Page 22 of Gamble with Me
“What is going on here?” Malin asked, scanning my face and pushing me back inside the room. The door to my freedom was shut by Dorian, who also stared at me like I was an alien.
“Why is she crying?” Dorian inquired, taking my hand tenderly. “And trembling? Zyon!” he shouted, making me wince. “What the fuck did you do?”
“Nothing,” Zyon replied calmly, standing behind me. They trapped me between them, making me feel claustrophobic. They towered over me like a bunch of giants. “She came here to blackmail us but realized her mistake. I strongly recommended keeping her mouth locked, and she decided to follow it.”
“Blackmail?” Malin mumbled, looking down at me blankly.
“Blackmail us with what?” Dorian asked, still squeezing my hand.
“Explain, Valeria. They deserve to know,” Zyon said, grasping my wrist and yanking it from Dorian’s gentle hold.
“You killed Adam Rivers, his wife, and his father in Texas,” I answered like the good girl Zyon wanted me to be. I wasn’t able to disobey him after the talk we had.
“It was an accident,” Malin rumbled, crossing his arms over his chest, glaring at me.
“Yeah, tragic one,” Dorian confirmed, frowning. “I accidentally spilled gasoline all over Adam’s house, and Malin, being a heavy smoker, accidentally let go of the lighter.” He shrugged like it was no big deal, smiling mischievously. “Shit happens. You never know when the reaper is waiting for you.”
“You’re sick,” I whispered, shocked to the core by the ease with which he spoke about it. He didn’t care about the lives he took. They didn’t matter to him.
“And?” He blinked innocently, staring at me like a puppy awaiting a treat for good behavior. “Is there something you would like to do about it?”
“I can file papers out for you if you ever decide you are prepared to accept mental health help,” I retorted, almost slapping my hand over my mouth when I realized what I’d just said. Sometimes, there was no filter between my brain and mouth, even when my life depended on it. But he only added to my confusion when he chuckled instead of ripping my head off.
“Thank you,” he said politely. “I’ll let you know if your assistance is needed.”
I couldn’t tell what stunned me the most: their lack of fear that I would go to the police and turn them in or Dorian’s confession about killing Adam and his family. If this was an example of how the mob families were working, then there was no doubt why the world was heading to its end.
They had no respect for the authorities because they were more influential, powerful, and probably untouchable. They could do whatever they wanted, and no one would dare to stop them. They could go around killing people, and no law would stand in their way. They had the money, which basically meant they had everything.
“Are you sure you took care of it?” Malin asked, looking at his older brother like I was invisible. “She can’t run around talking this nonsense to people.”
“I won’t tell anyone,” I claimed with certainty dripping from my every word, but Malin didn’t look convinced, and Zyon didn’t reply. Instead, he placed his hands on my shoulders, making me wince, and he leaned closer, whispering into my ear from behind.
“Look at him, Valeria,” he ordered. I did as he said, glancing into Malin’s emotionless face. “That’s the man who will make you pay for your mistakes—slowly and torturously until you’ll beg him to kill you.”
“Why are you doing this?” I sobbed, overcoming an urge to scream like a lunatic or start hitting, kicking, and maybe biting them. I knew I didn’t stand a chance against them, but I didn’t care. I had to do something to save myself.
“I’m deterring you from making the mistake that could cost you your life,” he replied matter-of-factly, turning me to the door. “Now leave. This adventure is over.”
I didn’t need more encouragement to bolt from Zyon’s office into the casino. I grabbed my purse in the locker room and ran to the elevator to escape.
Only when I inhaled the cold night air in the parking lot did I allow myself to slow down. I got into my car and burst into tears, yet I didn’t dare stay there and cry. I turned the ignition and pushed the gas pedal down so hard that the wheels screeched.
I couldn’t wait to be hidden in the safety of my home, but subconsciously, I knew I could never hide from Zyon. I had cast a curse on my life, and I had a deep gnawing feeling in my stomach that he would never let me go so easily. I was screwed, and it was only my fault.
-13-
Valeria
Chester didn’t show up at home for three days. It wasn’t anything unusual, but I was worried because he always sent messages that he was okay. But this time, nothing.
Zara didn’t ask about him, supporting my conviction that she was better without him. I couldn’t deny that she loved him, yet his presence wasn’t beneficial for her. I had to think about my baby girl’s well-being.
If only I had the cash from the last job at Zhumagulovs. I would’ve run away. A few hundred would not make a big difference, but it would be a start. I wasn’t afraid of any kind of work, and Zara was adaptable. We would survive.
Sitting behind the kitchen table, I ran a hand over my face, staring at the empty envelope in front of me. The last time I checked, it had ten thousand dollars inside; today, it had none.
Chester probably took it when I was away, and since then, he’d disappeared. It explained why he wasn’t at home with us. He would show up with empty pockets maybe tomorrow, maybe next week, or perhaps in a few hours. Everything depended on how much he lost or won.
