Page 48 of Vitaly

“Alik, stop!” Olive exclaims, revealing my assailant’s identity even if I didn’t have another eye to see my very angry-looking ex best friend standing over me with his fist reared back. He swingsagain, landing a blow to my jaw that smashes my teeth together. I don’t block the next punch either.

It hurts, of course. I’m notimmuneto pain. I’m not a machine.

But I’ve delivered so much pain in my life and suffered so much guilt that I really don’t mind taking what’s deserved. Part of me likes it. Like a piece of my wrongdoings are absolved with every burst cell.

“Stop!” Olive yells again, grabbing onto her husband’s arm to prevent him from swinging. “Please.”

For a moment, I think Alik is going to shove Olive away, but he closes his eyes as his body tenses so much a low rumble comes from him.

He hovers his fist in the air, even after his wife lets go, whispering pleas as she leans against him.

“Go,” he commands, turning to her.

Swallowing, she looks between us then backs up a few slow steps before scurrying from the bar.

Alik lowers his fist and stares at me with more hatred than I ever knew possible from a human being. It seeps through his pores. It roars like an inferno in the red eye I gifted him. It drips from his teeth.

“Stay away from my wife,” he says, his voice so low, I think he’s doing everything he can to contain himself.

He wants to kill me. Hedesperatelywants to kill me.

But he turns, his fists shaking, and walks from the bar.

For a moment, I fight the urge to go after him, holding the words inside as I have for years. But it’s only a moment.

My heart thumps in my ears as I swipe blood from my lip and hold it out in front of me, then I push off the stool and follow Alik outside.

“Vitaly, no!” Mila calls after me, running to catch up. Sunlight is nearly blinding stepping out of the dimly lit bar, soI use a hand to shade my eyes and find Alik and Olive walking briskly down the sidewalk toward his parked car.

“Let it go,” Mila growls, taking my arm when I step after them.

I rip out of her hold and lengthen my strides. “Alik!”

Olive looks back worried, but she goes to the car at Alik’s prompting. He turns back to me, his expression stern, his shoulders squared. He looks ready for a fight.

As I approach, I make a point to relax my hands and let them hang limp at my sides.

“I deserved that. I did. But I hope you got it out of your system because it’s the last time you’ll ever touch me and get away with it.”

His eyes widen incredulously as he laughs. “Oh, is that so,Prince Vitaly?” He pulls a gun from his waistband and points it between my eyes. “Do you have any idea who you’re fucking talking to? I’m the underboss. You’re asoldier. What’s stopping me from killing you right now, just for threatening me?”

I lift my shoulders, my face hard. “I don’t know, Alik. What’s stopping you?”

The self-satisfied power in his expression melts into unmistakable tension. After several seconds of staring at me with that fiery hatred, he lowers the gun and turns, so tense he looks pained as he walks.

“What do you want me to do?” I yell, throwing my arms up at my sides. “Apologize? I’msorry. Okay? Feel better?”

He ignores me and continues on to his car.

“Alik!”

“Just let him go,” Mila says from behind me, her voice moving closer. When she puts a hand on my arm, I twist away.

Heat singeing my ears, I turn to meet her deceptively empathetic eyes only a moment before storming toward the SUV.

“Vitaly,” she calls, hurrying behind me. “Maybe if you give him time?—”

When I spin, grinding to a halt, she bounces into me and looks at me with confusion pursing her red lips.Confusion.

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