“What do you want to do with him, Elena?” I whisper hoarsely in her ear.
With her eyes still glued to Roberto, she says firmly, “Give me the gun.”
I don’t hesitate. I place the gun in her shaky palm.
“Are you sure you wanna do that, sir?” asks Mikhail.
I raise a finger in the air, ordering him to be quiet. My eyes don’t leave her as she points the gun toward Roberto. She’s shaking too much, the gun practically dancing in her hand. I stand behind her and place both of my palms on her trembling hand. She relaxes instantly as I begin to rub the back of her hand with my thumb. I position the gun properly so it’s aiming directly at the asshole’s forehead. I then proceed into whispering softly in her ear, “You can shoot anytime now.”
The bang of the gun reverberates off the walls of the garage. She shot him dead in the center between his eyes right before he chokes on his final breath. She then drops the gun and I catch it before it falls to the ground. Without saying another word, she turns around and heads toward the door.
“Clean it all up,” I say to Mikhail and the rest of the men before following her.
I climb the stairs two at a time, rushing so I can check up on her. She runs faster up the stairs. She is silent and I am not sure I like her silence.
Before she goes back into her room, I grab her forearm and turn her fully around until she’s facing me. Her face is pale and expressionless.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
She doesn’t say anything but pushes me away from her before entering her room. I roll my fingers into balls of fury. How dare she? I did this for her.
“What’s wrong with you?” I demand.
She turns around. Her eyes darken and her breathing gets more pronounced.
“Get. Out,” she hisses.
“I thought it would make you happy.”
“The only person you need to protect me from is yourself. I said get the fuck out!” She shouts at the top of her lungs that I subconsciously take a step back. I’ve seen her angry and I’ve seen her emotional. But I’ve never seen her like this before. Her eyes are so dark and full of evil. She takes another step back, scowling at me as her hands turn into fists.
I raise my hands in surrender and take one more step back.
“Okay, easy, lapochka. I’ll get out of here,” I say softly before leaving and closing the door behind me. A new feeling of excitement flickers in my chest as I make my way to my room. I just discovered a new thing about her. It shouldn’t excite me. It shouldn’t make me feel the way I’m feeling right now. But I can’t help it. The beast inside roars in happiness because it knows that the same darkness that lives in me, lives in her as well.
Elena
I fall to the ground as soon as he leaves the room. My body is numb, so I don’t feel anything. The room spins around me as I struggle to gather my strength.
“Get up, puttana.”
Roberto’s voice echoes in my head and a wave of nausea hits me. I rise from the unforgiving ground and storm to the bathroom. I spew my guts in the toilet bowl as the memories of my sick and miserable past flood right back. Then his face, crying, begging for mercy flashes in my mind. Why am I feeling absolutely nothing but regret? Not because I killed him, but because I didn’t torture him more. Shooting him once was a light sentence. I should have cut his throat open and stabbed him fifty times. Then I should have shot him not once but at least five times. I shake my head as tears stream down my cheeks. I’m fucked up in a way I didn’t know I was. I’m cruel and evil. My mind is a disturbed, dark place. Fantasizing about killing a monster is nothing compared to actually doing it. I killed Roberto. I shot him dead and I felt nothing but numbness as I pulled the trigger. Maybe I am just like all of them. My uncle’s blood runs in my veins, so I must be just like him.
Another wave of nausea hits me, but this time, nothing comes out. I have already emptied my stomach. So I gag in the washroom while rubbing my empty stomach. And as soon as I’m done, I lie back and stay there for I don’t know how long, staring at the white wall before me. That same feeling of emptiness crawls back. And as I close my eyes, I’m instantly taken back to the pit of my hallucinations, the dark yet beautiful place I always run to while escaping my present. I see my father’s face, bright and smiling as he approaches me.
“What’s wrong, darling? Why do you look so upset?” he asks in the softest voice I have always loved.
“Nothing, Dad. I’m fine. But I heard you and Mom argue last night,” I say as I turn the page of my notebook. I am anxious not because I heard what they were talking about. But because I knew it for years now, since the day I turned eight years old, on my birthday. Which was three years ago.
“Did you hear what we were talking about?”
I nod.
“Yes, Dad, I did. I heard it all.” There’s a hint of sadness and disappointment in my voice. I feel bad for Dad, but I also know that my mom regrets it all. I know my mother is innocent and that my uncle just likes to act like he’s a good person. Because if he was indeed a good person, he wouldn’t have had an affair with my mother, knowing damn well she is a married woman. And who is she married to? His brother.
My father cups my hand and squeezes a little. I watch as he swallows thickly and struggles to pretend like this isn’t hurting him.
“Listen, darling. He will always remain your uncle. No matter what happens between him and me. Grown-ups have fights and arguments. It’s completely normal. I just don’t want you to get involved or let it affect you. Is that okay?”
I roll my eyes and shake my head.
“I know, Dad. I’m not a child. I’m eleven.”
He smiles and leans in to place a kiss on my forehead. He then walks out of the room. I sigh deeply and look through the window on my left. It’s cold and snowy outside. As I stare at the white snowflakes falling and disappearing into the ground, I think about my father and how I wish I could make him happy. The sadness in his eyes feels like a knife to my chest. I hate seeing him like that. And somehow, as much as I hate admitting it to myself, there’s a little bit of hatred inside of me toward my uncle. Because as much as I love him, ever since knowing about his affair with Mom, my love and admiration for him has been decreasing. I even started avoiding him in family gatherings. And I’m always finding excuses to not be around him. It hurts me, but I love my dad. And I don’t think I’ll ever forgive my uncle for stabbing Dad in the back.
“How long has she been sleeping for?”
A familiar voice echoes in my head. I open my eyes slowly. My body feels like it has just been hit by a train.
“Ever since you put her in bed, sir. She hasn’t awoken ever since.”
Says Yeva.
I blink three times in order to be able to see through the blurriness that’s filling my vision. Then I see his face. He looks like a Greek god dressed in a fancy suit. I don’t move and remain in my position, eyes pinned on the one man my heart races for. I hate him, yet I can’t seem to stop my mind from constantly fantasizing about him and my body from reacting to him the way it does. His eyes drift to me and they grow two sizes bigger.
“Elena?” he asks.
I don’t say anything to him but rather struggle to pull my body in a sitting position. I have no idea how long I’ve been sleeping for. But considering the numbness of my legs and the heaviness of my whole body, it has to be more than ten hours of sleep.
I look at Yeva, whose hand is at her chest. Her smile is soft and apologetic.
“We were worried about you, Elena. Thank the Lord you are okay,” she says softly and I flash her a warm smile.
Ignoring Maksim’s gaze, I say, “What time is it, Yeva?”
“It’s almost seven in the evening. You’ve slept since yesterday night,” she explains.
“Yeva, go get her food,” he tells her firmly and without saying another word, she walks out of the room, leaving us alone along with the tension that’s slowly building up around us.
“How
are you feeling?” he asks.
“I’m okay.”
“Does this happen often?”
I look into his eyes.
“What do you mean?”
“Passing out of whatever it is that’s in your head.”
I look away from his cold, intimidating gaze, embarrassment coiling around me. He is the only man who can read through me. He understands me like nobody else. There’s no fooling him no matter how hard I try. I swallow thickly and take a deep breath. Then I look straight into his eyes, and for the first time in my life, my heart skips a beat just from one single look at him.
“I’ve been hurt a lot in my life. When my brain cannot take the pain anymore, it just . . . shuts down.”
Tears burn the back of my throat, so I close my eyes and silently try to calm myself. A moment of silence prevails until a strong, warm hand strokes my cheek. His hand smells like he usually does—sandalwood, money, and power. I open my watery eyes slowly and look at him. I gaze at the most handsome man my eyes have ever witnessed. The man I love to hate, and that I hate to love.
“I know how it feels. For your mind to shut down completely. That’s your escape. You’ve trained yourself to run away from the darkness that lives inside of you through training your mind to shut down. I’ve been there, but now—”
I don’t let him finish. Without having any control over my body movements, I lean forward and my lips swoon down on his. I know it’s crazy and unbelievable, but my mind goes blank at the electric sensation. Every nerve in my body sparks up as he hugs my waist and pulls me harder toward his body. His tongue pushes in as my mouth opens weakly for him, inviting him in. The world stops spinning and there’s nothing but us. Devouring each other like it’s life-giving. The kiss doesn’t stop. It goes on and on until we both cannot breathe anymore. He pulls away from me savagely. I stare at him, both of us panting hard. I feel lost and scared because I know that nothing will ever be the same from now on. The uncontrollable beating of my heart that makes my chest sore every single time he’s around me, the unnatural way my body craves him like it’s known hunger and starvation for so long and simply cannot take it anymore. And last but not least, my soul feels like it has finally found someone who understands its darkness and connects with it on an unexplainable level.
We remain silent, looking through each other’s souls and feeling the blazing fire that’s radiating from both our bodies.
“Thank you,” I murmur.
“For?”
“For yesterday. I never thought I’d be able to kill a man.”
His fingers stroke my cheek.
“You didn’t kill a man, Elena. You killed a monster. He deserved even more.”
I nod in agreement and close my eyes. Hot tears well up in them even though I try to hold them back.
“I’m sorry if you think that I made you kill him. I just wanted you to release the darkness that lives inside of you. I wanted you to be you without hiding it.”
I open my eyes and the tears automatically pour down my cheeks. A soft gasp escapes my lips as goose bumps spread all over my body. There’s something about his voice and the way he looks at me that makes the energy in the room grow higher and higher with every passing minute. The aching need is a tension none of us could ignore.
My teeth sink into my bottom lip and I bring my forehead against his. He closes his eyes and inhales deeply.
“We are beasts,” I say breathlessly.
“Beasts in the dark,” he whispers.
Maksim
I stand in front of Walton’s residence with Aleksandr by my side. Why did Daniel request to meet with us? Still no fucking clue. But he insisted on meeting with us in his home. I would have refused if it was somebody else, especially showing up here without having a single idea what the meeting’s about.
“You know, I was never a fan of Daniel,” says Aleksandr.
I turn my head toward him, frowning.
“Maybe this is not the right time to mention that?”
He chuckles and shakes his head.
“Let’s get this meeting over with. Whatever it is about,” I say and begin walking toward the entrance door. One of Daniel’s men leads us to his office.
Daniel rises from his seat as soon as he sees us at the door. The usual smirk shows as clear as day on his face.
“Gentlemen!” he says, walking toward us.
“Daniel,” I say firmly.
“How are you two doing?” he asks, shaking both our hands.
I have a strong feeling that whatever Daniel wants has to do with the favor he returned to me a couple of days ago. Me and Daniel are not friends, and every time we had an encounter it was always for business purposes only.
“We’re good,” answers Aleksandr.
“Why are we here, Daniel?” I ask.
“Like always, Maksim is all about getting straight to the point.”
“I’m sure we both have a lot of work to deal with.”
He nods, catching my meaning.
“We sure do.” He extends a hand toward the long table sitting in the corner of his office. “Let’s have a seat. Shall we?” he asks and without saying a word, we all make our way toward the table.
My heart races in my chest and hot blood rushes quickly through my veins. Something is bothering me. I just feel like this meeting won’t go too well. I know Daniel wouldn’t do anything to attack me because he and I never had anything against each other. But in my world, you cannot trust nobody. Even your own blood can betray you. But if he thinks I haven’t noticed the extra security he has outside his home and even inside, in every corner of his house, then he must think I’m a fool.
“What’s up with the extra security today?” I ask coolly.
“You’ll see in a minute.”
I can hear the arrogant smile in his words. A pulse starts slamming in the back of my neck and I turn to my right to glance at Aleksandr, who’s already staring at me. He can feel the thickness of the air around as well. Because his face has been straight and his jaw clenched.
“Come on in,” says Daniel through the phone.
I breathe in slowly, struggling to calm my nerves. Then a minute later, the doors open and four of Daniel’s security men walk in, followed by the enemy himself.
My eyes grow two sizes bigger and I rise from my seat furiously. Breathing heavily, my fists ball and blood roars in my ears. The beast wakes up. Ready to bite, ready to attack, ready to fucking kill.
“What the . . .” says Aleksandr.
My body loses every sense of calmness. I shut myself down and allow the beast to take over. I don’t realize what I’m doing until two of Daniel’s dogs stop me and hold me back. It doesn’t do anything to calm the anger that’s rising within me, or the thirst for blood that the beast is dying for. If anything, it irritates me even more.
“Maksim, just one moment. I’ll explain everything.”
I turn around, facing Daniel furiously.
“You’ll fucking explain? You brought my worst enemy here and expect me to sit tight? What the fuck is this shit?” I hiss through gritted teeth as I push one of the guards away from me. I’ll kill all of them. I’ll shred them to pieces and drink their blood in celebration. Who the fuck does Daniel think he’s fucking with?
“I know you’re angry. But Leonardo has something to say and he reached out to me ’cause he knows you’ll never listen to him. Let’s just sit down and hear him out.”
“And you teamed up with him? Do you even know what this asshole did?” says Aleksandr furiously.
Both me and Aleksandr glare at Daniel with piercing eyes. Daniel should know better than to fuck with someone like me. His father and mine had a history. A good one. So the fact he’s doing this is beyond me.
“I understand. I didn’t team up with anybody,” he tells Aleksandr before turning his attention over to me. “Maksim. Just this one time. Please.”
I clench my jaw and breathe heavily as I struggle to put the beast back to sleep again. I
reassure it by promising it that if I don’t get to paint myself in Leonardo’s blood today, then it will be very soon. Because my soul won’t rest until I spit on the motherfucker’s grave.
I walk slowly toward Daniel, who’s still standing by the table.
“Five. Fucking. Minutes,” I hiss at him and take my seat back.
“Leonardo, why don’t you sit at the other end of the table,” says Daniel before resuming his seat at the head of the table. Everybody takes a seat. I remain staring at the empty wall before me. Anything to avoid eye contact with the monster whose life I want to end so fucking bad. It’s just been way too long. Way too fucking long.
“I know I’m the last person you want to see, Maksim. Hence why I reached to Daniel for help.”
Silence. Nobody says anything back to him. I can relate to the anger that Aleksandr is suffering from at the moment. Only difference between me and Aleksandr is there’s no beast that lives inside of him. But I do. It doesn’t calm down. It roars and wails with every single breath I take next to this monster.
“I know you have my niece. And I know Lord Stephen Davis gave up. He doesn’t want her anymore. But I do. So I have a deal for you,” he says calmly.
I focus on my breathing and remain silent. Rage bottles up quickly inside of me and my blood starts boiling at the mention of her name.
“I’m assuming you’ve had your fun with her by now. So either you kill her, or I do.”
I swallow the lump in my throat and turn my head slowly toward him. Did he just say . . .
“Kill her?” Aleksandr asks, frowning. “The fuck do you mean?”
If my eyes were bullets, they would have shot Leonardo dead already.
“We both know this is about Vlad Pavlov. So I’m giving you Elena to kill.”
I rise from my seat and slam my palm on the table.
“Don’t you fucking dare say my father’s name,” I bite out, fury blinding my sight.
I watch as the asshole gets up from his seat.
At His Mercy Page 8
