•Riot•
I press my forehead against the tiled wall of the shower, my forearms above me and fingers tangled in my hair. The water cascades down my back, washing Alexei's blood down the drain. I close my eyes and take deep inhales and slow exhales, trying to calm my racing thoughts.
After stitching Polina's wound, Leo, Luca and I went straight to the safe house where Alexei had Nolani and Giovanni met us there. Nolani was in labor, she gave birth to the twins in my backseat and one of them didn't make it. My fingers tighten into fists, contained rage making my skin itch. On my way back to my house I called Mattia who I had tailing Mikhail. After Mikhail found Alexei's body he left the safe house and Mattia lost him. I have no lead's as to where he would go. We know little about the Bratva because we've been enemies as long as I can remember but he can't be elusive forever.
I haven't checked on Polina yet, I promised to keep her alive for her secrets but honestly I thought once we found Nolani I'd go ahead and kill her but now I want nothing more than to wrap my fingers around Mikhail's throat. I need Polina. I can't kill her yet. Playing with her is the best way to keep me focused, it'll be the easiest way to find Mikhail too. I'll break her, bend her how I please and watch the life drain from her eyes as soon as I'm done with her.
With excitement at getting revenge for my nephews thrumming through my body I finish my shower, dry off and get dressed. Polina broke so easily, it would've been extremely unsatisfying if I hadn't been in a rush to find Nolani. Blood loss can make even the strongest of people weak. It only amps up the anxious feelings in your body that would've already been running pretty high from being caught inside the community.
Luca walks down the hall when my feet hit the landing at the bottom of the stairs. I texted him before my shower and told him to bring a soldier over to clean up Polina's bodily fluids.
"He's outside." Luca informs me.
"Take him to the basement after I go upstairs." I reply and he nods.
I don't want anyone knowing about my little pet. Giovanni would kill her without a second thought and it would ruin all the fun. Luca is the only one I can trust not to say anything.
I make my way to the basement to have a chat with my little Russian captive. She's not shackled to the wall anymore so she could easily be waiting for me on the other side of the door, ready to attack as soon as I open it. Luckily she no longer has any weapons and she's probably feeling pretty weak from losing blood so I doubt she could do much harm. Hopefully she's still alive and didn't lose too much blood before I stitched her up, it would be a pity to lose her before I got to watch her bleed under the blade of my knife.
I unlock the basement door and ease it open. When I get to the bottom of the stairs and round the corner I see she's still in the same spot I left her. She's curled up in a ball on the floor, her eyes closed, covered in blood and urine.
I walk over and nudge her with the toe of my shoe. "Wake up, topolina."
Her eyes pop open in alarm and she scrambles back against the concrete wall. Staring up at me in shock as if she's surprised she's still breathing, fear glimmering in her eyes. Her hands rise to her head where her stitches are and she winces.
"Yeah, you're not dead but you are covered in blood and urine. Would you like to shower?" I ask her.
As much as I enjoy the sight of her pale skin painted in the scarlet flecks of her blood I can't let her live in her own filth if I'm going to keep her alive, it makes my skin crawl. She blinks up at me, dark purple bruises paint her face. They go so well with the blue of her eyes. Who knew a spawn of Mikhail could be so appealing while broken and battered.
"Are you messing with me again?" She questions, disbelief lacing her tone.
I cock my head. "Am I?" She frowns and I heave a sigh, "No, I'm not messing with you. Do you think I enjoy your stench?" I don't bother letting her answer that question, instead I snap my fingers and point toward the ceiling. "Up. Now."
She slowly gets to her feet, digging her fingers into the concrete wall to help stable her unsteady legs. Dressed in a black shirt, cargo pants and combat boots and decorated in bruises and blood— she reminds me of a wounded soldier rising from the battlefield. I grab her upper arm and guide her to the staircase where she struggles up the stairs but doesn't complain once. I'd say if Toni had taken it easy on her I would've had to work for the address she so willingly gave me. If she hadn't been so weak, she wouldn't have folded without a little prodding. I'll have to speak to Toni later about spoiling my fun.
The bathroom on the main floor doesn't have a shower and she'll need clothes to change into so I take her to the second floor of my house. Her eyes flick around, searching for possible exits and hidden cameras. I fight a smirk at the sight, so vigilant. Oh, sweet topolina, don't even think about it, you'll never make it out alive. What a waste that would be to have to kill her so quickly.
When we step inside my ensuite I turn the shower on and let it warm up for her. I can be accommodating when it suits me.
"You can either strip or get in with your clothes on, but the boots have to go." I say.
She reaches down and removes her combat boots and socks, her hands shaky. I motion for her to step inside the glass shower once her feet are bare and release my hold on her as she steps under the water. She pushes her hair away from her face, grabs the shampoo, and lathers it in her scarlet flecked blonde tresses.
I stare at her, my face expressionless as she stands before me. The clothes that cover her body swallow her frame, the fabric soaked from the spray of the shower. Soap bubbles wash away the mixture of sweat, blood and urine from her, disappearing down the same drain her cousin's blood had only fifteen minutes before. It wasn't the first time I'd made someone piss themselves by being in my presence but it was by far my favorite. God, the fear in her eyes in that moment was unlike anything I'd seen before. I could tell she fought the feeling, tried her best to ignore it but once she let it show it shined like a beacon in the depths of her eyes and I quickly found myself lost in them.
"Are you done?" I ask calmly, my gaze focused on the droplets of water that cling to her eyelashes once she'd fully cleaned herself as much as she could while still dressed.
She nods silently and I shut the shower off before grabbing a towel and wrapping the thick cotton around her body. "I don't trust you. I won't leave the room, I won't turn around. You'll have to undress like this. Can you do that?" I ask, curious as to whether or not I'll get a glimpse of that fire again.
Her brow dips angrily, her eyes hard and cold like frosted glass as they stare me down. "No." The word is sharp and final, as if she's the one in charge here.
I grip her jaw tightly, digging my fingertips into her flesh, hoping it bruises so I can see the blue splotches paint her pale skin knowing they're from me. It's unfair that Toni marred her body before I could. "If I wanted to rape you, I could have already. I could have forced you onto the floor, pinned you down until all you could feel was my weight and then rammed my cock inside your tight cunt so hard you'd bleed. Undress now or I'll undress you myself." I demand lowly.
Her hands quickly get to work under the towel, her fear thickening the air between us, driving me mad.
I don't get off on forcing my way inside a woman. I'd never even get hard but she doesn't know that. I'm sure with my reputation rape wouldn't be surprising.
My eyes never leave hers as she undresses, staying covered the entire time. She clutches the towel tightly around her once she's done, the tips of her fingers paling from the grip she's got on the thick cotton. Her large blue gray eyes meet mine and I'm reminded of how stunning they looked when she cried earlier. The mental image gives me the urge to make her cry just so I can see it again.
I wrap my fingers around the back of her neck and guide her out of the en-suite and into my closet, plucking a plain gray T-shirt from the drawers built into the wall.
I hand the garment to her and she eyes it like it's on fire. "I want normal clothes." Her voice is hard but quiet, she's scared but she's trying her damndest not to show it.
She should be scared. I want to hurt her. I want to bring the blade of my knife to her flesh and watch her bleed. Carve my name into her skin and leave a scar so she'll always be reminded that she's my pet even when I'm not around. Remind her that she's nothing but a puppet and I've got control of her strings, control of when she takes her last breath. I want to watch her squirm under me, see her skin decorated in my marks. I crave it more than I've ever craved anything. I want to push her, see how much she can take and how far she will let me go. I'm a very patient man, I can restrain myself in almost any aspect of life when I need to but I do admit I have to channel every bit of strength I have in me to keep from unleashing myself on her. I have to keep reminding myself that I'll need her to find Mikhail. Who knows more about him than his own daughter? No one.
"Be a good girl and maybe you can earn them. Back talk and you'll remain naked for the next month." I pause. "If I decide to keep you alive that long."
She quickly takes the shirt and tugs it over her head as if she's afraid I'll change my mind and make her walk around naked. I could. I could leave all that pale skin bare for me to see whenever I feel the need but where's the fun in that? I have a feeling she's going to be the entertainment I've been craving, my funnest pet yet. Merda, I can't wait to play with her. Keeping her alive and my hands off of her will be like foreplay, by the time I allow myself to really harm her it'll be euphoric.
Once she's covered by my t-shirt she drops the towel and stares up at me in waiting. Her hair is soaking wet, the thin cotton of the shirt absorbing the liquid.
"Give me the towel." I demand.
She blinks at me for a second and I wait patiently to see if she decides to disobey me.
Finally she reaches down and grabs the towel before handing it over. I step behind her and watch in amusement as she stiffens when her eyes can no longer track my movements. I grasp her wet hair and wrap the towel around it, squeezing the water out. Her fists are clenched tightly at her sides and I know she's just waiting for me to hurt her, it makes me smile. Anticipation of pain has her heart racing, I'm sure of it and it brings me almost as much pleasure as ending Alexei did.
I fight the urge to wrap my fingers around her neck and feel the quick flutter of her pulse. Instead I release her hair and toss the towel into the hamper nearby. She turns on her heel and watches me, confusion swirling in her eyes. I arch an eyebrow at her, my smile still visible. Anticipation thrums through my body until I feel like I'm on the verge of vibrating from it. This is already the best game of cat and mouse I've ever played and we've only just begun. It's so similar to the high I get when I'm in the middle of a good play session and that's dangerous. If just messing with her head feels this good, torturing her will have me coming in my pants.
I grip the back of her neck and guide her out of my room. I absolutely hate having someone I don't trust in my space, it enrages me. I guide her back to the basement that is now spotless thanks to the soldier Luca brought. I take her back to where she was chained to the wall and stretch her arms above her before attaching the shackles on each of her wrists. The hem of my shirt rides dangerously high on her thighs and I can tell it makes her uncomfortable even though she tries very hard to hide it. It shows in the brief purse of her lips, the clenching of her fists and the way her feet shift in place. I fight a grin of satisfaction at the sight.
I leave the room and grab the mattress off one of my guest rooms upstairs and drag it all the way to the basement. Polina watches silently as I place the mattress on the floor and push it against the wall. I go back upstairs, grabbing a blanket and pillow from the guest bedroom and take them to the basement. I toss them on the mattress, grab the shackle above the bed and pull, extending the chain from the wall so she can have a little room to move. I drop it on the mattress and walk over to Polina.
"We're going to play a game, topolina. The more you show I can trust you the more freedom you'll receive." I say. Until I tire of her, that is. "I'm going to start by allowing you enough freedom to lie down, this is your reward for giving me that address and showering without a fight. Can you be a good girl and behave?"
She stares at me for a moment and then silently nods her head.
I release her from the wall and guide her to the mattress. "Sit." I demand and she does. "Brava ragazza."
(Brava ragazza: good girl)
Once she's shackled to the wall I take a few steps out of her reach just in case she feels like misbehaving. "I'll come see you in the morning. Sleep."
I lock the basement door behind me and head into the kitchen where Luca is leaned against the island.
"You gonna keep her?" He asks me curiously.
"For now." I shrug. "She proved her information was good and I know we'll be on the hunt for Mikhail now. She agreed to give me all the information she could think of. We could easily take the Bratva down."
Luca shakes his head. "You know nothing is ever as easy as it sounds. Giovanni will kill you both if he finds her alive."
"When have I ever enjoyed something easy?" I arch an eyebrow at him and he chuckles. "Are you coming to the hospital with me?"
He nods. "Of course."
When we get to the hospital I stop on the floor where Jade is recovering.
"What are you doing?" Luca asks as we step in front of her door.
A smirk tugs at my lips. "Using this to my advantage so I can scare the journalist off for good."
Nolani being friends with a journalist is a disaster waiting to happen. I refuse for our family to be the headline for the story of Jade's career that lands us in prison. Giovanni will be pissed if he finds out I scared Nolani's friend away from her but he needs to look at this like a Don, not a man enamored by a woman.
Luca shakes his head in disbelief but he doesn't try to stop me from entering the room.
Jade's eyes meet mine as I shut the door behind me. "Did you guys find her? Is she okay? Are the twins okay?" She questions anxiously.
"We did. She gave birth on the way here, she's probably sleeping now."
Her eyes grow glassy with tears. "Is she okay?"
"She will be."
"Thank god." She sobs as the tears break free. "And the twins?"
I shake my head, tiring of her questions. "I'm not here to update you on her."
"Then why are you here?"
"I want you to stay away from Nolani, away from my family. I don't trust you and my brother is an idiot if he does." I demand calmly.
Her brow dips and her lips purse. "Nolani's my best friend, nothing will keep me away from her."
I stuff my hands in my pockets so I don't wrap them around her neck instead. "I have eyes on your parents, twenty-four hour surveillance of them. If you can't stay away from Nolani I'll make sure you never see them again."
I don't usually dabble in killing anyone that isn't part of the criminal world but if it keeps her away from my family I'll do it.
"What is wrong with you?" She questions in disbelief, giving me a look of disgust I've seen many times.
"I'm just looking out for my family." I answer truthfully.
"By threatening mine."
"Whatever it takes." I nod. "You may not know me well and I can guarantee you don't want to, but one thing you should know is killing comes easy to me. I will end your parents' lives and never think about it again."
She goes quiet, tears streaking down her face as she contemplates my words.
She sighs, her eyes going to the white blanket covering her body. "Nolani won't understand, she'll be confused, she'll ask why I won't come around."
I fight the urge to grin as I know I've gotten what I came here for. "And you'll lie. You'll create stories that you'll tell her. That is your job after all. You're too busy, you're traveling. The only time she should see you is during an emergency. You can visit once she's released from the hospital but after that I expect you to go." I approach her slowly, my eyes going to the heart monitor she's connected to. "And don't bother trying to tell Nolani it's because I threatened you, I'll make you regret it."
I see the hatred clear as day in her eyes when my gaze comes back to hers. "If she finds out about this there will be hell to pay for you."
I give a dry laugh, "I don't fear her."
She killed a Russian in her attempt to escape the safe house but most anyone in her situation would do the same. Fear and desperation push you to do things you wouldn't normally.
"Get out." The demand is said through gritted teeth.
I flash her a grin, unable to hold it back any longer. "As you wish."
Without giving her another look I exit the room. Luca's leaning on the wall across from her door. He pushes off when I shut the door.
"Well?"
"She won't be a problem any longer."
"And if Giovanni finds out?"
I shrug. "He can either understand why I did it or get out of the way if he can't be the Don he should be."
If he can't do what needs to be done then I'll always make sure to handle it myself when it comes to the safety of the family. He proves more and more everyday that he was never meant for the position he's in.
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Hey babe's,
Oh poor little Polina, let's hope she heals and gets her fire back before Riot breaks her 😉
Thoughts & theories? 🤔
Next upload is Friday 😘
Love youu🖤🖤
— Katy