Page 82 of Bratva Knight

The second MC gang, The Brotherhood, were a bit more organised than the first.

For starters, they locked their bloody doors. There were eleven members in the MC. We still had the cover of night and the element of surprise working for us, but The Brotherhood adapted quickly when we attacked, and they fought hard. It was almost…admirable. The Prez and Vice Prez were killed in the shootout, so I wasn’t able to torture them like I had The Chaos Lords. Disappointing but unavoidable.

I lost four soldiers, which was four too many. I had hoped to emerge victorious and unscathed. One out of two would just have to do.

Before we left, I carved a large ‘V’ in the centre of all their foreheads, just as I had done to all The Chaos Lords members, so there would be no doubt as to why their lives were forfeited.

I’d planned to go right up to my room and shower when I walked through the front door, but the lone figure sitting on the couch in the family room made me pause. It was Aleksandr. He sat perfectly still, shrouded in darkness, the only light coming from the TV in front of him. It wasn’t playing, just paused on some TV show.

I waited a few more seconds, but he made no move to watch it. Just continued to sit there, staring at the screen.

You’re tired. Hungry. Sore. Covered in blood. Just go up and take a shower and come down after. Just go. Just—

I cursed under my breath and walked into the room. I plopped down in the armchair next to the couch and groaned in satisfaction. It felt good to get off my feet. There was a bitch of a knife wound on my thigh that had been giving me grief since the moment the adrenaline started to wear off.

Aleksandr’s gaze flicked to me and then back to the TV. “If Father were here, he’d have your head for sitting on Mother’s furniture, covered in blood.”

“Guess it’s a good thing he’s not here then, isn’t it?” I didn’t like the look on his face, the emotionless tone in his voice. It was even colder than usual.

“How did it go?”

“Fine.”

“Any casualties?”

I rolled my shoulder and then leant back, staring up at the ceiling. “Four. Shane, Lev, Nina and Dima.”

“That’s a shame. Dima showed promise.”

I nodded in agreement. “I made sure to bring their bodies back, so their families can lay them to rest.”

When there was no response, I turned my head to look at him. He was still staring at the TV like a zombie.

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” he answered automatically.

“Swear on Mother?”

He said nothing.

Exhaling a huff of annoyance, I picked up the remote sitting on the coffee table. “Well, we’re not just going to sit here in silence—” his hand snapped out and clasped my wrist, stopping me from pushing play.

“Don’t.”

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.What the fuck is his deal?If it was anger I was sensing from him, I’d probably let it go. Aleksandr was angry and grumpy all the time. But that wasn’t what it was.

I could have sworn it was…sadness.

“Talk to me, Zander. We both know I’m not going anywhere until you do. So have pity on me, because I’m tired and hungry and just want to go to sleep.” He only had mercy and compassion for those he loved. I was not above guilt tripping him into talking.

He tsked and let me go, settling back into the couch. I knew I’d won when he cracked his neck. He did that whenever he had to talk about something uncomfortable. A family trait, I think, because I did it too.

“I used to watch this…with Dayton. Before he was killed.”

Of course.This was about the kid. I should have known. He’d been avoiding the subject since it happened.

“You don’t want to watch it without him?”

---