Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 109716 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109716 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
“Hmm…”
She snuggled into my embrace and was asleep in no time.
I stayed awake, my mind refusing to shut down. After a few hours of holding Ayla, I pulled away from her. I gave her a kiss on the lips before slipping out of the room again.
I was back in the basement in seconds. Artur and Enzo were both propped against the wall, while Alberto still sat on the chair.
His eyes met mine as I walked into the room. I didn’t walk any closer.
Instead, I waited. There was someone who needed to join us.
Phoenix and Viktor were leaning against the wall. Nikolay paced. We waited.
Then the door opened.
The sound of heels clicking against the floor sounded in the silent basement.
I chuckled when I felt her standing by my side. She wore the same outfit she always did. Black leather pants. Black leather jacket. Her heels were always different, though.
This time she was wearing dark pink heels.
I turned to see her pulling her hood down. Nina smiled at Alberto. “Hey, love. Miss me?”
Alberto stared at her in shock, and he glowered. That was something not even Artur knew. Nobody did. It was only between Nina and me.
I placed her as an undercover at one of the clubs. She got closer to Alberto, playing the perfect whore for him.
It took everything in her to submit to a man like Alberto, but she did. Her loyalty to me came first.
Nina took a step forward, and I watched the scene unfold. I felt someone else at my back. Swiveling around, I faced the unknown man.
He was young. Probably twenty. There was a long scar on his face, one very similar to Nikolay’s. There was another scar on his neck.
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.