The Hit

by SR Jones

  Shit.

  I need to lock this crap down and stop getting all stupid about Violet in front of people. If others know she makes me feel, then she makes me weak, and weakness gets you killed.

  “Come.” Allyov pats me on the back and hands me a coffee. “Let us go do our business then we can have a talk.”

  Great, a talk. I wonder what the hell that means?

  I follow him with a growing sense of unease.

  Chapter Six

  Violet

  I’ve been avoiding the two men guarding us today because, unlike Luka, Liam and Ethan are not easy to get on with. Getting Liam to chat is like pulling teeth, and Ethan’s hardly any better.

  It’s a hot day, and I’d really like to go sit by the pool after a dip, but it means I’d have to ask one of them to come outside and watch me, and then I’d feel like I was being a flirt or something. Not that either would be interested. Luka told me the other day they’re both madly in love with their other halves, but I’m still self-conscious at the idea.

  I hear footsteps coming down the stairs as I’m standing in the hallway, dithering and wondering what to do with my day. I turn to see Justina wearing a teeny-tiny bikini, a pair of heeled sandals, and carrying a tote bag with sunglasses pushed up on top of her head. She could legit be on the cover of Cosmo.

  “Go put a swimsuit on. It’s gorgeous weather. We can take a dip. I’ll need one of those lugs out there watching over me, but it’s safer if we’re all together.”

  “I’m not comfortable,” I tell her.

  “Why?”

  “It doesn’t seem right parading around in front of them in swimwear.”

  “They’re working, and they’re loved up. They might look, but they won’t want to touch. They can sit in the shade and have some lemonade while we sun ourselves and swim. What’s not to like.”

  Something tells me Andrius won’t like it, for sure. “I don’t think Andrius will like it,” I blurt out.

  She takes the last two steps and stands in front of me, hand on hip. “Seriously? Okay, listen, Violet. I get you two have this whole dynamic where he’s the big bad, and you’re the sweet little thing. It’s cute and all, but”—she makes a huge emphasis on the but, by sticking her index finger in my face—“do not go all surrendered wife on me. It’s not okay, and here’s a secret. It’s not going to be hot to a guy like Andrius. He likes your sweet and innocent vibe, but the times you’ve got him most wound up and panting for you are when you’ve stood up to him or acted out. He’s an apex predator. The apex predator does not hang around with the little mouse.”

  I flinch at her words. “He calls me zaika. I looked it up, and it means rabbit or little rabbit. So he already sees me as mouse-like.”

  “No, he doesn’t. Trust me. Yes, he thinks you’re sweet, shy, and maybe afraid a little, and the dark part of him likes it, but he also knows you’re a bit fucked in the head. I mean this with the greatest respect and that you’re hella brave. You were planning to murder the big boss.” She whispers the last part in my ear, leaning in to me.

  “I think Andrius likes you in all your contradictory glory, and he won’t like it if you become some doormat. Furthermore, you shouldn’t live your life plan according to what Andrius does or doesn’t like. Don’t make an idiot of him in front of people like Allyov because it’s dangerous for him and you, but here, in this house? You be you, Violet. And if you want to swim, you swim, and damn Andrius if he doesn’t like it.”

  She starts to walk to the pool. “Worst case scenario, he gets all green-eyed and jealous and carries you off to the bedroom. How tragic.” She winks. “So are you coming?”

  “Yes, you’ve persuaded me.” I roll my eyes at her, but I take the stairs two at a time to get my swimming stuff.

  She’s right. I can’t lose myself in this. In him.

  What she doesn’t know, though, is I don’t know myself in the first place. I didn’t even before the last couple of weeks. I thought I could plan to kill a mob boss, then I realized I couldn’t. I thought I knew my father, and I didn’t.

  I like reading and animals. I want to be kind to most people, except Allyov. I’d thought I wanted to find love with a nice boy, and I thought I wanted a simple life, with a simple guy, but the idea of embracing all this crazy with Andrius and living this insanity is far too tempting for a girl who thought herself boring and sensible.

  I reach my room and head into the bathroom to fetch the sunscreen Justina had so thoughtfully bought for me a few days ago. I catch sight of my reflection in the mirror.

  I stare at the girl in front of me, hardly recognizing myself.

  “Who are you, Violet Johnson?” I ask. Then I say instead, “Who are you Violet Babiek?”

  The screaming void staring back at me where an answer should be scares me, so I look away.

  I grab the swimsuit of Justina’s I wore before and change into it, and then I pull a t-shirt over the top. I pull my hair into a bun on top of my head and then slip some flat sandals onto my feet.

  Grabbing my book, sunglasses, and the lotion, I stuff them into my drawstring bag and head downstairs. Liam, the scary one, is leaning by the front door. He looks up when I reach the bottom of the stairs.

  “Justina says you’re both going out by the pool. Ethan is out with her already. You heading out there?” he asks.

  I nod. “If it’s okay?”

  “Hey, so long as it’s safe to do, you’re in charge here. You guys do your normal thing, and we fit around you, only don’t go anywhere without telling us.”

  “Okay. Justina mentioned some lemonade. I’m thirsty, so I’ll get that first.”

  “She already took it out to the pool.”

  “Oh, okay.”

  Feeling more than a little self-conscious for some reason, I walk in front of him and out the door leading to the pool area.

  Justina is already stretched out, looking as glamorous as ever.

  Ethan is sat in the shade, and there is a big pitcher of lemonade by him and four glasses, one of which is filled and nearest to him.

  I decide to swim first, then get a drink. I’m hot, and the water looks far too inviting.

  I head to Justina, place my bag on the sun lounger next to hers, and ask if she’s going to join me. She nods, and we head to the pool.

  She stands in front of it, tiny bikini barely covering any flesh, arms raised above her head before she executes a perfect dive.

  I sit by the side, slip my t-shirt off, and slide into the water, taking in a deep breath when the coolness first hits.

  We swim a few lengths before ending up kicking our legs and holding onto the side as we chat.

  “How are things with your girlfriend?” I ask. It feels awkward because despite her tearful apology, and despite Andrius having done a lot worse, I can’t seem to move beyond what she did.

  He didn’t hurt me, she did, and thank God her foot hit my belly and not higher up or to the side.

  “We broke up,” she says.

  “Oh, no. I’m sorry. Why?”

  “She hates on Andrius too much, and it started to really do my head in.”

  The way she says, do my head in, with her accent makes me smile, and then I wipe it from my face because she’s told me something serious.

  She doesn’t seem to have noticed and keeps on talking. “I don’t expect her to like him, but she goes on at me about how he’s not safe to be around. Fuck her,” she raises her voice, and Ethan glances our way. “Not safe to be around? He saved me. Fucking saved me. She doesn’t get to tell me I can’t be around him.”

  She sighs. “Honestly, relationships are hard work. I used to think it would be easier, two women together. That a lot of the misunderstandings and shit you see a lot of hetero couples go through are simply because of the differences between men and women. I think it’s bullshit now. Relationships are hard, full stop.”

  “I hope you meet someone new,” I tell her.

  “Doesn’t matter to be honest. I don’t thi
nk I’ll get a happy ever after. Too messed up.”

  “You think you’re messed up?” I shake my head at her and point to myself. “I barely know who I am. My father, the man I looked up to and adored, turned out to be a horrible person. Everyone I’ve ever known has somehow betrayed me, and honestly, the only person I feel I can trust in this world is Andrius, which when you think about it is screwed up. And I was going to kill a mob boss … with peanut butter … so I think you’re kind of sane in comparison.”

  She starts to laugh then, and it’s nice to see because she’s laughing so hard tears are filling her eyes. I feel a twinge of the old affection for her.

  “When you put it like that, Violet, maybe I’m not too bad after all? But what I did to you was very bad, and I feel awful about it. I totally freaked out and panicked. I never should have done it.”

  “You did hurt me,” I tell her. “And not just physically. Andrius did too, but I think what he did to me was more for effect. I had no marks on me, not even a tiny bit of redness on my wrists. But I had a bruise from you, and I’ve got to say, I never thought you’d react that way to me.”

  “I know.” She looks away from me and when she looks back her eyes are shimmery. She’s not crying, but she looks close. “It’s just … hearing his name, one that women in the brothel said in fear, I launched into fight or flight and reacted without thinking. I am so sorry. Like I said to you, I’m fucked up.”

  “That makes two of us.” I smile and take her olive branch. I try to let her in a little again because, frankly, I miss her being my friend. “And let’s not get started on Andrius,” I say.

  “What about him?” She’s genuinely interested it seems, so I say my fear out loud.

  “I’m falling for him, Justina, and I know he saved you, but he’s hardly … normal, is he? I worry he might be a sociopath or something.”

  “Oh, he’s not.” She lifts her hand out of the water and waves it breezily, water droplets dripping like diamonds from her fingers. “He’s got sociopathic traits, but he’s not an actual sociopath. They tested him when he went into doing spy type work. He showed me his test once when we were talking about shit. Told me I should take it myself, but I bottled out. I mean, what if it said I was damaged beyond repair?”

  She turns to me and I see real fear in her eyes. I want to take her hand, but she goes on before I get the chance.

  “Andrius, though, he’s got some sociopathic traits the report said, but they were good traits, not negative, or good for a soldier and someone working in intelligence. He had focus, ruthlessness, and coolness under pressure, but he also showed empathy. The perfect soldier. He can turn it off when he needs to and be a machine, but he can be empathetic when necessary. But those things, they only apply to people and situations he’s not emotionally involved in. He wasn’t cool and clinical when it came to me. He risked a lot to save me that day, and he’s anything but cool and clinical when it comes to you. So, no, he’s not a sociopath. Not at all. But he is different, I suppose, compared to many people when it comes to how his brain is wired.”

  She nods in the direction of our bodyguards. “I’d expect those two would show similar traits if tested.”

  “You should be a shrink,” I say.

  She giggles. “Yeah, but then I’d be perpetually stuck trying to heal myself.”

  I’m thirsty, so I tell her I’m getting a drink. As I get out of the pool and pull my t-shirt back on, I notice Liam heading inside the house, talking on his phone.

  I walk barefoot to the table where Ethan is sat and pour myself a glass of water. Splashes behind me tell me Justina is swimming again.

  “You okay?” Ethan asks. Voice low.

  “Yes, honestly, I am, but I really appreciate you giving me your card.” I turn to walk away but pivot to face him again.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  He nods at me, face impassive.

  “Luka was talking to us the other night and he said all you guys met your partners in ways that were less than ideal. He mentioned you in particular, but he wouldn’t give any details. Can I ask how you met Isla? You don’t have to tell me.”

  He watches me for a moment, and I think he’s going to tell me to mind my own business, but then he pushes the chair opposite him out with his foot and tells me to sit.

  I do so, nervous and hoping I haven’t pissed him off.

  “You might think differently of me when I tell you, but I know you’re having a tough time figuring things out right now, so if it helps; although, Isla will tell it a lot better than me. She says she’d love to meet you, but I’m not about to have Andrius around for an evening of drinks and nibbles,” he says dryly. “And I can’t bring Isla here, so maybe one day we can go meet her for a coffee?”

  I nod. “I’d like that.”

  He leans forward and steeples his hands together. “Okay, quick and dirty version. I used to work as a male escort. I had a specialty—consensual rough sex. Isla hired me … except she didn’t. I was hired to spend the night with Isla, to role-play rough, non-consensual sex, except it was a setup. Isla was terrified. It was horrific, for her more, but me too. Fuck, when I think where it could have led if I hadn’t realized something was very wrong. Long story short, with a lot of twists and turns in between, we’re together.”

  I can’t speak. I’m staring at him. An escort? Paid for sex? Oh my God. I would never have imagined it.

  “I know,” he says, leaning in, “about you. Reece told me when I asked him how you ended up with Andrius. It’s fucked up, but if you want to be here now, then don’t let anyone tell you it can’t work because of how it began. But if you’re only here because you think you’re not safe anywhere else, then I’m telling you, Liam, Luka, and I can keep you safe. Cast iron fucking guaranteed.”

  He takes my hand, and it shocks me. “I swear it, Violet. We’ll keep you safe. So you want to be here, no judgment from me. But you don’t? You use this card and you call me, and we’re gone. We’d have you out of here in no time, and neither Andrius or Allyov would ever find you.”

  “Thank you,” I tell him.

  I take my hand but stay sat with him for a moment, sipping my drink.

  “Isn’t this cozy.”

  Oh, Lord.

  I look up to see one pissed off Andrius staring down at us. I straighten my spine, look right back at him, and offer the chair next to me. “Do you want a drink, it’s hot.”

  He looks at me for a moment, blinks, but then he walks around the table and sits.

  “Andrius.” Ethan nods at him and then goes back to watching the pool area.

  “Why don’t you get changed and come for a swim?” I ask Andrius. He’s scowling but doesn’t say anything, and Justina is right. He can do his macho routine when it comes to big things like keeping me safe. And I’ll make sure that in Bratva company, I’m nothing but respectful to him at all times. When we’re here, though, if this is going to be our bolt hole from the world, then he needs to understand I can talk to other men without it meaning anything and without him getting to sulk … or worse.

  “Ethan was telling me I remind him of Isla.”

  Ethan looks up, glances at me then Andrius, and something in him gives a little. I see it in the softening of his stance. It’s as if he’s not only being kind to me, but he's trying to give Andrius a break.

  “It’s fucking uncanny, man. Look.”

  He slides his phone out of his pocket and swipes the screen a couple of times, then turns it our way. It’s a video of Isla walking in a field surrounded by dogs.

  Andrius leans in and watches her, looks back to me, then to Ethan.

  “They could be sisters.”

  “Yeah. And from chatting a little with Violet here, they seem to have more in common than simply looking alike. Isla would like to meet Violet. They could maybe grab a coffee? We can go with them, sit a few tables away so we can keep an eye on them?”

  This is a huge olive branch Ethan is offering. He’d told me only two min
utes ago he didn’t want Andrius near Isla, but now he’s offering for us all to go and them to leave us to talk.

  “That would be good.” Andrius surprises me, nicely, with his answer. “I’d like for Violet to make some friends. I don’t trust the wives and girlfriends of the men I work with.”

  “Yeah.” Ethan says nothing more.

  “Thank you,” Andrius says.

  Ethan gives a nod, which is probably macho dude speak for you’re welcome.

  I head inside to make some more lemonade, and a few moments later a hand wraps around my waist. “You smell like sunshine.”

  Andrius kisses my neck.

  “Thank you,” I tell him.

  “For what?”

  I turn to face him and am once more hit by how utterly gorgeous he is.

  “For letting me meet Isla. I think we might have a lot in common.”

  “I don’t want you to be a prisoner here, Violet, and you can’t only have me and Justina in your life. It’s not healthy. But the other wives and girlfriends, don’t let them in, okay? You don’t know who you can trust. Ethan’s wife sounds like she’ll be someone you might want to be friends with. And when your friend who is working abroad returns, maybe she can visit you here?”

  “Oh wow, thank you,” I squeal as I fling my arms around him.

  He laughs and picks me up, and that’s when Liam walks in, face set tight.

  “Where have you been?” he demands of Andrius.

  “Mind your fucking business,” Andrius snaps back.

  “Seriously, where have you been?”

  “Why?”

  “Because Kyrylo Voloshin is dead, and you’re going to be suspect number one amongst his brothers in the business.”

  The color drains from Andrius’ face, and I know this is bad, really bad.

  Chapter Seven

  Andrius

  At first, Liam’s words don’t compute.

  This is a fucking disaster for me. I’ve spent hours with Allyov going over the business, and one of the things that became crystal clear is how much he doesn’t want a war with Kyrylo’s guys. However, Allyov liked having me on board as a warning to Kyrylo.