Page 37 of Viripotent

He nods and wraps both arms around me. Picking him up, I give him a silent promise to wage war with the devil himself in protection of his innocence.

Tapping his fingers on the back of my head, the sweet boy hugs me with one arm and explains, “Tali does this, to make me feel better.”

I nearly jump at the sight of Valentin in the hallway as I leave the bathroom. I’m sure I’m on the right floor and his focus slowly moves from his son to me. The hard stare softens slightly at my red eyes, and he turns abruptly without saying anything.Everyone in this family is strange and they have deep-seated issues with communication.

Viktor’s feet hit off my knees as I keep carrying him to the sofa and he whispers to himself, “You’re really strong, you can pick me up.”

I let him get settled and sit him down before putting on one of his shows, ready to learn a language with him and hoping it’s one that will be useful while hoping I never have the opportunity to use it. He shuffles closer to me and looks up at me with a smile.

“Are you going to be sick on me?”

Stroking his dark inky hair back, I press my lips to his forehead with a promise.

“No, no one ever will okay?”

Bile burns the back of my throat again, knowing that the children weren’t just violated, they made them hold their abusers’ waste.

We all know there are bad things in the world, I see it surrounded by violence within the Bratva.Grown men beating and killing each other isn’t an issue, it barely registers in my mind. This is different, it’s not a cut that will heal and leave behind a scar. It is blank eyes and whimpers while they try to get themselves out of their skin. People, adults, sick fucking bastards have made their bodies a place of pain while those children have barely started life and they’ll carry that hurt with them for the rest of their lives.

My tears come again, and I can’t swipe them away fast enough as dress shoes steadily tap against the tile, coming closer. Viktor wriggles beside me and I know it’s not his dad coming to get him before Vlad is even in view. His voice is still harsh as he sends his nephew away.

“Go to your dad.”

They switch places and Viktor runs away, taking the service elevator to leave.

Vlad’s eyes are burning into the side of my face, and he sighs like a prick when I’m clearly upset, before lowering onto the seat beside me. Fuck him. I get to be upset and angry. If I kicked him in the balls he’d probably crumble, this is worse, so he doesn’t get to act like I’m weak for having normal human emotions. But I keep my mouth shut and stare at the wall because I’m not mentally prepared to argue with him and part of me, a really stupid small part, doesn’t want him to see me as weak.

An even more idiotic part of me, one that I will deny having, wants him to hold me. For him to wrap his violence around me, so I know I’m safe.

SIXTEEN

Inessa

Vlad gently turns my face towards him and his emotionless features have me crying harder. I don’t care about his stupidly clean suit and bury my face in his chest as my body shakes. I’m seeking comfort from a stone, but it works, and his arms hesitantly wrap around me. He buries his fingers under my hair above my nape, and slowly massages my scalp as he strokes down my back.

My mouth is opening, spilling it all out in a way that doesn’t make sense.

“I hate people, I want them all to fucking die in the most horrible way you can think of.”

His heart isn’t pounding like mine and the nod has me looking up asking for help.

“How much do you charge for a kill?”

I’d pay whatever the figure is, ten times over, but he smirks and wipes across my cheeks with his finger. His voice isn’t as violent or dismissive as usual, so is the smirk, it’s missing the usual cruelty behind it.

“It can be your wedding present.”

My laugh is airy and I sink into his palms as he cups my face with both hands. He has never spoken softly, and he doesn’t now, making it all seem normal.

“Who hurt you?”

I blow out a breath, shaking my head to stop any more emotion leaking out. For some stupid reason I confide in him, and it seems safe as his icy eyes remain fixed on my face. I try to pull my tears back as I recount what’s been happening.

“We keep getting children who were sex trafficked at Steorra and it fucking kills me each time. I can’t help them and it’s useless when for each one that’s rescued from that fucking hell there are thousands more.”

It doesn’t work and my voice cracks halfway through.

He doesn’t comment on my language for once and moves closer, filling my vision with his eyes. There are small brown veins stretching through his irises towards his pupil, they’re barely noticeable from far away, but this close they look alive. He stops me sinking into them as his deep voice vibrates through his chest into mine.

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