Page 26 of Vulnerate

I’ve met the Pakhan once, in passing as I stood guard with Dima during a meeting of the Vory. He nodded his head and that’s it. I couldn’t have offended him.

I end the call without saying anything and turn going back to my car. My girl should be here. If I die before seeing her, I’ll be pissed. I’ll get the next flight once I’ve been given a lecture. It can’t be due to fucking someone in the Bratva when I haven’t touched anyone since Dani was in my bed. My foul mood since she decided to go MIA makes it harder to try to anticipate who I might have pissed off, I think I’ve done it to everyone who has crossed my path.

I make it home in half the time itching to get back to the airport and I pull up at the same time as the front door opens. There are more guards standing outside and the Pakhan stands on the top step adjusting hiscoat. He assesses me from head to toe as I get out of the car. His eyes are nearly black, and his hair is greying at his temples, but he exudes authority despite his age.

There’s no head nod or acknowledgement as he slowly takes the three steps down and gets in his car. He only stops looking when he drives away, sat in the back of his car with Misha as a guard following behind him. I’ve known Misha since I was a kid and his brows briefly come together, showing he has no idea what’s going on either.

I’ve fucked up, whatever shit has been said is enough for the head of the Bratva to be involved and for his juniors to not have heard. Everyone knows the rumors are bullshit, it’s what people use to hide the sinister truth. Even Dima gives me a tight lipped smile and isn’t a cunt as he stops me at the door.

“Tell the truth and he’ll go easy on you. He’s worried that’s all.”

My hands are sweating. Vlad doesn’t do emotions like a normal person. He’s all rage and sarcasm. Worry isn’t something I’ve ever seen on him and if Dima’s miserable ass is trying to put me at ease I’m more than fucked.

My fear isn’t over my life, as much as he’s a murderous bastard, I know he won’t kill me. I don’t want to disappoint him. Growing up we didn’t have a mother or a father, we had a Vlad. He’s a combination of the two, holding a title of brother that’s too small to describe the role he’s filled.Even Dima can’t get close to that position when he basically became our stepdad.

He opens the door for me, urging me to move when I’m content on the step. “Go, remember not to lie to a Vor.”

I nod and force myself to move.

Regret is instant because I see my brother straight away, standing at the bar with his suit jacket off and his shirt sleeves rolled up. I’m fucked and he might actually kill me. Other than when he’s fighting, there’s never a thread out of place. He’s a freak and he probably sleeps in his suit if he ever leaves his private office. The tumbler is at his lips and he’s holding the bottle with a white knuckle grip. There’s enough missing to give me hope he’s calmed down, until Tali shakes his head, destroying it before it can take root as the door closes behind me and I walk into the lounge.

Vlad turns before I can ask what’s happened, and I can see every twisted plot of murder in his eyes as he asks, “How long were you fucking her for?”

Shame washes over me because I don’t even know whichherhe’s referring to. When I don’t have an answer, he drops the tumbler on the bar top and takes three steps closing the distance between us.Every part of my body tenses bracing for impact. He hasn’t hit me since I was a kid and Len would tell him to make us strong, but my body locks up.

His hand moves — flat. It’s not a fist. He grips my nape and rests his forehead on mine like we’re children again, only this time he’s not whispering tactics or telling me where to run before Len can catch me. It’s worse than disappointment, I can see pain behind his anger with us being so close. His voice is still deadly, and he squeezes my nape to a point just before it can be painful.

“You can tell me. It won’t leave this room, Valyusha.”

He never uses the softer diminutive of my name, it’s always Valya. Looking between my eyes, he sees my confusion and lets me go so he can continue getting drunk again.

“Who are you talking about?” My question comes out weak as fuck and Tali shrugs when I look to him for an answer.

Vlad tenses, his body getting bigger like some mythical angry creature, and he grits, “Carly.”

I didn’t fuck her. We were both high and then she was gone in the morning, but my clothes were on. I relax because he’s clearly been told bullshit.

“I haven’t fucked Carly,” I say and check my passport is still in my pocket.

The room falls silent. I can feel Tali’s hate coming back thinking that’s why Dani has disappeared. But her sister is a liar, I didn’t fucking touch her.I wouldn’t touch her. The others were different because I was making them feel worse than what they did to Dani, and she never held it against me. I’m not a dumb fuck, I know my girl, she’d be hurt if I touched her sister. I don’t even like the bitch.

Glass crunches, forcing me to look at my only parent and Vlad turns with his hand already bloodied.

“Do not fucking lie to me. You fucked her almost ten months ago.” My confusion deepens as his anger increases. “Otherwise, Leno wouldn’t have walked into the gym holding a little boy with your fucking face!”

I sound like an idiot, but I don’t give a fuck.

“It’s not mine,” I say. “You could have fucked her for all I know. It’s probably your kid.”

His eyes are terrifying, pinning me in place. His jaw turns to stone, and he holds himself back physically as he spits out, “I wouldn’t forget the cunt who gave birth to my kid.”

He plucks the glass from his palm and shakes his head, knocking some of his anger away. His disappointment is worse than anger. I’d take him screaming in my face or beating the shit out of me over the low voice filled with disgust.

“You’re not abandoning your son. Try it and you’ll find yourself out of this family,” he says it so easily like I’m nothing. Sticking to his first question, he repeats himself with the rage simmering. “How long Val? She’s an adult. If it’s something you didn’t want to do tell me because the only thing stopping me from burning the bitch alive for the next thirty years is the fact thatyourson is with her right now.”

Oh fuck, that’s why he’s being weird, he thinks she took advantage of innocent little me. Laughing because it’s ridiculous, I throw myself into the armchair and give him what I can remember.

“I was at a house party about a year ago, don’t remember fucking her. We were both drunk and I woke up with my jeans on.”

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