Page 10 of Nobody Wants Me
“Do I need a reason?”Ivan asked.
“No.”But I wanted to know if he no longer trusted me.All I had ever done was show my loyalty to him and the Volkov Bratva.Ivan played the long game, always had, and I doubt he was going to let anyone know what his plans were.
“He’s still pissed,” The Butcher said, leaning in close pretending to whisper, while clearly loud enough for me to hear.She was doing this on purpose.
“Where’s your wife?”Ivan asked.“I’d like to see little Freya.”
I had no idea where my wife was, and I had a feeling Ivan already knew that.I don’t know how he did it, but he always seemed to be one step ahead of the game.He always knew everyone’s business.I had no doubt he had men or women working for him.Spies to report back.I didn’t even mind.My loyalty was absolute, and I would never do anything to jeopardize that.
“She’s here,” a small voice said.
I turned in time to see my wife coming downstairs.Her long brown hair was pulled back with some of it up in a small bun at the base of her neck.The rest fell around her shoulders.She wore a plain yellow summer dress.Knowing Freya, I could imagine it was a homemade dress.I don’t recall any branded boutique making something like this.
She stepped toward the door, and I noticed she kept a wide berth from me, not that I could blame her.I was in high dick mode last night.Clearly, she had learned her lesson.
“Good morning,” Freya said.
She went to reach out her hand to Ivan, but I should have known my boss.He pulled her in close for a hug.
“It is good to see you,” Ivan said.“You’re looking lovely.”
Actually, I saw the makeup she wore.It wasn’t thickly applied, but her eyes seemed a little puffy.Either she had been crying, only there was no redness to her eyes, or she didn’t sleep last night.I didn’t care.Whatever caused her to not sleep was not my fucking business.
“Thank you.”Freya turned.“I don’t think we’ve been introduced.”
“Ah, Freya, this is my good friend, The Butcher.”Ivan made the introductions.
“The Butcher?”Freya asked.
“That’s me.I did earn the title, so I find it a lot of fun to use it.Not exactly classy or original, but it will do.”
I had no idea The Butcher was so talkative.In all the times I had seen her, she barely spoke a word.
The two women shook hands.I couldn’t help but check to see if there was any kind of battle going on.Kind of how men did when we squeezed each other’s hands in tight death grips, hoping to be the strongest.
The Butcher would win.A woman who had killed multiple men and women, with the reputation of being a violent criminal, had to be stronger than my wife.
“It’s good to finally officially meet you,” The Butcher said.“I was at your wedding, but it was kind of a fast ceremony, and I didn’t get to say hi.”
Freya nodded and stepped back.“I will go and see if Umberto has the breakfast ready.You both must be hungry.”
“Totally,” The Butcher said.
“I could eat.”This was from Ivan.
Freya made her escape.
“She looks ...sad,” The Butcher said.
I looked at The Butcher, and then to Ivan, stepping back as I did so, allowing them room to enter.Ivan stepped through, and The Butcher, as she did, removed her hat, running fingers through her hair.The shirt she wore had short sleeves, and I had never been up close and personal with this woman.Now, I saw the faded scars on her arms.Some I recognized as bullet holes, a few from knives, and a couple that were unidentifiable.
“Metal wire,” The Butcher said.“You’re clearly curious.”
I was not going to apologize.This woman was shrouded in mystery.I’d heard many tales about her over the years, not that I was impressed.Some of the stuff could have been stories, but if the truth was right, and she was once an Exterminator, then she was one dangerous woman.An Exterminator was exactly as it sounded, only she didn’t kill the four-legged kind of pests.No, she killed the human pests.That was her job.
There were rumors that when an organization or person got difficult, a select few known as “Exterminators” were assigned to hunt and kill.No one knew for certain who these people were, or how it happened, just that it did.This was all rumor.My assumption was that the rumor was true, but exterminators were only used in special circumstances—usually when it was a matter of life and death and someone had decided to annihilate half of civilization.
All people associated ended up dead.Family all gone, the line completely exterminated, so there was no chance of repercussions or someone wanting to avenge their parents’ death.That kind of shit was dealt with.
