Page 74 of Thorns of Lust
Motherfucking Adrian. He was always in the way. Even when he was dead.
But even after she'd spoken his name as she fell asleep and she dreamt of nightmares, her brows furrowed and her forehead glistening, I wanted to comfort her. I couldn’t stay mad at that woman. I needed her. Watching her thrash through her nightmare was like a knife pierced through my heart. I wished to scoop the nightmares out of her skull so she’d find peace. She didn’t deserve the torture that came along with those dreams.
I, on the other hand, deserved them plenty. So did most men in the underworld. But not her. Never her.
My fists clenched around my glass and I fought the urge to throw it across the room. It’d be witnessed by all and I prided myself in keeping my cool. I succeeded in it until Tatiana came into play. Then it all went to shit.
I stared out the window. Downtown Los Angeles spread in front of me and the ocean view behind all the buildings stretched for miles. This was my empire. California. The West Coast. Russia.
The glass wall behind me separated my office on the top floor of my building from the staff. This was my legitimate front. Nothing to hide. At least not in this building. White Spanish tile brightened the entire top floor, making my dark mood even more apparent.
I’d been in a foul mood for weeks. The smell of roses followed me everywhere. The thoughts of Tatiana were with me like a constant shadow. Apparently, the same wasn’t true for the blonde angel. It took her far too long to answer my fucking messages. She had been avoiding me.
Of course, the same was true with me. I didn’t trust myself not to take her to bed again, and if she called Adrian’s name, I’d set this world on fire.
Fucking Adrian. It was the first time my father had ever spared anyone’s life. He did it for me, but his warning rang in my ears for years now.
“No!” I shouted, reaching for my father’s hand as he pointed the gun at the boy who sat next to his father’s dead body. “Papa, no! Please.”
Maxim cried, his small body clutching our mother’s dead corpse. Much later, I’d come to learn it was that day that broke my twin brother.
Papa’s big hand came to my shoulder and clutched it so hard, I feared he’d rip my left arm out of the socket.
“Mercy is for the weak,” Papa hissed. “Boys grow up to become men. They come back to find you, and suddenly, the hunter becomes the hunted.”
I didn’t understand his words. Father hated hunting.
“He’s just a boy,” I argued. Lenosh stood next to Papa, his eyes grim and focused on the boy. As if he waited for the final execution. “He didn’t do anything.”
“Keep your gun trained on the boy in case he runs,” Papa said to Lenosh, then turned to me. It was the only time I had ever seen his eyes glisten with moisture. Tears. He held it all in.
“Illias, one day you’ll take over my position,” he said, his voice hard and cold, despite the shimmering tears that refused to fall from his eyes. “You have to use a hard hand or others will view you as weak. Weakness attracts greediness and vengeance. It’s best to not go down that road.”
I nodded, although I didn’t understand his words. “Tomorrow,” I said, holding myself taller than my young age. “If he comes back tomorrow, no mercy. Today, he lost a lot. He might not even survive tonight. Let him go, Papa.”
Our eyes locked. He knew we were made out of the same cloth. Just like Maxim was made out of the same cloth as Mama. He might have looked like Papa and I, but he was too soft. Just like Mama said.
It wasn’t his fault. Just as it wasn’t this boy’s fault that his papa and my mama decided to betray the Pakhan. My papa.
The moment I heard Papa’s resigned sigh, I knew he’d let the little boy live. He rarely gave in, but tonight, he gave me that little mercy.
“Fine, my little Illias,” he caved in. “But remember my warning. Boys grow up to be men. And they come back for revenge. Be ready for him.”
My phone rang and I answered without checking who it was.
“Yes,” I barked.
I wasn’t ready for Adrian. He became a forgotten boy with no name and no face.
And then it was too late. I never saw him coming.
His revenge was in full swing by the time I narrowed it down to him. He was prepared to take down not only me but the Thorns of Omertà and every family associated with it. So it was ultimately my responsibility to handle him.
“Are you there?” A voice bellowed over my cell. Fuck, I forgot I answered the call.
“Yes, and stop shouting.” I glanced at the caller id and was surprised to see who it was. “Sasha Nikolaev.”
“I heard you went to Afghanistan to rescue a lady,” I remarked dryly. “I kind of hoped you’d stay there. “
