to hear the little song from my childhood like a lifeline.
A cool hand caressed my cheek. I forced my eyes open. A blurred image emerged before them.
"Finally, you wake up, Kalinka." The murmur came from the tall figure reassembling before me.
"Yuri?" I asked, not believing he was in my room.
He couldn't have entered Romeo's house; his men would have seen him. Maybe it was part of the dream.
"Of course it's me, dear little sister." I turned my neck from side to side and didn't recognize the room.
"Where am I?" I asked, uneasy.
My strength was failing me, I had never been run over by a steamroller or run a marathon of hundreds of kilometers, but I supposed the sensation must be similar.
"In the hospital. A little bird told me you were admitted, and I came as soon as I found out." His tone was cold, cutting, with an extreme sweetness that reminded me of that poison that tastes like bitter almonds. As foggy as my senses were, I knew his visit wasn't a courtesy call, and I had to watch my words. "What happened?"
"I, I don't know," I stammered. "I'm thirsty, can you hand me that bottle?"
I noticed they had left one on the nightstand. My brother approached the still-closed container, carefully offered it directly to my lips, and I eagerly emptied it.
I glanced sideways at my injured arm covered by a bandage. If Romeo had taken me to the hospital, it could only mean the bullet wound had gotten complicated.
I was so thirsty I choked. I coughed a couple of times, my head drummed.
"Slow down, Nikita, I don't want you to choke." He took the bottle away from my mouth, and I licked the drops scattered on my lips. I was a mess. "What are these marks?" His index finger traced the skin on my wrists, where the bindings had left their mark.
"Do I need to explain it to you?" I didn't want to reveal that my husband had restrained me unless it was absolutely necessary. "R is into that kind of game." He raised his eyebrows.
"Really? And you let him?"
"All for our empire, right?" It was best to play along. He offered me a measured smile.
"I see you've accepted it. I'm glad, things have gotten ugly, Kalinka. Your husband's dog entered my property, took out Basile and another of my men. It seems that the Capulet fool didn't trust you and had you followed."
"No, really? We were so cautious!"
"Not cautious enough, any precaution is too little with the 'Ndrangheta. I went hunting with my men, we chased him, riddled him with bullets, and still lost track of him. Not hearing from you, I assumed we had finished him off, but I was wrong."
"I've been sick for three days, and Romeo hasn't told me anything."
"Maybe because he already distrusted you. I admit the mistake; I should have had one of my men follow your husband. Well, the damage is done. They have him in the ICU of this very hospital, although by now he should be in the morgue, I've sent two of my men to guide him to the light," he commented cynically.
I shuddered inside at the thought it might be true. I didn't even want to imagine how Andrey would take it. Not naming my man was a good sign.
"And how did you find out I was here?"
"I have my methods." I knew my brother had someone infiltrated, but I still didn't know who.
"Your man," I whispered. Yuri tilted the left corner of his mouth. He didn't respond.
"Tonight I had an incident while at my own house. My home has become a vulnerable place, and I've had two more casualties. A guy broke in alone, well-prepared this time. But he was discovered by one of my men, who died at his hands. I'm not sure why, but instead of coming after me, he fled."
"Maybe he left because he didn't expect to be discovered."
"Too much trouble to take down just a pawn," he clicked his tongue. "The thing is, this time I don't think it was your husband. Neither he nor his family act like that. If it had been the 'Ndrangheta, they would have attacked with full cavalry, and you wouldn't still be alive, so the situation makes me broaden my perspective."
"But last time, Aleksa came in alone, right?" I inquired, hiding the anxiety gnawing at my insides. I was convinced it was Andrey looking for evidence. Maybe he heard or saw something that gave him the clues he needed and bolted.
"Yes, but this time was different. Your husband's dog had come on a reconnaissance mission; R wouldn't do the same thing twice. My maid saw him jump the fence, he was tall, muscular, dressed in all black, with very short hair. Does that ring a bell?" I shook my head.
"That description is very vague."
"She didn't see his face or hair because he wore a hat in the same color and she was far away."
Yuri looked at me with suspicion. He had more than enough reasons, even if he didn't know. Or did he know and was testing me? I stuck to my stance.
"Sorry, I'm a bit dense, the fever isn't letting me think straight," I excused myself, bringing my fingers to my temples. "Do you think it could have been a messenger from Jing? They say ninjas dress in all black." My brother laughed.
"Surely you have a fever, your observation has been somewhat absurd. Jing doesn't have ninjas in his ranks, maybe in China, but not here."
"And if he sent one to look for his daughter?"
"No, I already told you your idea is bullshit. I beg you not to be offended by what I'm about to ask, but... wasn't it you, dear Kalinka?"
His left hand grabbed my hair without any care and pulled. I felt nauseous. I didn't have the strength to resist or fight back.
"Stop! You have absurd ideas! How can you think it was me?!"
"I don't know. Maybe ambition has gotten the better of you. The other day the power went out, and a Ukrainian came to the house looking more like a soldier than someone fixing cables." I looked at him with hatred.
"Then have him check your cables better, but the ones in your head. What the hell do I have to do with a Ukrainian electrician? Your accusation offends me," I growled. His hand was still like a shackle in my hair. My eyes shot daggers. I had to be very convincing if I wanted it to stick. Although I felt terrible, I needed to find a believable way out; with Yuri, I had to tread carefully. "I'm not the one who faked his death, who ruined the family's reputation to force his sister to marry the enemy!"
"Again with that damn refrain when what I've offered you is glory?! I don't recognize you, Kalinka!" He finally let go of me. I felt relieved.
"The one who doesn't recognize you is me..." I muttered, massaging my scalp.
"Get up, we're leaving," he ordered.
"What?"
"You can't stay here; we have too much at stake. We'll change our strategy."
"I'm not well, Yuri," I complained.
"Better not well than not being. If your husband finds out, he'll put a bullet between your eyes." If only he knew.
"You yourself said the person who broke in tonight wasn't one of Romeo's men and that Aleksa is dead." That thought churned my stomach, I felt a nausea that shook me from head to toe.
" Govnó [7] !"
I had just splashed my brother's pants and filled his shoes and part of the floor with vomit.
He stepped away in disgust.
The door swung open, and I looked towards it, distraught.
My husband stood in the doorway. He looked from one to the other, filled with rage. In his right hand, he held his weapon.
Another retch overcame me, and I let go of the liquid Yuri had given me. R's eyes shifted towards me. That brief distraction was all my brother needed to aim his gun at him. He was always very quick to draw.
"Long time no see, brother-in-law..." he greeted, waving the pistol.
" Figlio di puttana [8] !"
"Don't insult your mother-in-law in front of her children; it looks bad."
"Your fucking face will look bad when I empty my magazine on it."
"Oh, oh, oh, how violent, the only thing you used to unload in front of me were your balls. Remember?"
"Shut the fuck up, bastard."
"Bastard? No way, I was a very wanted child. You, on the other hand, have always been a trusting fool, a puppet of your daddy. A sappy kid who was dying to surround himself with friends, even if they were from the wrong side. You didn't do what a mafia heir should do; you should have killed me as soon as I appeared on your horizon instead of giving me a place in your life."
"On that, we agree, I should have killed you like I intend to do now because shit is always shit, no matter how much one tries to convince oneself that the best things grow in manure."
"Now you're a poet?"
I was feeling dizzy again, in addition to being terrified that Yuri might kill Romeo. I had to do something to distract my brother.
"Now I'm the guy who's going to annihilate you and your whole fucking family."
I ripped out the IV. As much as Romeo wanted to kill me, something told me he wouldn't, but my brother wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger.
"Yuri, I don't feel well..." I murmured, tugging at his arm. His expression was one of absolute disapproval. My brother shook off my grip without taking his eyes off R.
A shrill voice echoed behind Romeo. The repulsive face of Irene peeked out behind my husband with a most theatrical pout.
"Please, don't hurt her! She's pregnant!" But what was that crazy bitch saying? What was she doing here?! Had Romeo called her? And why had she said such a lie that no one would believe?
"I'm not...!"
I couldn't finish the sentence. I vomited, and this time, instead of feeling Yuri's support, I felt the barrel of his gun pressing against my temple. But what the fuck...?!
"Well, well, well... so you've knocked up my little sister. It wasn't enough to fuck her; you had to leave your seed in her womb."
"Yuri, what the shit are you doing?!" I asked, trying to get the gun off me.
"Stay still, Kalinka, or I won't hesitate to blow your brains out all over this bed."
I was getting dizzy; my vision was blurring, surely my fever was rising. I clung to the sheets with what little strength I had. My body was failing me.
"Get up. Stand up." He grabbed my arm to spur me.
He pulled me out of the bed without any consideration. My feet hit the viscous contents spilled from my stomach. The disgust contracted my guts, which this time refused to release anything more.
"Do you really think it affects me that you point that piece of scum?" Romeo questioned without a hint of compassion in his voice.
The insult hurt. I had earned it, but it hurt, seeing his condemning expression towards me, realizing that none of my pleas, explanations, or times I apologized mattered. It stung.
"I hate both you and her. Exterminating you will be a favor to the world. I'm not letting anything of mine grow in her womb. I'd rather she be dead."
"No, I'm not pregnant," I insisted with a pasty mouth. I tried to move away from my brother's side, but I couldn't; he held me too tightly.
"Yes, you are! Romeo told me in the cafeteria; it came up in your blood test. Please, sir, let her go!" pleaded that trailer park whore. But what the fuck was she doing? Did she think that would soften Yuri? She had no idea!
"Irene, shut up!" Romeo demanded. "I already told you to leave. Get to safety!" he demanded without lowering his weapon.
I boiled with rage. Surely the damned redhead was already rubbing her hands thinking about my funeral.
Without taking his eyes off Yuri, R gestured with his left hand to protect her, shielding her with his own body. The consideration hurt me more than anything.
"Is that your whore? I've been told you like to have them in pairs," Yuri muttered.
"Shut your big mouth."
"Or what? Huh? I'm going to leave here with my precious sister, you're going to let us go because if you don't, you're going to lose your wife and your child with a single bullet."
"That is not my wife, she is a traitorous whore, I don't care about her or the child in the slightest."
"I'm not expecting any child!" I shouted exhausted, clinging to his dark gaze.
What I saw in it filled me with dismay. The certainty that I was wrong and that there was a possibility our child was in my womb unsettled me. I thought about the week Yuri held me. There, I couldn't take my contraceptives, and when I returned, we didn't use a condom. It was improbable but not impossible that it had happened.
The idea filled me with anguish and a strange warmth I hadn't felt before. How could I be a mother if I was worse than the Antichrist?! What was I going to do with my allergy to children?! A child of Romeo, one his and mine...
"Let's see then if it's true that you don't care. Because it seems to me that if you had wanted her dead, we wouldn't be talking. " The gun moved to my abdomen, and I felt panic. I was terrified that they might be right and Yuri would be capable of embedding a bullet in my belly. "Either you move away from the door or I shoot. I'm not going to tell you again. And it won't matter much to me, Nikita, if that's what you think. Nothing is above the Bratva, not even family."
"Let me remind you that I have your son in my power." Romeo had just used Adriano as a weapon. "Doesn't that matter either? Do you know what I could do to him?"
"You?" Yuri laughed. "You have raised that fucking bastard of Adriana, given him your last name. Do you really think that kid is going to soften me? For all I care, you can kill him right now."
"You are a wretch; you don't even deserve the air you breathe. You may not feel anything for Adriano, but you won't convince me you'll shoot your queen on the board. I know what you've been plotting behind my back, you want her by your side." Yuri's face filled with insolence.
"Nothing stops me, and if the queen has to be sacrificed to win the game, she is sacrificed." Yuri challenged him with his gaze; Romeo did not back down.
Either of them was capable of killing me, each for their own reasons. Yuri had proven to me more than enough that I was never as important to him as he was to me. And my husband was incapable of forgiving my betrayal no matter how much I begged him. I was alone in this. Alone! Except for the supposed baby growing in my belly. Could it be true? What could I do?
"Stop! Police! Drop the weapon!"
The order echoed down the hall, someone must have called them. Had it been Irene?
Yuri backed away with me towards the bathroom, keeping his gun trained on me. Romeo hesitated between shooting us or not; if he fired with the police right behind, he could end up in jail.
My brother left me no choice but to follow him, I didn't want to die, I wanted a life with Romeo, even though it was impossible now.
I looked at my husband and mouthed, "I'm sorry, amore , I love you." He pressed his lips together. He still didn't believe me; I was sure of it.
"Let her go!" he roared while Irene's shrill voice screamed that there was an armed man in the room and that Romeo was only trying to defend me. We had reached the bathroom, with me serving as a shield. Yuri smiled, leaning on my shoulder.
"See you soon, sukin syn [9] !"