His Bride

14| Desparate Criminal

"Tapos na, ako pa! Big task, simple task, common task — nakalimutan ko palang gawin ang life-threatening task, so paano ba 'yan? Baka pagbalik ko Tito na ako — "

Sumara kaagad ang pintuan pag-apak ni Dashiel sa labas. Habang hindi naman maipinta ang pagkairita sa mukha ni Kazmus sa tabi nito.

"I told him I didn't want to see his face for the next few hours," bulong niya sa sarili bago tumingin sa akin.

Ngayong may laman na ang tiyan ko, nakapagpahinga ang utak ko, naka-ihi at nakainom ng tubig, umaandar na nang maayos ang isipan ko. Habang umiihi ako ina-absorb na muli ng utak ko ang lahat ng mga nangyari kahapon, ang mga nalaman, ang mga nasaksihan. Heck, I even had a slight panic when I realized I was in a criminal's lair, surrounded by dangerous men who wouldn't hesitate to shoot my head.

Nakatakas nga ako sa mga Mafioso, napunta naman ako sa kamay ng mga Bratva. Someone more lethal and dangerous.

I was freed only to be captured. Now I'm trapped in this house with my pets. My pets. They took my pets here knowing I wouldn't leave this place without them. God, I didn't even know where they put my cat and snake. Benjamin can flight and Caroline can fight, sana lang parehong gumana kapag oras na nang pagtakas.

But do I have the will to escape?

Hindi ko maikakaila na panatag ako dito kesa sa kamay ng mga Mafioso. The men in this house may be Bratva, but they have never shown violence — with the exception of Kazmus punching Officer Kaluwag in front of me and the man being shot in the head — and, contrary to popular belief, they are treating me with humanity. Kahit si Nadya na naging harsh sa akin ay kasama sa mga tinutukoy ko. Something about them settled the deep feelings inside me. I feel safe. 

Siguro dahil kahit mga gwapo sila at sanggano, hindi sila katulad ni Drake na gago.

Lumapit si Kazmus at naupo sa dulo ng kama, sa ibaba ng injured kong paa. Maingat ang galaw niya na parang natatakot masagi ito. He looked at me as if he was anticipating something.

Tumikhim ako at pinagsalikop ang mga kamay sa kandungan. "Marami akong tanong," I began, remembering what he had told me yesterday in the elevator.

He nodded his head as if ready for this.

"Una, sino ka ba talaga?"

"I'm Kazmus Rozanov, one of the Vor of Zolotoykol'tskaya Bratva."

As he said this proudly, chills ran down my spine. Every word he said was delivered with dignity, and I felt every bit of it. The air around us shifted as if bowing in reverence.

Even nature felt compelled to him.

I asked what Vor was and Kazmus answered it unblinkingly, without hesitation.

"It's a simplified term of Vory v Zakone, Thieves-in-law. It's analogous to a made man in the Italian Mafia. We have a Pakhan, a Godfather who controls everything in the organization. Next to him is the Underboss or the Avtoritet. He watches over our actions on behalf of the Pakhan and serves as his spokesperson. Every message to the Pakhan directs to him and vice versa. I've never met the Pakhan and Morfeo," Kazmus paused. "We communicate with them through the Hood; a ragtag group of assholes who do nothing but pry into our lives; they're like dictators who believe their opinions are law. I despise them. Once I'm in control, I'll wipe them all."

My skin prickled, my hands became clammy in fear of his last words. He said this so casually yet, so full of validity. There's no doubt he'd do what he promised.

Ramdam ko na may ugat ang galit niya sa mga ito pero hindi muna iyon ang inusisa ko.

"What does Vory do?"