'please, please don't kill him'
Her voice kept ringing in my fucking head. She's clouding my judgment and I don't like it. I should kill this fucker. He's about to ruin everything Hayes and I have built.
I made my way to the boardroom, with Katerina on my mind. Also my dumb fuck of a sister. Brendan was seated in the middle, with a bruise on his face.
I looked at Lo and saw his hand tucked away in his pocket. She asked me to take care of him, so I will.
Hayes helped himself to a glass of scotch and Jax has his hand on his head as if deep in thought.
I didn't care much for Hayes' brothers. Marco and Lucas seemed to be fucking stupid if you ask me. But they were here as well, sitting and looking out the window.
"Brendan, tell me honestly, what the fuck are you doing here?" I asked, and sat in front of him.
"I love her, Axle, you know I love her." he said, and I could feel a very ugly side of myself coming to light. Brendan always annoyed me, he worked for me at my warehouse here, he's a good employee but him having the hots for my sister didn't sit right with me, because she was 19.
And so with the thought of finding them kissing in my backyard, I struck him. Hard. Across the left side of his face. I felt the rush of blood moving up my knuckles. I punch people all the time, but this one hurt.
"you want her for the money, don't you?" I asked, and began to breathe heavily.
"no. I love her. I won't let her marry him" he said, and motioned his head to Lo.
"and what makes you think I'll let you marry her, huh? You came here to fucking ruin everything." I said, and hit him again.
"fuck you Axle, fuck you. She's your sister, not a business deal" he spat out.
"she was happy before you fucking got here, you had no business coming to see her again, I told you not to come back to New York, or I'd have you killed." I said, yelling now. My blood is on fire, my head is airy and I have nothing but adrenaline coursing through me now.
"was she really happy with him? Or were you just telling yourself that to make it easier?" he said, and Hayes stepped forward.
"listen son, you better watch your mouth. Tell us, did you have her?" Hayes asked, cutting right to the chase. If Alyssa was unfaithful, our entire deal is fucked. It's not about the stupid notion that she's impure or any of that nonsense, it was about fidelity. That's how it is with Italians, your loyalties lie with your partner, whether you're engaged or married, or if a stack of papers sum up your entire relationship.
He remained silent. Hayes stepped out of the way and I rolled up my sleeve that now had his blood on it.
"answer the fucking question." I said, and hit him again. This time his blood splattered on my chest.
"yeah, I fucked her. Right here, in your house." he said.
I was about to do it. I was about to kill him. But this warm gust of air came in from the window and it knocked me still. It felt like her, and I could hear her voice telling me not to do it. And that he loves her.
And as I punched him for the last time, I turned to Jaxon who was still sitting with his hand on his forehead. "bring him with us, we're going to talk to her." I said, and Hayes walked out with his brothers.
I walked to Lo.
"I'm really sorry Lo" I said, and he threw himself into my arms and I felt his body shake. Good God, is this what we're fucking doing now? He was crying. I didn't know what the fuck to do. But I held him, because I thought of her. That's all I seem to do lately.
"I loved her, Axle, I really fucking loved her." he said, and sobbed into my shoulder. I think this must be the most awkward moment of my entire life. Never have I been placed in a situation where I had to console another person. This...this is truly a first for me. A first and fucking last.
"I know, I know but listen, you're gonna be okay. I'm going to drink with you, we're going to get high as fuck and I'm going to be there for you, I promise." I said, and he nodded.
"kill him Axle, you have to." he said, and I sighed.
I wish I could, but your sister is a brat and has me wrapped around her finger.
"I need to talk with Aly first Lo, you know how it goes." I said, and he nodded.
"I'm going home." he said and got into his car.
Hayes walked over to me, puffing out his cigar.
"thanks for handling this son, I don't know what I would've done without you." he said, and patted my shoulder.
"we're gonna fix this Hayes, and we can discuss the agreement whenever you're ready." I said and he nodded.
"I'll meet you back at my house. Kat is home. She'll open up for you." he said.
I nodded, then grabbed my keys and stepped into my car. I was halfway to her house when I realized I should've changed my shirt. I didn't understand why I was in such a rush to get there, but I knew it wasn't about dealing with all this shit. It was about her. After a miserable day, I wanted to see Katerina, feel her warmth and hear her voice. It's fucking shocking how much I need her, and how I can clearly see our future in this life, me handling business and racing home to my girl, forgetting everything miserable in the world. God, what the fuck has happened to me?
I called Jaxon on the way, he said they were stopping for gas and they'd meet me there. Hayes needed to pick up something, probably snow for his brother. Marco was a heavy addict which made me like him even less.
My knuckles ached as I gripped the wheel. I was pretty sure I needed stitches, as I could see the skin on my bones splitting open. My mind was racing as I drove. I tried turning on the radio, to no avail. I should've killed Brendan right then and there tonight. We shouldn't even have to discuss this with Alyssa. Then it hit me. I'm fucked. I've gotten soft. It was the one thing I was certain my soul wouldn't let happen. I guess my soul wasn't ready for me to meet Katerina. All these creatures that were dead for years slowly coming back, conscience, remorse, guilt, worst of all, apathy. Well and truly fucked. This damn girl. The worst of the worst thing, I didn't give a fuck. She plays me like I'm her toy, and worst of all, I don't mind it one bit. For being a dictator my whole life, allowing myself to be run by this woman doesn't bother me at all. I'll forever be at her whim. Whatever she wanted, no matter how big or insane, I'll find a way to get it done. I can bet my life on that.
When I pulled up to the house, it seemed dark and empty. They let me in, without even checking who it was. It was already 1am and the rain had not slowed down.
I pushed the doors open and saw her running down the steps.Her eyes fixed on my shirt, then they grew wide, almost popping out of her head.
"Axle what-" she said and I cut her off.
"it's not mine, it's not mine relax." I said and saw the relief washing over her gorgeous face.
She walked down and stood in front of me, scanning my face as I did the same to her. Things changed tonight, and I knew she wouldn't want to talk about it yet.
"I need alcohol Kat, lots of it." I said, and a small smile graced her face.She turned and walked to the kitchen, I followed close behind.
"I know how to make a martini." she said and I held back a smile.
"I'd love that, another time. Now, I need something fucking strong." I responded.
"you know, you don't have to curse in every sentence you say. It would still have the same meaning without your embellishments." she said, and leaned against the counter.
"I'll give it a try." I responded. I sighed.
She came to me with a glass and a bottle of Johnnie Walker blue, which I don't think she knows the value of. Anyway I opened it and poured a double. She walked to me with ice and saw me struggling to do anything.
The color drained from her skin.
"Your hand. What in God's name happened to your hand? Axle you need to go to the hospital." she yelled at me. Actually yelled.
"would you relax woman? I'm fine, haven't you heard, whisky fixes everything." I said and smiled at her. Her face was stoic, she looked like a statue and she was about to hurl something at my head.
Without another word, she turned around and grabbed a box from the counter which she struggled to reach. It was a first aid kit. She pulled the stool to sit in between my legs.
She looked up at me.
"you're out of your mind, you can't just walk around and have a normal day with big open wounds on your hand. It'll get infected, then you'll die. Do you want to die?" she asked, she sounded almost frightening.
"not anymore" I said and she looked at me so deadly that I put my glass down and gave my hand to her to fix.
"you know what you're doing?" I asked.
"I fix everyone's injuries, though this is worse than anything I've ever seen." she said and her eyes looked half concerned for me, and half mad at me for hurting myself.
She removed my rings and set them on the counter, and studied the one with a ruby on it, and the letter K engraved in the yellow gold.
She took a gauze and doused it with alcohol.
"this is going to hurt, please do not punch me or break anything." she said.
She rubbed the alcohol over my hand and I remained as still as possible. It burned like a mother fucker, but I felt some kind of warmth that I had someone to take care of me. It made my chest feel fucking tight or whatever.
"okay, all done with that, though it didn't seem like you knew I even started." she said and rolled her beautiful brown eyes.
"I've been through worse." I said, my voice sounding hoarse with the whisky.
"of course you have. Now please, stay still. I'm going to start stitching."she said, her voice authoritative. I liked it.
"the last person that annoyed me as much as you do is at the bottom of the Hudson." I retorted. Her lips tipped into a small smile. "I know better than to be afraid of you, you big softie." she replied.
Perhaps she's right, maybe I have lost my edge. But that didn't bother me now. My early twenties were my reckless years, the years I was named the devil. I don't have anything to prove anymore. She's changed my entire thought process. Given me a voice of reason. I rarely lose control anymore. She doesn't even know.
She pushed a few dark strands of her hair back and it gave me perfect time to study her. Her makeup was cleaned off. Her hair was in a ponytail, sleek and fucking beautiful. Her skin was so light I could see the blue veins above her eyebrow, a tiny beauty spot just under her left nostril. I was staring, I know. And I didn't fucking care.
She could tell I was, and tucked her bottom lip behind her teeth. Her cheeks grew a shade of pink and my dick immediately noticed and grew hard as a rock.
I took my left hand and moved her lip away from her teeth. She picked her head up and looked at me confused.
"it's killing me, Kat. Don't do that in front of me" I said, and adjusted myself so I could sit comfortably with my dick hard as ever.
She never said a word, she just continued to dig that thing into my flesh.
"please just tell me if you killed him." she said, her voice soft but commanding. I could listen to her talk for years and never get tired.
"I promised you, didn't I?" I said, and took a swig of the whisky in my glass.
She sighed heavily.
"thank you." she said and looked at me briefly.
"he's got you to thank. If you didn't give me that fucking look he would've been gone in a few seconds."
"what look?" she said, and lifted her gaze and gave me the look she did in the ballroom, this time with a smile on her face.
"you think you've got me wrapped 'round your fucking finger huh?" I said, and she lowered her eyes back to my hand, still with a smile on her face.
"well you didn't listen to me about Tyler."
"oh there was no way in hell I would've spared that fucker."
"so you pick and choose when to listen to me then. I guess we can work on that. You are wrong about everything 98% of the time."
"fucking work on what? I do whatever you tell me."
She smiled and let out a soft chuckle.
"I didn't tell you to punch Adrik and lose a 500 thousand dollar deal. Which is part of the 98% by the way."
"I had a legitimate reason for punching him. He spoke without thinking."
"do you remember what I told you? You need to work on your tolerance to others. You do just fine with me."
That's because I'd die for you.
"You're not just anyone to me, Kat. I don't talk to you the way I do other people. You're different."
She smiled softly at me, her bright eyes sparkling as they meet mine. I don't think she knows what to say.
"You did a good thing today. Thank you for not killing him. They deserve a chance." she said, and stopped her work on my hand.
"maybe. But they're on their way. I don't want you part of it, okay?" I said and she nodded.
"by the way, you seem pretty fine with me sticking a needle in your hand." she said, and arched her eyebrow.
"I can see down your shirt, I'm doing fine."
She blushed. I was losing control of myself.
"well you'd better get a good look, I'm almost done."
"dammit" I muttered, and she smiled.
"you need to stop hurting yourself like this Mr Kingston, what if I didn't know how to help you? Do you even have health insurance?" she asked.
I had to pause to see that she was serious.
"you don't have health insurance?" she yelled at me. This was the first time a woman, who was about 5 feet tall and 90 pounds by the way, had ever yelled at me.
"why on earth would I fucking need that?"
"just shut up, and leave your card with me. I can put you on a good plan-"
"I make bad decisions all the time Katerina, but that would be the worst one a man could make. Ever."
"you're hilarious, but this is nonnegotiable. You're not dying on me, Axle Kingston." she said, her voice was sensitive, passionate and it shouldn't have sounded so good.
I didn't want to fucking die now.
"I have a doctor, he's always around to help me or the guys out. At any time. So if you're not here, I guess I'll have to go to him." I said and she smiled.
"so after beating the life out of your sisters boyfriend, you just wanted to come and see me?" she asked, and I bit back my smile.
"You flatter yourself, angel. I just came to pick her up and talk things out with your dad and uncles." I said and poured more whisky in my glass.
She gave me an awful, but adorable look and then turned around to put the first aid kit away. I loved the organic methods of our conversation. For being people of such a different world than others, we found a solid ground. A version of our lives where we were normal people that worked 9 to 5 and paid taxes. I enjoyed her company more than I cared to admit.
The doors opened and Hayes walked in, with his brothers and Jaxon and Brendan behind them. Hayes walked to Katerina and kissed her on her cheek. The way he softens for her is something that still astounds me. I've seen Hayes, I know him and the sides of him he hides from her. It's astonishing.
"you alright bella? I hope Kingston wasn't bothering you."he said, and smiled at me.
He seemed awfully okay with me being alone with his daughter, but I guess his wife was here, and his mother. One thing I knew for certain was that he trusted me.
"his hand needed to be saved. Are you alright? Any injuries I need to fix before I head back up?" she asked, her voice was pleasant and I saw her glance at her uncle Marco and lift her shirt higher to cover her chest.
"no, I'm alright. I think Mr Rossi needs some help though." he said, and looked over at Brendan slumped in the chair. Her eyes followed and fixed on him, I saw her wince then turn away.
"please papa, go easy on him. He's a child." she said, it's true, Brendan was 22, I guess we all just look at people younger than us as children.
Her papa looked at her softly, it was hard to say no to her.
Marco chimed in. "your father knows what he's doing Katerina. You shouldnt involve yourself with our business, child. Go cook something."
My blood quelled with rage, then Hayes spoke. "Marco, just shut your mouth before I do it for you." he said, agitated.
She looked at her father expressionless then poured a glass of water and took it to Brendan. We all watched her in admiration.
"she's out her fucking mind." Marco muttered, and she heard him. She knew I heard him too, but the tap was running and her father didn't hear him. Her eyes shot to mine and she shook her head, because she knew if I stood up, I'd shatter my other hand on her uncles face.
"mija, please call Alyssa down. Now." her father said, and she walked upstairs.
Aly walked down and my body turned hot. She has no idea how much her reckless little rendezvous could've backfired. Sometimes I wonder if she thinks the work I do will always ensure her stability and freedom, so she doesn't think twice before she acts. I would always take care of Aly, married or not. She's my sister, I love her. I'd die for her. But the work I do isn't easy. A simple fuck up like this could've ended with a bullet in my skull had I been dealing with the wrong person. As much as my status brings me power over others in this industry, deals made in the dark aren't always rosy. Even I worry sometimes about who I cross. My reputation can only protect me to a certain extent. My head started to burn and I thought it would stop when I saw my Katerina but she didn't come back down.
Aly looked at all the men in front of her, then shot her eyes to Brendan. I saw pain on her face for him.
He was awake but I think my last punch knocked him out of his senses a bit. He's fading in and out of consciousness.
"you alright?" I asked, not really bothered about anything else. Underneath all this, she's still my sister.
She nodded.
"Alyssa, sweetheart, tell us it's not true." Hayes spoke, gently. The way he does to Katerina.
She put her head down.
I was angry with her, and I had every right to be. She could've told me, from the beginning she could've fucking told me she loved this dumbass and I would've called it off sooner.
"answer him, Alyssa. Did you sleep with Brendan?" Jaxon asked, I hadn't said anything yet, because if I did it wouldn't sound so pleasant.
Jaxon and Hayes were the only one to speak to her about it. I wouldn't allow Hayes' brothers to talk to her about anything. Though Lucas seems okay.
She still hasn't said anything.
"please, please bring Kat here." she uttered, softly and Jax looked at Hayes.
"go up and bring her Jax, please." Hayes spoke. My jaw was ticking.
She came down and walked behind Jax, using him as a shield from all the tension in this room.
She sat next to Aly and grabbed her hand. She asked her if she was okay, then she looked at me. Her eyes begging mine to go easy on Aly.
"Aly, please. Tell us the truth. Nothing will happen, we promise." Hayes said and Kat tightened her grip on Aly's hand.
"yes, I slept with him. I'm pregnant." Aly uttered. My ears filled with blood. The lights began to appear brighter. Everyone went into slow motion, as Hayes and his brothers, and Jax pulled out their guns and aimed it at Brendan. I heard the safety of their guns click.
Kat stood up, and was about to do something stupid. I snapped out of my trance from what Aly just said and yelled at her.
"Katerina get out of the fucking way." I said, and stood up.
"make them stop, put the guns down." she said, her voice trembling. Her father looked at her in disbelief. He was the first to put his gun on the table. Jax did the same.
"you fucking heard her." I barked, and his brothers did the same.
"Katerina don't ever do that again." her father said.
"please, give him a chance." she said, looking at me. For a second, it was just me and her. This was my decision to make for my sister.
It would make no sense, people would talk but she was right, my sister loved him. And here was this guy, willing to risk everything for her.
And so I let him live.