Page 57 of Volatile Waters

At the time, I wasn’t sure if his statement was true, but I was positive his mouth was pissing me off further. “I’m mad because you stole her value.” Maybe it wasn’t even about the sexual intercourse. Maybe it was only the disgust I had for him and his dedication to her, and that I was completely and totally incapable of such devotion to anyone but myself.

From the ground, he smiled up at me. “We both know her virginity is way low on her ‘value’ list. And you killed the one who knew this first. Tim was well aware of the rare being she is.”

My skin, boiling from all the rage inside me, begged to be set free and bring about a wrath to be felt for all the ages of time. I didn’t want any more reminders of the hell I had rained down on her life, so, with trembling fists, I sneered, “And, now, I will be killing the second?”

A tortured laugh burst from his soul. “Nah, clearly, you haven’t been paying attention. The second would be Link.”

Pausing my rage, my brows scrunched. “Who is Link?”

Crash smiled, as if knowing the best secret the Universe had to offer. “That would be her very best friend in the whole wide, motherfucking world.” He smiled wickedly. “Reether. My fucking brother. Her strongest link. You break that—you kill him? You might as well kill her.” I recoiled in horror. Snuffing out her and what she brought to my miserable existence was beyond comprehension. His laugh was different this time. It was confident. “That’s right, dickwad. Checkmate. I’ll soon be leaving to save the girl I love, but she and the only brother I have left will continue to walk this earth. Together.”

His supreme truth sent me into a blind rage. I didn’t wake from it until Adrian and Kirill were pulling me off of Crash. He was bleeding. He was already bruising.

But the bastard was still fucking smiling.

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

“I am bringing her home with us.”

I gawked at Kirill. “This is not possible.” Valerie was an unknown marvel, and I understood his fascination. Her perception was quite impressive to the heartless, such as Kirill and I, but she had no place in our world back home. Whatever purity that lurked within her would be stolen the moment she set foot in our hell.

Frustrated, he told me, “If you support this, our fathers will allow it.”

From the dining room table, I watched as Valerie carefully and quietly set a plate of Taco Bell in front of me, as if aware of what Kirill was asking me in Russian. She knew I didn’t like to eat in front of the television. She also figured out I hated to eat off paper plates or To-Go boxes. I appreciated her attentive ways. We had no slaves present to tend to us.

Adrian and the other men were also sitting at the table, but their dinners were not plated like mine. They were not nearly as refined as they shoved food into their hungry mouths.

As Valerie set down a glass of water with no ice in front of me, the way I preferred my beverage, I grabbed her wrist. “Do you know his profession?”

Not trying to pull from my hold, she glanced at Kirill. “It doesn’t matter to me.”

“No?” I asked, amused. “What about him continuing to be a Master to other women.” Her eyes slid shut as if my words were painful. “That is correct. It is his job and will not end because you have captured his interest.”

Her eyes opened as her jaw ticked. “It is more than that between us.”

I licked my upper row of teeth. “Yes? Then why did he let you suck my dick.”

Everyone stopped, with tacos hanging from their mouths, and looked to Kirill, who was fuming. “Little Yury, be careful.”

Leaning forward, I barked, “Don’t forget who it is you are speaking to!” He needed to remember his place, even after all that had transpired the evening prior. “I am your boss.” I glared to Valerie, “That means I am also yours.” Turning my chair slightly to face her, I glanced at the carpet, then to her. “Kneel.”

Her nostrils flared as she settled onto her knees. “I see through you. Being exposed was a deal-breaker for you.”

Before she could register me moving, I had her hair in my fist. Adrian, already out of his chair, restrained Kirill with an arm around his neck, practically choking him, and placed a gun to his temple. Valerie, not able to move her head without pain, peeked out from the corner of her eye to find her boyfriend. As soon as she caught a glimpse of the gun, she grabbed my knees. “Don’t hurt him. I’ll shut up.”

Trying to ignore the fact that Kirill might actually have someone to care for him, I warned Valerie, “That is correct. And the only weakness you are going to witness today is yours and his.” I released her and sat back in my chair to take a bite of my burrito. I also pulled off a piece. “Open your mouth.” I didn’t know eyes could spew hatred and gratitude at the same time, but hers did. I placed food on her tongue. “I learned this mouth well last night. No?”

As she chewed, she angrily replied, “Yes.”

“Therefore, you earned this meal.” I gave her another bite. “What are you going to do to earn your flight to Russia?”

Kirill stopped fighting Adrian, asking, “You mean this?”

I shrugged. “There will be a price.”

His eyes raced to hers, then back to mine, his face showing understanding as it took place. The price would be high. “But, why?”

Casually, I wrapped a leg around her, crudely pulling her off her balance so that she would fall into my lap. “As you said, you trust no one.”