Page 62 of Baby for the Bratva King

I suppose he never planned that either, but these things happen. The more crimes you commit, the more fucked you become. My father has a lot of responsibility resting on his shoulders, and now he’s drowning miserably.

My father sucks on the vodka bottle like a pacifier.

I yank the bottle away, pouring the rest down the sink.

“Hey!” he barks, marching on over to me. “You have any idea how much vodka costs around here?”

“You only get one liver. And one life.”

My father snarls at me, taking back the empty bottle before I trash it.

Fear consumes me as I stare into his cruel eyes, seeing a monster, not a man. The Bratva has turned him into an animal.

But even animals would never turn on their sons.

He grips the bottle, my heart leaping out of my chest. I cower, hands crossed over my head as I wait for him to smash the glass over my head…

But the door flies open.

Saved by the bell…

Until I look up, an even more terrifying man walking in.

Real fear crosses my father’s face. I’ve never seen him like this before, not even when we discovered Yusen’s dead body. He was more frustrated back then. But now he knows he’s well and truly fucked.

“What do we have here?” bellows the man, laughter rumbling from his chest. “A problem that needs taking care of, by the looks of it.” He flicks his menacing eyes between us. “Drunk father abuses his son. What a loving relationship.”

“You want to talk about love?” my father shoots back.

“For a matter of fact, I do,” laughs the man. “Seeing as though you fucked my wife.”

My bones tremble. This is the leader of the fucking Gallos.

“Step aside, boy. Your father has a debt to pay.”

“No,” I choke, tears streaming down my face.

My heart is already splitting in two. I can’t lose another family member. Losing one was painful enough. The grief almost killed me the first time.

“Do yourself a favor and get out of the way,” says the man. “I don’t target family members, but I might have to start.” The man withdraws a knife, the blade shining silver.

“No.”

My father is the only family member I have left. I’d rather hate him than lose him for good.

In fact, I enjoy hating him. He makes me look successful, like I actually have my life on track… which is still up for debate.

I still see Yusen’s face at night when I go to sleep. I interact with friends at college, but I keep them at a safe distance. When there’s life, there is death. One cannot exist without the other. This is a concept I have been trying to understand for years.

“I bolted the door,” says my father to the man. “How the hell did you get in?”

“A bolted door won’t stop me from killing you,” laughs the man.

He steps closer, his boots clacking on the hardwood floor as he enters the kitchen.

Air leaves my lungs, a cold sweat running down my back.

I stare at the knife protruding from his hand, analyzing the pointed edge.