by Kenya Wright
In the darkness, I found the water bottles that they’d given to me. I drank the first, all in one failed swoop. At the last drop, I realized the water tasted different from regular water.
This isn’t water.
A minute later, my tongue went numb.
What did he give me?
My head fogged like I’d smoked seven blunts in a row.
In the darkness, I shook, and it wasn’t the coffin that did it. It was the liquid in the bottle. It was warming me. It was making me see things. Hear things. Feel things. I spun around over, and over close to vomiting, but never moved an inch.
“Jean-Pierre!”
In the darkness, I scratched out my last will and testament on the wood. I couldn’t see, but I knew the words to be clear and true. My fingertips stung as the wood pierced. My fingertips were wet with my blood.
And then I wrote to Jean-Pierre. I thanked him for giving me amazing memories and showing me love.
And then, I wrote to the Devil too.
You should’ve killed me. Not lock me in here. If I die, I’ll haunt you. I’ll haunt everyone you love!
In the darkness, I knew that now, there was two Eden’s—an old and a new. The old Eden went into the darkness. The new Eden would rise out of it.
One day, I’m going to kill you, Devil. One day, I’m going to finish what Jean-Pierre started. One day, I’m going to kill them all.
Chapter 16
The Lion and The Butcher
Jean-Pierre
A gloomy blackness painted the sky. The sun would rise in a few hours. I hadn’t slept and would not sleep, until Eden returned.
And no one else will sleep either.
I stood in front of The Satin Butterfly—a posh boutique hotel and one of the most expensive in the city.
A nice place for a lion to rest his royal head for the evening.
Nestled in a quiet location, the hotel was mid-way between Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré and Avenue Montaigne. And it was a short walk to Champs-Elysees, where the heart of Paris beat. That meant that, from Kazimir’s top balcony suite, he could see the Grand Palais and the Eiffel Tower.
But to think of it as a hotel at all, was to miss the point. It was an urban mansion. To be enjoyed by the uber wealthy who wanted to visit Paris with complete simplicity and discretion in mind.
My cousins and I had stayed here together many times, celebrating the high moments in our life.
How funny, that I would deal with you here, Lion? I know this place better than all of my homes.
Chandeliers bathed the suite’s vast spaces in light. The furniture reflected the reason for the price tag. Rare woods and muted rich fabrics. Marble fireplaces everywhere. More suites than rooms. And each suite had its own wine cellar stocked with the best. There was a library for the nerdy guests and a smoking lounge for the cigar aficionados. For the lovers, an inner courtyard with lush greenery echoing the landscaped entrance. A spa for the ones needing to relax all decked out and Parisian chic.
I hate that I will hurt you, Satan Butterfly, but there’s no other option.
The hours were ticking. I needed to act and not waste any time or energy. If I was going to hit, let it knock the whole barrier between Eden and me. If I was going to shoot, let it be the motherfucker giving the order, not just the smaller ones holding the guns.
Two Bratva men had been found at my house. They were the Lion’s, so he had better have answers this evening.
Seething, I stood across the street from the hotel.
Already, my men had disarmed Kazimir’s guards in the front and back of the building. They were just the low-level security—the men who were supposed to alarm the real killers upstairs. Those would be the hardest to get rid of.
Where the hell is Rafael?
I checked my watch. We had an hour before everyone woke up. For now, Paris was quiet. Only a few drove the streets, a few scattered taxi cabs and a delivery truck here and there.
A soothing, dark blue painted the sky, but I took no joy in it. The sun would rise soon. And I found no gratitude in that either.
This would be the first dawn without Eden waking up next to me. I’d gotten accustomed to the time—her bright gaze as the sun rose, the music in her laughter, as I groaned and grumbled about wanting to sleep in, the scent of her body against my skin, the softness and warmth of her.
The sky blazed as I stood outside. I still hadn’t slept or eaten. I couldn’t, not with Eden off with the Devil. I wouldn’t rest or eat, until she was safe with me.
A cold hardness throbbed in my chest. And my heart ached. And my mind held no hope. But I tried to hold on to it anyway. I could barely feel Eden. It made me anxious and erratic. Lost and scared.
I never thought that when I got her, I wouldn’t be able to protect her. I never knew a moment like this would come. I thought I’d had all the bases covered.
My gun lay heavy against my side, but there was no comfort in knowing it was there. I’d pulled strings that other men couldn’t. I’d woken up the President, called for the military, declared a state of emergency in France, locking down all modes of transportation in and out of the country. Not even imports and exports could move on a legal or illegal level.
There will be no way out of this city, Devil. They’ll be no place on this earth where you’ll be able to hide for long.
I would do more. Already, a plan hatched in my head. Already, I’d made moves on the chess board, without my opponent siting down to continue the game.
If I was upset, then everyone would be anxious too.
The military brigade was in place. Over sixty uniformed men and women surrounded the hotel. Local cops guarded the exits. Thirty of my own trusted men waited behind me.
Louis sat in the hotel’s security room. His team had hacked into the system. They had a camera view on the Lion and his lover.
Louis’s voice came into the pod in my ear. “The Lion’s awake.”
“Did he leave the bed?”
“No. In fact, I doubt he’ll be leaving anytime soon. He’s currently banging the shit out of the black woman.”
I rolled my eyes. “Unfortunately, you have to keep watching.”
“Where’s Rafael?”
“He said that he’s coming.” I gazed at the hotel and raised my eyes level to the top floor.
Movement came from my side.
Gripping my gun, I turned.
Rafael approached.
It’s about time.
I let go of my gun.
Rafael spoke first. “What are we doing here?”
I did my best to keep the edge out of my voice. Rafael didn’t deserve any anger. It would all have to go to my enemies. I looked at the hotel as it towered over us. “Kazimir is upstairs. This is where he’s staying.”
“Yeah, Louis clued me in on that part, when I called him.” Rafael stepped in front of me. “What I’m asking is why are we here?”
“Someone took Eden. We know the Russians are behind it. Two of the dead men in my apartment are Bratva. Misha, Kazimir’s cousin is searching for Celina. This is simple.” I looked at him. “The Lion knows more than us. Now it’s his turn to tell me.”
“We have other people we can ask.”
“Do we?” I glared at him. “What did you find out from Shalimar?”
“That the Yakuza are probably involved too.” He ran his fingers through his hair.
“And?”
“And she knew there was a tracker on the necklace.”
I clenched my jaw.
“Celina thought that Eden was still in Belladonna. With her men watching Eden, and your men too, she figured that the necklace would be safer around Eden’s neck.”
I rubbed the tension out of my jaw, unable to deal with the stupidity of the situation. “What’s the tracker attached to? All these people didn’t die over a fucking violin necklace.”
“Shalimar wouldn’t say what it is.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Wouldn’t say?”
&nbs
p; Rafael let out a long breath. “You have to talk to her.”
“You understand that we won’t only have a conversation?”
“I’m aware of that.”
I directed my attention back to the hotel. “After this, we’ll go to Shalimar.”
“After what?”
“I want to talk to Kazimir. He’ll have answers. He’ll know what the hell the tracker deals with. If Misha is looking for Celina, then she must’ve stolen something from Igor after he died. Something that is very valuable to Igor or the Bratva.”
Misha hired the Devil. That meant he wanted a discreet psycho to handle something quick and privately.
Why so quiet, Misha? What did she take? Why not have a band of Bratva all over Belladonna?
Perhaps, that was why Kazimir had come after all. Maybe he thought Celina would come to me for help.
No. She’s too stubborn and stupid for that.
I pressed the pod on my ear and spoke to Louis. “Is he still fucking her?”
“Oh yes. He’s a big bastard too. I think he’s about to break the bed. If we interrupt now, the woman and the bed might be grateful.”
“We’re coming up.” I headed off and crossed the street.
My men followed.
We moved through the barricade of military men.
Rafael walked on my side, taking in the whole scene in. “Do we have enough fucking people with us tonight? I’m surprised news cameras aren’t out here.”
“No cellphone service within a fifty-mile radius. And we’re at the center. Everyone thinks the terrorist suspect might be in here.”
Rafael frowned. “What are we going to say to Kazimir?”
“Any fucking thing I want.” I wasn’t sure, if he’d been behind Eden’s kidnapping. I wouldn’t have put it past him. He enjoyed the games and the hunt.
If you’re behind this Lion, I’ll chop off that little furry tail of yours and feed it down your throat.
We entered and hit the elevators.
Rafael stirred on my side. “I think it would be better, if we talked to Shalimar first, before we started fucking with Kazimir.”
The doors slid open.
We stepped on.
Several men followed.
Others waited for the next elevator.
We rose.
Rafael attempted to throw more logic my way. “If you could figure out what the tracker is, then maybe we can—”
“If Celina stole it from Misha, then Misha can track it. Clearly, he’s giving it to the Devil to track. I want to track it now too. Wherever the necklace is, the Devil is near and Eden too. And Kazimir can make Misha and the Devil do what I want.”
Rafael took out his gun. “This is fucking crazy. You know that right?”
I didn’t turn his way or respond.
Rafael chuckled to himself. “Well, at least this will be an interesting meeting. What’s he doing now? Sleeping.”
“Louis said he’s fucking.”
“Just one woman?”
I nodded.
Rafael shook his head. “We have to wait until he comes. It’s only right.”
“Then, the Lion better come by the time we get there.”
Rafael took out his other gun. “How many men outside the door of his room?”
“Five.”
“Good. They can get them.” Rafael gestured to our men in the back of the elevator. “How many guys inside the suite?”
“Ten.” I pulled out my own guns. “Five in the living room. Three on the balcony. Two by his bedroom.”
“I’ve got the three on the balcony.”
I shook my head. “Louis already called the balcony. He’s got a sniper on them.”
“But that’s cheating.”
“You’ve got the living room.”
“Five guys? Really?”
“I believe in you.” I shrugged. “Plus, more of our people are coming up the stairs, and on the next elevators. Hold them off and stay alive.”
Under his breath, Rafael muttered curse words in French.
The rest of the ride was quiet.
The elevator hit his floor.
We marched out.
Kazimir’s men were smart. They saw the rage on our faces and knew to grab their guns. But I had men that had come up on the stairs. In seconds, before one of their guns could make a sound, we sandwiched the Russians in and shot them down. Swift. Fast. Five bodies lay on the floor. Blood spilled out of their foreheads.
Adrenaline snaked up my spine.
The door was open in seconds. Rafael shot one man as he rose from the couch. I got the other coming from the kitchen and charged deeper into the suite.
The rest of our men barreled in.
Someone grabbed me from behind.
Rafael shot him in the leg.
The Russian fell back. Another of my men caught the guy before he hit the floor.
There could be no second for mistakes.
No sound to clue the Lion in.
The next second, Louis spoke into my ear. “The balcony is clear. Looks like you got everyone in the living room.”
“The guys on the roof by Kazimir’s helicopter?”
Louis had called his youngest brother to Paris and brought him on board. “Titi got them both with a knife. They’re dead.”
I gestured for Rafael to follow. “Which way is the Lion?”
“Make a left,” Louis said into my ear. “Go down the hallway and then make a right.”
“Got it.”
I hurried that way, trying to stay light and quiet on my feet.
Almost there.
Sweat trickled down Rafael’s face.
We made it to the door. I had six men left. Distant footsteps told me that more of my men had entered the suite.
“Mysh!”
And on the other side of the door, the Lion moaned in Russian.
“Oh mysh!”
Frowning, I grabbed the doorknob.
“We can’t.” Rafael stopped me with his hand. “He hasn’t come yet.”
“We don’t have time for that.”
“You want his help? You at least want the man to come.”
I checked my watch. “He has two fucking minutes. It’s already been enough time.”
“Not everybody is so fast like you.”
The Lion roared out more Russian. The bed squeaked, which told me a lot about the force he was putting on the mattress springs. With the money that he’d spent on the suite, it should’ve been a well-made bed. Still, he’d made it creak and whine.
Louis is right. He might kill her and break the bed.
More moans came from him and her. And then more Russian spurted out between Kazimir’s lips. Poetic words and nasty statements. It was embarrassing, hearing such a monster be so intimate.
Rafael leaned my way. “What is he saying?”
“I’m not trying to translate.”
“It could be important.”
I doubt it.
The woman moaned and whispered something in Russian back. Her accent was horrible. The pronunciation needed work. It was clear she hadn’t known the language for long.
But that hadn’t mattered.
The more she moaned back Russian, the more Kazimir’s groans rose in the air. And then they moaned together.
The squeaks increased.
His words shifted to grumbles of pleasure, and she cried out with him.
“That’s enough.” I stormed into the room and pointed the gun in the air.
The woman and him never noticed.
I probably should’ve waited. It would be a long time, before I got that sight out of my head. Kazimir’s ass was the first thing I saw. He’d had the woman bent over and was still pumping into her. Maybe his eyes were closed.
Kazimir was already a huge man, packed with too much muscle. An overload. There he was, behind her. He must’ve bent her over. I couldn’t even see her that good with his massive built. And he was in a position I understood well. The one that made a
man lose control. His legs were spread apart, so he could ram deep into her. His balls dangled back and forth as he continued to move, coming inside of her.
This night just gets better and better.
“I don’t want to leave you,” the Lion whispered to his lover.
I pressed the point of my gun to the back of his head. “Now’s a good time to leave, Kazimir.”
He didn’t move.
And neither did I.
A long electric silence filled the room.
The light came on.
No one moved for several silent seconds. I was sure Kazimir had many plans going on in his head. He definitely could twist around and grab the gun from me. It wouldn’t matter who was fast enough with their reflexes. If it had just been him and me in this room, I might not have gotten so close.
But he had to come to the realization that all of his men in the suite were dead. There would have been no other way we could walk in on him like this.
The other thing he probably understood, was that his enemies were at his back and he was weaponless, naked, and deep inside a woman.
It was definitely the worst fighting stance to be in at the moment.
“Leave her,” I said. “We need to talk.”
Kazimir slowly moved away, but kept himself between the woman and me, as if trying to guard her. And then he slipped the sheets to her to hide her nudity.
That’s interesting. The Lion is a gentleman. She’s definitely not just some whore.
Rafael walked over to the bed with his gun pointed at the woman’s head. “Sweetheart, could you do me a favor and stop reaching for the gun under your pillow.”
Oh. She’s fast.
She moved her hand and froze.
Rafael winked. “Thanks, sweetie. By the way, my name is Rafael, if you ever want—”
“You don’t talk to her.” Kazimir glared at him. “You only talk to me.”
“That’s all the thanks I get, Lion?” Rafael grabbed the gun from the pillow and tossed it to another man. “If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have gotten to come.”
Kazimir kept his focus on Rafael, but I knew he was speaking to me. “What do you want?”
“Eden was kidnapped tonight by your men.”
“My men didn’t kidnap anyone tonight.” Kazimir snapped his attention back to me. “And who the fuck is Eden?!”