𝑃ℎ𝑜𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑥 𝑅𝑒𝑏𝑜𝑟𝑛

06

~ phoenix ~

The flight back to Warsaw was shorter than I expected. Perhaps, I had my medication to thank for that.

My legs were no longer jittering, nor my heart thundering as Gianna followed me down the steps of the jet. I nodded my thanks to the pilot and the second my feet touched the tarmac of the runway, my phone began to vibrate.

I lifted it to my ear with a sigh, not hearing the brunette's muttered farewell.

"Enjoy your last holiday, солнышко?" the voice mused. [little sunshine]

Immediately, my hand tightened around the device, the other fisting by my side. A long moment of silence passed as I battled to reign in the rage burning in my veins. The thought of murdering my biological father was not a stranger to my mind.

"It was that awful?" Vasiliev mocked.

Exhaling a long breath, I hissed, "You fucking liar."

Seven months ago, the man would have surely stripped me of every freedom I had for the language I used with him. Today, he knew to ignore it. He could not tame me in the way he wanted.

There was an expectant silence on the other end of the line.

"You said they were dead," I spat.

"Cолнышко, you're going to have to be clearer than that."

I also knew to ignore that repulsive nickname. "My dad, my brother—"

"They're not?" he interrupted, words dripping with mock surprise. "What a shame."

For a second, my heart stopped. Had I just given away my family's security? But no, I decided. If Vasiliev wanted someone dead, they'd be deeper than six foot deep. Why was the bastard fucking with my mind? Had he not had enough?

"Don't you dare lie," I warned, watching my Maserati roll out of the aircraft, "again."

"Lie, солнышко? About what? If I remember correctly, I said that pathetic excuse of a man, was, no longer is your father. I've returned to you, my daughter. If you jumped to conclusions..."

Blood roared in my ears.

"If your little tantrum is over, солнышко, there was a reason I called."

"No," I gritted. "You have nothing over me, not anymore. I'm no longer one of your fucking puppets."

"That," he sighed, "is a sad truth. It is your coronation next week."

I waited. Why did I wait?

"Before you inherit your maternal birthright, I have one last gift for you."

"I don't want anything from you."

Ignoring me, Vasiliev continued, "But of course, your gift is out of reach even for me, солнышко. You will have to go and get it yourself—"

I scoffed. Another job. "Fuck you."

I gave not a single damn what the consignment was this time: more drugs, more weapons, more intel...

My arm dropped from my ear. I switched the phone off. A moment later, the earpiece buried in my pocket crackled to life. I dug it out, the white smeared with crimson blood that had seeped through my pants. I held the device in front of me, hearing an indistinct voice shout through it. It slipped, bouncing on the tarmac before my boot descended over it. There was a high pitched squeal and then silence.

I stood alone on the wide runway, cool breeze wafting through my hair and the bleak sun glaring above.

It was over. It was finally over.

My fingers slid down to my waist, unlatching the glock from my belt. The black sports car glinted beneath the clear sky, that familiar gleam bringing back a tide of memories. But it was entirely the wrong shape, the black wasn't black enough, the driver's seat cold and empty...

I remembered how I got to acquire the vehicle. My first job as Vasiliev's minion. An irresistible prize. I raised the firearm, squinted, aligned it with the fuel tank... The trigger was cool against my fingertip. I applied pressure— but it wasn't enough. The bullet remained in its casing. No smoke wafted out of the mouth of the gun. The explosion I anticipated never came.

I stood like that for minutes, warring against the billion thoughts that stopped me from firing the gun. Eventually, I gave up. A long shaky breath left my lips, my head hung in defeat.

It wasn't over and I wasn't free. Freedom didn't exist in this world. What would it take for me to drill that truth into my head?

Fingers trembling, I found myself switching the phone back on, raising it to my ear.

"One last time," I spoke quietly, overcome with guilt and shame and... relief.

Vasiliev was quiet for a long moment. "Ilya Dimitri Ivanov—"

My lungs swelled.

"—he has your gift."

NOTE:
It's been ages, and this is kinda a short chapter but... it's coming. The reunion is finally here.
Love you hoes more than anything, thanks so much for sticking with me through everything,
xo, Rosavi