by L. C. Moon
Her eyes austere, Natasha imparted her wisdom to Laura. She liked the girl, had leaned in Kayne’s favor when Dimitri was still on the fence. Dimitri couldn’t afford alienating both of them, so the girl remained with Kayne. Natasha could see herself looking in Laura’s eyes, reminiscing about the trembling young girl she once had been. Brought into a world she didn’t understand, making sense of all the good values her parents had dutifully imparted on her. For her to survive, the young girl had to die. She never once regretted the loss. She carried her fondly in her heart but never shed any tears over the sweet naïve girl she left behind. Laura was deep in thought. Could she ever become this way? Just the thought of another woman touching Kayne sickened her. Part of her envied Natasha, her realism, her pragmatism in the face of a seemingly impossible situation, and yet she seemed to come out on top. Keep Kayne’s whores around? They wouldn’t survive the day. She’d gladly ship them back to whatever hell they came from. She remembered when not too long ago, she’d seen them as victims. Her heart had gone out to them. Kayne was the monster then, abuser of the innocent, the weak, and the helpless. She wondered what changed. The answer came back quickly and resonated within her. It was just a word really, a mere preposition, but it changed everything. He was no longer the monster, he was her Monster.
Natasha pulled her out of her thoughts, gently squeezing her arm. A woman was anxiously waving her down from up on the terrace. “If you’ll excuse me, Laura dear, I believe there must be an appetizer emergency, given her state of panic…” she added sarcastically.
She left Laura to her introspection and weary conscience. Laura remained by herself for a while, wondering about it all. The difference was that Natasha had a choice, had willingly picked this life. Laura didn’t have the luxury to hold on to her values and leave Kayne behind. She would remain his prisoner, willing or not. Bitterly, she realized, no matter what he did, no matter how hard she fought him off, she would end up drained, in his arms, somewhere in an abyss of pleasure and pain.
“Hey…” a singsong, gratingly familiar voice snuck up behind her. She snapped around, her whole body tense. “What are you doing here?”
Tanya offered her the most condescendingly sweet smile she could conjure. “Natasha invited me. Silly.” She shook her head, a saccharine smile on her face.
Keep your friends close… Laura quoted The Godfather in her mind and smirked to herself.
Tanya seemed dissatisfied with her reaction but shook off her aggravation instantly. “I saw you talking with her earlier. Don’t you just love her?”
Laura didn’t respond. She felt like she was walking into a trap. One part desperately wanted to walk away, and the other didn’t want to retreat, wished to stand her ground, showing Tanya she was not the least bit intimidated.
“Well… she really likes you...” Tanya added, her tone pleasant, her expression carefree. “I know she does, she told me.”
“Did she…” Laura replied, her expression both disbelieving and irritated.
“Of course. We’re quite close actually. She talks about you a lot. Has a lot of respect for you.”
“Sure…” Laura sighed, annoyed. Her heart was racing, though she kept her eyes cool as she returned the haughty look. “Well… she never mentioned you… In any case, Kayne is waiting for me…” She excused herself. “See you around.” She threw back with forced pleasantness before turning around.
She smiled gleefully, wanting to pat herself on the back. She’d never had frenemies to practice with, but from Tanya’s pursed lips, she knew she hit her mark.
Tanya held her arm. “Wait… Listen… I know we got off on the wrong foot. I guess I just wanted to apologize… I don’t want you to hate me.” She looked her in the eye and seemed sincere.
“Okay,” Laura conceded, though suspicious. She was about to turn around again. She had just won the last round, couldn’t they leave it at that?
“I just… I would like it if we got along…” Tanya offered her a tentative smile.
Laura lifted her brows in response. Even she wasn’t that naïve.
“For Kayne…” Tanya explained, picking up the weapon Laura brought out to use against her. “I care about him, a lot. I mean, we’ve been through so much together. And he cares about you… so…”
She cursed herself, realizing too late she would be David in the battle. In real life, Goliath always wins. She already burned with the petty jealousy Tanya tried to incite in her, but she was ready for it. She was ready for whatever Tanya threw at her. This was a woman’s war. No guns, knives, or torture devices required.
“I don’t think he’s ever cared about anyone like you.” Tanya’s eyes darkened for an instant, but her composure quickly returned, as it always did. “Honestly. I’m happy for him, Kayne and me…” She shook her head, a devilish grin on her face. “But you two go well together. You obviously love him very much.”
Laura felt her patience wearing thin. “Well, thank you for the well-wishes.” She smiled tight-lipped before turning around, ready to walk away.
“I mean… That you can just forgive him like that… I don’t think even I could have…” Tanya added, Laura’s back already turned to her.
It was in that moment, Laura knew her next decision would have more impact than she could deduce. She could walk away and ignore her obvious jeers. Or she could stay and fall prey to Tanya and her pettiness, just to know what she meant to use against her, reveal the sword dangling over her head. She stayed, she always did. She would open Pandora’s box yet again. She wondered what it could be. Had he been sleeping with her? He swore he hadn’t, that nothing was going on… more women at parties, other whores? Laura prepared herself, covered her heart in stone, and waited. She would smile at whatever words came out of this woman’s mouth, condescendingly if possible.
Laura crossed her arms, a forced bored look on her face.
“I mean... your own brother…” Tanya shook her head, disbelieving, her whole demeanor theatrical.
“What? What are you talking about?” She did not see that one coming. Her heart was pounding furiously in her chest, sensing the imminent danger, far too late.
“I mean when I saw the pictures… with his head blown off… to know Kayne did this to him… How could you even look at him? Weren’t you like very close with your brother too? Peter? Was that his name?” she asked, her brows furrowing. “He had it coming, mind you… Anyway, guess love does conquer all, huh?” She smiled, satisfied with herself.
Of all things, Laura hadn’t prepared her heart for this. She stared at Tanya, trying to read her face. She felt strangely calm, like she was leaving her body, rising above, far above everything. Tanya was saying it all to hurt her, just to hurt her… And yet she knew it to be the truth. Hadn’t she known it all along? Hadn’t she known it in her heart, from the first night Kayne came back? The timing too coincidental, the suicide too convenient, hadn’t she known deep down inside Kayne was responsible for Peter’s death?
She walked away from Tanya and her triumph without saying a word. She focused on breathing, struggling with every breath, fearing her shaky legs would give out any moment.
Her face aghast, she stumbled forward in the blur of sunshine and greenery. She walked straight past everyone on the terrace and headed to the driveway. Lucas was leaning on the car, a cigarette in his mouth. His eyes were closed, his face turned up, bathing in the sun.
“Lucas… Lucas… take me home.”
“Are you okay, Miss Spencer? Should I get Mr. Malkin?” He seemed concerned. Laura was white, her body shivering under the sun.
“No!” she replied instantly, her eyes wide. “Please... please, Lucas... take me home,” she pleaded, not waiting for the answer, and climbed in the car.
Lucas was unsure what to do. He took his instructions directly from Kayne, but he could sense the urgency of the matter. He decided not to make her wait and confirm with him; he got in the front seat and drove. The entire drive, he kept looking at Laura through the viso
r, worried by the reflection he saw. She’d never looked like this, not even the night they fetched her from the bar. Laura walked in like a zombie, ignored Olga, and went straight to her bedroom. It was the calm before the storm. The perfect storm brewing in her blood, poisoning every cell, membrane, and nerve in her body. She paced in circles; she was suffocating, wanted to pull her hair out, find a way, any way to get the venom out.
Olga was in the kitchen when she heard a chilling scream echo throughout the house. It wasn’t human. She was drying the dishes, dropped the one she was holding. She felt a shiver run down her spine and froze on the spot. The sound of glass shattering and furniture breaking snapped her back to reality. Panicked, she rushed to Laura’s room.
Everything was destroyed. Laura stood in the middle of the mayhem, a demented gleam in her eye, holding the foot of a broken chair. She screamed at Olga to leave and threw the wooden piece in her direction. Olga rushed out of the room, picked up the phone, and reached Lucas.
***
Lucas was already parking the car back at the Drugov mansion when he received Olga’s frantic call. He went inside, quietly approached Kayne, and addressed him discreetly.
“Sir. There’s a problem at the house.”
Kayne turned his head in response, his eyes instantly darkening. “It’s Miss Spencer. She wasn’t feeling well. She asked me to bring her back—”
“What,” Kayne hissed, barely containing his anger.
“She didn’t look well, sir. I thought it was wiser to bring her back straight away, thought you’d approve.”
Kayne narrowed his eyes. “And what’s the problem now?”
“I’m not really sure. Olga called, panicked, saying Miss Spencer had gone mad... destroyed her room…”
Kayne rushed behind the wheel with Lucas in the passenger seat. He was livid. It seemed no one had any idea what triggered Laura’s meltdown. He would deal with her and her tantrum. He would deal with her all right. Grinding his teeth, breaking every speed limit, Kayne screeched the car to a full stop before walking in and slamming the door.
The house was quiet. Olga was sitting on a couch in the living room, playing with the towel she had been using to dry the dishes. Her face was white. She just looked up at Kayne, her eyes distressed.
“Where is she?” he bellowed.
“Still in her room… . She’s quiet now…”
He nodded, his eyes ablaze. His walk determined, his hands in tight fists, he made his way to her room. The bedroom was completely trashed, broken glass everywhere on the floor, all the furniture broken, turned over in pieces, but no Laura.
He turned his gaze to the closed bathroom door, walked slowly to it, and tried the handle. “Laura. Open the door.” His voice was eerily calm.
Nothing.
“Laura! Open this fucking door before I do it for you!” he threatened, raising his voice, his façade of coolness long gone.
Nothing.
A demonic smile crossed his lips. She will pay for this. He kicked the door in.
Laura lay in the bathtub, her eyes closed, the water surrounding her, an unwholesome tint.
His eyes widened, his anger evaporating instantly. He was by her side in a second. He reached for her wrist and covered the gash with his hand, blood seeping through his fingers.
“Lucas! Get Iman! Now!” he shouted, urgency in his tone. He picked up the limp body and deposited Laura carefully on the bed. Then he removed his shirt, bandaging the wound as best as he could.
“Laura! What the fuck!” he screamed to himself enraged, knowing she couldn’t hear him. Knowing in this moment, he had no control, over her, over himself, over anything. For the first time in his life, Kayne Malkin felt the stab of powerlessness.
He paced around like a madman until Iman arrived. Iman, a slim brunette with olive skin, was in her late thirties. She had been a surgeon in her country, in Palestine. Like her father before her, she had a fascination for medicine, felt a calling to save lives, regardless of what side of the border they belonged to. Until she saw her world come crashing down. Until she saw her entire family die in front of her eyes, blown to pieces due to a strategic hit by military forces. Their neighborhood had been deemed hostile. Iman, whose name meant faith in her mother tongue, understood that day there was no greater good, only monsters fighting for power. She left her country, her life, and her memories. Only a scar on the left side of her face kept her linked to the hopeful hazel-eyed beauty she had once been.
Upon arriving in Quebec, she worked as a cleaning maid in a hotel. She pretended not to speak French or English, shutting herself off from the world. She walked in on Lucas bleeding in one of the rooms one night. Without saying a word, she removed the bullet and stitched him back together. She’d been with the Organization ever since. Iman accepted the world for what it was, who populated it; she would at least control which monsters got her help.
Day-55
It had been two days. Iman assured him the girl would live. She gave him pills for Laura and advised him to let her get all the rest she could get and that she would return to check up on her. Kayne had not left Laura’s side, for two days and two nights. He kept watch from the La-Z-Boy he had dragged to the side of her bed.
He wiped the sweat from her forehead, heard her cry in her sleep, tossing and turning, uttering his name. He cringed, knowing he was the monster in her nightmares. He couldn’t know she was calling for him, lost in a daze, calling for him to save her, her tears coming from despair, not fear.
Day-56
It was evening when Laura’s eyes fluttered open. Kayne immediately put the laptop away and turned his attention to her, not uttering a word. She looked around, her eyes weary. When she noticed him, she closed her eyes right back.
“You should have left me…” she uttered weakly, eyes still closed. “Laura… why? You promised me, you promised, you would never try this again.” His voice was contained, though raw with emotion.
A bitter subdued snort escaped her lips. She opened her eyes, staring right ahead. “You promised you wouldn’t kill Peter. Guess we’re both liars.”
“What?” His expression instantly changed, his eyes blackened.
She didn’t answer, just turned her gaze his way. There was no anger there. There was no more place for anything but the limitless grief that inhabited those haunting grey eyes maintaining his gaze.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” His voice was gruff and heavy, his eyes concentrated on her.
“You shot him.”
He shut his eyes, exhaling slowly. “Who told you that?”
She responded with a sardonic chuckle. “Tanya.” She met his gaze, a wicked humorless smile on her lips.
“Are you fucking kidding me? And that’s it? You just take her word as the cold hard truth. Hers? A goddamn whore… who hates you…?”
“But it is the truth...” She remained calm, lifting jaded eyes to his. “It’s not, Laura. I had given you my word,” he responded, a flicker of hurt flashing in his scornful stare.
“So you just happened to find him dead, from an overdose… the moment I sent you to him.”
“No,” he conceded, his expression unreadable.
She closed her eyes again, bracing herself for the piece of the puzzle he’d been holding back. The one she was dreading to hold in her hands and yet knew it was the only way she could finally lay her brother to rest.
“He was alive. But I didn’t kill him. I waited for him in his apartment. He wasn’t that surprised to see me. I explained the situation to him… It was you or him, Laura. Dimitri had given me another week that night at the party. He wanted to interrogate you... right then… but he gave me another week. I gave Peter the drugs. He made his choice. I shot him after… For Dimitri’s benefit… He was already gone...”
Tears spilled over from her closed lids. “You might as well have shot him. It would have been more honest,” she spat at him, her eyes still closed, her voice as cold as ice. She didn’t know if those hurtf
ul words were meant for him, she didn’t even know if she meant them. She just felt the need to hurt him, to bring him into her pain, to hold him there, and never let him go.
“Let me go… or let me die,” she pleaded, all malice gone.
He remained quiet, taking her words in. In the oppressing silence that followed, he turned around and left her room. She broke down, the moment he closed her door.
Day-58
Kayne had gone to Dimitri and requested to meet with Tanya privately. Dimitri had listened, seemed vexed with the whole ordeal, but nodded his consent nonetheless to Kayne’s request. He understood it to be a request only as far as it would be granted. Kayne Malkin, like his father, was not one to cross. Dimitri was very displeased with Tanya himself. Not only did she reveal privileged information to an outside source, giving more weapons to a loose end he already wanted to be rid of; she did it out of passion, for another man. Sharing her with other men was one thing. To have her openly infatuated with another, betray his confidence out of jealousy for another, that he could not accept. He would let Kayne deal with her, let her have her moment with him.
Tanya Malone. Kayne reminisced how he had met her. A party, very similar to the one he had taken Laura to. Tanya, however, was all smiles, clearly in her element. She had come willingly, unclaimed and actively looking. He had spotted her while she was surrounded by admirers, her demeanor closer to Scarlett O’Hara at the fancy picnic than a woman aware of the future awaiting her. She looked magnificent, dressed in long dark blue gown with crystal embellishments, flirting back with only those she deemed worthy, men of high rank. She was not prey, she was baiting solicitors, and she would go to the highest bidder. Kayne knew, from that first encounter, he’d make her his.
He had crept up behind her, wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close to him. He left his hand on her stomach, leaning in, his voice silky, and whispered in her ear, “I can play or I can fight… whichever you prefer…”