ZEYNEPTWENTY-ONE YEARS LATER.I stare at my reflection in the mirror, admiring the strong young woman who stares back at me. Today is my twenty-first birthday, and my parents have decided they want to celebrate it with all their corporate friends and close confidants. I usually feel like an outcast at large gatherings or in crowded places. I am the awkward girl in the corner of the room who has been sipping the same drink for three hours while watching everyone else enjoy themselves.I turn to the side, drinking in my reflection as I take note of how well the gown fits my body.It savagely clings to every generous curve the Gods have blessed me with. The silver gown that sparkles under the light heightens the sapphire blue irises in my eyes. I have my mother's red hair and my father's eyes, but somehow I have inherited my Aunt Ana's spitfire tongue.FOR ONCE, my mother has picked something for me that doesn't make me feel like I am too overly dressed; something that will draw too
ZEYNEP My eyes grow wide as fear forbids me to move. With fear-stricken eyes, I watch as Dmitri rushes to the bedroom window, pulling a ribbed black top over his shoulders. He stands in the shadows where the sun doesn't kiss the room, and he gazes out the window. Whatever is happening on the other side of the window, causes his hands to curl into tight balls of fury at his sides. The instant he looks back at me, I know it's bad. I immediately turn around, attempting to unlock the door so I can rush down the stairs and find my parents. "Net... [No...]" Dmitri growls in a hushed tone, yanking me away from the door, and he pulls me to the far corner of the room. "Get down, and don't let anyone see you through the window." He states sternly, leaving no room for me to disregard his orders. He moves along the wall, opens the closet door, and pulls out his duffle bag. He extracts two guns, twists the silencers on the barrels, and removes two clips; stuffing the clips into the back
ARTEMIS AKA WOLF I have carved my name into this world by taking what I want. My past is tattooed into my soul. Born into the Volkov family, I was raised in brutality and violence. Now I run these streets. Blood and violence taunt everything I touch. This life I lead is cruel. It's brutal to no extent. The things I've seen and the devastation I've created to protect what's mine isn't for the faint-hearted. To be a great Kingpin, you must be merciless and willing to take lives to push your authority and benefit from the cruel organization's illicit activities. Artemis Ivan Volkov is my given name, and my late father was Nikolai Volkov. Till the end, my father was a merciless bastard, and it is because of him that I am the lone survivor of our bloodline. The manner in which a Volkov must ascend the throne to govern conceals a hidden secret. A secret that has developed into a ritual on the eve of your coronation. "It's the only way, Wolf," Igor says again bursting my bubble
ARIA AKA RED Once upon a time is such a cliche story, but here we are with me staring at my reflection in the large mirror. I glide my hands over the beautiful wedding gown that clings to my body perfectly. "You look absolutely stunning!" The designer of my gown coos. I smile in silence. She has to say that if she wants me to buy it, right? She lowers herself and begins to fluff around with the train of the skirt, "Whoever he is, he is a lucky man and I hope you'll be happy together." A dreamy sigh departs her lips. Lifting my left hand, I look at my naked ring finger that will soon adorn a wedding ring. A gold band to legally state that I am officially off the market and that I exclusively belong to one of the cruellest men alive. A Bratva Kingpin. Artemis Volkov. Did you know that Volkov means Wolf in the English language? Pretty ironic if you ask me since he prefers to be addressed as, Wolf. A tattooed, raven-haired, sapphire blue-eyed wolf with an insatiable h
ARTEMIS AKA WOLF I watch as my young wife-to-be, who is much younger than I am. Runaway with tears pooling in her piercing Jade-coloured irises. Her mane of red hair bounces up and down with each angry stride she makes. Leaving behind her scent, and femininity of hibiscus petals. It clings to my nose and then recedes as her heels click harshly against the marble floor, playing a brutal symphony of disdain and grief. Thrusting out my chin, I inhale the air and feed off her anguish. She has poison written all over her. Innocent, and naive. I release the harsh breath that contaminates my mouth, brushing a rough hand over my face. "You better not screw me over on this Igor," I mutter as I turn to face him. "As a close friend and consigliere, I have nothing but your best interests in mind. By marrying her, you reclaim complete power over the city's fifteen districts." He declares with certainty. "She is young. Too young." "Da, and if you choose to have children, she is ideal f
ARIA AKA REDCopper and molasses.That's what a traitor's blood smells like. The scent is thick in the air laced with the smell of a gun freshly being fired and it claws at my throat. It's distinct. Almost unique and I hate it. Kai deserved the bullet to his head. I thought he showed up to help me get away from Wolf and take me back home. Not trying to take advantage of my innocence in some dive of a bar.Wolf reaches out to touch my face, "No, please don't hurt me!" I cry, pressing my back flush against the wall as the image of Kai getting shot plays over and over in my head. "I didn't know he was waiting for me." "I'm not going to hurt you," he says gruffly. "But I do want your phone."I open my eyes and meet his cold gaze. "My phone?" I sniffle, shaking my head. "It's the only way I can contact my father and best friend Ana." I look at him with displeasure. He holds his hand out, "Give me the phone, Red or I will be forced to take it from you." His eyes narrow as his voice hard
ARTEMIS AKA WOLF From the foot of the stairs, I tilt my head back and fix my gaze on the enormous cross that rises, dominating atop the Catholic Church's rooftop. I do not regard myself as a religious man. If I'm being completely sincere, I believe that God forgot about me many, many years ago. But then, I could be terribly wrong as I bear the hideous scar of his presence that is smeared across my damn throat. I usually get a bad vibe when I walk into a church. My shoes tend to feel like bricks, weighing me down with every step I take. A sinner like me shouldn't be welcomed here, but the priest somehow manages to make me feel comfortable. I have come here to seek forgiveness for my sins, only to commit them again. I sit in the first pew of the church, my eyes concentrating on the crucifix with Jesus nailed to it, while the priest to my right spins the rosary beads in his hand. I prefer to confess my sins in the open, refusing to enter the confessional because I am unable to l
ARIA AKA REDThe sound of birds singing gradually awakens me from my slumber. As I pry open my eyelids, I observe the dust particles dancing in the beam of sunlight that fills my room.The exact same room which is not mine. Similar to this bed, these clothes, and the four walls that enclose me. Fortunately, there are two glass doors that open to a terrace that overlooks a stunning rose garden.My heart drops into the pit of my stomach when I remember why I'm here and who I'm herewith. I lift my hand, touching the gold chain around my neck feeding off the subtle strength it provides me with when I desperately need it.I sigh while sitting straight, and my stomach thinks that now is the ideal time to remind me that..."You skipped dinner last night." His baritone voice which feels like little feet drumming on my flesh reverberates across the room.I yelp, placing a trembling hand over my heart as it begins to race. My breath hitches as I search the room and our eyes meet, colliding. I
ZEYNEP My eyes grow wide as fear forbids me to move. With fear-stricken eyes, I watch as Dmitri rushes to the bedroom window, pulling a ribbed black top over his shoulders. He stands in the shadows where the sun doesn't kiss the room, and he gazes out the window. Whatever is happening on the other side of the window, causes his hands to curl into tight balls of fury at his sides. The instant he looks back at me, I know it's bad. I immediately turn around, attempting to unlock the door so I can rush down the stairs and find my parents. "Net... [No...]" Dmitri growls in a hushed tone, yanking me away from the door, and he pulls me to the far corner of the room. "Get down, and don't let anyone see you through the window." He states sternly, leaving no room for me to disregard his orders. He moves along the wall, opens the closet door, and pulls out his duffle bag. He extracts two guns, twists the silencers on the barrels, and removes two clips; stuffing the clips into the back
ZEYNEPTWENTY-ONE YEARS LATER.I stare at my reflection in the mirror, admiring the strong young woman who stares back at me. Today is my twenty-first birthday, and my parents have decided they want to celebrate it with all their corporate friends and close confidants. I usually feel like an outcast at large gatherings or in crowded places. I am the awkward girl in the corner of the room who has been sipping the same drink for three hours while watching everyone else enjoy themselves.I turn to the side, drinking in my reflection as I take note of how well the gown fits my body.It savagely clings to every generous curve the Gods have blessed me with. The silver gown that sparkles under the light heightens the sapphire blue irises in my eyes. I have my mother's red hair and my father's eyes, but somehow I have inherited my Aunt Ana's spitfire tongue.FOR ONCE, my mother has picked something for me that doesn't make me feel like I am too overly dressed; something that will draw too
ARIA AKA REDIn a state of panic, I yank Wolf's gun out of the holster in the back of his jeans.I step around him, point the gun at the crazy lady who keeps calling him Aleksander with her gun directed at his face, and I pull the trigger. The thunderous sound of the gun discharging rockets through the atmosphere. As soon as I realise what I have done, I drop the weapon and watch as it strikes the ground.Wolf lunges forward, he rips the crying child out of his mother's embrace before she collapses to the ground.With my eyes growing larger than saucers, I lift my arms, covering my mouth with my hands. What have I done? I just murdered a woman...A mother in cold blood while her child clung to her...Regret slowly slivers up my spine, dispersing across my trembling flesh like a plague as guilt consumes me entirely. "Red... Red, are you okay?" Wolfs' thick and firm voice crashes into me like tidal waves upon the seashore, and I stagger back from the cruel impact it has upon my bod
ARTEMIS AKA WOLFTWO MONTHS LATERWalking through the slums of Russia, I grip Red's hand tighter and draw her flush against my side.I am truly grateful that my ancestors were able to get us out of the country. As I envision the life I would have had here, I am filled with dread due to the pure evil that would have landed me in prison."I still can not believe that this is where your family originated from. You wreak of money, power and sophistication. Wolf, it is absolutely remarkable how a person's lifelong ambitions may pave the way for the prosperity of their entire family tree." She hums as she takes in the scenery surrounding us.I smile at the excitement she helplessly displays. This is her first trip abroad. If I had known sooner, I would have postponed this trip and taken her somewhere more romantic and deserving."Do you think Zeynep would want to visit Russia when she gets older?" She adds, picking an apple off a tree we walk past.I snatch the apple out of her grasp, rub
ARIA AKA RED It's been a week since I returned home from the hospital with Zeynep. I guess everyone forgets to tell you how sleep-deprived you will become. Not because Zeynep doesn't sleep or the fact that I need to wake up every three hours at night to change her diaper, feed her, and burp her. No, that isn't the case at all because we have mastered our routine. I cannot stop glancing at her and thinking, 'Wow, I made her... she came out of me'. It is so bizarre, but also the greatest experience ever. I genuinely believed I would have difficulty coping and fall into a pit of depression, but I have not. I suppose it is because I have the best support group imaginable. What's even more out of it, is that every time I see Wolf changing Zeyneps diaper, or falling asleep on the rocking chair with her little body pressed against his chest. It makes me want to jump his bones. Seeing him in father mode seriously does something crazy to my libido, and I can not wait till I am
ARTEMIS AKA WOLFI continuously swallow the lump that has embedded itself in the column of my throat, as I lean against the doorjamb watching Red breastfeed our daughter. A sense of pride licks my feverish skin, I feel like my life is now complete, and I try to think back as to how I got here. I sigh, shaking my head with a grin on my face as I pinch the bridge of my nose. I seriously don't know how I'm going to cope trying to keep them both safe without driving myself entirely insane. For once, I feel like my life has a purpose like I have accomplished the impossible where my heart is concerned. If only my father could see me now, blyad [fuck], I truly do hope he is rolling in the fucking grotty soil he was laid to rest in.A heavy hand lands on my shoulder, jerking me back to the present and I snap my head to the side to see a very chump-looking Deniz standing beside me."Congratulations on the birth of your daughter, my friend." He sighs with a dip of his head.I push off the do
ARIA AKA RED Icy needles of cold water attack my searing flesh, and the sting claws at the clinging shadows of my nightmares as they continue to haunt me. Closing my eyes, I step further into the spray, willing the lingering fear and nauseousness to circle the drain around my swelling feet. A shiver consumes me, and my thoughts drift to my unborn baby and husband. The guilt, repulsion, and terror still cling to my body like a second layer of skin. I hate that Roar still bombards my conscience. "Goddamn it!" I place my open palms flat against the cool tiles and absorb the coolness of the punishing surge into my bones; my core. Every time I am ripped from reality and thrown into my night terrors, I can still feel, hear and sense Roar's presence as if he is still somehow clinging to me. A metallic taste coats my tongue, and it causes me to shudder. I won't give in to the facade of him still tormenting me when he is six feet under. I touch my belly. I won't let him ruin th
ARTEMIS AKA WOLF As soon as I see Red enter the cafe, I stand, move to the opposite side of the table, and pull her chair. "Moy angel. [My angel.]" I hum, pressing a gentle kiss on her lips as she reaches my side. She smiles, inhaling deeply, "You smell so good, Wolf." She coos as she uncomfortably settles into her chair, although her swelling bump makes it rather difficult. I raise my hand before resuming my seat and requesting service. A young female with blonde hair and blue tips approaches our table."Hello, my name is Cammy, welcome to the Break-Away cafe. Are you ready to order?" She says in a polite, inviting tone as she presses the ball tip of her pen to her notebook. "I'll have a black coffee with a salmon and cream cheese bagel," I reply, ordering something simple as I need to get back to the office. "Just a chocolate thick shake for me with extra syrup please." Red orders, rubbing her belly with an uncomfortable expression smeared across her glowing face. A low grow
ARIA AKA RED"Will we be taking the elevator today, Mrs Volkov?" Ivan asks me as he holds the door to the penthouse wide open.I give him a serious look as I rub my swelling belly, "You know I don't do elevators." I sigh, sliding my handbag over my shoulder. "Da [yes], my apologies." He utters with a frown on his face, "I just thought that since you are now heavily pregnant you might want to use the elevator."As I step through the door, "I am claustrophobic, me getting stuck inside an elevator is my worse dream come true." I reply while we walk to the staircase entrance."Understood," He holds the door open to the staircase. "Mr Volkov has also confirmed that he will meet you for lunch at the Break-Away cafe at one, after his meeting.""That's fine. Have you seen Ana this week?" I enquire as I begin to descend the steps utilising the handrails as my saviour.The last thing I need is to miss a damn step and plummet to the bottom of the stairs; causing me to go into labour early.It's