Chapter 18 – Ilya
T he child in front of me had no idea how close he was to joining the unconscious bodies on the floor. Two moves, and I could snap his neck. One, if I didn’t mind his feeble fists trying to defend himself. He dared to stand between me and my woman?
Who was wearing his ring.
The muscle in my jaw flexed tight.
“You’ll have to excuse my newest recruit, a bit of a backwoods dog,” Tullio boomed, emerging onto the balcony. “But he’s incredible, isn’t he?”
It took every ounce of control to step backward and fist my hands at my side.
“He didn’t even hesitate,” Don Aldo mused, voice thick with something slimy.
The boss of the Conti Mafia hummed in agreement. “Quite the show you staged, gentlemen.”
“Father?” The whelp stepped around me, giving me a wide berth. “What is the meaning of this?”
I knew better than to look at her. Finding a spot on the ground, I focused on it. A brute without brains. That was how they needed to see me. This stroke of good luck brought me to the inner circles of the Rinaldi Mafia. I would be in and out, striking and taking what was mine, before they realized what a monster they’d allowed to walk amongst them.
“This is Elijah, my newest recruit,” Tullio said, not even trying to disguise his glee.
“Fabrizi here has been boasting the last few days about his prize. We wanted to see him in action.” The Conti Don flicked a lighter. A few seconds later, the scent of tobacco curled through the air.
“So you set up an attack?” Isabella breathed as she gestured at the bodies. “These men weren’t even ours?”
“No, and they didn’t work for me either,” Don Conti laughed.
“I see.” Isabella’s voice dripped with ice.
“Sorry, sweetheart, we thought you had a better stomach than that,” the Conti laughed.
The mockery wafting off the other senior males was tangible.
“It wasn’t amusing,” the little prince said fiercely. “Most of them are badly hurt. That one looks…dead. Isabella shouldn’t have to see that.”
I hated that he defended her. That he was allowed to defend her. It should be me. I should snap the necks of these twisted older men who’d done nothing short of put me on a gladiatorial display and then deride their queen for calling them out on it.
But Isabella wasn’t the ruler. In this patriarchal, archaic organization, their lack of respect was painfully obvious.
“And where did you find this man?” Alonzo glared at his father’s underboss.
“The last fight,” Tullio quipped with a wave of his hand. “The Bear, they call him.”
The kid took a step back. “I knew he looked familiar.”
“Elijah has done a bit of everything. Military service, big game hunting, and even some bodyguard work,” Tullio explained. “I’m going to keep this one close. See how we can use him.”
“We’ve seen he’s more than capable,” Don Aldo agreed smoothly. “But he’s…new to town.”
The underboss hummed in agreement. They thought they were so sneaky, so clever. That I was just some big dumb brute who didn’t know they were criminals. Well, let them think that. It served my purposes.
Stepping past the men, Isabella’s body vibrated with a pissed-off energy. “Be careful that your mad dog doesn’t bite you.”
That almost brought a smile to my lips. Yes, pretty one, I’ve wormed my way into your world now.
The males continued to talk once Isabella’s footsteps faded away. I wanted nothing more than to go after her, but I remained statuesque as chatter and boasting swam around me.
“Do you want something to eat? Or…drink?” The question snapped like a whip.
I looked down at the child, who’d taken a few steps in my direction. Eighteen, graduated high school this past spring, and yet he was barely as tall as the woman he’d been out here alone with. Size was a blessing or curse, not something he could control. But he was responsible for his ability to defend himself—and those around him.
“Take him inside and show him where the buffet is,” Tullio dismissed us.
“Alonzo,” the father snapped. “Tuck in your shirt, boy. Straighten your tie. We have a reputation to uphold, and you look like you’ve been in a brawl.”
The kid winced.
“I could use a bite,” I found myself saying, distracting the lad.
I wasn’t hungry, but anything to get away from the greasy men and the bodies of the victims they’d tested me with. Plus, I needed to know where my beauty was.
I followed Alonzo into the country club. My fists relaxed at my sides. The rolling in my chest dissipated. His small kindness caught me off guard.
He’s weak.
Acting like he did would get him killed. If not by me, then by any number of other threats in this world. I’d seen it more times than I cared to count.
The kindness of another man flickered through my mind. Before he’d become the pakhan of our bratva, before he had any real power, Dimitri had been kind.
But he is strong.
Despite the hell life put him through, Dimitri rose above the destruction and conquered his own empire. This kid would never do the same.
“Those look tasty,” Alonzo said, but he wasn’t speaking to me.
From my peripheral, the seed beads sewn into the embroidered flowers on her dress sparkled. I only allowed myself to look as high as her hands. There was a blue-painted plate with three tiny yellow pies sitting on it.
“Don’t you dare tell your aunt,” Isabella whispered in a conspiratorial tone.
The little fucker in front of me laughed. “Your secret’s safe with me. A pity she couldn’t make it tonight.”
“Yes, I’m devastated.” Isabella popped a yellow pie into her mouth.
When she groaned painfully, I snapped my gaze to her face. Poison? A hidden razor blade? Even a needle. Where was the attack?
But Isabella swallowed and pointed across the room. “Can you stop those idiots before they steal another bottle of hooch?”
She wasn’t talking to me.
“Sure thing,” Alonzo rushed to say. He turned to me. “Have anything you want, Elijah.”
And then I was alone with her in a sea of people.
Isabella watched her fiancé for a few more moments with pursed lips. The young men were indeed pilfering bottles of alcohol from behind the bar. Since I’d seen her do that very same thing, I had to wonder why she cared if these lads did it.
Shaking her head, she turned and stopped short. “What are you doing here?”
A smile curled my lips. “Isn’t it obvious?”
Her eyes narrowed. “No, Elijah .”
Most of the time I despised the way the Americanized version of my name sounded. But not rolling off her lips. “I came here to fight for the prize.”
“Stay out of my life. I can’t have you fucking anything up!”
I stepped in front of her, blocking her path. From this angle, no one could see what I did. I lifted one of the pies, bringing it to her mouth.
“Open,” I dared.
Isabella pursed her lips. In a flash, she darted around me. If I wanted to, I could have stopped her. But I let her go.
“Stay out of my way, phantom.” With that, she was gone.
A rough laugh scraped in my chest. Unconsciously, I lifted the pie to my mouth, popping the whole thing between my lips.
Lemon. Tart, yet sweet. The buttery crust crumbled, while the tangy cream washed over my senses.
Now I know what you taste like, rusalka.