Andrei stood up and made his way to his room, slamming the door shut forcefully as he began to pound the wall with his fists. It felt like alcohol had been poured on the wound of losing his only friend, and moreover, it made him feel like he hadn't taken care of his people properly.If he had agreed to go drinking with Kirill that night, he wouldn't have died. That thought attacked him at that moment.He hadn't allowed himself to mourn him during those days, and now he didn't intend to do it either. However, he was angry with himself now for remembering what he had done to avenge him.He thought he had done enough to stop feeling angry, but that wasn't the case. Now he was angry again because he hadn't done what was necessary.He had lost many important people in his life, and he considered one more as something that simply had to happen, which is why he didn't mourn anyone's death.He had done what he had to do, but he hated to admit that there was always more to be done to avenge so
She was desperate and felt herself losing strength as he continued to exert pressure.Elisa was cornered and immobilized by the taller man, feeling that this time everything about fading away and dying slowly was becoming a physical reality, not just a mental one.She dug her nails deeper into his skin, although she knew that was nothing compared to what that man must be accustomed to.She tried to breathe, but the air wouldn't pass into her lungs, and she struggled to kick and move, but the large body of Andrei wouldn't let her.Then she began to cry silently, while still holding onto hope that air would finally enter her lungs.Andrei lost himself in her glassy eyes, which were red and wounded, her lips were losing their color, and her groans were starting to lose strength... Then he looked at her fearful face and her hands still clinging to his arm.How he adored seeing her like this, he felt like he was melting.He returned his gaze to her lips, and brought his other arm around he
Elisa looked at him confused, somewhat stunned by his radical change in attitude.Andrei, on the other hand, looked into her eyes with that empty gaze he usually cast upon everyone, incapable of showing a hint of warmth or any other noble sentiment."You... you're sick," the brunette spoke then with difficulty due to the rhythm of her breathing, keeping her hands on the taller man's shoulders.A while ago she had felt murdered and then in glory in his arms, with him over her body, feeling his body heat that was slowly driving her crazy.But she couldn't help but be disturbed by the combination of things he had done to her by bringing her into his room.Nothing was right there.Andrei tilted his head with a smile without moving, even though his mouth was telling her to leave."Oh, really?" he leaned his face closer to hers again, to speak over her lips. "Because I don't want you to stay here to make you mine and then kill you?""That's not it," she snapped. Of course, that wasn't it. S
If he was going to dismiss her like that, as if mocking her, then she didn't want to stay there, no matter how much she wanted to be close to him.She closed the door behind her and stood in the hallway, feeling the urge to cry with a hand on her neck.She didn't want to return to her room, where she would be reminded of that violent and passionate encounter with the owner of her thoughts. So she headed to the backyard and sat near the pool, finding solace in the presence of the dragon statue that was beginning to grow on her because it reminded her of Andrei's broad back.She smiled at the memory of his back, then glanced down at her lap, suddenly ashamed to remember that scene, even after he had tried to kill her.Now she felt somewhat humiliated, her lips and brow furrowed. Was that attack meant to scare her? What did that sicko plan to do with her?She became distressed and started to tremble, giving in to her tears. She was afraid, not only of the brunette, but also of herself fo
"You're starting to see hope where there is none, you're giving meaning to all of this when there isn't one... I could be your therapist, you know?" he said somewhat cheerfully.Elisa looked at him and laughed uncertainly after hearing him, feeling stupid and naive... and she was.She was thrown off by what had just happened with the brunette and she couldn't shake that image from her head."Then I guess right now, you have nothing to do," she simply commented, as Igor approached."I always have something to do, but I want to relax, because getting rid of corpses is tiring. They're heavy..." he let his hands rest at his sides.The brunette thought he was joking, but he had said that seriously, and everyone in that house had the word "killer" written on their foreheads.She tensed up and Igor noticed."Don't worry, I'm not planning on getting rid of yours just yet," he looked at her, smiling slightly.Elisa stopped looking at him. Why couldn't anyone in that house be normal?She hugged
He wasn't like Andrei or Kirill, he didn't care about making friends with anyone, let alone getting involved with women other than for sex like the deceased brunette.He had always adored street fights and weapons. He loved watching his father fight, ever since he saw him kill a man in cold blood when he was six years old."Everyone grows up in an environment like this," he said after a few seconds. "The concept of sensitivity and mercy that you have is not the same as mine or Andrei's," he looked at her again. "What's abnormal for you, for us is perfectly normal. The secret, however, is that we're all human after all.”Elisa looked at him, understanding what he was saying, in a way she was enjoying talking to him because it was a normal conversation, and she hadn't had one in a long time.Also, she felt she could understand the brunette a little, no one could be insensitive all their life, it was impossible."It's hard to understand when you've had an ordinary life like mine..."Igor
Andrei looked at his glass of wine while his men chatted about trivial matters in his favorite restaurant.He had been visiting one of his businesses earlier, the new football stadium that he was sure would be the next most coveted by local and foreign leagues.After that, he had decided it was good to make a stop at that place that always made him smile because of how good the food tasted.After a moment, he needed to be alone. He wanted to take a walk through the streets surrounding that place because he wanted to soak up the everyday life of the people in that city that was so different from his own.He needed to clear his mind to return home peacefully."I'll go for a walk," he said."Do you want me to follow you?" one of his men offered.He stood up and patted his shoulder so that he wouldn't imitate his action."Don't worry, enjoy the food," he said, tucking his hands into his jeans pockets and started walking.It had been a long time since he had the pleasure of deliberately wa
"Wow!" he cheered because he had done an excellent job with all the weapons. "I'll stick with this one," he told one of his comrades, showing it off."That one's good, I think I'll go with a similar one," the other replied.The blonde gave him a friendly tap on the head because he was copying his idea, and the other responded with grace.They both were the same age and had joined Andrei's clan when they were eighteen, and now they were both twenty-five.Their parents had served in the clan of the deceased father of the brunette, and they wanted their firstborns to stay there because Arnold's son was already famous despite being four years older than their sons, and it was difficult for the children not to see him as an example to follow, eager to be under the protection of that leader someday.He was a good leader, a father, concerned about his men, and faithful to his convictions like his father. He was unwavering, and no one from another clan dared to contradict him.He was a respec
Andrei accentuated his raised eyebrow upon hearing her.Yes, he had called a woman to please him because he somehow needed distraction and also needed to get the idea out of his mind that this place should be Elisa's.But how could he achieve that if she was in this house twenty-four hours a day, available to him?"Why do you want to know?" he couldn't help but keep that smile on his face. "Do you think only prostitutes would agree to spend time with me?"It was starting to feel like an interrogation full of jealousy, and he found it amusing in an adorable way.Elisa, on the other hand, remained silent in the face of these questions. Suddenly, she understood that this questioning was silly, and that woman didn't have to be a prostitute. She wasn't one, and she was willing to be touched by him in every way, so it made sense.She blushed."Come on, let's go," he offered his arm, and she looked at him hesitantly, while he maintained a victorious smile on his lips seeing her like that."W
Elisa was dressed up and ready for what would be the meeting at Kirill's cousin's house, but at the same time, she had mixed feelings about Andrei because she had seen him with a woman in the main hall the previous night.For that reason, she wore a cream-colored short and loose dress that naturally fell over her silhouette to a length that revealed quite a bit but still covered decently. It had a shy V-neckline with sleeves cinched at her wrists.She adorned her neck with a golden necklace that hung down past her chest along with a bracelet of the same color. Her feet were adorned with light brown ankle-strap sandals with heels that she was sure wouldn't allow her to run if necessary.But what did she have to worry about if she was going alone with Andrei? Besides, she had dressed like this on purpose to show him that she was much better than the woman he had brought home.She never thought she was jealous, and that made her laugh at herself.She looked at the dragon fountain and wis
Would he know what she had wanted to do? He was surprised by this calm conversation, far from the usual excitement they had between them."Elisa," he called out before she closed the door.She stayed inside without closing the door, waiting."What?" she asked."If you ever try to do something stupid again, I promise your pretty corpse won't have a pleasant ending, understood?"Elisa pursed her lips and slammed the door shut, letting out a quick sigh, realizing she didn't want to swallow that. She then opened the door again and went to the brown-haired man because he always had to threaten her with unpleasant things."Idiot!" she called out, reaching his side and growing angry again. "You can laugh at me and my lack of courage because I didn't have the guts to kill myself. But stop rubbing in my face the power you have over me!"The leader looked at her with that cold gaze, seeing her desperation and anger. This was the Elisa he rarely saw."You lacked the courage you claim not to hav
"That night Mr. Sokolov disappeared because he left with a dancer after a show, one who performed in the main act, and when I found out something had happened from the club manager, who was frantic, I rushed over because I knew something was amiss.""A woman..." he lowered the gun and smiled, raising it again to fire a shot into the ceiling in celebration. "Wow!" He holstered the gun in his pants, then gave Jasha a friendly pat on the shoulder as Jasha looked at him with fear. "Well, that's some information. I even think it's worth more than the money I lent you..." He genuinely smiled; this information gave him leverage over Andrei, and he would flaunt it. "Vitali, write a check with a good sum for our fortunate Jasha here," his smile was uncontainable. "You're a good man."He winked, planning his next moves against his rival and how to contribute the final piece needed to avenge his only cousin.***Elisa had an eternal pout on her lips after that. She had been happy, but now Igor w
The sky was covered with clouds, casting a greyish hue over the entire city, and under that sky, the dull gleam of a black Lamborghini Veneno caught the attention of those passing by on the street at that hour.Its destination was clear, the same purpose that had kept it in use during these few days: collecting debts, and within it, the man responsible for making it happen was delighted and excited for that moment.Upon arrival, a house in the lower districts of the city seemed dimly lit, perhaps fearful of what was about to happen inside it and to the people who had sheltered it for so many years."Vitali, come with me," Stefan said as he left his prized car to head towards the place where they would receive the money he had lent six months ago, and if they didn't give it to him, then he would have to vent his frustration in blood.A man and his wife were watching television, the man had been out of work for several weeks, and the worry of not having all the money he owed was distres
"I couldn't do it, I didn't do it, and I don't plan to do it. That's it... I'm sorry for losing my hope.""When you regret something and express it, the idea is not to do it again. If you're going to do it again, then don't say you're sorry!"Igor was angry. He had trusted in her sanity, and she had only disappointed him and thrown in his face how foolish he had been to trust the judgment of a woman who, in his view, still acted like a child.Elisa bit her lip, wanting to explain why she had planned this stupidity, perhaps then he would understand."I know, I'm foolish, but I didn't know what else to do... Talking to my mother now gave me more strength... Igor," she took a step towards him, "I didn't even make it noticeable, I didn't even shout it from the rooftops. I didn't want anyone to find out."He looked back at her. Why did he feel a chill in his chest at the thought of her hanging?"No. By opening that door," he pointed carelessly while looking at her, "I would have found your
Igor leaned his back against the wall next to the door of his leader's room, waiting for Elisa. He stared at the opposite wall and ran through all the ideas swirling in his head about the dancer's plan.He debated whether to tell Andrei or not; surely he would be capable of having her room converted into something resembling a mental institution just to prevent her from harming herself...As he pondered that, the door opened, and the brunette emerged, wiping her eyes with her hands.He looked at her analytically, starting in an amiable manner."How was it?""Beautiful," she replied with a smile. "We talked a lot, but about things related to what's happening at home. From here, I told her I was on vacation with a friend from work..." She moved her hands away from her face to confess something with a hint of guilt. "I talked to a colleague..."Igor pursed his lips; mistake after mistake, and those things only disappointed him. Why did she have to be so impulsive? Although, he was more
Andrei was sitting in his favorite armchair facing the fireplace in the grand hall, looking at the ironwork again as he had become accustomed to doing. He wasn't thinking of anything in particular; it had been two days since he had seen Elisa, and now he was waiting for Igor to go and tell her that she needed to speak with her mother in half an hour.He had been busy in the past few days sorting out some matters and dealing with the mess that Stefan had become again, always flaunting everything he owned and what he had achieved in France.On the other hand, Igor had also been dealing with matters concerning the nightclubs under his charge and hadn't seen the brunette during those days either. He didn't bump into her in the courtyard as had happened on other occasions, and that was strange."Were you busy?" he asked when the blond arrived in the hall."No, I was practicing my shots," he finished approaching. "Did something happen?"Andrei stopped looking at the ironwork to focus his e
"I used to think that the conviction of your men's ideals and yours was respectable because they were faithful to their purposes," she began speaking with a raspy voice when he stopped responding to the kiss; he kept his eyes closed, listening to her without loosening his grip. "Then I thought better of you all because, after all, you are people and should have sensitivity," then he opened his eyes, and she looked at him, staying close to him, "but your ability to act coldly all the time scares me immensely."He swallowed hard, also remembering his way of dealing with Kirill's death."And I used to like that coldness, but now I hate it, Andrei..."The brunette's eyes descended to her lips; they were red as he liked to keep them, but they spoke true words that unsettled him and made him falter."You question me, and you shouldn't," he looked her in the eyes, and she felt the pain of not seeing judgment from him towards her actions.He was indifferent to what he was doing to her."I'm n