Chapter 9 #2
Fuck, the satisfaction on this bastard’s face as he held so much power over me; the fact of having the mere knowledge made me the weaker link— a pawn.
All this time, I sat, rotting in prison, mourning them when in fact they had been living their best life.
Hot white bloodlust poisoned my every single thought.
God, it makes me want to kill them all.
Agreed, but for now we gather more information.
Fine.
“Didn’t know what?” I clenched my teeth, restraining my basic urges.
“All of them joined other clans. Well, except your Pakhan.”
I fisted my palm, nails digging into the callous skin as blood sprouted from the pores.
Anger slipped on my tongue. “That’s impossible!
That’s treason! Even if the Pakhan is dead…
or whatever he is… once you’re in the Brotherhood, you’re in for life!
” It was our vow… our sacred oath, sealed in blood. So how the fuck did they get out!?
He sighed, scratching the side of his face. “You’re right, but the thing was after your Pakhan died, the Brotherhood collapsed. The once loyal Romanovs went on to create their own rivaling clan as well as many who followed his command. Sergei went to the Feds in New York and Adrian… well…”
“What did he do?”
Adrian… out of all the men in my life… He made my blood boil the most because everything he did was calculated precisely to have control and power.
The fucker even sold his own sister to the Pakhan in order to guarantee his place amongst the Brotherhood.
That miserable piece of shit stood at number one on my to-kill list.
“Well…” Salvatore dragged out, tilting his head side to side like he wanted me to beg for it, but the only one who would end up begging for his life was him after I was done with him.
“He went on to sell out and swore allegiance to the new Russians. The ones currently sitting at the head of the Bratva— the Volkovs.”
“Who the fuck is that?”
“God, you have been in jail for way too long. Everyone knows about the Volkovs, especially the eldest— The Vor of the Bratva. He’s even a double agent who works for the American elite military program— Legion.
Given the highest of honors as Commander General.
” He side-eyed me like I was an ignorant piece of shit.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before sitting back down on the leather couch as I pinched the bridge of my nose and flashed my eyes open. “Regardless, he’s irrelevant.”
“He’s far from irrelevant. He is the most powerful mastermind you’ll ever know.”
“Whatever he is, I don’t care. What I do care about is what is Aleksandra going to do about it? What does she want from me? What the hell does she get out of it?”
He placed his index finger over his lip. “Shush, calm down.”
The last thing I’d be is calm.
All I could see, hear, smell was the scent of their blood pouring from my hands as I ripped out their hearts. Yet that would gain me nothing if I didn’t know the true reason behind this scheme.
Salvatore calmly continued as he ran a hand over his hair. “Aleksandra just wants you to cooperate and tell her what you saw that night at Dargasus. In return, you will secure a place amongst her high table, and all you had will be yours once again. Just swear undying loyalty.”
“That simple, huh?”
“Sometimes there’s no need to overcomplicate things. Just do what’s right.”
I tsked, “Don’t give me the bullshit of right and wrong. I’m not a religious fanatic to be guilt-tripped. I’ve been a Made Man all my life. We take what we want. Never ask. Even at the cost of bloodshed. What matters to Aleksandra doesn't matter to me. So answer me, what plan does she have?”
“I don’t know.”
“Bullshit.”
“You may believe whatever you want.” He holds my gaze, noticing his gray-blue orbs as he continues, “Aleksandra doesn’t tell anyone anything. Only she knows the hour and the day and what she’ll do with said information. With her lies the final say.”
All of it was so frustrating because we only ran in circles.
“Look, just think about the life you want to live, and if it’s worth it, then you know who can give that to you." He rose, dropping his cup on the table and tilting his head. “I bid you a goodnight, Konstantin. Be safe.”
Rolling my eyes, I watched him leave the club as I remained here, alone with my conflicted thoughts.
What was the point of any of this?
I don’t know. Fuck.
How would we pledge loyalty to someone we didn’t know, and for what gain?
I don’t know what that Ved’ma is looking for. However, if she was able to track down Sergei, Adrian, and now me, that meant she wanted to gather as many Made Men as possible, turn them against their own, build an alliance, and forge an army.
Why though? Who does she want to kill?
Like hell, I’m supposed to know. However, if she suspects what happened in Dargaus, we’re in trouble. Everyone is.
The dream I had a few nights ago was almost a grueling foreshadowing of the hell that was about to ensue.
Fuck, maybe I do need a drink after all of this.
Lifting my gaze to call the waitress over, my eyes caught a glimpse of a long white laced veil.
Shifting my focus onto the floor was the surprise of my life.
Blair held the center of the dance floor as she swayed her hips side to side, her arms in the air, her body in tuned with the sensual music.
Her curves were enraptured in a black off-the-shoulder floor-length gown with tall red pumps.
She followed me? She followed me, ha.
Unconsciously, I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my thighs, never having seen her outside the convent.
She looked divine as she carried a carefree smile on her pretty, lush lips.
I didn’t know when or how, but the fact she came all the way here— for me— knowing the consequences she could face made me admire her. More than that, I was fascinated. Wanting to know more. Feel more. Know every little thing about her.
She was the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, and with one taste, I’d fall down onto my knees and into her hands.
Her name tingled on the edge of my tongue as I opened my mouth to call her, but then randomly another man offered her a dance.
Blair accepted as they began with simple steps, stepping forward and back, but he turned and spun Blair as the music progressed.
He caught her in his arms, and his hands trailed and caressed the fabric of her dress.
She carefully removed his touch, moving on her own.
The man cocked his head, observing how her thicker legs teased him.
Swiftly he slid across the floor as he matched her pace and turned Blair to him.
An onlooking group of college boys with lust in their eyes catcalled her as she paid them no mind, continuing with her dancing partner.
Their bodies were flushed together as her hips swayed side to side, carrying the rhythm of the melody within the music. Breath on the breath. Their skin was flushed. It was intricate, passionate, and sensual.
I felt like I was overstepping, yet I couldn’t back away.
I had the option, but my eyes were glued to her; watching her hips sway, her body’s flow and gaze hypnotized me.
If I had no self-control, I would have ripped his hands off her and taken her instead.
Having the urge to take her in my arms, show her all the pleasure my body could give her.
What I could do and teach her to like and beg for.
Once the song was over, Blair bowed like an experienced performer as the man kissed her hand and left.
Everything was in order as she faced my direction, almost like she was looking for me, but the group of frat boys surrounded her, gifting her with compliments and praise. Two, four, six damn little fuckers.
I’ll kill them all. Let me out. Dya rattled in his cage.
No… not yet.
I debated whether or not I should leave their fate in my hands or Dya’s.
Out of breath, she seemed to reciprocate their flirtatious banter but then slowly withdrew, heading towards the bar.
Abruptly, one of them—a bucktoothed gremlin— grabbed her arm, burning his disgusting fingerprints on her and dragging her back in.
Her face twisted in discomfort as she pushed him away, but he kept his dirty fucking hands on her. Another stared blatantly at her ass, touching the curve of her back as she cursed him off.
Unconsciously, my body moved, barreling through the dance floor, shoving some of the fuckers to the floor as I pulled her behind me and yelled, “Don’t fucking touch her, pezzo di merda!” Wrapping my hands around the bastard who manhandled her inappropriately and smashing my fist into his face.
Blair and the rest of his little posse gasped.
“You fucker!” Someone yelled behind me as I turned around just in time for his sneak attack.
I caught his fist and began to crush it as he squealed like a little bitch, which was ironic considering he looked like a naked mole rat.
Now the whole crowd had their sight on us, and I would rip their eyeballs out too if they didn’t mind their fucking business.
“Kon, stop.” She softly begged, her eyes rounded with only one concern— me. “Please.”
The bloodlust inside me was ravenous, needing to quench the thirst for justice; in another situation, everyone here would have already been dead, but it only took one look of those hazel eyes to render me completely.
I let him go, knocking him back as he lamented like a baby.
“Come on, let’s go.” She offered her hand.
And when I was ready to take it, a sharp glass broke over my head, the sting barely noticeable, but with my control lingering to a fine thread, it only meant one thing: death.
Spinning on the heel of my foot as I took him by the collar, throwing him over my shoulder and body slamming him onto the floor.
Then someone else came, and I wrapped my arms around his neck and snapped it.
The buck-toothed bastard whom I first punched came back for more as I lifted my leg and kicked him into another group of partygoers.
The same bastard picked a fight with another guy, and soon everyone began fighting as the chaos of screaming, punching, and glass breaking followed.
Punch after punch. Hit after hit. Madness was all that surrounded the place.
Somewhere in between, someone yelled in the midst, making everyone freeze. “The cops are here!”
Two officers in their uniform scanned the area as their gaze met mine. “Isn’t that the criminal we’ve been looking for?” He pointed directly at me.
His other partner confirmed. “That’s the guy from the TV! Let’s get him.”
And although I should have thought about my own being, the only thing I could think was how not to incriminate Blair.
They came through the mess of a crowd, stealthily making their way against the current of the leaving mass as Blair jumped in front of them, extending her arms out and prohibiting them from passing.
“Stop.” Blair yelled.
One of the officers said, “Look, lady, move, or we’ll have to take you too.”
“No!” she protested.
They lunged forward as she began slapping his chest. “Get off.”
“Move it, lady!” They placed her on the opposite side, making it nearly impossible to reach her as the room kept moving, people shifting and driving us farther and farther apart.
“Blair!”
“Konstantin.”
We extended our hands, reaching for each other, but with the force of the crowd and cops pulling us in different directions, she disappeared before my eyes.
The ray of light extinguished, and isolated darkness took over.
As I was taken by force outside the club, where the streets were endlessly dark with not a soul in sight.
I scanned the streets, the walls, everything, and anything that could help me escape.
What can I do? What can I do?
Desperation began to rear its ugly head as I feared never seeing Blair again. Never being able to hear her voice either.
“Come on, bastardo! Let’s get you back to where you belong!” They berated me, using the baton and ramming it against my ribs.
Out of the shadows, a petite figure dashed over with a pipe in hand, screaming like a banshee, and bashed the back of the cop’s head.
The second swing hit the cop in the face, knocking him to the ground.
The other reached for his radio and called for backup as he was able to catch the pipe within his grasp.
“Run!” I yelled, directing her to save herself.
I’ll survive whatever as long as she isn’t hurt.
Blair’s eyes locked on mine, never wanting to leave, as she shook her head.
“Go!” I insisted.
“No,” Her fury ran deep in her words as she roundhouse kicked him, knocking the wind out of him as he bent over.
Using the moment of distraction, she took the metallic pipe, lifted it over his head, and smashed the skull of the second cop.
He dropped to the ground as well, but instead of stopping, she crawled on top of him, and with all her strength and rage, she battered the pipe into him.
She kept yelling like a broken record. “Get away from him! Get away from him! Get away from him!”
The sound of bones cracking as blood splattered against the gray pavement. The violent lash out formed from a deep place of survival. The more she hit, the closer he was to death.
The officer’s chest barely moved, as this was overkill— not for me, but for Blair, this was something she could never come back from.
Reaching her from behind, I gripped her arm tightly and pulled her off.
“I’ll fucking kill him!” She screeched, fighting against me, digging her nails into my arm, and squirming in my grasp as she extended her legs to keep kicking the almost lifeless body.
“Blair, enough! Enough!”
“No! He’s going to hurt you, baby!”
“You’re going to kill him!” Yelling those fatal words as the rage vanished.
She snapped out of it, looking behind her in realization at what she had done as the pipe fell to the ground, reverberating loudly, but before she could mourn it, the sound of more sirens echoed nearby.
Panic riddled her eyes as she took my hand and screamed, “Let’s go!”