by Kenya Wright
I didn’t say anything.
“You looked like you loved him more than life itself.”
“I did, but I love Em even more.”
She smiled. “And it is a fierce love that you hold, Maxwell. I want to feel that type of heat.”
I kissed her, and it hadn’t been the best time to do it. In that moment, Darryl’s body rotted in the bathtub. Other corpses spread across the floor.
A phone buzzed and ended our kiss.
She shook her head. “Not mine.”
“Not mine either.” I turned to Darryl.
The ring sounded from his pants.
I smiled. “I’ll get that.”
“No. Don’t answer.” Valentina shook her head. “We keep the phone for now, and call Kazimir. He’ll know what to do.”
I nodded.
The stink of death rose in the air. Sirens blared off in the distance. Someone in the brothel must’ve called the cops. Valentina remained calm as we strolled down the hallway passing dead bodies and burned-out bullet casings.
I really like these Russians. Fast. Efficient. No holding back.
Sighing, Valentina grabbed my hand. “We killed together, now we’re bonded.”
I knew about bonds in blood. Em and I had bonded the same way. So much that I swore we breathed through the same lungs.
But how will this bond be?
I guided her down the staircase. Some of Misha’s men headed up, a few held bags as if they would be cleaning up.
Valentina noticed me watching them. “In Russia, you clean up the mess you make.”
“I see.”
We got outside.
Surprisingly, Misha met us as we crossed the street. “No, we don’t go up there. Head this way.”
Of course, I can’t have one calm minute to just chill.
We turned and went in the direction he was going. The whole time, Misha scanned the blocks and held his hand inside his jacket.
I walked on his side and got on guard. “What’s up?”
Misha frowned. “Oleg is dead.”
Valentina shrieked. Her chest rose and fell.
“Luka fled.” Misha signaled for a limo down the road. It headed our way. The whole time, Misha checked over his shoulders. “We don’t know what Luka has or if he’s in contact with anyone.”
“Or if he has weapons around here,” Valentina said. “I’m sure he has a place.”
The limo stopped in front of us.
“He’ll head there and heal.” Misha opened the door. “Oleg didn’t go out easily. There was blood all over the floor. Luka was either stabbed or shot. He won’t be leaving this city tonight.”
“But he will try to come after us,” Valentina said.
“We could just leave St. Petersburg,” I said. “We have Valentina’s plane.”
“Yes, but we’re not going anywhere.” A strained expression hit Misha’s face. “Luka knows about Ava.”
Valentina sighed. “She’s safe. Just put some men on her.”
“No, I want you two to help me make sure she’s safe.”
“She’s not anything to you.”
“She’s everything.”
I jumped in the conversation before Valentina and Misha argued some more. “Focus, guys.”:
Misha nodded. “We stay in St. Petersburg for Ava’s performance. Watch her and make sure she’s safe. Afterward, we take her to Moscow where I’m sure Kazimir is by now.”
Valentina frowned. “I’m going to Moscow to be with my brother. This is stupid.”
“I’ll help you, Misha.” I nodded my head.
Valentina widened her eyes.
Misha smiled and climbed into the limo.
Valentina might be right. Misha may be overreacting about this chick who he’s obviously obsessed with…but I like him.
Misha had helped me get Darryl. He’d proven to be loyal to Kazimir and Em. I could fuck with a dude like him, and in this foreign country, I would need friends.
Valentina didn’t get in the limo. “Why are you going to stay?”
“Because Misha is my friend.” I shrugged and got in. “Stay with us.”
She rolled her eyes and jumped in the limo. “Fine, I’ll stay.”
Misha snorted. “I’m so happy about that.”
Valentina tossed her hair behind her ear. “I want to go shopping for the ballet.”
“Of course, you do.” Misha glanced out the window as the limo sped off.
This will be fun.
Grinning, I stared out the window and jumped. “Wait a minute. . .oh shit. . .that’s Luka.”
“Where?” Valentina scooted over to my window.
Misha signaled for the driver to stop. The limo eased over to the side.
“How the fuck did he get so far?” I asked. “It must be ten blocks down from the penthouse.”
“He probably killed Oleg right when we hit the brothel.” Misha pulled out his gun. “Yeah. There he goes.”
“I’m going for him.” Valentina left her side.
“Yo.” I hurried out after. “Wait.”
“No.” She cocked her gun. “He killed Oleg. He dies right now. That was my promise to Oleg. Anyone hurt him, they’re dead within an hour.”
“That’s some promise to keep.”
I had speed, but I was no match for Valentina. She burst out on the sidewalk, fast and damn near silent. So fast, the people she ducked around didn’t know. She headed right in Luka’s direction.
“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath, keeping my focus on Luka and trying to stay up with Valentina.
Seconds later, Luka noticed we were coming. Instead of running, he raised his gun and shot into the ground.
“Shit!” I dove to the wall.
Valentina continued with both hands gripped to the gun and low.
Luka shot some more and must’ve realized that Valentina wouldn’t stop.
He raced away in the other direction, crossing over the street while cars were speeding by. Two crashed into a taxi. Luka darted around them.
While I had Luka in my eyesight, I couldn’t see Valentina.
Just go. Don’t lose him. Valentina is somewhere around here.
I crossed too, stopping when I saw a car roll by. The accident had paused some of the traffic. I just hoped to God I wouldn’t get arrested after this.
Fuck it. Kazimir got my bail if I kill this motherfucker.
Luka barreled down the street, knocking people out the way. Sweat dripped down my face. My legs burned. My heart had better days. My lungs blazed on fire. I breathed in and out, fast, hard, damn near close to dying.
And then Valentina sprinted around the end of an alleyway out of fucking nowhere. Luka cursed and twisted away. Misha charged from the direction that Luka had turned in.
The burly man rushed my way.
“Yo!” I stopped and shot at him.
The bullet missed, but the point was to get him to turn around. He did.
We got this motherfucker!
Misha charged him. Valentina tackled him. The bear of a man stumbled into a building. People rushed away. The two went after Luka, grappling on the sidewalk. Luka grabbed Misha from behind, threw his arm around his neck, and choked him. Valentina slammed Luka in the back of the head. Misha bucked Luka off.
Get him! Get him!
I hurried that way, scanning the space for cops or any other threats.
More Russian men rushed toward us with guns. I had no idea if they were with us or not. I hoped to God they were Misha’s men.
I turned back to Valentina and Misha. They had Luka down.
Valentina shot at his chest. With no hesitation. No pause. No fear. Anger blazed in her eyes. The rest of the men arrived. They pointed at Luka and blasted his body.
In complete shock, I stood where I was, watching it all.
At least ten motherfuckers sprayed bullets into a man in broad daylight. Sirens blared off in the distance. Valentina looked up, turned my way, and nodded.
Shit. Note t
o self, never ever fuck these people over.
I let out an exasperated breath, pulled out my phone, and typed to Em.
ME: Darryl and Luka are dead.
Twenty-One
Kazimir
A dark storm bore down on Moscow. I could barely make out the moon as I stood in the front of my sitting room’s window. For several minutes, I watched it, studying its magical presence and sheer magnitude.
Have we not all looked up at the moon at some point of our lives?
It illuminated the sky, this grand beacon of light and mystery. So bright and white. It almost represented more of an eternal and holy essence than any god I’d heard of.
Had the moon not been there from the beginning? Isn’t it still so powerful after ancient centuries? Still rising and hovering above us?
At the bare minimum, it was an eternal spirit. If anything, it was an icon of God's mystery, hinting also at some supernatural co-existence of the hidden. And didn’t its constant pattern of repeating cycles remind humanity of life? The births and deaths? The waning and waxing? The undulating rhythms and patterns nature? Of life?
I left my thoughts on the moon and shifted to the events planned for this evening.
One more to go.
I glanced at my watch.
Seven pm. What are you thinking about, Sasha? Are you worried that you haven’t heard from Luka or Darryl yet? Will you still go to the dinner now?
Maxwell hadn’t updated us anymore since Luka disappeared.
Confidence hit me. For once in these past weeks, I had this together. I was finally in control of the situation. While I didn’t have a handle on everything, I could guess Sasha’s next steps.
Good play with Luka. You had a good run, Sasha. You did better than I figured. But now, the game ends.
My butler entered the room, bringing in a tray of vodka for our guests—Emily’s men. We’d added more to round out to ten. If I had time, there would’ve been fifty surrounding her. Tonight would be dangerous. Sasha had proven a worthy enemy, but not successful.
We’re close to the end of this.
Emily’s men sat at the table eating. I returned to the moon. Even the dark sky glowed around it.
Last full moon, I’d stared at it next to Sasha and met Emily that night. I’d strong-armed her into a deal. She hadn’t been my enemy, but I’d considered her just another washer.
And now I sit under this new full moon, completely captivated with Emily and ready to kill Sasha. How fast do things change within the phases of a moon.
Scientific research discovered that all matter held a frequency. This included the moon as well as humans and other animals. Further research found that the moon’s frequencies affected us, even if it was just on a subtle level. New age studies claimed the moon influenced thoughts and impressions in our sub-conscious mind, causing things to surface.
I wasn’t sure of any of it, but I knew I killed more during a full moon than any other phase. Even the night I escaped jail with Luka, a full moon hovered over us.
Emily still dressed upstairs. She’d gone shopping downtown with Boris. It kept me on edge the whole time she was gone, but I had to give her some semblance of space. And I’d won.
Luka’s deceiving face flashed in my head. I pushed it away, having more deeper things to wonder about.
What is the moon’s effect on love? Do we love differently during the full moon? And did Emily know that I was in this forever?
I’d attempted to say as much to her in the past days. After tonight, there would be more moments to form the right words. I thought of my mysh.
I wish this was another day…a slow, lazy day.
I pictured Emily riding my cock and begging me to fill her with my cum. It would be raining outside with only a hint of sun amid gray clouds. But inside, it would be warm, and her pussy would contract around my cock.
Oh, mysh.
My cock hardened. My heart drummed. My spirit hummed. I felt like I was living more than I’d ever been before. There was something passing between us, and it was intense. It was immortal. It couldn’t die. It wouldn’t be destroyed. This was unlike anything I’d ever felt before, and I couldn’t explain it to her in the way I needed.
No. Tonight, I focus on ending this. Later, I’ll do what I’m thinking about.
Emily’s sweet perfume filled the space. I turned around.
Captivating as always, she wore a gown that spread out at her waist, very close to something Cinderella would’ve worn. Very princess. Sparkling. Tulle and all. The only difference with Cinderella’s gown was that Emily had six guns hidden underneath the bone skirt.
When I called Vladimir, he’d explained that a dinner had already been planned. It was an art event for a new foundation in his name. He expected a hearty donation to the fund as well as a promise not to spill any blood at the gala. I’d agreed to both, and he’d promised to invite Sasha.
Sasha will come. He needs as much support as he can get.
Emily strolled over to me, owning the garment.
“You look gorgeous.” I extended my hand to her.
“I’m nervous.”
“Good. You should be.”
Nothing can happen to her.
Her men rose from the table, gaining my respect. They didn’t touch a drink or plate. With Emily in their space, their only focus was her.
I linked my fingers with hers. “Let’s go.”
She moved at my pace.
“Is the gown heavy?” I asked.
“No.”
“Would you tell me, if it was?”
“No, it doesn’t matter.”
My butler opened the door. Yuri opened an umbrella and held it over Emily and I.
We headed to the limo. Cold wind brushed by. Boris opened the door for us. Em lifted her gown and took her time getting inside. Tapping my watch, I gazed up at the full moon.
Take care of us.
I didn’t know who I was talking to—the moon, God, Uncle Igor watching from above. It didn’t matter. I knew something, or someone, heard me. Confidence built in my chest. Sasha had attacked. He’d somewhat battled, but he’d already lost the war.
I climbed into the limo. The rest of Emily’s men entered. We rode off, and the storm continued to pound and hammer. The streets ran clear of cars. Everyone had rushed into shelter.
Silence filled the limo. The streetlights above glittered like diamonds. The stars hid among gray clouds.
Yet, the full moon followed us.
I cut the quiet. “There are two ways Sasha will respond, when he sees us. He’ll run.” I squeezed Emily’s hands. “In that case, we chase and kill him.”
She turned to me.
“The other case.” I sneered. “He’ll approach, come close to me, and say some monologue he’d been practicing in his head since he realized I was still alive. I’m sure he stood in front of the mirror and tried to mimic a bad ass.”
Yuri smirked and then wiped the expression off his face.
“In that case, we chase and kill him.” My jaw clenched. “Do we have any questions?”
She kept her voice low. “Your president asked you not to spill blood there.”
I curved my lips into a deadly smile. “I’ll deal with that later.”
Vladimir Putin needed his weapons—his nukes, his facilities. He needed the money and the locations of his enemies. All that cost a lot. His life, to begin with. His loyalty to the end. Putin knew when he shook hands with me ten years ago that he’d made a deal with the devil.
Now, it’s time to pay up. Stand aside.
Twenty minutes later, we arrived at the theater which was in the center of Moscow.
Although it was new, I’d been there before. There was a restaurant placed in the theatre. The dining room was gorgeous, and the staff attentive. The atmosphere was all wooden walls and marble floor. They served a set menu with the usual traditional Russian fare—pierogi, pickled mushrooms, and smoked Siberian fish. Their signature dish was beef stroganoff. I�
�d had caviar.
A man stood on the sidewalk in full uniform, but it wasn’t one for official ceremonies. He wore a yellow oak berezka camouflage which was used by Russian border guards and Special Forces units in combat operations. I bet everything the man was Special Forces instead of a border guard.
You brought in Special Forces due to me, Vladimir?
The uniformed man opened the limo and spoke to me in Russian, “Thank you for your attendance. Our president would like you to take the kitchen’s back entrance to make your meeting more private.”
I smiled.
You’re scared to see me, Vladimir? Don’t worry. I only came for Sasha tonight.
“Has Sasha arrived?” I asked.
“Yes, sir. He is being led back there now.” The man gestured to my men. “I apologize, but I am not allowed to let them bring in with any weapons.”
“They didn’t bring any.”
Mr. Uniform checked anyway, but bypassed Emily as she stood gorgeous and seductive on my right. Little did he know, all the weapons we needed resided under her gown.
He led us away from the entrance and toward a side path. Our footsteps clicked on the pavement. The man opened the door.
I was about to gesture for Emily to go in front of me when a gunshot rang out in the direction we were heading. The person hadn’t been shooting toward us, but it came from further in the kitchen.
“Sasha knew it was a trap.” I looked at Uniform. “Where’s the kitchen?”
“This way.” He hurried to show me.
Of course, Emily raced off. I should’ve expected it by now. She’d already had those heels off seconds after the gunshot as if that was a habit for her to do, whenever someone shot in a crowd. Her gown bobbled and dragged behind her. Boris hit her side.
Drawing my gun, I rushed barely two feet behind her.
Uniform had never checked me for a weapon. He was probably scared to disrespect me. I’d hid it behind my jacket.
We got to another hallway. Boris entered first. Emily tried to head in next. I gently guided her behind me and moved forward.
“Be ready, mysh.”
“I will.” Stomping barefoot forward, she unsnapped the gown at her waist. It opened up like a robe at the bottom. Her men barreled behind her. She grabbed one gun and gave the bone skirt to them.
