by Lylah James
His dark eyes were only trained on Nina, and I lifted an eyebrow.
“He’s with me,” Nina said without me even asking the question.
“Come here, boy.” She snapped her finger. He quickly moved to her side, like an obedient dog. He was taller than she was, her head only coming to his shoulders even with her heels on.
Nina patted his hair, and I saw her give him a small smile. In that moment, I knew that smile was only reserved for him.
“He’s under my wings. Under my protection. I’m training him,” Nina explained. “When he’s ready, I’ll send him to you. He will be perfect. I’m sure of it.”
Viktor, Phoenix, and Nikolay stared at her in surprise, but no one uttered a word.
Turning to face Alberto, Nina walked forward. “Do you remember him? Three years ago. You slaughtered his family. You scarred him. He wasn’t supposed to survive.”
Alberto’s eyes widened, watching the boy.
“But he did. He survived your cruel joke,” she hissed, punching the hand that I had made a hole in.
Alberto howled in pain.
Nina turned to face the boy again. She placed her hand out, waiting for him to take it. He took it almost immediately.
She palmed his cheek. “Go ahead. I’ll let you have a little fun. But don’t kill him, okay?”
He nodded, looking at Alberto eagerly. Nina stepped back and let her protégé have his fun. She came to stand beside me.
And we watched.
I had to admit, the boy was good. After all, he was trained by Nina. I wouldn’t have expected anything less.
“What’s his name?” I asked, watching him hold a cigarette in his hand. I knew what was coming next.
“Xavier,” she replied, her eyes never leaving the boy.
He lit the cigarette, and Nikolay went to hold Alberto down. No matter how much he screamed, it had no effect on anyone.
The boy pressed the cigarette to Alberto’s skin, watching it sizzle. All over his chest, he left burn marks.
He twisted the cigarette into Alberto’s flesh, making a hole in his stomach. I could almost smell the burning flesh.
Over and over again, he did it. Lighting more cigarettes, pressing them into Alberto’s skin, watching it burn.
When Alberto started to lose consciousness, Nina stepped forward. “Stop.”
The boy stopped and returned to Nina’s side. She patted his cheek. “There you go. I’m proud of you. Are you satisfied? Is that enough for your revenge?” The boy paused. “Be honest with me,” Nina demanded.
The boy shook his head. “I know you aren’t satisfied. But he is not yours to kill. This is your lesson. You need to know when to stop and when to continue. If you continued, he would have died. You need to learn patience and control. Learn to play with your prey.”
He nodded his head, looking eager to please Nina.
I slowly shook my head at them. Glancing at Alberto, I saw his head hanging low. I pierced Nikolay with a look, and he nodded. Filling a bucket with cold, chilling water, he dumped it over Alberto.
He sputtered and grimaced in pain, but his eyes opened.
I put on another pair of latex gloves. Walking to the table, I got the one thing I’d wanted to use for a very long time. Holding the cow whip in my hand, I walked back to Alberto.
My fingers wrapped around his hair, fisting it and dragging him out of the chair. My knees came up hard into this side, cracking his ribs. When I heard the satisfying sound of bones breaking, I released him.
Alberto fell to the floor at my feet.
Viktor and Nikolay came to hold him down. Phoenix held his legs. I squatted down next to him.
I held the whip in my hand, but it was no use to me. I didn’t want the whip. I wanted the handle, the splintered handle. It was made of wood, perfect for what I had in mind.
I pulled his pants down and laughed as he tried to thrash, but he was completely trapped. Nowhere to go. Just like he had trapped my Angel.
“You’re going to enjoy this,” I whispered in his ear. “Take it like a good boy, okay?”
Watching him struggle under me, I chuckled darkly. Slowly I pushed the handle into his ass. His screams rang in my ears, but I savored them. I savored his pain.
The handle was just a few inches inside his rectum. I paused, waiting, letting his agony drive him insane, pushing him further into the darkness.
He sobbed against the floor. With an angry growl, I shoved the handle fully up his ass. Alberto bellowed out, but I just kept going, pulling out slightly before pushing it back in. Again and again, I tortured him.
His hole was bleeding severely. The splintered handle was covered with his blood, but I kept going. “You took her. Again and again. When she didn’t want you, you still took her. How does it feel to have something up your ass when you don’t want it? Huh?” I roared.
Alberto whimpered and cried out. I patted his back. “Shh…didn’t I tell you? Take it like a good boy. You like this, don’t you?”
Blood continued to seep out as I shoved the handle back in, lodging it deep inside of him. His head came off the floor as his body spasmed in absolute agony.
I left the handle there and turned to face him. His face was wet not only with his blood, but his tears too.
“She cried too. But you kept assaulting her. Your tears just remind me of Ayla being in pain,” I sneered, grabbing his head and slamming it into the floor.
I pulled the handle out, painfully twisting it as I did. Standing up, I turned away from Alberto.
I walked to Nina and handed her the whip. “Have some fun,” I said, raising an eyebrow. She took the whip from my hand and walked toward Alberto.
“Oh, I will definitely have fun,” she replied, her lips widening in a sadistic smile.
I watched as she pressed her heel into the back of Alberto’s knee. The heel sank into his flesh, and he screamed, trying to escape the cruel assault.
“You know how disgusting it was, letting you touch me every time? You make me sick,” she hissed, straddling Alberto’s back. Without warning, she shoved the handle into his hole again.
I nodded at Viktor, and he quickly came to my side. His eyes were just as deranged. I knew I looked the same.
The very monsters everyone knew us to be.
“Do what you want with him. I don’t care. I will come for him in the morning,” I said and then paused when Alberto let out another loud scream.
“I want to spend tonight with Ayla.”
Viktor nodded in understanding. “She misses you.”
I sigh, already knowing that. I fucking missed her too. Every minute away from her felt like a stabbing pain in my chest.
“Just keep them alive,” I said, nodding towards the Alberto, Enzo, and Artur.
“Tomorrow they will meet their end. I will finish what the fucking Italians started,” I snarled, my fingers tightening in fists.
Viktor nodded again. “I’ve got your back, Alessio.”
I knew he did. He always did have my back.
After clasping his shoulder in a show of gratitude, I left the basement and made my way to my Angel.
Chapter 22
I opened the door quietly and walked inside. I stopped next to the bed, staring down at my Angel. She was sleeping peacefully, a tiny smile on her lips. She must be having a good dream.
Making sure I didn’t wake her up, I took a few steps back. I didn’t want her to see me like this. This was the last thing she needed.
I knew she wasn’t scared of me…of who I truly was. But I didn’t think she was ready to know the things I had done. And would keep doing.
In the end, I was truly a monster.
That was never going to change, and I didn’t want to change. It was who I was.
I stared at Ayla, and for a brief moment, I let myself think of a different possibility. What if I was different man? Someone Ayla could proudly say was her man?
Not a deranged monster. Not Alessio Ivanshov.
With a s
igh and a heavy heart, I walked away. Closing the door of the washroom, I shrugged off my shirt.
I got into the shower, letting the cold water rain down on me, washing the blood away. Washing any evidence of what I had done in the past hours away.
With my hands pressed against the wall, I tried to breathe through my constricting chest.
I stayed there, not moving until I heard the door open. My eyes squeezed shut, knowing who it was.
There was some shuffling and then the shower doors opened. I felt a soft hand on my shoulder and heard her sweet voice.
The water went from cold to hot, and I knew she switched it.
“Alessio?”
I didn’t turn around. “Alessio, look at me.”
Not moving, I leaned against the wall.
“Please, Alessio.” As soon as the word please was out of her mouth, I swiveled around, facing my Angel.
She palmed my cheeks and stood on her toes. Ayla placed a soft, gentle kiss on my lips. It was a sweet kiss.
I couldn’t move. Her lips moved to my cheeks, kissing each side. She nipped playfully at my nose before kissing it.
And then her lips moved to my forehead. They lingered there for a second before she placed another soft kiss too.
My Angel wrapped her arms around my waist, her pregnant belly pressing against my stomach. She held me to her, her head over my racing heart.
She laid a kiss there and then hummed almost lovingly. “I missed you, Alessio.”
My throat closed up. The love in her voice made my heart leap. Wrapping my arms around her, I pulled Ayla against me.
We held each other like this, our arms firm around each other. We didn’t let go as the water cascaded around us.
She held me in her embrace, and I held her in mine.
“I love you, Angel,” I whispered in her ears. “I love you so fucking much.”
Chapter 23
Ayla
The sound of the door opening brought me out of my slumber.
I saw Alessio coming to the side of the bed. He blended almost fully into the darkness, but I saw him. I felt him.
He didn’t touch me. I thought he would take me in his arms, but I never felt his warmth. Alessio was silent while I kept my eyes closed, waiting for him.
When I felt him move, I looked to find him walking away. My heart drummed, feeling his loss.
The air felt heavy around us. Alessio’s shoulders were hunched together, like he was in pain. I didn’t like that. Alessio’s pain was my pain.
I watched him go into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. I waited for a few seconds, my fingers itching to touch him, to feel him, to hold him.
When I couldn’t bear it any longer, I threw the covers away and struggled out of bed. It came to a point where it was harder to get up from lying down.
I padded to the bathroom quietly. My fingers stayed on the door knob, debating if I should give Alessio privacy. My mind told me yes, but my heart refused. It pulled me inside, telling me to hold Alessio. To give him comfort.
I didn’t know what was eating him from the inside, but I had to take it away.
His back was to me when I walked inside. Alessio heard me, but he stayed still. His hands were against the walls, his head hung low. Alessio had his shirt removed, but he still wore his pants.
I watched the water cascade around him as I removed my dress. Dropping it the floor, my eyes moved to his discarded shirt. It was black, the same color he always wore.
I licked my lips nervously when I saw the wet patches. I couldn’t see the color, but I knew it was blood.
My heart stuttered at the sight, and my eyes moved back to the man in front of me. I should be disgusted, but I wasn’t.
Alessio Ivanshov was the man I loved. Whether he was a monster, a heartless killer, or my sweet lover, I loved all sides of him.
Every side of him was what made him Alessio. He wouldn’t be the man I loved if he wasn’t the killer.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside the shower. Alessio’s shoulders tightened, but he didn’t move. The water was freezing cold, so I quickly turned the tap to the warm side.
My hand came in contact with his cold skin, my body moving closer to his. “Alessio?”
He didn’t face me. “Alessio, look at me.”
Alessio leaned heavily against the wall, and I moved even closer. “Please, Alessio,” I begged.
As soon as the word please was out of my mouth, he swiveled around, facing me. His expression was pained, like he was battling something in his mind.
Without a word, I palmed his cheeks and peppered his face with kisses. With each kiss, I showed him my love. No words were needed. I just held him. I loved him with my touch.
Standing on my toes, I kissed his closed lids and then his forehead. Alessio released a shaky breath, his shoulder slumping in what looked like defeat.
I hugged him to me. My pregnant belly was in the way, but I was still able to lay my head on his chest. His steady heartbeat drummed in my ears, and I placed a kiss on his chest, right over his beating heart.
“I missed you, Alessio,” I whispered the truth. My fingers rubbed over his skin lovingly as he hugged me back, his arms wrapping around me tightly.
His breath left his chest in a loud whoosh as he crushed my body to his. I felt his lips on my ear. “I love you, Angel,” he whispered harshly. “I love you so fucking much.”
I felt giddy at his declaration of love. A small serene smile touched my lips as I pulled away from his embrace. I held his face in my hands and moved closer until our lips were inches apart.
When our lips met, it felt like fireworks. We created magic as our lips moved against each other. I kissed him with everything I had. Slow and deep at first, our tongues moved together in a mating dance.
Alessio groaned against my lips as he deepened the kiss even further. He angled my head to the side before nipping at my lips. My fingers gripped his hair, pulling him more into me.
I was going to show Alessio how much I loved him.
Our harsh breathing filled the shower as we pulled away. Alessio bent his head for another kiss, but I stepped back. His eyebrows pulled up in a frown when my hands went to his belt.
“Let me take care of you,” I said, pulling his pants down. He lifted his feet without a word and allowed me to remove his pants and boxer briefs. I pushed them away and stood up again.
Alessio stared at me curiously, his eyes darker than usual. “What are you doing?” he asked, wrapping his arms around me.
“You never give me a chance to take care of you. Let me do this,” I murmured before squeezing some soap in my palm.
Alessio opened his mouth to argue, but I shut him down with a quick kiss. He stared at me, dumbfounded, and I smiled, almost cheekily. I knew how to render him speechless.
I lathered up his body with soap, even going down to my knees to wash his legs. Alessio tried to stop me again, but I leveled him with a look before continuing with my task.
I pushed him under the shower head, letting the water cascade around us. Alessio stayed still for me while I washed him, rubbing my hands over his skin softly and with care. I entwined our fingers together and brought our hands up to my lips. After placing a kiss on the back of his hand, I washed myself.
Alessio stared at me with his intense blue eyes, his gaze never wavering. His whole attention was on me, and I reveled under his loving eyes.
When I was done, I stepped out and took the towel in my hand. Alessio followed closely behind me, and I dried him with the large towel. He was strangely silent as I took care of him.
He took the other towel and did the same thing for me. When I tried to stop him, he silenced me with a kiss. His bruising kiss left me hot and wanting.
My hands held his as I pulled us out of the bathroom. I pushed Alessio on the bed. His eyes widened slightly as he regarded me curiously. An eyebrow was raised in question, but he stayed silent.
No words. Only silence. Only us.
I climbed in bed beside him. When I laid down, he turned toward me, pulling me close.
His lips descended on mine, and we kissed. He licked along my lips, demanding access. I moaned, opening my mouth for his kiss. I shivered in anticipation, my body burning hotter as the seconds ticked by.
He pushed his tongue between my lips, seeking mine. My hands lifted to his head, my fingers wrapping his hair, pulling him closer.
We didn’t break the kiss as his hand whispered across my thigh, pushing my legs slightly apart. I gasped into his mouth, but Alessio just kissed me deeper.
My nails dug into his shoulders, a small moan escaping me. He groaned into the kiss, nipping softly at my tender lips.
When I felt his hand between my legs, caressing my inner thigh, his finger moving closer to my core, I broke the kiss. My heart hammered hard against my ribcage. My chest moved up and down faster with my harsh breathing.
Alessio’s lips moved to my neck as he continued kissing a downward path. He licked the skin, nipping and biting softly, leaving his mark. A deep rumble echoed from his chest when my nails bit into his back.
Alessio’s thigh nudged my legs apart, and I licked my lips. He rolled on top of me, and my eyes fluttered shut. Alessio lowered his body over mine, his lower torso settling between my parted thighs.
I felt his hard length resting against my dripping core, and my eyes snapped open. His lips continued to trail wet kisses to my breast.
My hands went to his shoulders, and I pushed. “No.”
Alessio’s eyes immediately snapped open in shock. I pushed again, my voice coming out husky as I repeated my word. “No.”
His eyes flared in shock, disappointed and then disgusted. With himself.
Alessio swore, quickly moving his body off mine. “Fuck! Shit. I’m so sorry, Ayla. Fuck! I didn’t think. I shouldn’t have pushed you for more.”
Watching him beat himself up over a mistake that wasn’t even made, I felt my heart constrict. I shook my head and palmed his cheeks, bringing his attention back to me.
“No, that’s not what I meant. Stop beating yourself up when you did nothing wrong,” I soothed gently, moving my fingers over his rough stubble.