Page 5

Chapter Five

Aiden

“I can’t believe you just let her go,” Finn mutters as we stand on the porch of our mom’s house.

“It’s the only thing that will maybe help prevent a war from happening. It was needed after you killed Ivan. Don’t judge me.”

He slants his eyes at me. “I think you’ve gone a little soft.”

“I’m not Dante. I have no romantic feelings for the girl. I just want to help keep you alive.”

Finn doesn’t say more as the door opens and our mother stands before us in all of her glory. At five feet, she’s tiny but the scowl on her face makes her formidable. Fiona Murphy. She’s a woman who has seen some shit but she doesn’t let that affect her. Not even the scar on her lower jaw gets in the way of her living her life.

“Boys,” she says, her scowl instantly disappearing and replaced with a smile. “I thought you were that annoying Christian lady who keeps trying to sell me bibles. But it’s just my sons.” She hugs each of us before inviting us inside. If there’s one person who can keep my brother and me in line, it’s our mother.

Her house is a charming little cottage that she’s lived in after me and Finn moved out. Living in the house we grew up in was too tough for her, I know. My eyes flick to the scar on her jaw.

“How are you, Ma?” Finn asks.

“I’m good, good.” She starts making us tea even though she knows me and Finn both hate tea. It’s something she always seems to forget about. Or she just doesn’t care. “And how have my boys been?”

She knows we’re hitmen but would rather not hear about it. Ignorance is bliss.

“We’re good,” I force myself to say. No point in telling her about the war Finn has surely plunged us into.

“That’s good.” She sets down a cup of tea before us and sits there, just smiling.

Our get-togethers with our mother always go like this. Chit-chat but never anything substantial. She knows the lives we live but doesn’t want to ask us about it and we know better than to share it with her.

I’ve never really had anyone other than Finn I could go to about my job. Maybe that’s why I would do anything to save Finn’s life, even at the expense of my own.

“How are you two?” She wags a finger between us. “Everything good?”

Finn and I look at each other. I’m the first one to look away because if I don’t, I’ll tell our mon how fucking mad I am with him for killing Ivan.

“Everything’s good,” I say tightly.

“It always is, Ma.”

She lets out a sigh of relief. “That’s good. Always good.”

Dante

When I find out that Elena has been returned to her mother’s house, to say I’m surprised is an understatement. What the hell are Finn and Aiden doing?

I go to see her.

“Elena doesn’t want to talk to anyone right now,” Viktoriya says, not letting me into the house. “And she especially doesn’t want to talk to you.” She sneers at me. I’ll always be a filthy Italian in her eyes.

“I need to ask her a couple of questions. It’s important.”

“No.” She tries to shut the door but I slam my hand against it and shove it open, letting myself on in.

“You can’t,” she argues.

“I can.” I don’t find Elena anywhere on the ground floor so I hurry upstairs. After trying every room, I finally find her. Viktoriya is right behind me, berating me the entire time.

Elena is curled into a ball on her bed. There’s no light in her eyes. I’m sure knowing her father is dead is eating away at her.

“Elena.”

She scrambles up and away from me. “Don’t hurt me.”

“I won’t hurt you. I didn’t send Aiden and Finn after you. I promise. I just need to know what happened.”

“What do you know?” she whispers.

“Your father is dead.”

“I know. Finn shot him right before my eyes.”

Fuck. Finn is out of control. I know that I’m going to have to kill him. I hate that Erik is fucking right.

“And then they let you go?”

She shakes her head. “It was Aiden who brought me back home.”

Huh. So Aiden did a good thing. He wasn’t the one who killed Ivan. Maybe there’s hope for him yet but that would require him turning against his brother and I’m not sure he would ever do that.

“Why are you here?” she asks me.

“I’m here to make sure you’re safe. Things could have been a lot worse if you had been hurt too. Maybe I can try and prevent a war from happening.”

She shudders and wraps her blanket around herself. “I just know that I never want to see those men again. Finn killed my father. He can rot in hell.”

The viciousness in her voice is something I’ve never heard from Elena before. Normally, she’s soft spoken. She reminds me a lot of my friend’s daughter, Aria, who’s like a daughter to me. Aria is full of passion and anger.

Elena never was… until she had to watch her father get killed right before her eyes. I feel bad for the girl.

I shouldn’t be so hesitant to kill Finn. He got himself in this mess and now I have to end it. But maybe I can spare Aiden’s life. I can try and do one good thing at least.

“Leave,” Viktoriya snaps.

“Leaving,” I mutter. Once I’m back on the street, I call Erik. “I have a deal for you. I’ll kill Finn if I get to spare Aiden’s life. Aiden brought Elena back home. He didn’t kill Ivan. Finn did. That’s my offer.”

Erik is quiet for a moment before he says, “Deal.”

I hang up. Now, I have to find Finn and kill him.

Elena

“Why are you sleeping in so late?” Viktoryia mutters, barging into my room. I look at my mom but I don’t feel anything. I haven’t really felt anything since I got home yesterday.

“You should be out of bed. We need to think about what we’re going to do now that your father is gone.”

I roll onto my side away from her. “I just want to sleep.”

She yanks the blanket off me. The sudden cold only makes me curl more into a ball. “I know you’re missing your father. So am I. But we can’t lay about in bed all day. We have to think about what we’re going to do for money. We cannot lose this house.”

“Doesn’t Dad have money saved away?”

“He does but it won’t last me the rest of my life. I’m only forty-five, Elena. I could live to be a hundred.”

“How much money is it?” Not that I really care. I don’t care about anything anymore.

“It’s only five million dollars. It’s not enough.”

I stare at my mother like she’s crazy. “I think you can make it work.”

“Well you don’t have to worry about it. You’re going to marry Viktor and be taken care of. I won’t be. I’ll have no one. How is that fair?”

“I had to watch my dad die right before my eyes after I was kidnapped by two lunatics. I’m sorry I don’t have much sympathy for you right now.”

Her face curdles into something monstrous. “I lost my husband, you know. You’re not the only one in pain right now.”

“I don’t care.” I’ve been so afraid of my mom for years. Her little comments were tearing down my mind. But now that I’ve lost my father, nothing seems as bad. My mother doesn’t scare me as much anymore. She doesn’t have any real power.

The people who do have real power are the ones who killed my father.

She huffs and storms out of the room.

Across my room is all of the presents from my party I never opened. I’m guessing my mom just tossed them in a corner and called it a day after I was taken.

I spy Inessa’s canvas and paints she got for me. It’s the only thing that makes me get out of bed.

I begin to paint.

My fingers move of their own accord, drawing shapes that I’m not even aware of what they are until I’m done.

When I finish, I stare down at what I created. It’s a face. An abstract face that’s not exactly human but the parts that are human are recognizable to me.

It’s Aiden.

I gasp and drop the small canvas. Why in the world did I draw my captor? He did do a good thing in returning me to my home but he still helped his brother kidnap me.

He still helped his brother kidnap my father, so I could watch him die.

Aiden might not be as evil as Finn but he’s still evil. So why is he on my mind?

My door bangs open, making me jump. It’s my mother. “Viktor is here to talk to you. So make yourself presentable and go downstairs and talk to him.”

It’s not a request that much is obvious.

I manage to change into semi-nice black leggings and a simple top. It’s more understated than what my mom would have me wear but right now, I can’t put the effort into my clothes. My dad is dead. Nothing else matters.

Viktor is a handsome force, standing in my living room. “Elena. I heard that you had returned. I’m so glad.” Even though he says it, his face doesn’t show it. Viktor is always so stoic.

“Thank you.”

“Where is your father? I’d like to talk to him.”

I go still. He doesn’t know…

What did Finn do with my father’s body? Does anyone in the Bratva know what he did? Dante knows but he’s the Mafia – not exactly loyal to the Bratva. He’s probably going to use that information to put Finn into hiding so he doesn’t get into trouble for killing my dad.

Well, I want Finn to get hurt. I want him to pay.

“My father is dead.”

Viktor’s eyes widen and his body tenses. “How…”

“Finn killed him. When he held me captive. I don’t know what he did with the body. But he’s dead.”

“How did you get home?”

“The other one, Aiden, took me home. I don’t know why he did it. He just… did.”

“This can’t stand. This is war. This is why I said we should never trust the Italians. Dante is trying to fuck us over.” He clears his throat. “Excuse my language.”

“I’ve heard worse,” I say sadly.

“You could be in danger. If that madman killed your father, then what’s to stop him from killing you?”

“Aiden let me go.”

“So? You said it yourself. His brother killed your father so his brother might come for you.” He pauses for a moment before nodding. “We should speed up the wedding. I know we weren’t going to marry for at least another year but we should get married now. If we’re married, I can protect you better.”

All the air leaves my lungs. “Marriage? But… I just lost my father. He won’t…” Walk me down the aisle . The thought brings tears to my eyes.

Viktor sighs. “I am sorry about that, Elena. I truly am. But this is for your benefit. I couldn’t save Nadia from Dante but I am going to save you from those fucking hitmen. We can get married this weekend. I don’t need a grand affair.”

“What about what I want?”

“I am sorry but you don’t really get a say in this matter. I am trying to protect you. Now, let your mother know. You need to be ready.” He heads for the door.

“Where are you going?”

“To Erik. A war is about to start and I am not going to lose again.”

Inessa arrives later that day. Even though my mother turns her nose up at her (since Inessa’s family doesn’t have as much money as we do) she still lets my best friend inside.

“I heard,” she says, pulling me into a hug. We’re in my room so hopefully my mom can’t eavesdrop on us. “But can I say that I’m glad you’re back home?”

“Inessa,” I cry into her shoulder. “I don’t know what to do anymore. My dad is dead. How do I move on?”

“You don’t have to move on. You just… try to keep living. You survived being kidnapped by two hitmen. That has to count for something.”

“But my father died in the process.”

“I know.” She pulls out of the hug and wipes my tears away. “I’m always here for you.”

“How are you? How have you been?”

“The fact that you can ask me that after everything you’ve been through shows how good of a friend you are. My father is the same. Paranoid. Now he’s extra paranoid that those hitmen are going to come for me. But I doubt it. He doesn’t have any power in the Bratva. Most people don’t even know who we are.” She sucks in a breath. “We’re losing the house.”

“Oh no.”

“Dad couldn’t make all the payments on time. I know he’s losing money fast. I think we’ll be fully broke by the end of the year.”

“Maybe I can help.”

Inessa’s eyes shine bright with pity. “You just lost your dad. You don’t need to help me right now. I’ll be fine.”

“You can always come live with me.”

“If your mother allows it.”

“True.” We both know she wouldn’t. She’s always wanted me to be friends with more rich Bratva girls. Girls who could help my family with connections. Inessa doesn’t have any of that. She doesn’t really have anything worthy of monetary value.

“I see you got my present.” She nods at the small canvas stacked against my nightstand table. I’m not sure why I didn’t get rid of it. I should hate the sight of Aiden’s face and yet… I don’t.

Inessa picks it up and studies my painting. “It’s beautiful.”

“I guess.”

She gives me a curious frown.

“That’s Aiden. One of the hitmen who…”

Slowly, she sets the painting down. “Why did you paint him? Why keep it?”

“I honestly have no idea. I didn’t even realize I was painting him until I did it. Maybe because he let me go. I don’t know. I’m just confused. I’m just… sad.” I break down into tears all over again.

Inessa doesn’t question me or make me feel bad about the painting. She just holds me as a true friend does.

“Well, you’re home now,” she says. “And I know that might not make you happy right now but at least you’re safe. You can start to heal.”

“Viktor wants to speed up the wedding to next week. I’m scared. I don’t want to get married right after losing my father.”

She goes still. “You know, I’ve never met him. I don’t even think he knows my father exists. So, I can’t speak on whether he’s scary or not. But arranged marriages are common. You knew this day would come.”

“I just didn’t think it would come after the death of my father.”

“I understand. But maybe he just wants to protect you.”

“That’s what he said but there’s no love between us. He barely knows me and I barely know him. It’s only his pride that makes him want to protect me. He wasn’t able to protect Nadia.”

“Isn’t Nadia happily married to Dante?”

“She is. But that doesn’t matter to Viktor. Bratva men hold grudges to their dying breath. Viktor knows Finn killed my father. He’s going to try and kill him.”

“Isn’t that what you want?”

“Yes. I don’t want Finn to live in this world ever again. But I’m just scared of what could happen. I’ve seen Finn with my own eyes. I know how reckless he can be. I’m worried he might come for me again.”

Inessa doesn’t offer any words of comfort because what words could comfort me right now?

Aiden

For some reason, I can’t stop thinking of Elena.

It’s only been a couple of days since I let her go and she’s been on my mind ever since. I don’t care about her. I feel nothing. I haven’t really felt anything in a long time.

My father made sure of that.

Finn doesn’t seem to share the same internal scars that I do. He doesn’t let anything bother him whereas I just pretend not to be bothered by anything.

“What are we supposed to do now?” Finn mutters as we sit in his apartment. We don’t have any jobs lined up. Nobody to kill.

We’re just waiting for the chaos that will ensue. I know Finn sent Ivan’s body to Erik but Erik hasn’t attacked yet. What is he waiting for?

“We could catch a movie,” I offer. “When’s the last time we’ve just gone to the fucking movies?”

Finn cracks a smile. “Yeah. It’s been years. I’ve been busy lately. But I’m not going to waste my time at the movies. I want to kill someone. I want Erik to come blasting through those doors so I can shoot him. Take down the fucking Bratva once and for all.”

“Dante works with him now.”

“Fuck Dante. He chose the wrong side.”

I stare at my brother and he stares back. I wonder what he sees on my face. Surprise? Confusion? Nothing?

“Why did you return the girl?” Finn’s question startles me.

“Why not? We didn’t need her anymore. There was no point in keeping her. We only took her to hurt Ivan and then you killed him.”

“Yes, but we still could have tortured other Bratva members by keeping her. There’s Viktor Smirnov. I know he’s still bitter over Dante stealing Nadia. We could have driven him insane by keeping Elena.”

I forgot for a moment that she’s technically engaged to someone else. That shouldn’t bother me. Nothing should.

Except, I can’t get her naked body out of my head. Or how she cried when she watched her father die. Or how she pleaded with me to help her.

And I didn’t.

It’s not guilt I feel. Guilt is pointless.

I feel nothing and that’s the way it should be.

“It’s pointless now,” I say. “I let her go. Get over it.”

“I don’t appreciate your tone with me.”

“Well, fuck you. I don’t appreciate your tone with me.”

Finn scoffs. “I think that girl made you soft. I saw the way you looked at her.”

“I didn’t look at her in any way.”

“I think you did. That’s why you let her go. If it were up to me, I would have tortured her until she begged me for death.”

“That’s because you’re a psychopath.”

“So what does that make you?” he asks.

Before I can answer – even though I’m unsure exactly how to answer – the front door is kicked open and Dante storms inside.

“You just had to make problems, didn’t you, Finn?”

Finn draws his gun at the same time Dante does. Neither one moves.

Slowly, I stand up and point my own gun at Dante. “Let’s just calm down.”

“No,” Dante growls. “I worked fucking hard to make a deal with Erik. I’m not going to let Finn ruin that for me.”

“You don’t even like Erik,” Finn retorts.

“That doesn’t matter. I love Nadia and I will not force her back into a war.”

“So what does that mean?” I ask.

“It means I have to kill Finn.”

Finn looks between me and Dante. “Just me? Or Aiden too?”

“Just you. Elena told me you were the one to kill her father. Aiden is free to go. But the only way to peace is to kill you, Finn.”

“I wouldn’t do that,” I say, cocking my gun. “If you kill Finn, I’ll have to kill you.”

“Then at least Nadia would be safe.”

Dante’s words rattle me. They’re so… selfless. I can’t even imagine being that selfless.

“You’re not going to kill me,” Finn says. “Not before I get the chance to kill you.” With those words, he fires his gun and lands a bullet in Dante’s shoulder. Dante immediately fires back. Finn dives behind the couch.

I hesitate. I’ve worked with Dante for years. He’s a friend. The last thing I want is to hurt him.

Yet, I can’t let my brother die, even though he’s the reason we’re in this fucking mess to begin with.

Dante lands a hit to Finn’s arm before Finn shoots at Dante again. Realizing it’s a losing battle, Dante runs from the apartment, leaving a trail of blood in his wake.

I stay where I am. “You ok?” I ask Finn, who groans as he stands up and gives me a ‘are you shitting me?’ look.

“You’re ok,” I say.

“That was fucked.” He holds his arm, which is bleeding. “Dante really just tried to kill me right now.”

“He’s serious about not wanting a war.”

“Well, he just asked for one by doing that. I’m going to make sure he pays.”

A chill crawls over my spine. “Don’t go after Nadia. He will murder you.”

“He’s already trying to murder me. And no, it’s not Nadia. It’s someone else I didn’t get to finish having my fun with.”

Elena.

“Don’t,” I warn.

“I can’t have you getting in my way this time. Sorry, brother.” He then proceeds to pistol whip me in the head. I fall unconscious within a second.