Page 10 of Vitaly

“Hey shawty, you need a ride? That ass looks hot, but you look cold.” The friend driving laughs, but when I don’t respond, the guy tosses a beer bottle that shatters a foot by my feet, splashing my suede boots with cheap beer and glass.

I grind to a halt and slowly turn that way, my eyes constricted, the knife tightly in my grasp.

“Stuck up, bitch!” the man yells, leaning halfway out his window as his friend speeds away.

There’s a moment when I almost throw the knife. I’ve been practicing; I know I could hit him. People have died for lesser crimes than being a worthless human being.

But I might need the blade. So as the car disappears, I take a moment to collect myself, breathing deeply through my nostrils as I uselessly try to shake beer off my shoes.

I step over the glass and carry on, my feet moving me a little faster toward my destination.

But then, of course, there’s another obstacle.

A sharp whistle comes from behind me. I grind my teeth but don’t look, moving faster toward the bus stop as if I won’t just have to wait for the bus anyway. Whatever puts more distance between me and the never-ending string of creeps as quickly as possible.

Their steps seem to grow closer, no matter how long I make my strides, so eventually, I can’t help but look over my shoulder.There are four of them, twenty or so yards behind me, and they’re walkingfast. With a purpose.

Toward me.

Facing forward, I pull the purse I brought for this exact scenario off my shoulder and let it drop to the sidewalk, a sort of peace offering for the predators. There’s three hundred bucks in there, which I’m considering the price of doing business as a woman. This time. Next time, Nikita will get me a driver, and none of this will be necessary.

At least two of them cackle at my attempt at peace. A few moments later, one shouts with a Russian accent that slows my steps.

“You dropped this.”

A silver Escalade turns the corner at the light up ahead. It crawls toward us before pulling over and effectively boxing me in. No one jumps out of the vehicle, but if I had to guess, I’d say if I tried to run in that direction, they’d be there to grab me.

“Mi-la,” an amused voice singsongs behind me.

Blood whooshes through my ears, and for the very first time tonight, I feel a trickle of fear.

Not for my life. I’m an Alekseev; I could never fear for my life. But I do fear failure.

And Nikita didn’t just set me up to fail. He sent his henchmen to ensure it. I was never playing his game. I was never playing any game at all. I was walking into his punishment.

I should’ve seen this coming.

Ihatemyself for not seeing this coming.

And I hate myself for feeling sick about it.

My gut feels like it’s been punched, and something lodges into my windpipe, but it’s just as well. I don’t have anything to say to these men anyway.

I turn, the blade firmly in my grasp. I lock eyes with the man who takes the lead as they close in on me.

“Hey, Mila,” the one in the lead says, revealing a silver tooth when he smiles. I’ve never met him, which means he’s either a soldier or an associate. Disposable.

And Nikita knows that.

The vice that’s wrapped around my heart eases ever so slightly. Maybe this is the test. Who cares about picking up some package?This, being able to defend myself, defend theBratva, is the true mark of worthiness.

Maybe he believes I’ll fail. But maybe he hopes I won’t. Maybe he’s giving me my shot after all.

When the one in the middle reaches out to grab me, I twist to the side while yanking his arm and crashing my weight down on his elbow, popping it out of place. It takes the other men a second to react as he screams, but by the time they can think to do something, my foot is connecting with the man on my right’s crotch. And he’s the lucky one.

A hand grabs my shoulder, and as I’m whipped around, I shove the blade into the throat of a beanie-wearing douchebag whose eyes bug out of his skull in shock. I rip it from his neck and go to stab the remaining man, but he catches my wrist and uses the advantage his six three frame has to shove me to the ground.

A man rushes from the SUV as Tall Guy kicks my ribs. I roll into a ball as I cringe and gasp.

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