Page 120 of Kadra: The Unfeeling

“So all this time it was you?”

He gives me a side glance then his gaze turns to the busy street ahead.

“I got the first package on my nineteenth birthday,” I remember it like it was yesterday. That day I came home after a long day of terrorizing a few of Gabriele’s business partners who weren’t sold on the idea of a woman taking over the Parisi family and its businesses. After I was done with them, Vernon handed me a small black box with a finger and countless Polaroids of Alessio Conti, my childhood tormentor, lying on the floor covered in blood and well… dead.

It didn’t stop there, no.

I kept receiving a small black box with a body part and photos of every single man who I hadn’t gotten to kill myself for not only my birthday but for Valentine’s Day and Christmas too.

At first, I was creeped out by the macabre gifts but then I slowly got used to them until I started to eagerly wait for them.

The boxes came without missing a holiday.

And all this time my Russian was behind that.

“You know…” I lean back and take a bite of my ice cream before wiping my mouth clean. “Those were the best gifts I’ve ever gotten.”

Vitali draws his gaze to my face and our eyes lock before he goes back to focusing on the road. “That sick fucker suffered. I’m glad you were there to witness it.” He says darkly, all softness gone from his expression. “They all suffered. I only regret not getting to them sooner.”

“It’s almost scary how you seem to know everything about me.”

“Are you afraid of me?” His hands tightened on the steering wheel.

Am I afraid of Vitali Solonik?

I think about it for a second. I am afraid of him but not in the way he might think. I’m afraid of losing him. I’m sometimes afraid of the things he makes me feel but never of him. He would never hurt me. I know this. He has proven himself. “I’m not afraid of you, Vitali.”

“Good. Nothing and no one should scare you. I’m here now.” He gave me a sidelong glance. After the things I’ve lived through humans don’t scare me but it’s sweet that he’s willing to fight the world for me. I would for him too.

I watch as one hand leaves the steering wheel, he grabs his phone from one of the cup holders, scrolls through his gallery until he finds a photo, and then hands it to me.

Taking it from him, I take a good look at the screen. “Flip through them.”

“You filmed it?”

I grin, feeling butterflies in my stomach.

I’m turned on by this. Great. What has this man turned me into?

Please… you’ve craved destruction your whole life… Now you’re in love with destruction itself.

Vitali could be sweet if he wanted to but then he did things like this reminding me that I love his rough and slightly psychotic edges too.

“Check the compartment for an early Christmas present.” He mumbles while he focuses on the road ahead.

Frowning, I hesitate before I reach forward and open the glove compartment and when I do I almost gag when a putrid smell hits my nose.

Inside the small box, there’s an ear, two eyes, and a tongue preserved by ice. Normal men give women diamonds. Vitali Solonik gives me body parts.

Lovely.

With a happy heart, I closed the box, put it back where I got it, and continued eating my ice cream.

“You know I’ve never met one single person who enjoys that flavor.” He side-eyes my ice cream cone. Tres leches flavor.

I look down at what’s left of my ice cream cone and frown. “What’s wrong with it?”

“Tastes like ass.”

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