Aleksandr

by S F Draven

  If he struck a deal with Edik while he was working for me before all of this went down, it would explain why it’s been so hard for me to make my way in the crime world. All the shipments I’ve had disappear, the misplaced money, and empty contracts, it would explain it all. I have to keep an eye out, cover my tracks so he doesn’t catch on, because if he is the mole, I will play him just as well as he thought he’d be able to play me, I thought, trying to finish my food, even though I didn’t feel very hungry. There was nothing I hated more than betrayal, especially because I went out of my way to make sure that whoever worked for me was properly compensated for their service. I felt like I wasted so much time, going around in circles, and I wasn’t even sure yet if Damir was as dirty as I deemed him to be.

  We waited around for hours before any movement started happening, peering out of the window while watching my shipments move from truck to warehouse. It all seemed like business as usual until the clock struck three, and Damir came out looking rather smug, getting into his car to take off. He isn’t supposed to leave his post until six. Where are you headed, Damir? I asked myself, starting up the engine as Irina looked over at me to see what was happening. It was finally time to get a move on, and if my hunch was right, we were going to get closer than ever tonight. I followed him down the long, empty roads, making sure to keep my distance so he wouldn’t catch on that we were following him. The moon shone brightly overhead, reflecting against the water, while Irina looked out wistfully, and I had a feeling I knew what was on her mind.

  She and I both were very determined to get this over with, because now we wanted to start a life together more than anything else, and Edik was the only thing standing in our way. I decided that depending on where Damir was going, and if he was really in with Edik’s gang, then we were going to have a bit of fun with him before he realized what had happened. I already had a plan brewing for what was going to go down once we completed each phase of this, and I couldn’t wait to tie Damir up to press him for information. He’d been working for me for years, so for him to turn on me like this, it made me even angrier than I wanted to be. I had every urge to leap out of my vehicle and strangle him the moment we stopped, but I knew that if I did that, Irina and I would be as good as dead. I wasn’t going to allow my feelings to get in the way of what we were trying to accomplish, because our entire future depended on me playing this smart.

  We pulled up a few feet away from where Damir had parked. The entire surrounding area had been quiet, nothing but crickets and small animals roaming about. We were out in the thick of the wilderness on the opposite end of the city, making it one of the most perfect places to hide, with barely any civilization in sight. I watched Damir meeting with a few men I didn’t recognize, but judging from their hulking bodies and sleeves of tattoos, they were doing Edik’s bidding. The safe house we were watching seemed to be crawling with men like that, and I didn’t know how I’d get close enough to find out what was going on. He liked to have people by his side who scared off anyone that would get in his way, and while Edik was a strong fellow, he wasn’t as menacing as he’d have liked to be. He tried his best to make up for it with all of his lavish wealth and hard attitude, but the Edik I remembered would be going mad on the inside. He really thought that he was going to get away with using Irina to the point of her breaking, only to take her out when she least expected it.

  I wondered why he even bothered to keep her around in the first place, because while she was a beautiful and talented woman, I couldn’t imagine him having a hard time finding someone to take her place if he really didn’t care anymore. Edik was the kind of man that enjoyed torture far too much, the kind who would flip his switch at the wrong moment, only to give anyone around him the boot. He must’ve been keeping her to peel away her layers one by one, destroying her a little every day before he finally had the courage to pull the trigger, I thought. I knew men like Edik, the kind that got off on someone else’s pain, but what shocked me was the fact that they had somewhat of a relationship at the start of all of this. I couldn’t understand where the shift happened, unless he never really loved her at all. Could he really have been doing this just out of his own personal curiosity? Picking up a lovely woman only to destroy her? Why? I asked myself, because this was an awful lot of trouble to go to for someone who didn’t care if Irina lived or died. I supposed I’d have my answers soon enough, once I could finally look Edik in the eye and tell him that he was about to lose everything he’d worked so hard for. That was going to be the icing on the cake, and that was one of the only moments I had to look forward to in all of this. If he wasn’t such a threat, I would’ve taken Irina far away from here, starting a life with her somewhere completely new, but Edik would never leave us alone.

  He was far too vindictive to let something like that go, and if I judged him correctly, there must’ve been something far bigger than all of us in the works. It might very well be the biggest crime war this country has ever seen.

  Chapter Twelve: Irina

  I feel a lot less terrified being out here with him, even though we’re not even sure that we have the right idea yet. I want more than anything to exact revenge on the man who’s made my life a living hell, but I’m afraid that’s going to come at a cost. I know that Aleksandr has a plan in place, that he’s doing everything he can to keep me safe while making sure that Edik never bothers us again, but I can’t help but feel like we’re coming up on the beginning of the end. I worry that it won’t be long until we’re all fighting for our lives. We’re out here, in the middle of nowhere, scoping out one of Aleksandr’s guards because he suspects that he’s been working with Edik. That doesn’t surprise me, what surprises me is the lengths that Edik will go to in order to prove a point. He just wants me back so that he can kill me, and I have yet to understand why. There has to be a reason beyond convenience that he’s kept me around for so long. I just hope I get the chance to ask him myself before one of us puts him in the ground for good.

  Aleksandr and I ducked beneath the car windows to make sure we weren’t going to be seen while we tried to figure out what Damir was doing out here. It was possible that he was just selling information to the highest bidder, but Aleksandr seemed to think that he was in on it with Edik. It would explain how easily Edik’s guards were able to find us at just about every remote location we’d been at, besides the mansion. I wondered if Aleksandr had even shared that information with Damir, because if he had, it would be smart if we steered clear of that place.

  “Aleksandr?”

  “Yes, Irina?”

  “Did you tell Damir that we were squatting in one of Edik’s properties?” I asked him.

  “No, I didn’t. I had my other associates take care of that. I don’t think that he’s aware that we’ve been there, because I’m sure a hit would’ve been called on us by now,” he replied, and I heaved a sigh of relief. There was nothing scarier than being on the run and having absolutely nowhere to go. I just wanted to stay in one place for more than a day, having a few moments to recuperate before we picked up again, but I knew that was wishful thinking. If there was ever a time to be alert and stay that way, it was now.

  “Look,” I said, pointing to one of the men who came out of what appeared to be a barn, with a flashlight in his hands.

  “What?” asked Aleksandr as he followed my gaze.

  “That’s Kliment, Edik’s hitman. I’ve seen him come around once in a while, dropping off files for Edik, which I happened to read and know that he’s been taking out targets left and right. The man is very skilled and good at his job. That’s all the proof you need to know that Damir is working with Edik behind your back, and it’s possible that he has been for a very long time,” I said, feeling the hurt and betrayal that Aleksandr must have been feeling to learn that one of his men had betrayed him, especially one that he trusted with my safety.

  “I’m going to fucking kill him,” said Aleksandr, and I could see his expression shift, his eyes filled with rage.


  “What are we going to do?” I asked, trying to get him to focus on the task at hand.

  “We’re going to get closer. I need more information on where Edik’s hiding out, where his shipments are coming in from, and who his next targets are going to be. I’m going to sneak up on them, staying hidden, and hopefully gaining the insight that we need,” Aleksandr said, and I worried that was going to end very badly.

  “Okay, let’s go then,” I said, opening up the passenger side door very carefully.

  “Oh no you don’t. You’re staying here and keeping watch. If this Kliment is as dangerous as you say he is, then I’m not letting you anywhere near him.”

  “What happened to always keeping me in sight?” I asked, angry that he wouldn’t let me come with him.

  “You’re close enough for me to keep an eye on you and get this done. Here, if it makes you feel better, I’ll let you take the driver’s seat so you can get a better look,” he said, getting out so we could switch spots. I pulled him down by the collar, pressing my lips onto his, as I gazed at his big beautiful eyes.

  “Please, Aleksandr. Be careful,” I told him.

  “I promise that I will. You have nothing to worry about, Irina. I will stay out of sight and come right back to you,” he replied, and I had no choice but to trust him on this. I let him sneak off down the hill, watching from a few feet away until his figure disappeared into the shadows. I kept a close eye on the two men standing near the soft, dim headlights that shone on them both. I stayed put for a while, waiting patiently for around thirty minutes before I genuinely started to become worried. Has something happened to him? Has he been found out? I asked myself, noticing that Kliment and Damir both sauntered off into the barn, never to be seen again. I wondered if sitting around really was the smartest idea, thinking that maybe it would be a better idea to head down there myself to make sure that everything was okay, but just before I made that decision, I spotted Aleksandr running up back toward the car.

  “Did you get what you needed?” I asked him.

  “I got enough for us to begin, yes. I know where his next shipment is coming in, and that’s where our first hit is going to be. After that, we’re just going to have to sit back and wait for him to take the bait,” said Aleksandr, pulling out his cell phone, dialing and waiting for it to connect. “Hello, Jack. Where are you right now? In a motel? Where? Okay, I’ll be there soon. Yes, sorry for waking you,” I heard him say, and it was then that I realized we weren’t going back to the mansion after all. We were about to rope Jack into this, and it was at that moment that I realized this was really beginning now, and there was absolutely no going back.

  We arrived at the motel Jack had been staying at right as the sun had begun to rise. We moved through the open hallway, looking for his room number. Aleksandr knocked lightly on the door, trying not to make a ruckus for the other guests staying. We also had to remain out of sight as much as possible, because come morning, I was sure that Damir was going to try to get more information out of Aleksandr once he went to check in on work for the day. I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach like we were running out of time, but I couldn’t put my finger on why, because to everyone else around me, this was just beginning. The more I thought about it, the more I realized just how deep we all were into this, and I truly wondered what life was going to be like if we were able to make it out on the other side.

  “Good morning,” said Jack, addressing us both, noticing that the sun would be rising soon.

  “Sorry for dropping in on you like this,” I told him, even though I had a feeling that Aleksandr was anything but sorry.

  “It’s not a problem, Irina. I vowed to do your boyfriend’s bidding, so I have to answer his calls, even when I’d much rather be sleeping,” he teased, and Aleksandr glared at him.

  Aleksandr and I sat on the twin bed across from him, while he told Jack everything he’d learned about the mole and where the location was going to be for Edik’s shipments to arrive.

  “So, you’re telling me that you want to raise hell, initiate this war before he does, and take out his hitman?” asked Jack.

  “That’s about right, yes.”

  “Okay, well, judging from how terrible you two look, you haven’t slept or ate much in ages. So, if you want this to go down without any problems, you’re going to have to get some rest and something to eat. Trust me, you’re not going to want to take anyone down if you can’t so much as hold your gun upright,” said Jack.

  “He has a point,” I chimed in.

  “It’s far too late to head back to the mansion now,” said Aleksandr.

  “Get a room. They don’t give a rat’s arse what you do out here. You Russians can be so uptight sometimes,” said Jack, and I chuckled.

  I grabbed Aleksandr’s hand, leading him out to the check-in desk while we let Jack return to sleep. He lifted my chin up to him, kissing me softly, and it truly warmed my heart. I didn’t know what it was about the sleazy motel we were in, but it made me feel strangely calm to be out here with him, knowing that we were probably coming up on our last few moments of tranquility. Aleksandr approached the check-in desk, and the receptionist stared at us blankly before asking how long we planned to stay for.

  “One night, please.”

  “First door on your left,” he said, sighing, handing Aleksandr the grungy, rusted key.

  “Have a good night.”

  “Mhm,” the man muttered, but we decided not to say anything further. Aleksandr opened up the door, letting me go in before him, as we took in the quaint little room. It was strange that a place like this would make me feel so at ease, but I thought it was probably because we were both so exhausted and hadn’t had any genuine rest in a while. I just wanted to curl up next to Aleksandr and sleep, but I knew that we were both going to have a hard time with everything that had been going on. I could see Aleksandr’s mind ticking behind his eyes, as the thoughts must have been flitting in and out, while he wondered whether he was doing the right thing after all. I wanted to do what I could to reassure him that we were in this together, and that his plan was going to work, because it was exactly what he needed right now.

  He sat on the edge of the bed, eyeing me as I stripped out of my clothes slowly, watching as they dropped to the floor around me. My pale, milky skin shone under the stream of moonlight illuminating the room, and he motioned for me to come closer. His hands caressed my naked body, his cool touch sending chills down my spine while he kissed me softly. I felt his tongue toy with mine as I tied my hair up into a high ponytail, getting on my knees for him, to take his mind off of the terrible world out there. I wanted him to just think of me, to think of all the amazing time we were going to get to spend together when this was all over. He unbuckled his pants with a smile, dropping them to his ankles and slipping them off so I could have full control.

  I could see the mischievous look in his eyes, and just before I was able to wrap my lips around his dick, he lifted me up, laying me down on the bed in front of him, ready to command me any way he wished.

  “I’m ready to play tonight,” he said, as I bit my lip, wondering what he was going to do next. “You want my hard cock in your mouth, huh? Gliding up and down that tight little throat of yours?” he asked, getting on top of me, as he pulled off his tie, wrapping it around both of my wrists.

  “Mhm,” I responded, before he turned me over, so that my head was eye-level with his dick.

  “I’ll give you what you want,” he said, bending down as he guided his length into my mouth, driving it straight down my throat, while I laid there, compliant. His dick was throbbing inside of my mouth, and I had no control over how fast or deep he was face fucking me, but I could feel the wetness between my legs drip, and I knew this pleased him judging from the look on his face.

  “Spread your legs, Irina. Let me see that pussy,” he said, reaching over to finger my clit, shutting me up with a deep thrust inside my mouth, his balls slapping against my face, and I enjoyed every minute
of it. I liked it when he got rough, when he took me for a ride that I’d never experienced before. He brushed his tip over my lips, and I begged for him to enter me, but he wasn’t done toying with me just yet.

  “You’ll get this dick inside of you in due time. Patience, alright?” he teased, and I could feel my clit throb under his touch, waiting patiently for more. I flicked my tongue around his erect dick, letting him know that he could have his way with me, and I was going to lay there and take it. I loved the way he commanded my body, making me squirm under him as I begged for him to fuck me hard. He let out a little chuckle as he realized that I was going crazy waiting for him to enter me, wanting nothing more than to feel his cock part my pussy lips and slide inside.

  He slipped his dick out of my mouth, getting up over my pussy, lifting my bound hands over my head. He was going to make me scream tonight, louder than I ever had before, leaving me disoriented and pleasured after it was all over. He wanted to make sure that my body was well satisfied, because he got off on seeing me squirm, my body jolting against his with every touch on my sensitive clit. He slipped his dick inside of me, his tip hooking on the edge of my opening as he jammed his dick incredibly deep.

  “Oh my God! Fuck,” I said, looking up at him.

  “Tell me that you want it hard, baby. Tell me that you want me deep inside of you,” he said, and I obeyed.

  “Please, Aleksandr. I-I want you to fuck me. Harder, baby,” was all I could say, the tension beginning to rise inside of me, as he held my legs up, pounding me harder with every passing second.

  “You want me to cum on that pretty little face of yours?”