Page 51 of Cruel Bratva King

“Because I am human, Sergey!” I yelled with quivering lips. “I care because I have a heart. I have compassion; empathy, Sergey… but you clearly don’t understand any of that because you are a fucking monster.”

I was not sure why, but Sergey looked like I had stabbed him right in the chest. But I didn’t stop. Fury and disappointment blinded me.

“You know, after… after last night, I began to think you could be someone better, or normal even. I thought that maybe, just maybe, there was a real person in there, somewhere. But after this,” I pointed at Derrick, “I am now convinced that this is who you are: a monster. Your thirst for violence, blood and your desire to inflict pain on others is a part of your nature. I see it now, clearly even. And I only have myself to blame for thinking you could be something more.”

“Stop,” his voice cracked, and he reached for me again. I took a step back.

“Stop?” I asked with a laugh. “You want me to stop now, don’t you? But did you stop when he asked you to? Did you pause your fist in the air or whatever instrument you used to break his bones? Wait, let me answer that for you. I’ve got it. The answer is no, Sergey. You didn’t stop. You didn’t listen to his pleas for mercy. You just kept on going, didn’t you? Over and over again until you ruined his consciousness.”

“You are a beast, Sergey!” I yelled. “You are a fucking monster!”

Sergey stood unmoving with folded fists, but I could swear I saw the shift in his eyes, like he couldn’t bear the extent of my words.

“Let me remind you of this, Sergey: you forced me into this.Yousnatched me away from my life and compelled me to comply with yours. I never wanted any of this; this pregnancy, this fucking marriage, or living with you in this house.Noneof this was in my plan. But you… you kidnapped me and imposed your fucking rules on me, Sergey.”

He unclenched his fists and released a sigh. “Lilianna, you’re freaking out, and I understand. This is all too much for you to take in, and that’s why you are overreacting. Come, let’s go upstairs and talk.”

“Overreacting? You know what? Fuck you, Sergey. There is nothing to talk about. I am done here,” I scoffed and began to walk away.

“Where are you going?” He called out from behind me.

“Away,” I shouted once I got to the door. “Away from you, Sergey. I’d rather be anywhere else than here with you. You want to know why?”

He shrugged like a defeated soldier in combat. “Enlighten me, Lilianna.”

I frowned deeply as I opened the door. “It is because you disgust me, Sergey.”

Chapter 22 - Sergey

A furnace burned in my chest as I slammed my fist into the wall. The one thing I’d wanted more than anything else was for Lilianna to settle in as my wife, yet she still thought of me as nothing more than her abductor.

She still thought she hated me and that all of this was forced. All because of that asshole Derrick. I glanced toward him, and my rage grew even more. I was tempted to take my gun out of my pocket and drive a bullet into his fucking skull.

I’d been in the middle of a meeting with Liam Tadhg, head of the Irish mafia, trying to strike a business deal with him so we could drive Giovanni out of business and the city altogether when my phone buzzed.

A message from one of Lilianna’s new bodyguards flashed on my screen. It was a picture of her sitting together with her asshole of an ex. The same fucking bastard that cheated on her and almost rendered her homeless without a second thought.

I’d abandoned my meeting and drove straight to the café where they were at. The intention had been to kidnap the sucker and finish him off silently, then toss him into one of the biggest rivers in Chicago, but I wanted to send a message to Lilianna first.

She was mine, mine alone.I don’t fucking share what is mine.

My veins twitched with fury at the sound of his whimpering, and I drove my balled fist straight into his jaw. The idiot thudded to the ground, his mouth and nose bloody from one punch.Fucking pussy.

“Please, don’t do this, bro.” His cries echoed in the basement. I wondered what he would sound like a second before he died. Guess I couldn’t find out now. “What kind of man kills another for a crumb of pussy? She isn’t even all that, man. You can’t possibly kill me over some bitch with a used-up pussy.”

The bastard just didn’t know when to shut up.I pressed my foot to my jaw, allowing the heel to sink in enough to give him some serious bruises. “Say that again,” I roared.

He squeaked like a little mouse caught stealing a piece of cheese. “I’m sorry, bro. I’m sorry, okay?”

I knelt next to him, disgusted by him. “I’m not your bro. That crumb of pussy is my wife, and she is carrying my child. Now beg me, or you’ll lose your tongue.”

He glared back at me with doubt. “You wouldn’t do that.”

A slow and wicked smirk formed on my face. “Oh, but I would.” I signaled to Nikolai to burn the knife behind me.

It wasn’t until the moment Derrick heard the sound of metal clashing with another metal that he started to beg. “Please spare me. Please. My girl is pregnant, and she’s due two months from now. I can’t die before my child is born.”

I gripped his hair tight enough for him to bleat. “You’re a doting boyfriend, aren’t you? You stole from Lilianna, cheated, and dumped her. Don’t you think you deserve to be punished for it?” I looked on as he struggled to his knees.

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