Hip reclined in the bonnet of my car. I checked my surroundings again. The weather today was unpredictable. My gaze flickered back to the under-construction building a few miles away from the abandoned place I had chosen for the meet. The harsh wind rapidly changing its course made me relieved from the possible attack by a sniper. I hated those bastards, laying in one position for hours just for a single bullet. There is no better thrill than barging in, guns blazing, throwing bullets like candies.
My shoulders tense as a sharp rustling sound came from the ground. I aimed the gun and the flashlight, holding them in a power position, following the source of the sound. There wasn't a single ray of light around. The moonlight today was clouded by thick dark clouds, indicating that there will be a storm soon.
The beacon of the flashlight finally found the origin. It was just a snake. As it slithered past my shoes I didn't make a move to shoot its head off. It would be good practice for my own satisfaction. It's been a while since I had maimed a man. All my thoughts and planning being occupied by Gaia.
I swivel on my foot and shed the flashlight on the snake again until he was too far. Just because he hadn't bitten me now doesn't mean he wouldn't come back later.
5 minutes later, a car pulled up and BoryaLebedev climbed out, looking around anxiously. I give him some time to recollect his head. He earned it. He had already shown his courage by questioning my father's decision.
My father had slipped that Gaia's father Sergio's real name is Sergei. That only means that he is Russian and had betrayed my father. The punishment for betrayal would mean death, but he is still very much alive. I had seen the man shoot someone's kneecap off because he was breathing through his mouth for fuck's sake.
I hadn't known we had enmity with the Camorra ruling over Nevada until my father said so. They were way too far to obliterate with our work. And I was just trained to follow orders from my pakhan, so I never once questioned why he hated them so much.
"Why did you ask me to come here, Kazimir." Lebedev demanded, speaking in Russian. His jaw was quenched hard to hide his nervousness.
My gaze flickered between him and his car. He had come from the driver's seat. If he is alone, it was prudent not to risk involving anyone else, but if the bastard has any plans to double-cross me, then Ruslan will skin him alive.
"I came alone, Kazimir." he grumbled, almost frustrated that I doubted his intention. I don't even fucking trust my own father, the sole reason we were here 20 miles away from my house.
I give him a stiff nod. "You already know why. Don't waste my time and start talking."
"I am not going to betray my Pakhan." he retorts, straightening his spine after finding one.
I raise my brows in question, giving him a once over. "You're standing before the future Pakhan of the Bratva."
"The one who will be torturing me to death for betrayal is still your father. I will report to you once you'll become the pakhan.... after a decade." He chuckled darkly, taunting my position in the bratva.
My anger spiked at his game. He wanted to be on my side. That's why he is fucking here, yet he chose to waste my time exchanging words. I shot to my feet, coming to face to face with him. Lebedev took a small step back, fear flashing across his face momentarily.
"If you were so fucking loyal you wouldn't have questioned the Pakhan or came here. Your death will be in a Mikhailov's hands. If I die, Ruslan will end you. Because my father will not kill both his heirs. Tell me how much you know." I spat, curling and uncurling my fists to occupy my hand from punching him.
Lebedev took a few more steps back, and I allow him the distance.
"First you tell me why do you need me to learn about your father's enemies. I only came 18 years ago and nobody filled me in about the previous shenanigans, Kazimir." He reasons and he was right. He had his own gang to save from dying. So he had joined hands with my father, slowly emerging as one of the most useful and loyal assets to the Bratva. Him sniffing for gossip would have gotten him killed in a heartbeat.
Lately, my father has been more unhinged than he naturally is. Like he is a mere step away from claiming his prize, a fruit of his patience. Of all the qualities my father possesses, patience has never been something I saw in him.
"I was shipped to Russia when I was 7 and Ruslan was sent to a boarding school. We were allowed back when we reached the age of 11. Most of the men I knew worked with my father were dead and I am not the one to gossip like a bitch. The need to know if my father has been up to something never occurred." My mother is Bratva's previous Obshchak's daughter. Loyal to Bratva, the Pakhan whomever it may be. I had assumed my uncle had died during the mob war, leaving me no one to talk about the past.
"So tell me what you know before I begin to break your fingers. Because I am my father's son, after all." I growl.
"Sergei Orlov-"
"Now known as Sergio Azzaro." I completed for him smugly, acting as if I had always known it. His lips parted. If he only knew this truth, I would bury him alive right here, right now.
"You knew Sergei Orlov betrayed your father?" he whispers incredulously.
I only glanced at my watch. He swallowed thickly, nodding his head. His gaze getting lost in the distance trying to jog his memory. This bastard was seriously planning to leave after telling me Sergio's real name. His gaze shot up like a light bulb flickered in his mind.
"When my gang was attacked, we were on the run for a while. There had been some rumours that Igor had gone ballistic because one of his men betrayed him for a woman and Igor, for some reason, can't kill him. So he is making up for it by killing anyone he could find."
"And a year later, your uncle Vasili died of colon cancer. It was around his burial when I heard that the woman was actually meant for him. So, this meant that the bratva was obviously hiding his disease. Duran Azzaro loved his daughter. He would have finished the entire Bratva even if it was the last thing he did." I allowed to see him my shock at this information. I hadn't known anything about it, especially about a woman's involvement.
Lebedev regarded me carefully. I cock my brow in question.
"So you only took Gaia because she is beautiful?" he asked. Taking a woman from the Camorra for the one the Bratva couldn't have years ago would have justified the abduction.
I had followed my heart, but for my father, it was his order that I obeyed. For Lebedev, it's only a matter of lust. No one needs to know the truth.
I gave him some more threats and possible rewards for the future if he remained loyal to me. Asking anyone else about the past might set off my father. Perhaps Gaia knows something. Her father must have gloated how he showed a middle finger to the entire Bratva.
*****
Tossing the keys on the table, I amble toward the kitchen, my brain occupied with the information Lebedev gave me. I felt like a fucking fool. I should have tried to dig into our family's past, try to learn the origin behind all the enemies we have. I tried to remember the entire drive back home if my father had ever mentioned anything, but I came up with nothing.
Opening my laptop, I check on Gaia. After I left, she remained in the bathroom. It has a chaise lounge, so she will be comfortable there.
I watch her meditate while having my dinner. Amazed at how peaceful she looked in captivity. I am a free man, but my reach has always been shackled by my father. All my decisions have been influenced by him or needed his approval. I would have whisked her away from Nevada, and convinced her to be with me. Perhaps the Camorra and the bratva could have formed some sort of alliance. All the possibilities are out of the window now that I have fucked up.
I throw my dinner away to go to Gaia. She was in the bathroom again, so I waited for her outside, closing the door behind me. I sat on the floor waiting for her until she emerged wearing a pink romper she had used as her nightwear for the past few days. She was startled for a bit but composed herself by calling me a creep under her breath. I scooted closer to her mattress where she sat and she quirked her brows in question.
"I don't see any food with you unless you have a chocolate bar in your joggers. Neither do you look like holding a knife. So if you are going to use your fist, I will be fighting back." She spoke bitterly, looking stunned to notice that she hadn't stuttered a single word.
"Noted." I say. "I don't have any chocolate bars, but I'll make sure to bring you a sweet treat next time." She only rolled her eyes at my words. I want to kiss her again, but instead, I ask,
"If you have so much fight in you, why didn't you resist me that day?"
"Would it have w-worked?" She spoke softly, inspecting her nails.
"No. But it's an instinct to fight back. It was so unlike you.." I say.
"U-unlike me? You don't even k-know me, Borya." She snapped at me.
"From what I have learned about you. I expected you to fight back." I answer patiently, despite gathering the underlying tension in her body, threatening to surface.
"Been there, done that. It only drains your energy. No one is going to help you out because you are crying. You have to just wait for the right moment and when it comes, then you fight." She lashed out, her eyes glistening with tears. But that didn't unsettle me until that haunted look marred across her face.
"Who the fuck hurt you?" I demanded.
Gaia scoffed, averting her gaze from me. I held her shoulder and gave it a tight squeeze. A fat droplet of tear slips from her eye, and a muscle in her jaw ticked in anger. That must be because she had allowed me to see her tears. I loosened up my hold but kept looking at her for answers.
"You s-should leave. This place is r-reserved for c-captives only." She rasped softly, but I noticed the slight tremor in her voice. Has she ever been alone this long?
"I am your captive." I whisper. Her nose scrunched and a faint smile spread across her face.
"G-gross, that's so cheesy." She chuckles, covering her mouth like a little girl.
"It's true." I say under my breath. "Let me stay with you tonight." I urge, leaning closer to meet her eyes.
She bit her lower lip between her teeth and studied me. "Call it that favour that I owed you, and I will."
I was puzzled for a beat before realizing what she was talking about. She owes me for sparing her bodyguard's life. Nero. If he is any good, he'll kill himself for failing her. I had forgotten about it because that was previously going to benefit me if Gaia hadn't turned out to be this unpredictable.
I ponder my response because she is demanding to get even so I don't end up asking for something bigger she is not ready to give me. Does she really think that low of me?
I fucking abducted her. Of course, she does. So I agreed.
Namaste. It will be really helpful to me if you share the story link on your Conversation Board or social media. And thank you for reading. Please don't forget to VOTE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐for the chapter and leave your COMMENTS below.
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