Russian Roulette (Russkaya Mafiya) (34 page)

“Stay with her,” I bark at Spar and gesture toward Elaina’s apartment.

“Yes, sir.” He nods and immediately walks toward her door as I quickly jump into the SUV.

Scooting into the middle, I glare at both of my guards. “Alexei! Get Brent Tollfree.”

He stares at me in the rearview mirror for a beat, then nods. “You’re coming with us, Boss?”

“Of course not, drop me at the warehouse and bring him to me. Make sure he is alive.”

“Certainly, sir.”

We drive the twenty minutes out of town to one of my warehouses and stop at the one with barely anything inside. It’s always deserted unless I pay a visit and it’s easier to clean up messes when there isn’t much there. The whole place is pretty run down, but it gets the job done for what I use it for.

They drop me off and I give my men their orders to get back as quickly as possible. It’s going to feel like ages until they get back. Hopefully Tollfree isn’t too messed up, I will thoroughly enjoy being the one inflicting the pain.

Frustrated, I plop down in the single metal chair in the building and drink my vodka straight from the bottle. I’m angry. So fucking mad right now, I don’t trust myself to not kill him too quickly if I’m sober. I know the alcohol will slow me down a little and I want to drag this out for a while. I’m going to make him hurt.

I swipe through pictures and stare at the beautiful photos I have of Elaina on my phone. I want her face fresh as I rip this idiot apart. She doesn’t know it, but I have many photos of her. Each time she was busy not paying attention and the light would hit her just right I would snap a new one.

I had to have something each night to keep me sane while she was ignoring my advances. Now, she seems to finally realize I’m serious. I wonder if she knows that I’m invested enough I plan to keep her forever? If not, she’ll figure it out.

One thing that runs in my family is stubbornness. My father, Tate and I all have it. If we want something bad enough we will usually make it happen. The only reason my father was stopped, was because Tate and I teamed up to squash him.

Taking in her gorgeous blonde hair, I stroke the photo like a stalker might. I guess in a sense I am a stalker since I follow her around like a fool. The long, pretty locks remind me of that scum at the bar. I wonder if he reminded her of Tollfree and that’s why she freaked out.

My rage grows all over again and I impatiently check my watch. Storming angrily over to the square sterile table we use for information extraction, I lay out my preferred tools. I glance over, pleasantly surprised when I’m interrupted by Alexei and Sergei dragging Tollfree in by his ankles.

“He’s out?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good, strap him to the table,” I order, nodding to the metal brackets and cuffs attached to the table. I enjoy using cuffs so that way if they squirm, it cuts their wrists and ankles. In the end it inflicts even more pain on them.

Alexei and Sergei drag him over and drop him roughly on the table. I walk over and supervise as they clip him in.

“Salts, Sergei.”

“Sir.” He complies and hands them to me.

I open the small container carefully, placing it under Tollfree’s nose. It only takes a second for him to jerk awake, eyes wide, ready to plead.

“Save it.” I grab a rag and stuff it in his mouth.

“I want to hear you scream, not your words. Your muffled whimpers will suit me just fine.” He shakes his head rapidly at me and tries to plead through the rag.

“I told you when we met that I collect what is owed to me. You hurt someone I love, and that’s the biggest debt you can ever owe me.”

“Na! Na!” he shouts through the rag.

“No?” I question and he shakes his head. “Ah, but you are mistaken. The answer is yes. You see, I love a sweet little blonde. She reminds me of a fairy, with her long, wispy hair and short legs.” He gazes at me, confusion clouding his features.

“I heard you like to touch young girls,” I growl and his eyes widen again but this time with a sense of recognition.

“First off, we’re going to remove any sense of manhood you may possess, and then I’m going to remove most of your blood. To finish you off… well, I’m going to let you drown. All the way until you sink to the bottom of the lake out back.” I nod behind me, toward where the lake is.

By the time I finish with the details, he has tears openly flowing down his face. Good, I hope this trash is terrified. He should be because this is going to hurt, that much I can promise.

I nod to Alexei and he cuts strips in Tollfree’s pants so we can easily remove them. “Gloves,” I snap and Sergei rushes to get me a pair.

Grasping my tongs tightly, I approach Tollfree’s mid-section and his shriveled penis. I snap the tongs together a few good times, causing Tollfree to shriek loudly and attempt to move away.

“Aghhhhhh!” he cries out, quickly learning that the cuffs will slice into his wrists, and I chuckle for the first time in hours.

I snatch his penis up in my tongs and he goes deathly still. I have to breathe deeply in order to stop myself from squeezing them too forcibly and snap his penis off. I nod to Alexei and he approaches with a small blow torch.

“Hold the tongs; I want to do the burning.”

Alexei grabs the tongs in one hand, squeezing Tollfree’s penis and making him cry out again. I grin maniacally as I get close to him with the torch. It’s going to smell horrible and look disgusting, but my princess deserves to be avenged with every ounce of pain I can cause him.

Carefully aiming the flame at his penis, I watch as the skin burns off it until Alexei drops the tongs. My ears ring with the soul shattering shrieks of a tortured man.

“Shit, Boss, sorry, but they got too hot,” Alexei confesses sheepishly.

“It’s okay, it was time. He’s shit himself, and I want to let him sit in pain for a little while before I continue.”

I’m amazed he didn’t pass out. Anytime I do penis torture and the meat begins to bubble, the person usually passes out, well, eventually. This is working to my advantage nicely.

I step outside and take a few swigs of my vodka. I need some fresh air. The burnt skin smell is disgusting and makes me nauseous.

“Boss, do you want to tell us what this is about?” Alexei approaches me timidly. He can read my moods pretty well, so he knows I’m in the mood to slaughter someone if they get in my way.

“Not particularly, but I will. He hurt Elaina when she was a little girl.” They both look surprised. Sergei then immediately looks angry once he processes what I mean.

“Nooo! That sick fuck!” Alexei, my more emotional guard, whispers, astonished.

I nod in agreement. “Yes. Now do you two understand fully why I must do this?”

They both agree solemnly. Good. I don’t care what they say about it anyway. I have already made my mind up.

I head back inside with them both close on my heels. Sending Tollfree an evil smile as he lies there in his own shit, sobbing. I have no sympathy for him, he deserves so much more.

“Now, you have heard of the Bratva bleeding people, yes?” I stare at him as he shakes his head. “No? Okay, well let me enlighten you. It is a signature of Bratva, bloodletting the idiots who cross them. It makes you weak. Only I don’t do it the old fashioned way with a little straw. No, I do mine a little differently.”

I pull out a large steak knife. I grasp his arm and saw a few large cuts in it, and then I repeat it with each leg and his other arm. When I’m done he has eight large, sawed in cuts on his limbs and his blood trickles out.

“There! Much better,” I chortle, throwing my knife in a five gallon bucket full of bleach.

“The dick burning was for my princess, the blood for the Bratva and next, the drowning. That’s for my own anger you have caused by making my love doubt her purity.”

I sit back in my chair, relaxing, and watch him bleed.

I have no concept of time. I just wait until he is weak, but alive enough that he will still suffer when drowning. I nod to my men and they get him up, tying his legs and wrists with brown rope. Alexei hoses the shit off him with the portable pressure washer, that way he doesn’t stink up the SUV. Afterwards, they load him up in the back of the vehicle.

We gradually head down to the docks. My men are very cautious, completely checking out our surroundings on the way. Sergei parks deep in the shadow of one of the buildings.

“Boss?” Alexei questions.

“No, I want to do it alone.”

He nods, understanding what this means to me. I climb out using the lit running board step. Alexei opens the hatch, illuminating the back trunk area.

I pull all of the concrete weights out. Their heaviness forces me to take my time. I place the weights and rope down on the dock for later.

Rushing, I return excitedly for the body. This will probably end up being the kill I appreciate the most out of any other. Hauling him over my shoulder, fireman style, I carry him closer to the water.

Warm, syrupy liquid coats my fingers, bleeding onto my hands and drips to the cold cement below. The sky is black, the stars and moon hiding, helping me complete my task. The calming
swoosh
of the waves mask my noises as I drop the lifeless body to the ground to finish securing weights to his limbs.

He’s almost dead, but not quite. I can’t help the elation I feel in the pit of my stomach. I’ve gotten used to this part over time and it’s now become my absolute favorite.

The small pier is deserted and the men on the docks know to mind their own business. There aren’t many around here at this time of night. No one wants to be involved with the Bratva, especially when its leader is dumping bodies. They keep their concerns to themselves, knowing they would be next on my list.

I relish the feeling of such power. I never said I was a good man, I said I clean up messes. I’m the dark angel, waiting to take care of the dirty deeds of the Mafiya.

I was the smart one, the one strictly handling the money of the business. I didn’t want anything to do with this life, and then my uncle gave me my first taste of disposal. I don’t necessarily enjoy the kill itself, but I love watching them sink into the deep, murky waters of the lakes surrounding us. This kill though – this one I will enjoy every single moment of.

He stares at me in a daze and I can’t help but smile.

“You asked for this when you touched that innocent little girl. She couldn’t defend herself, so now I come for you, and here you are, helpless. I hope you experience this feeling up until the moment death comes to collect you.” I end my speech by spitting on the trash.

I stand up and kick him, rolling the weights along until he eventually tumbles into the deep, dark water. I want every last minute leading up to his death to be miserable.

SIX

ELAINA

three days later…

I can’t believe it, I still haven’t heard from
him. I
fucking knew he wouldn’t want me once he found out about me and my baggage. It’s just like Stephanie all over again, except this hurts worse. I’ve been sitting in my apartment moping and waiting for him for three days. It’s time I got up and looked for a new job.

I grab my purse and make my way outside. Spartak is in his car, reading a book. I walk over and peer in at the book.
Pride and Prejudice.
Hmmm, I never would have guessed. When I knock on his window lightly he jumps, startled, and turns to me. Cocking his eyebrow, he rolls down the window and grins.

“Time for work?”

“No, what are you doing out here?”

He looks at me, puzzled. “The same as always.” He shrugs “Reading new books.”

“Viktor didn’t call you off?”

“No. Mr. Viktor would kill me if I left.”

“How long have you been here?”

“For three days.”

“Three days?!” I gasp, astonished. “Where have you gone to the bathroom, and what about eating?”

“I used the bushes and I have food in the trunk.”

“You haven’t left at all?”

“Nope.”

“Holy shit! Come on.”

“Where?”

“You’re taking a shower at my place.”

“No, thank you. The boss would get upset and a shower is not worth risking my life over.”

“What on earth could he get angry about?”

“About me being inside your apartment.”

“Oh! Gotcha! Okay, well then you stay alive and stinky and I will drive around looking for a new job.” I smile and shrug.

“What’s wrong with your old job?”

“I walked out in the middle of it the other day.”

“Doesn’t matter, Tate owns it and Viktor runs it for him. You could go in there and sit on the bar stool and you’d still get paid.”

I look at him, stunned. “Are you serious?”

“Yes, ma’am, I’m serious.”

“Well, then I’m going to work and I’m wearing my shorts,” I respond tartly. He beams a smile and nods.

So Viktor hasn’t called me, but he keeps his guy on me and I still have my job. I really don’t understand him at all and I ponder this as I head toward my car.

I arrive to work and everyone acts normal, like I just had a day off or something. It feels like I’m walking around in the Twilight Zone. Maybe I really could do whatever I want and not get in trouble. Nice.

I clock in and start my regular set up. Might as well; I have nothing else to do, but worry about
him
and I will lose my head if I sit and dwell on it all day. I feel sort of guilty. I bet Hawk was dragged over here to cover the shifts I’ve missed. I’ll have to apologize the next time I see him.

An hour or so goes by and I hear keys clink on the bar. Turning, I’m faced with Viktor sitting in his normal spot, grinning at me as if he hasn’t been absent from my life for half the week. I don’t know whether to be excited or angry right now.

“Can I have my usual?” he murmurs and my pussy clenches when I hear his voice. I swallow and nod.

I go through the motions of making his vodka-seven with lime wedge. I place it before him on top of a bar napkin and he smiles sweetly at me. Bastard has some nerve popping up like everything’s just dandy.

“Ugh.” I huff, irritated, and turn to finish my shift duties. The more I do now, the less I’ll have to worry about later.