𝑇𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑃ℎ𝑜𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑥 ✔︎ || 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑑

21

~ phoenix ~

My heart thundered in my ribs. Blinking back surprised tears, I slid down the brick wall.

Ilya...

I didn't know he would be there. I wouldn't have done this to us.

This anguish... the longing...

I wanted to run to and away from him. I wanted to be selfish, slam my lips against his and kiss the bad dreams away. But then he'd take me home and— and all these women would have no hope of returning to their own loved ones...

That was something I would not allow.

Suddenly, there was a commotion behind me. I peeked around the building to the source of the noise. It was coming from the bar. I squinted, trying to see what was happening behind the glass. There were loud shouts and screams. Moments later, screeching sirens pierced the night.

Was it Ilya...?

I watched, anxiously as the police officers charged inside. Then, a long minute after, they returned to view. One hauled out a bruised and battered Ilya.

Horrified, I gasped.

Startling red blood ran down his face, from his nose, the cuts on his cheek... The arm of his blazer was torn down and I spotted crimson stain the shirt beneath.

I didn't cry, seeing the blood — most of it probably didn't belong to him. No, I was on the verge of sobbing after seeing the confusion and hurt. My baby was scowling, but beneath the anger, I found raw sadness.

I didn't realise that I was striding forward until a hand on my arm hauled me back.

Too surprised to scream, my eyes widened.

"It's me!" whispered an urgent voice, "Shhhh!"

I didn't know who 'me' was... but that voice... Where had I heard it before?

"It's Vera," she added,

Shocked, I spun to face the green-eyed brunette. But she wasn't looking at me, but behind me.

Before I could voice my bafflement, she was pulling me further down the dark alley.

"Dimitri can handle himself," she said, leading me down a dark pathway. "Don't blow your cover."

I began to splutter, unintelligently, "B-but—"

"How did I find you?" she interrupted, quirking a small smile. "I didn't actually find you. I just saw you before you ran. D'Angelo, the bastard who bought me, brought me along with him to the club to see his friends."

Then, I processed her previous words. She said to me 'don't blow your cover' but—

"How do you know?" I demanded, eyes narrowed.

She raised a brow, scrutinising me. "You don't know who I am?"

I mimicked her expression. "Should I?"

Sighing, Vera lifted the edge of her dress and bared her thigh to me. In the inside of her left leg, there was an unmistakable tattoo — a gun and a rose.

My wide eyes jumped to hers. She was the mole?

"I saw yours that day at the auction," the brunette added, covering it up.

I was almost tempted to reach forwards and lift the material again. Just to make sure my eyes weren't deceiving me.

I was about to interrogate her but she cut me off again.