by Tillie Cole
Taking in a deep breath, drinking in his words, my legs began pushing forward down the concrete pathway, hundreds of hands slapping on my back; but I only had one target, and right now he was cracking his neck, turning his dagger in his hands, his eyes blazing with fury.
A Byki saw my approach, opening the cage door and I dived into the ring, storming straight for Durov. Durov’s eyes flared with the excitement of the charge, his corded neck bulging as he braced for my tackle.
There was no time for the firing of the gun.
No time for any introduction. This was personal, this was two enraged monsters fighting to the death.
Using my speed and larger size to my advantage, I wrapped my arms around Durov’s waist and tackled him to the ground, a rush of adrenaline filling me as his back smashed on the hard cage floor. Durov’s arms were iron around my back, forcing a grapple on the ground, both fighting for dominance.
Gaining the upper hand, I reared up, slamming a spiked fist into his shoulder. My blade pierced his skin, but the fucker still kept coming like I never even got in a hit. Jerking his legs, he forced me onto my back, my hand losing grip on his sweat-ridden biceps. In a flash, Alik had raised his dagger and plunged it down, but I managed to roll at the very last second, his steel blade scraping the floor.
Using my feet, I kicked him onto his back, launching my body on top of him, slamming his wrists above his head. Durov’s psycho gaze met mine and I could see the hatred in his eyes … my memories telling me that I’d had this look off him many times before.
Alik fought with everything that he had, but my grip was too strong, his weakening shoulder shedding blood from where I’d pierced him with my blade. I stared down at Durov and squeezed at his wrists, Durov’s teeth gritting so hard that I heard a loud crack coming from his molars.
Leaning forward, I spat, “I’m going to fucking kill you, Durov.”
Durov held his breath, and his face turned bright red; the evidence of his rage. “I’m finally going to get my revenge.”
“Your revenge?” he asked, every vein protruding from his skin. “Your motherfucking revenge?”
My jaw clenched and I leaned in closer still. Alik was watching me, trying to wrench his arms from my hold. But I wasn’t letting this fucker go.
“Look at me,” I ordered.
Alik’s good shoulder lifted to a point that it almost popped out of its socket, but I slammed my head against his, Durov’s head falling back to the floor. Durov glared at me and I knew the fucker was imagining how to murder me. But this fight wasn’t going anywhere until he knew who he was facing, or at least, the shadow of the boy he once ruined.
“I said fucking look at me!” I screamed, Durov’s eyes narrowing and searching every part of my face. “Look at every inch of my face, Alik. Do you recognize me? Do you see anyone you once knew? Anyone you completely fucked over?”
Durov’s eyes were frantic as they darted from side to side, his numbing fingers tightening around his dagger.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Durov hissed, jerking his hip, fighting to throw me off.
Lifting his wrists, I smashed his hands down to the floor again, Durov’s cheek only slightly twitching at the pain. “Then let me remind you. There was you, me, and Rodion at the falls.” Alik stilled in my hands, his legs stopping kicking. “We were fucking around, doing nothing when you, the fucking psycho that you are, abruptly got to your feet and pulled out your knife and fucking stabbed your friend in the heart…” Turning my fists inward, my blades began stabbing into Durov’s wrists, the shaking of his hands showing the pain.
His eyes were fixed on mine and I could see him trying to work out how I knew all this information. My eyes flared as blood began dripping from his wrists.
“Then you stabbed yourself in the stomach,” I lifted my knee and rammed it into his still-prominent scar, “And then put the blame on…” Alik’s eyes widened as I paused and I knew he’d seen my left eye … the one that used to fuck him off when we were just a couple’a kids … the one with Kisa’s smudge of blue.
I lowered my mouth and said, “Me … Luka.”
Alik’s body froze then began to convulse. But it wasn’t in fear, no, this bastard was convulsing in outright rage, his face contorting to show the fucking demon he was coming loose.
“See, your papa had to cover for your little fuck up. Your attack on me. Because I had the only thing in the world your insane ass wanted: Kisa. When I was heading to the Motherland, to some fucking work camp Kisa’s papa ordered me to, your father organized for me to follow a different road. See, I was sent to a Georgian prison, the Gulag, we called it … a cover for a motherfucking death ring,” I flicked my chin to the crowd, “Just like this.”
Alik was as still as ice as I spoke, but I could see his pulse beating wildly on his neck.
“They pumped me with drugs, tortured me, filled me with so much shit that I didn’t know who the fuck I was, beat me until I forgot anything but how to kill … until I came back here and knew one thing, the only thing that’s ever occupied my mind … killing you.”
I watched Alik. He watched me back, until Alik pushed at my arms, his body packing a strength like no one I’d ever fought before.
Alik’s body jerked, twitched, and then he fucking went insane. “You fucked Kisa!” Alik screamed, spit flying from his mouth, his arms and legs thrashing around like the crazy son of a bitch he was. “You fucked my woman! YOU! I should’ve killed the betraying bitch when I had the chance!”
The blood drained out of my face when his words finally sunk into my mind. Every inch of me tensed and I released Durov’s hands and rolling to the side, dragging him to his feet by his hair and slammed him into the walls of the cage. The crowd erupted, spectators rushing forward, slamming their hands against the metal of the cage calling for me to kill him.
Durov, the fucker, just smiled and wiped his fingers under my nose. “Smell those, Luka. They were just all up in that whore’s pussy.” His eyes lit and he said, “When I beat the shit out of her for fucking you…” his eyes stormed over, “When I took the bitch over and over until she couldn’t fucking move, until she passed the fuck out through pain … for fucking you.”
I tried to suck in a breath, but I couldn’t inhale. Kisa. Fuck. What had he done?
“Yeah, fucker. I saw you last night, fucking my woman, so I taught her a fucking lesson. If I’d known it was you, Luka fucking Tolstoi, I’d have slit both your throats in that cove you love so fucking much.”
Stepping back from the side of the cage, I clenched my fists together and Alik smiled, shrugging off his shoulders.
“So are we doing this shit, Luka?” he said, curling his lip like it amused him that I’d been trapped in a hell because of him for twelve damn years.
“This ends tonight.”
Alik smiled.
The crowd went wild.
And we both ran straight for each other with death in our eyes, my fist plunging straight into his stomach, blades first.
21
KISA
My mouth was dry.
My tongue was like sandpaper and my lips were swollen and split.
I cracked open an eye, my eyelid like lead. I took a glance around the strange room. It was dark. My breathing was too fast when I tried to remember where I was. And then my eyes landed on a cleared space at the far side of the room. A clear space covered in plastic … blood residue spattered up the walls.
My mind raced.
The beach.
Raze … my Luka.
Him remembering.
The gym.
Serge—
Serge!
A pain-filled sob escaped my mouth when I thought back to the night before.
Alik!
No!
Alik had found out about Raze and me. He’d threatened Serge, and Serge … no, Serge died trying to protect me. My sweet, protective Serge …
Tears dripped heavily from my eyes, sorrow overwhelming me and I forced myself to push up
from the bed. Every part of me ached, my dress bunched around my waist, my skin covered with blood and bruises … He’d beaten me half to death.
Suddenly feeling nauseous, I scurried to the edge of the bed and puked all over the floor, my head thudding like a drum.
I could barely see a thing.
An incessant ticking made me wince, the tinny pings shattering my brain. I slowly rolled my head left, only to see an old clock on a battered bedside table. I stared at the face, reading the time, knowing it meant something to me.
I tried to focus on what that was, my cheek lowering to the soiled sheets. I watched the second hand tick around, my eyelids lowering with every stroke, when, suddenly, The Dungeon flashed into my head and I stilled.
The Dungeon Championship!
My chest heaved as I stared at the time. Alik and Luka were about to fight!
Forcing myself off the mattress, working hard to breathe calmly through the pain, I managed to get to my feet. Reaching down, sobbing through the excruciating aches, I slowly fixed my dress and spotted my shoes and jacket flung haphazardly on the floor.
It was a struggle, but when I had everything on, I stumbled to the door, using my hand on the wall to guide my steps and keep myself upright.
I had no idea where I was. I knew I was near the docks, but I had no idea where.
Luckily the door unlocked from the inside. Alik obviously planned that I wouldn’t be able to move through his punishment or else he would have bolted me in. But I needed to get to The Dungeon. I had no choice.
Opening the front door, the hot, salty breeze immediately smacked at my face and I cried out as it stung my wounds. Ducking my head, I kept walking forward, praying to find a phone. I walked and walked for what felt like an age, my body exhausted, the apex of my thighs burning with every single step.
That sensation almost had me crying again … Alik had raped me, beat me … My fiancé had nearly killed me.
All these years defending him, submitting to him, when I—when we all—knew Alik was disturbed … Alik was a psychopathic murderer. The fact that he was an heir to the great Russian Bratva could no longer disguise that truth.
And when my papa saw me like this—if Luka didn’t kill him in the cage—my papa would, and I was now resolved to that.
As long as Alik lived, I would never be free.
“Miss? Miss? Are you okay?”
I lifted my head to the side to see an older man walking toward me. He looked like a fisherman or something, or a worker on the docks.
“Miss, are you okay?” he asked again. Then his face paled when he took in the sight of me. “Jesus Christ! What the hell happened to you?”
“Do you have a phone?” I asked, my voice barely audible through my severely bruised throat.
“Miss, I need to get you an ambulance!”
“No!” I argued. “Just … do you have a phone I can borrow?”
The man nodded and pulled out his cell, handing it over. “Miss, I don’t feel right not calling you help.”
“This will be my help,” I said and weakly dialed Talia’s number.
She picked up on the third ring.
“Hello?”
“Talia?” I said as loudly as I could manage.
“Hello? Kisa? Is that you? I can barely hear you.”
“It’s me,” I replied. “I need you to come and get me.”
She paused. “Why aren’t you at the fight? It’s about to start!”
“Talia, please. I need you to come and get me … now, please—”
“Okay. Okay. Where are you?” she asked, and I could hear her moving, keys rattling in her hand.
I turned to the man. “Where are we?”
He told me the address and I relayed it to Talia.
“Kisa, what the fuck are you doing there?”
Pressing my hand to my forehead, I said, “I’ll explain everything when you get here.” My stomach rolled in nerves, “I … I have something big to tell you. But you need to hurry.”
“I’m on my way.”
* * *
A while later, headlights glared on the road to the dock, the bright beams blinding. Lifting my hand to my face, I watched the man who had helped me wave Talia forward.
The car came to a stop and Talia lurched out the door and headed straight for me, her hand over her mouth.
“Kisa…” she whispered, and I caught her brown eyes shining, filling with tears. “What’s happened to you?” she said and tried to reach out her hand, but she pulled it straight back for fear she would hurt me.
I pushed off the Sea-Can, and Talia caught me in her arms as I struggled to walk. “Alik … Alik did this … to me,” I said breathlessly as I made for Talia’s car.
She stopped. “Alik?” Her eyes widened. “Shit! I knew he wasn’t right, but I never thought he’d ever hurt you.”
“Talia, please, we have to go! I’ll … I’ll explain everything in the car.”
Talia led me past the old man, and I laid my hand on his arm and said, “Thank you.”
Talia helped me into the passenger seat, and I slumped back against the warm leather. It felt like paradise to my exhausted body.
In seconds, my best friend jumped into the car, and beneath the car’s interior light, I watched her truly take in my injuries. I hadn’t seen my reflection, but I could feel how messed up I was, how bad I must look.
“Kisa,” Talia said quietly and a sob escaped her mouth. I lifted my hand to land on her knee, and as if it snapped her to action, she turned on the car and began pulling away from the docks. “I’m taking you to Dr. Chazov. Then I’m calling Papa Kirill to tell him what Alik did to you. He’ll gut the fucker!”
“No!” I protested. Talia looked at me like I was crazy. “We need to go to the fight. To The Dungeon Championship.”
“Kisa! Have you lost your damn mind? You’re not looking good, sweetie. I’m worried you’re injured internally. Your face … your wrist! Shit, Kisa, I think it’s broken!”
“Talia, I need to go there.” I looked up at my best friend and took a deep breath. “We both need to go there.”
Talia’s eyebrows pulled down in confusion. “Kisa … you know I can’t go to those things. All that death … I can’t … I’ve never been able to face it after Luka.”
We both sat in silence until Talia asked, “Why did Alik snap? What the hell happened?”
I stared out the window as The Dungeon’s warehouse came into view in the distance. “I … I’ve been sleeping with Raze.”
The car swerved as Talia gasped in shock. “Kisa,” she said in disbelief. “What were you thinking? You never betray your man in this life! Especially Alik!”
Tears sprang to my eyes. “Raze isn’t just any man.”
“He’s a killer, Kisa! A killer you took off the streets and put in The Dungeon! What the fuck am I not getting here? You’ve known him all of a couple of weeks!”
“Talia, please. Come with me tonight and I’ll explain everything.”
Talia sighed and reached over to put her hand on top of mine. “Okay, sweetie. I’m just…” Her hands began to tremble. “You’re all I have left to remind me … to keep my brother’s memory…” Talia trailed off, unable to finish her sentence, and I almost fell apart. I wanted to tell her now that it was Luka that I was with, but she needed to see him herself. I needed to tell them all together.
I rolled my head to face her and flipped my palm.
Talia squeezed my hand.
“Through the back door, Tal. Take the back way so we don’t have to face the crowd.”
Nodding, Talia helped me walk round the back of The Dungeon. Max, my papa’s head Byki, widened his eyes as he stood vigil by the door and saw us approach.
“Miss Volkova! What the hell has happened? Does Mr. Durov know this has happened to you?” he asked in shock, reaching out to help Talia take my weight.
“Max, please help me up to my papa’s box,” I replied, bristling when Alik was his first concern.
Max glanced to Talia, and she nodded her agreement. Together, they helped me through the narrow hallway, my papa’s men standing back, appalled at my state.
The sudden roar of the crowd made me stumble, and I looked up to Max. “How long has the fight been on?”
“About five minutes, miss.”
My heart began to pound again, and I looked up the stairs to my papa’s private box. “Quickly, I need to speak with Papa.” I looked to Max. “Who’s in there with him?”
“Just your father and Mr. Tolstoi, miss.”
I exhaled in relief, and Max and Talia helped me up the stairs. As soon as we reached the top, Talia opened the door and helped me inside.
Papa and Ivan were watching the fight, the overfilled crowd visible through the large bulletproof glass window.
“Papa?” I said quietly, and my papa looked over at me, a smile still on his face as he watched the fight. But as soon as his blue eyes fixed on mine, all happiness drained from his face. My papa shot out of his chair and ran over to me, Ivan doing the same. They ushered me to a seat, my papa’s face reddened with anger.
“Who did this to you?” he asked curtly. “We need to get you to the doctor.”
“She won’t listen. She insisted on coming here. And … it was … Alik,” Talia answered from beside me. “He beat her, and I had to pick her up at a shack he owns on the docks.”
“ALIK!” my papa roared, rushing to his feet and glaring out the window.
I leaned forward and looked out onto the cage too. The floor was smeared with blood, Alik and Luka rolling around, grappling for dominance.
“Who’s winning?” I asked, and my father glanced to the cage and then back at me.
“Kisa—”
“Who?” I pressed.
“Raze gets the upper hand more than Alik, but right now, it’s anybody’s fight,” Ivan answered, and I pressed my hand on my head.
My heart raced with what I was about to do. “Is Abram cage side with Yiv?”
My papa looked at me like I was insane. “Yes, of course. Kisa! You need to start talking. Why did he do this to you? He’s a dead man!”
Taking a deep breath, never taking my eyes off the cage, watching my Luka face Alik, and trying not to cry, I said, “I have to tell you all something.”