Aleksandr

by S F Draven

  “Oh my God, you’re awake!” I heard Irina scream, as she leaped out of the chair she was sitting in, pressing her lips into mine, and it was the most comforted I’d felt in a very long time.

  “Where am I?” I asked, trying to make sense of how I was even still alive.

  “We managed to get you to a doctor who owed Jack a favor, and you were out for a few days, so we began to worry that you weren’t going to pull through, The doctor did say that you sustained terrible damage to your insides, but that you were going to live to see another day. He’s said that you needed to rest, and we made sure you got all you needed to stay comfortable,” she said, and I smiled at her.

  “I can’t thank you enough for coming to my rescue, Irina. I don’t know what would’ve happened to me if you and Jack didn’t get there when you did.”

  “There’s no need to think about that now. What matters is you’re safe,” she said, but she didn’t answer my question about our location.

  “This place looks familiar,” I said, having the time now to glance around the room.

  “It should. Welcome back, brother,” said a voice from the doorway, as my eyes turned to a face I hadn’t seen after our last run together a while ago. I genuinely thought I’d never see him again after the last time he asked for my help.

  “Viktor,” I said, greeting my brother coldly.

  “I know that you must not be happy to see me, but I have to say that you should’ve come to me when you knew you were in trouble. I would’ve helped you, we would’ve helped you,” said Viktor, and he had no idea what it was like trying to make a name for yourself, because he was always following father’s rules, whether they were the right thing to do or not.

  “You have no idea how hard it’s been to step out from under the shadow of my family legacy and try to do something on my own for a change,” I said, through my teeth, feeling the pain shoot through me when I tried to move too much.

  “Regardless of how you may feel about the way we do things, you should know that at the end of the day, family always comes first. I never wanted to stand in your way, nor did any of your brothers, that’s why we left you alone all these years, silently watching over you. Jack reached out to me, saying that you’d be very upset to learn about this, but when I heard what happened, I had to do something,” said Viktor, and I was really in no position to argue with him. He made sure that I managed to make it through alive, and I had to be grateful regardless of how much unresolved anger I had coursing through me.

  “I know you’re upset, Aleksandr, but if it wasn’t for your brother, we would’ve had an awfully hard time trying to keep you out of sight while Edik’s men looked for you,” Irina interjected. “I can imagine that he’s harboring a lot of anger himself, and you know that’s only going to result in a much bigger war, one we’re not even ready for. When I found you outside, you said something about me tracking down my grandfather. Why was that?” I really wished I could talk to her about it alone, but I supposed I had no choice in the matter.

  “I really didn’t want this to have to come to getting my family involved, but for the first time in a long time, I’m grateful you showed up when you did,” I said, addressing Viktor before turning my attention to Irina. “I know that this is going to come as a shock to you, but your grandfather was a very powerful mafia boss in his day. I know your parents haven’t told you anything about that, and I believe they did that because they were trying to protect you, but your grandfather is sitting on a fortune that Edik wants for himself. That’s why he kept you around, holding you hostage, until he could strike a deal with your grandfather. It’s also why he made you do all of those vile things, so that your grandfather would have to eventually step in before something terrible happened to you. Do you know where he is?” I asked.

  “I haven’t seen my grandfather in years. Last I saw, he was out in the country on a big plot of land, living his life in solitude just as he wished. I’d get gifts for my birthdays from him, but that was the most connection we ever had,” she said.

  “Irina, what’s your last name?” asked Viktor, and that was when I realized that it was quite possible that my family had known of Irina’s grandfather a few generations ago.

  “My name is Irina Morozova.”

  “Oh my God, there’s no way,” said Viktor, and I watched him starting to put the pieces together.

  “What is it, Viktor?” I asked.

  “Our grandfathers ran in the same circle. I remember clearly when I used to visit, but you were far too little to recall any of that,” he said.

  “Is there anything that we can do to reach out to him?” I asked Irina.

  “We’re going to have to if we want to put an end to this. I know it’s been a long time, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes to finally have a reason to put Edik in the ground,” she said, and I was truly proud of how far she’d come. She was the light I didn’t know I needed, guiding me back to my roots when I thought all was lost. It was something I knew I’d be eternally grateful for, and I promised myself that I was going to thank her properly once I got back to full health.

  Chapter Sixteen: Irina

  I’m so glad that he’s okay. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I lost him. Looking at him now, resting comfortably in his family’s home, I have a newfound hope that everything really is going to be okay. I still don’t know how to process what he told me, because if what he says is true, then I’ve been played by Edik more than I thought I was. Edik was holding me captive this whole time, when there was a time I truly thought that he loved me. I gave my all to a man who not only let me down, but had a plan for me all along. The entire situation makes me sick to my stomach, and I truly cannot wait for this all to be over.

  I’ve now given all of my heart to a man who’s struggling to stay alive, but I can’t even entertain the possibility of him slipping away from me. He’s quickly become the most important person in my life, the one who has helped me get through every ounce of my darkness, and now it’s my turn to help him. He continuously put himself in the line of fire just so he could keep me out of trouble, and that was more than I could ever ask for. I love him wholeheartedly, and despite the danger we both face every waking moment, I want to spend the rest of my life with him and that I’m sure of. He’s everything to me, and I promise myself I’ll stick by him no matter what.

  It’s been a few days since we rescued Aleksandr from outside the old clothing factory where Edik had been running one of his major operations, and I was quite surprised to learn the business practices that he was settling for just to make a bit more quick cash. I wondered what it was going to be like reaching out to my grandfather, and if Edik had really been in contact with him this whole time, trying to get him to bite, it was going to make for an interesting conversation to say the least. I supposed things weren’t all bad, because I finally got Aleksandr back, and we got to spend a lot of wonderful time together since the accident, revisiting our feelings for each other, and getting to explore the best parts of being together without the worry that everything was going to go up in flames at the very last second. Now, we had more than cavalry on our side, as Aleksandr was working on fixing his relationship with his family, gearing up to take down Edik and all of his allies one by one. I was just glad that Aleksandr was able to pull through after Edik almost killed him, because I didn’t know how I would’ve gone on without him. He quickly became my other half, and I relied on him. He made me the happiest woman alive, and I wasn’t about to give that up ever.

  I woke early that morning curled up next to Aleksandr, as his length pressed into my ass, telling me that he wanted me. I smiled to myself, pretending to stay asleep as he turned me around to kiss me. We’d grown so much together since everything went down at the warehouse, and it was unbelievable that we even managed to do anything else but spend time together.

  Unfortunately, our morning together was cut short when there was a knock at the bedroom door.

  “Come on you two, you n
eed to eat,” said Viktor, letting us know that breakfast was served.

  “Can we just stay in bed?” asked Aleksandr, burying his head into the pillow.

  “Unfortunately not,” I said, chuckling. “Food first, and then we can explore what we were operating on a moment ago.” I tore the covers off of the both of us and we freshened up, heading down to eat.

  Viktor’s mansion was lavish, and his taste reminded me a lot of French design. It was an interesting choice considering, but the place felt a lot like home. I could see that despite how much Aleksandr wanted to deny it, he was enjoying having some of the heat taken off of him, because the truth was, we needed more help if we were going to take care of all of this. Edik’s army was growing by the day, and we couldn’t pretend that we could get rid of everyone on our own. I had a feeling that while there may have been calm in the storm right now, it wasn’t going to last forever. Still, it was a pleasant change of pace to sit around a table and share a meal with the people who were closest to Aleksandr, despite any arguments they may have been having at the time.

  I was eternally grateful to Viktor for opening up his doors to us, allowing Aleksandr back in, saying that family was the most important thing after all. I could only hope that Aleksandr would start to warm up to that idea, because if I were in his shoes, I would kill to have a family that cared so much. Jack, Viktor, Aleksandr, and I sat around as we shared food, right as the boys began to talk strategy. I supposed that was just reality until everything got to be dealt with.

  I was nibbling on my croissant and having tea as I listened attentively. I had to make sure that I stayed as alert as they were, because I knew I played quite an integral role in all of this. If seeking out my grandfather was going to help in protecting all of us, then it was a sacrifice I was going to have to make, even though I had no idea what the situation was going to be. I hadn’t seen the man since I was very young, and I wasn’t even sure if he wanted anything to do with me at all. Well, he cares enough about you to obey Edik’s plans. He cares enough about you to set aside everything he’s been keeping sacred for your safety. That certainly has to count for something, I thought to myself, realizing that my head had been in the clouds for a little too long.

  “What do you think about that, Irina?” asked Viktor.

  “What, I’m sorry?”

  “If your grandfather still resides in the same old mansion outside of the city, then it’s quite possible that we can make it there on a day's trip. Are you okay with meeting with him?” he asked, even though we all knew that I really didn’t have a choice in the matter.

  “I really don’t know what I’m going to find once we get there, but I truly believe that I don’t have much of a choice,” I said.

  “Then it’s settled. We’ll head out first thing this afternoon. I’ll make sure to have a security detail in place to avoid any disruptions. We’re trying to avoid as much bloodshed as physically possible,” said Viktor, and we all agreed.

  Time passed rather quickly, but that still left most of the morning to ourselves, and I wanted nothing more than to bask in the uninterrupted time I had left with Aleksandr before we both had to head out on a journey that would be taxing on us all. We both climbed back into bed, glancing at the clock every so often as though we didn’t want time to pass too quickly. I climbed on top of him in bed, making sure not to upset any of his internal wounds, and I bent down to kiss him. He tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear, and we both knew what was coming next. He raised my shirt up, pulling it over my head and off to expose my perky breasts. He didn’t even bother to hesitate, despite the bedroom door still being open, but he bit down lightly on my nipple, looking up at me with a mischievous look in his eyes.

  “You’re really going to have to stay quiet this time,” he whispered in my ear, and I nodded. I got off of him for a moment, slipping off my shorts, returning to the same position, pulling the covers up over us both.

  “Ah ah ah, nope. I want to see you, all of you,” he said.

  “What if someone walks in?” I asked, with a light chuckle.

  “Then they’re just going to have to walk right back out and wait until we’re done,” he replied, and I laughed, watching as he slid his boxers down, revealing his rock solid dick. I hadn’t had a chance to really get to admire it in a long time, and I knew this was going to be a quick one, but I didn’t care. I guided it inside of me, experiencing a burst of pleasure with the first initial thrust that left me absolutely winded. He bent my chin down to meet his lips, pressing into mine passionately, as he held my head there steady, driving his dick upward into me. I relinquished all control to him, letting him do what he did best, as he pounded me so hard I could’ve sworn everyone else in the house must’ve known what was going on.

  “Hush now,” he said, his tongue meeting mine playfully, leaving me squirming on top of him as I bounced my ass over his perfect dick. I slammed it down hard, meeting every thrust, following his rhythm. I bit down on my lip, trying to keep myself from crying out with pleasure, as he reached down to rub my clit while I rode him. I felt incredible, bursting with a passionate power that coursed through me, wanting to make him run wild with every move of my own.

  I slipped him out of me, turning around so I could ride him the opposite way, giving him a full perspective of my ass as he slipped in and out of me. He absolutely loved it, and it was probably the first time I ever heard him breathe so heavily. He held me there at the waist, driving his dick up inside of me, as he filled me with his cum. He held my ass up for a moment, watching it drip out onto his torso, but he didn’t care about the mess it made. He was quite surprised at how well I was able to do the job, taking him for a ride for once, and it made me feel wonderful. I turned back around to take a look at his face, feeling the heat beneath my skin start to rise, as he kissed me again.

  “I love you, Irina.”

  “I love you too.”

  “This is all going to be over very soon, I can feel it. Then, we’re going to go on a little getaway, leave all of this behind us, and start over somewhere where we’ll be able to have a little bit of everything. How does that sound?” he asked me, and I had to agree that was the dream.

  “That sounds perfect,” I said, hoping that part of our future was closer than we thought. I was still rather afraid of what we were going to find once we stepped outside of the house. For some reason, I felt quite safe under Viktor’s roof in a way I hadn’t felt before, and I believed that was because I had a feeling that the Volkov brothers worked far better together than even they may have realized. They seemed like a powerhouse, and that was really something they had to recognize somewhere along the way when we dealt with the problems at hand.

  I still worried about what was going to happen when I finally had that conversation with my grandfather, because I didn’t know how he was going to react to me showing up at his doorstep unannounced, but I supposed that there was no better time than the present to find out.

  Chapter Seventeen: Aleksandr

  We were heading out to the country now, piled into the car with Jack, my brother, and Irina. I was worried about how this entire situation was going to go because she hadn’t seen or spoke to the man since she was a little girl. I feared the worst, thinking that maybe we had all of this wrong, especially because it was my information that landed us here in the first place, but I had to do my best to stay strong and alert. I’d just got my strength back, and I refused to put myself in another situation where I’d let myself be captured like that again. I wanted to storm into wherever Edik was hiding out, rip him limb from limb, until he took his last breath, but I was comforted by the fact that the time was going to come eventually. Right now, I had to focus on the task at hand, getting Irina in a room with her grandfather, so we could all finally learn the truth about what was really going on. The afternoon sun hung high in the sky, beating down on us, right as the seasons began to change.

  I enjoyed the heat on my skin, watching my brother take it upon himself to be the
one to drive us out there. I was still having a hard time with my motor skills, but I was just hoping that I wouldn’t have to hold a gun at this meeting. I needed a bit more time under my belt to truly heal, and while other parts of my body were still operational, my hands and legs still struggled to cooperate. I turned to look in the backseat, noticing that Irina had fallen asleep, as my brother caught me checking on her.

  “You really do love her, don’t you?” he asked, and I nodded.

  “The last time we had any kind of conversation, you told me that you were swearing off women forever, and look at you now. I was waiting for the day when you’d experience love for the very first time, because it really is a beautiful thing,” he said, and I knew that he was without his love, as she was away visiting family for the time being.

  “How is Lilia doing?” I asked, knowing it had been such a long time since I’d spoken to her.

  “She’s doing quite well. She should be returning to Moscow very soon, and I look forward to the two of you catching up once she arrives,” he said.

  “I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” I replied, and I had to acknowledge that it felt good to have my brother back in my life, even though there was still a part of me that resented him for everything I went through in the earlier stages of my career. I understood that it was never Viktor’s intention to overshadow my time in the spotlight, but that was unfortunately just how things worked out. I was starting to let go of the pent-up anger I had been harboring for all these years, and I couldn’t be more grateful that he decided to help out with all of this.

  We drove in silence for a few hours, stopping every so often for a bite to eat, and to recharge, but when we finally pulled up to the old house where Irina’s grandfather was supposed to be residing, I had Jack nudge her awake.