Chapter 10 — Nial
After I left her shaking in the hallway, I headed downstairs to check on the situation with the traitor Boris had fished out earlier. Since he’d sent one of the men to call my attention, I assumed the traitor had spilled something important.
And although I was mad at the guard for interrupting what might’ve led to a rather memorable night, I knew better than to lash out. Business before pleasure. Always. That’s how I ran the empire.
I forced myself to push the images of her vulnerable face to the back of my mind. She tried to hide it, but I could see through her mask. She was turned on by my presence and how close I was to her.
I’d lived long enough to spot a horny woman when I saw one. And my little prisoner was fuckin’ horny. I wasn’t sure at what point she became aroused. But when I had her pinned against the wall, the girl was wet. I didn’t need to touch her down there to know.
Her body language gave her away.
Slow, labored breaths.
Heaving chest.
The subtle quiver of her lips and the way her body trembled at my touch. Beneath the defiance in her eyes was a flicker of something darker. And that something was desire—lust.
I would recognize that look anytime, any day.
This little encounter was proof that she was just as attractive to me as I was to her. I recalled how she smelled nice and looked sexy in that nightgown.
It fit her perfectly, the semi-transparent fabric revealing teasing glimpses of her peaks and underpants. The hem had grazed the skin above her knees, leaving her thighs exposed.
The sight alone awakened something primal within me—a flame I fought so hard to quench. Even now, as I descended the stairs, she was all I could think of.
Once I reached the basement, Boris walked up to me, his expression blank as always.
“Did he talk?” I asked, halting before the man tied to a chair in the dimly lit room.
Boris nodded. “The missing weapons from last week—that was him.”
My brows knitted together.
“That’s not all,” Boris continued. “He claims his buyers are set to hit the compound tomorrow.”
I hesitated, curling my fingers into fists at my sides. “Why? What’re they looking for?”
The man raised, about to respond, when Boris struck his face with a jaw-breaking punch.
“Shut the fuck up.”
The impact turned the man’s head so hard his neck almost snapped.
Boris faced me, his voice low and venomous. “They plan to break into the red door.”
My scowl deepened.
What was behind that door was highly confidential. The things in there could shut us down for good if they got into the wrong hands. Files holding some of the Bratva’s darkest secrets and crates filled with loads and loads of cash.
This motherfucker didn’t only steal from me; he also snitched on the same organization he pledged his loyalty to.
Without hesitation, I grabbed the gun from Boris’s holster and aimed at the bastard’s head.
“No, wait, please…!”
I squeezed the trigger and bang!
His head fell backward, faint smoke swirling from the hole in it. Blood streamed down his face as he sat motionless in the chair that held him bound.
I handed the gun back to the owner. “Clean this up and ready the men. We move at dawn.” With that, I walked away, furious at the number of traitors I’d had to deal with recently.
When I returned upstairs, a part of me was hoping she was still in the hallway, loitering—waiting. I knew a glimpse of that pretty face was enough to calm my nerves. But unfortunately for me, she’d returned to her room.
She probably heard the gunshot and decided to lock herself in her suite. I stopped in my tracks, staring at her closed door a little longer than I should have. When I got a grip on myself again, I picked up my pace and headed back to my bedroom.
***
Early the next morning, I was in my study, getting ready to mobilize the men, when I heard my door open. At first, I thought it was Boris and didn’t bother looking up from my computer screen. Then I noticed the familiar perfume from last night.
“It’s come to my attention that you’re heading back to the compound today,” she said, her voice smooth and steady. “I’d like to tag along.”
My brows rose before my head did, and I saw her standing in front of my desk. Kiera was already dressed in a black jacket and a pair of loose black jeans.
“You wanna tag along?” I leaned back in my chair, intrigued by her guts.
“Yes.”
“What do you think this is—a road trip?” A quiet chuckle fell from my mouth. “We’re not going out to play golf, you know.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “I don’t care; I just wanna breathe.”
“You are breathing. Unless, of course, you plan on losing that ability.”
She took a step closer. “Look, I’m sick of being locked up—in a cell or in this gilded cage. It’s boring and so damn frustrating.”
Was I hearing things?
What exactly gave her the effrontery to confront me with such a ridiculous proposal?
“I think you’re missing the point here, little lawyer.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “The defining characteristic of being a prisoner is to be locked up at all times. English is your first language. You should know that.”
A faint scowl flashed across her face. “Well, I’m already dressed, and I don’t plan on staying back.”
I rose to my feet, casting an intimidating look at this audacious woman who stared right back at me. She didn’t flinch as I approached her, and she didn’t take her eyes off me.
“You just don’t know when to draw the line, do you?” I halted in front of her, one hand in my pocket.
She hesitated. “I’m going crazy behind these walls, Nial. I need to be out there too. For my mental health.”
“Mental heath….” I chuckled in disbelief.
“Did I say something funny?” She frowned as though scowling was supposed to mean something.
“What makes you think you’re in a position to make demands? Huh?” I questioned her, my expression a bit darker.
“You’re a man who values peace and quiet,” she began. “I can’t guarantee you that if I’m losing my mind.” She leaned in. “Trust me, the last thing you want is a crazy Kiera running around your mansion.”
Did she just threaten me?
Her spunk ignited the same fire from last night, and it was burning ferociously.
“You forget I can make you disappear with a snap of my fingers.”
“And yet you haven’t.”
Silence.
By now, I’d already invaded her space and could feel her warm breath against my skin. The gentle rise and fall of her chest and the defiance in her eyes fanned the flames of my desires. This woman was determined to come with me and didn’t mind the consequences.
I wasn’t sure whether she was being bold or just stupid, but I liked it. I liked the crazy, spunky part of her.
“Just let me tag along,” she added. “What’s the worst thing that could happen?”
I let out a quiet scoff. “You have no idea.”
“Then I guess I’ll find out.”
I wiped a palm across my face, hating the fact that I was even considering this madness. The line between prisoner and captor was starting to blur. And it was seemingly out of my control.
Against my better judgment, I decided to grant her wish.
“Fine,” I said. “You’re coming with us. But it’s your funeral.”
Her lips curved into a humorless smirk, and she tapped my arm. “Don’t forget to bring me flowers.”
I watched her turn around and walk out of my study, leaving me perplexed by the hard bargain she just struck. The woman was smart—too smart for her age. And that did something to me that I wasn’t ready to admit yet.
Downstairs, she was present when I briefed the men in Russian. She stood at a corner, watching, listening, and observing. While speaking, I caught suspicious glances in her direction, a testament to my men’s disapproval of her presence.
They didn’t like the idea of me bringing the prisoner to a gunfight. However, none of them was bold enough to confront me about it. None except Boris.
“Gear up, and let’s move out,” I concluded, dismissing the armed men.
Boris stepped up to me, his eyes pinned on the woman in the corner of the room. “What’s she doing here, Boss?” he whispered, as if hoping for a different answer to what he already knew.
“She has a death wish,” I replied. “I’m merely granting it.” Not much talk. No unnecessary explanations.
On our way to the compound, she sat with me in the back while Boris took the wheel. Every so often, he’d steal covert glances at us in the rearview mirror. He didn’t trust her. I didn’t either.
The silence in the car’s cabin was deafening. Until I broke it.
“You should’ve just stayed home.”
She shot me a quick look. “And miss out on all the fun? Yeah, I’m good.”
“Fun?” I twisted my lips into a smirk. “I hope you enjoy yourself when the guns start blazing.”
She locked her jaw, attempting to conceal the glint of panic in her eyes.
We had barely parked the vehicles in the compound when the first explosion went off. The impact flipped a nearby car upside down, sending dust into the air.
“Get down!” I yelled, reaching to grab her hand.
The second her body hit the seat, rapid gunfire filled the atmosphere, and the entire compound was plunged into chaos. Men bellowed, shooting and taking shelter from pelting bullets. Glass shattered, cars exploded, and bodies dropped like flies.
She lay on the seat, shaking, with both hands clamped over her ears.
“Stay here—and don’t move.” I reached for my gun and fired twice out the window.
Two armed men dropped dead outside.
I kicked the door open and stepped into the chaos, shooting down my enemies with practiced ease. When necessary, I fought with my hands, snapping necks and breaking bones like twigs.
Violence was just another Tuesday for me; I thrived in it and basked in the smell of chaos and disorder. The air reeked of gunpowder and smoke, which, in my opinion, was the best scent ever.
Whoever these men were that attacked me, they must’ve had no idea that I ate chaos for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
I stood outside the car, protecting the defenseless woman in the backseat.
A huge masked man rammed into me from the side and then tackled me to the ground. He threw four powerful punches to my face and ribs. I was quick enough to deflect the first three, but the last one struck my lower abdomen.
I groaned, my scowl deepening.
He drew a knife and struck hard, aiming for my eye. I seized his hand mid-air, wrestling against his strength. He struggled, pressing the knife inches closer to my eye.
I was trapped beneath this motherfucker, furious about how strong he was, when I heard her scream. Through the corner of my eye, I spotted another masked man pulling her out of the car.
She smacked him across the face in self-defense and then paused after noticing his swelling rage. Panic set in, and I saw the fear in her eyes.
Seething, he slapped her with the back of his hand and reached for his gun.
“No!” My blood boiled as I wrestled against my attacker’s brute strength.
“Does she mean something to you?” he strained, pressing down the knife toward my face. “Too bad you’re gonna watch her die.”
Even with the pointed edge of the blade inches from my left eye, Kiera’s safety was all I could think about. It infuriated me how defenseless she was right now. But what infuriated me more was my own inability to help.
She lay there on the ground amidst the chaos, watching her attacker aim his gun at her. Kiera closed her eyes, ready to accept her fate.
Bang!