Page 5 of Viripotent

“Len and Anika are here, have Dima inside and get Vitali home.”

I take in my surroundings, trying to work out where the freak exists in this space. It’s all clean lines and polished stone with a large, curved staircase. There’s a little boy hiding at the top of the staircase, and he scowls down, fixed on Vlad. No one has ever seen the child before. Whispers move amongst the ranks, but the Bratva structure allows each Vor to remain in control of their men. Seeing me, his scowl drops, and he smiles, giving a small wave before scurrying away, not wanting to be caught.

The control freak stops me looking and grabs my arm, pulling me away without uttering a word. Trying to pull my arm free doesn’t work, and my protest falls on deaf ears as I’m dragged to an elevator.

“I can walk. You don’t need to touch me.”

We’re locked inside when his phone starts pinging rapidly, and all the air is sucked out of the space as his demeanor changes from masked killer to crazed beast.

I can’t see the screen, but the sound of chains clinking together has my attention, and I move closer, getting more information. Vitali stands in some torture chamber on one leg. His hands are chained together, and this isn’t the first round, judging by the swelling already settling in. He looks like Vlad as he stares directly at us, hard, accepting eyes and strength in his voice as he orders nothing to be done.

“Ni za chto.”

Spitting at his captor, he looks away, antagonizing them as the chains rattle.

“You can’t fight fair because you’re a fucking pussy.”

His other curses don’t land, but they stop and reach for a key, freeing his arms and throwing him a knife. He’s only a year olderthan me and accustomed to violence, but it’s brutal watching him limp and fight back. He doesn’t scream out in pain, and the edges distort under the pressure of Vlad’s fist as it gets increasingly worse, and Vitali is subdued, a knife held against his throat, and the screen goes black.

Hurt and anger mix in the darkness, reflecting back to me through the blank screen, and the psycho replays it with more calm. He doesn’t look away from his phone as he punches into the control panel for whichever floor I’m to be dumped on. He almost resembles something human with emotions as he continues watching his brother be tortured over and over again. Reaching the top floor, he gestures for me to get out without breaking contact with the device, and my feet move automatically, getting away from whatever’s brewing.

He doesn’t follow me, and the doors close before I can even turn around. I don’t have any clothes to change into, and the entire floor is set up like a penthouse apartment with multiple rooms and its own living room. Who just leaves someone in a space without showing them around?

Rude idiot.

I’ll have to show myself around and get acquainted with the space. I make it to the first door, but it’s locked, and a little voice comes from behind me as I apply more force. “No one’s allowed in there. It’s the office.”

Turning towards it, the little boy from the top of the stairs is standing in pajamas, and he has the same wolf eyes as the rest of his family. The rumors don’t give any indication as to whose son he is, and they all share women, so they probably don’t even know without a DNA test.

He’s innocent, and I’m assuming I’m going to be his stepmother. I won’t be some cartoon villain when he has a real-life one for a father. I give him a small smile I hope comes across as friendly and crouch in front of him so we’re the sameheight. He must be seven or eight years old, and I hold out my hand, introducing myself where his father should have. “Hi, I’m Inessa. What’s your name?”

Taking my hand, he gives three firm shakes and doesn’t look away from my eyes as he answers, “I’m Viktor. Vlad doesn’t let anyone in his office.”

The people in this family need a new name book, so they stop with the V names.

He doesn’t let go of my hand and guides me to the sofa. It’s obviously a regular occurrence for him to be here as he turns on the TV and relaxes. I’ve been around a lot of children since opening Steorra and working with them, and Viktor doesn’t act like them. He still does the kid thing of saying shit he’s probably not supposed to and spilling family secrets.

“I’m not allowed to be downstairs when Anika or Len are here.”

I just nod and try to stop my judgment or questions from showing. He’s going to get in trouble for telling me things he shouldn’t, and I’ll pretend he hasn’t offered the little he has.

I know my own family is dysfunctional. This one is worse. There’s a child with hidden parentage and grandparents being separated by multiple floors as they ignore his existence. They’re all fucked up, and I sit back, watching late-night television with a kid, knowing he’s the sanest person in this entire place.

THREE

Vlad

Ihave bled and made others bleed for the two dumbasses, committed countless crimes, and taken part in many more sins to fucking protect them. Rewatching what my failure has resulted in, I don’t let it stop playing as Valentin keeps his mouth shut for once, and our father couldn’t give two fucks about his youngest child.

“It’s his punishment for being careless. If he survives, he’ll learn. If not, you’ve got rid of your weakness.”

Looking at the brother I have left, understanding floods him at how fucking naive he was to think power was for the sake of my ego. The video restarts, and Vitali’s voice is strong, filling me with equal parts pride and horror.

“Ni za chto.”

The same order I gave every time this prick would make them fight.

Get back up, stand every time. Don’t stay down, not for any price.Not for any fucking price.

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