*Trigger Warning*
| Norah |
Xander was sitting in the back of the Escalade with me, and he pulled out a huge diamond necklace. He asked permission before reaching around to clasp it on.
"You're going to have a camera this time. We placed it in your necklace. It'll send a live feed for us to see. If you get a vibe from Feliks or he oversteps, all you have to say is -"
"Whiskey, on the rocks," I cut him off. He nodded and smiled at me.
"Seems like we've got everything in place then," Xander assured me just as we pulled up to the Russian club. It seemed just as expensive as Oasi, but Ricardo said that I should have no trouble getting in. Apparently, ladies had easy entry around here.
How comforting.
"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Matteo asked from the passenger seat. Everyone in the Escalade grew silent as they turned to look at me.
For the first time since we had been doing this, I had never seen them look so concerned.
Again, how comforting.
"Guys, I'll be fine," I reassured them, even though it felt like I was reassuring myself more than anything.
I got up and walked out of the Escalade, with one look back at Xander. He nodded, and I knew that was his sign of faith in me.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and got into the line.
• • •
I saw him from across the room. Muscular, tall, brooding, and sure as hell the scariest man I had ever seen. He could snap me like a twig if he wanted to. Now I understood why they referred to him as zver'. AKA, the beast.
Yet, I still somehow gathered up the gut to go do what I had to: reel him in.
I blended into the small group of women dancing and swaying their hips back and forth. Men were sitting around them and watching from a distance. Slowly I could tell that the women were getting picked off by the men. It was like a cage of prostitutes getting picked out by the men like animals. Among these men was Feliks.
I brought my eyes to him and smirked. He found himself staring back, rubbing his hands together and nudging the scarred guy next to him. They both smirked back to me and I knew I had caught him. Hook, line, and sinker.
I mimicked the women who I could tell had been doing this for years. I let my head lull back and felt the music as I dragged him into my spell. I didn't expect it to work on him as much as the other men, given how strong he came off as.
But then again, he was a rapist. Women were his target, and I was basically bringing myself on a platter for him.
Little did he know why.
He murmured to the scarred man and got up, walking towards me. I bit my lip and trailed my eyes up to his hungrily as he looked over me.
He spun me around with barely an effort and was gripping me against him. I was shocked instantly but felt myself slipping into my persona. I closed my eyes and thought of something that would ease me into what I had to do. I could feel Xander's lips on mine and I let that distract me from how I trailed my fingers down this murderer's neck. I leaned my head back and bore myself to him.
Never would I get used to the bile that filled my throat.
"A zhazhdushchaya devushka like you must need a drink," His hot and disgusting, alcoholic breath hit my ear. I smiled with a hint of seduction on my lips.
I didn't answer him and expected him to lead me to the bar. He barely flicked his hand before a bartender got him a tall shot. He held it up to my lips and I opened my mouth. I let it burn down and scorch all feeling in my body. When I opened my eyes, I felt briefly shaken. It was stronger than I expected.
"Oh, the things a man like me could do with a shlyukha like you," He growled in my ear and bit my ear savagely. Everything about his stocky, hulk-like figure made me want to throw up. But I did as I should.
I giggled and played my part.
"Like what?" I forced the words out of my mouth in a higher-pitched, enticing tone. He chuckled and smacked my ass roughly and I yelped. It almost echoed through the room. I bit down on my lip and felt my stomach flip.
Feliks didn't answer me. He gripped my wrist and dragged me out the back. My heart was pounding out of my chest as I let him force me through the metal door.
I felt the deja vu of every target before him. The flashbacks of Will, Anton, Lev... It was beginning to be a list.
And just like Will and Anton and Lev, he slammed me against the cold side of the building. This time, so forcefully I felt the breath knock out of my lungs. I gasped for my breath back.
God, this is getting old.
He brought his hand to my throat and gripped tight. I thought I had lost my breath already, now it was trapped. I snapped my hands up to grab onto his massive hand wrapped around my windpipe. Flashes of Maddox's soft, controlled hand on my neck when I tried to touch him came into my mind. This was nothing like that.
Nothing like that.
I gulped and felt it getting hard to breathe. I gasped for air, feeling barely any oxygen come through.
Feliks smothered me with his lips and I struggled to play my part. And when I say struggled, I found it hard to kiss back, to even touch him besides trying to rip his restrictive grip from my neck.
My head was exploding with panic and lack of air.
"Whiskey -" I started to say. The secret phrase seemed out of place since we had expected me to back out before Feliks and I got outside, but I still tried to get the words out for the guys to hear. Unexpectedly, Feliks brought his palm to my cheek, sending my head reeling to the side. The side of my head found itself against the rough bricks.
"Don't speak," He scolded me.
I could feel the sting in my cheek and taste the blood in my mouth. The bitter, metallic taste hit my tongue. When it did, something changed.
I thought of being 16, against the bed, Patrick above me and taking me like a rabid dog. I thought of all those times he slapped me, bruised me, and took me against my will.
My blood boiled. My heart was pulsing plain rage. I had lost my whole persona, and as he started to undress me in the cold ally, he had no idea.
That was until I slammed my knee right in between his legs. He groaned loudly and backed up a step for a second, faltering. When he looked up to meet my eyes, he mimicked the same flames of enragement as mine.
"Fucking bitch," He growled and lunged at me. I tried to dodge him, but I was a second too slow. He grabbing my hair and yanked me back. This brought him the opportunity to slam me against the bricks. My head crashed against the bricks and I instantly was blinded by a splitting headache.
I groaned and could hardly see through the bright lights in my eyes. I tried to swing at him, but he caught my arm and twisted it. I yelped in pain and gritted my teeth as my knees buckled. I felt myself collapse. I was groaning and seething in pain.
I brought my eyes up to his as he smirked down at me.
"You really thought you could outsmart me, shlyukha? Me?" He grumbled in a prideful tone, his voice still conveying pain.
I might have been seeing three of him, but I focused hard on the pain I was feeling now and how I had already experienced it before. Too many times.
I thought of Xander's saddened expression when he brought up his sister Amethea. I thought of those girls at the docks. I thought of his boss, his boss's kill order for me, my mother.
I used the last of my strength to try to lunge at him.
That's when I heard the pop.
I screamed, pain-filled tears streaming down my face uncontrollably. My wrist was throbbing in agonizing pain.
I heard the quiet gunshots soon after. My vision was so clouded and my mind felt foggy. I felt his grip on my wrist unravel and I fell limp against the disgusting ally pavement just as Feliks dropped beside me. My vision focused briefly as I met his faded, dead eyes.
"Shit," I heard someone mutter. I could see feet coming towards me. Two forms loomed over me and crouched down. They were barely shadows as I started to get faint, but I could hear mumbles of concern as I felt myself slip into unconsciousness.
• • •
| Maddox |
"Norah? Shit," Xander kept repeating himself as he crouched down to her level. He shoved his smoking gun back into his belt.
Her eyes had shut barely a second ago and I instantly stepped in. Her wrist looked out of place and her cheek, neck, and wrist were bruised. There was a bloody cut on the edge of her hairline. Seeing her like this made me want to fire another shot at Feliks, even though he laid dead already.
I shoved my withdrawn gun back into my boot and reached down, sat her up, and started to lift her. Xander reached out and tried to stop me.
"I got her King. You call the clean-up. We don't have time to leave him here for someone to see," He tried to instruct me. I gave him the most hostile glare I could possibly muster.
"Don't tell me what the fuck to do," I snapped and took Norah in my arms. I held her securely and made sure she was alright as I faced him.
"The clean-up is on its way," I informed him hollowly before walking out of the ally and meeting the Escalade at the street. Matteo opened the door hastily and made room for Norah.
I sat in the back with her and laid her limp body against me, her head against my leather jacket. I could smell the rose of her shampoo, see the blood coating her forehead, notice her torn dress, and I felt sick thinking,
What the hell had we gotten her into?
––––––––––•A/N•––––––––––
Hope you guys like this chapter especially since we're getting Maddox's POV.
Comment here what you think is going to happen to Norah —>
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