Page 13

Valeria

“ I believe we can come to a mutual agreement, Mr. Zhumagulov,” I stated, trying to sound like I knew what I was doing. “Without unnecessary threats and violence.”

“That’s funny, don’t you think?” Zyon hissed, his sinister eyes burning holes into my head. “You played me like you’re some poor neglected wife who needs help—”

“I never said that,” I cut him off, but he didn’t care and continued.

“You walked in here with a clear intention to blackmail me, threaten me and my family’s safety, and you expect me not to fight back? You’re cleverer than that, Valeria.”

I was on thin ice. One wrong move and I would lose the ground under my feet and be gone forever. He could make it happen with one stupid phone call. Fuck! If he decided to retaliate, I would never see Zara again.

“I’m only using the opportunity presented to me,” I said, my voice drenched with boredom.

I wanted to show him I wasn’t scared and wasn’t interested in a pep talk.

Even when my insides quivered, and I felt like I might start throwing up at any second.

Maybe I should’ve checked this place for emergency exits. I might need one at any minute.

“The opportunity to end up with a bullet in your pretty head?” he countered, and I rolled my eyes, waving my hand nonchalantly. I didn’t understand what made me act like that, but I knew it wouldn’t last long .

He would crush me with his remarks about the danger and threats of ending my life. He’d played this game so many times he bent the rules to his liking. Or, more likely, the game didn’t have rules at all. Only the strongest survived.

“Why are you so dramatic, Zyon?” I asked, slowly walking to the wooden table with whiskey bottles. I desperately needed a drink to calm down my nerves. “Why can’t we talk like adults?”

I turned my back on him, breathing deeply and as quietly as possible. I poured myself a generous amount of whiskey, taking a big gulp. My throat burned, and my chest tightened, but at least I felt a little better.

“As you wish,” Zyon growled into my ear. I winced and let go of the glass. It fell on the table with a bang, and the honey-brown liquid spilled on the carpet and my dress.

Slowly, I turned around to face him. My eyes broadened when I stared at his murderous expression. He was furious. I saw it in his dark irises, yet for some reason, he controlled his anger and didn’t snap me in half.

“Do you know why you are still breathing, Valeria?” he whispered, making me shake like a leaf in the wind.

My courage left me and the will to continue to pretend, too.

I was alone with this beast who cornered me in his office without an option to run.

The stupidest idea I ever came up with turned into a nightmare and to my probably last minutes on earth.

“W-why?” I stammered, almost sitting on the small table behind me, just to avoid his scorching gaze. Chester scared the shit out of me when he choked me, but this was worse. I didn’t know what to expect.

“I’ve never killed a woman,” he replied, his lips so close to my face that he almost brushed them against my cheek. “I’ve never hit a woman. I have never even smacked a woman’s ass harder unless she begged for it. But you’re really pushing my buttons.”

He lifted his arm and wrapped his fingers around my throat. The memories of the last time I was in that position flooded my petrified brain, and I whimpered, grabbing his forearm. However, he didn’t squeeze; he just held me in place, trembling and frightened, making his point.

“Why should I let you live, hm?” he whispered in that demonic voice that always sent shivers down my spine. I pressed my lips into a thin line, stopping sobs from fleeing my mouth. But my eyes betrayed me, and tears streamed down my face like waterfalls .

“It would be such a waste to kill you and throw you into the ocean,” he continued. My knees shook so hard I could barely stand. My body was giving up from pure terror that was coursing through my veins. “Give me a reason not to make fish food from you, Valeria. Fight for your life.”

But I couldn’t come up with anything good enough to save my poor ass from the inevitable.

The only thing on my mind was Zara. I fucked this up, and she would be forced to live with her father until she would be old enough to run away from him.

With this stupid stunt, I condemned her life to become a horror movie with Chester playing the main villain.

Shit, shit, shit!

“Nothing?” Zyon asked, waking me from my depressing thoughts. “Are you giving up already?”

“J-j-just…” I stuttered, inhaling a quick, steady breath to pull myself together. “Just don’t hurt my daughter, please,” I begged, letting go of his forearm. My fingernails left red marks on the parts of his skin that weren’t covered with ink.

“I nearly forgot,” he mumbled under his breath, furrowing his brows. “You’re a mother.”

The new wave of dread washed over me when I realized that reminding him of Zara would only give him ammunition for my torment. He didn’t care about her, and I idiotically brought her to his mind. I deserved to get my ass kicked.

“Zyon, p-please,” I pleaded, grabbing his sweater and fisting it on his chest. He looked at my hand and raised an eyebrow at me, unimpressed. “She is only a child. An innocent little girl. Please.”

His eyes narrowed, and a wrinkle appeared between his eyebrows.

His usually perfectly styled hair was slightly off, but it didn’t spoil his demonic charm.

He was great in his role—exceptionally handsome and downright crazy.

And I just fell for his game, thinking I could beat him on his own playground while he only messed with me.

I was nothing but entertainment since I mentioned Adam Rivers and his family.

I would never get what I desperately needed from him. Not in a million years.

“I have never hurt a child, Valeria,” Zyon stated firmly after a few long moments of deafening silence where only my sobs were heard. “And because that little girl depends on you, I’ll give you one last chance to get out of this alive. ”

He gently took my wrist and freed his sweater from my hold. Then he let go of my throat and stepped away, leaving me confused.

“Leave, Valeria,” he ordered, pointing at the door, and my eyes widened in surprise. I thought it was a trick, but he continued when he saw I hadn’t moved. “Run away from here as quickly as possible.”

He walked to the door and opened it. My jelly legs barely held my weight, but I managed to stroll toward the freedom. Only four more steps and I would be out.

“But remember one thing, Mrs. Kellerman.” He grabbed my arm when I was beside him and halted my movements.

My teeth chattered from fear, and his touch burned my skin.

I almost peed my panties, and he still felt the need to add to my horror.

“If I ever hear one word about Adam Rivers coming out of your mouth, I’ll hunt you down and put this matter to ice so swiftly you won’t ever know where the hit came from. Do you understand?”

“Y-yes,” I confirmed, gulping down my anxiety. I wanted nothing more than to evaporate from his reach. But I would have to move to Antarctica if I wanted to never see him again.

“That’s a good girl,” he praised, letting go of my arm, and I bit my lower lip. “Next time, choose this attitude if you want something from me.” He winked at me and nodded at the exit, allowing me to go.

In my high heels, I almost twisted my ankle because of how quickly I tried to vanish, yet a huge body appeared out of nowhere at the threshold, blocking my path.

“Are we interrupting?”

I raised my head, my heart painfully clenching in my chest when my tired eyes met Malin’s stoic look. And, of course, from behind him peeked Dorian’s cheerful smile.

“What is going on here?” Malin asked, scanning my face and pushing me back inside the room. The door to my freedom was shut by Dorian, who also stared at me like I was an alien.

“Why is she crying?” Dorian inquired, taking my hand tenderly. “And trembling? Zyon!” he shouted, making me wince. “What the fuck did you do? ”

“Nothing,” Zyon replied calmly, standing behind me. They trapped me between them, making me feel claustrophobic. They towered over me like a bunch of giants. “She came here to blackmail us but realized her mistake. I strongly recommended keeping her mouth locked, and she decided to follow it.”

“Blackmail?” Malin mumbled, looking down at me blankly.

“Blackmail us with what?” Dorian asked, still squeezing my hand.

“Explain, Valeria. They deserve to know,” Zyon said, grasping my wrist and yanking it from Dorian’s gentle hold.

“You killed Adam Rivers, his wife, and his father in Texas,” I answered like the good girl Zyon wanted me to be. I wasn’t able to disobey him after the talk we had.

“It was an accident,” Malin rumbled, crossing his arms over his chest, glaring at me.

“Yeah, tragic one,” Dorian confirmed, frowning.

“I accidentally spilled gasoline all over Adam’s house, and Malin, being a heavy smoker, accidentally let go of the lighter.

” He shrugged like it was no big deal, smiling mischievously.

“Shit happens. You never know when the reaper is waiting for you.”

“You’re sick,” I whispered, shocked to the core by the ease with which he spoke about it. He didn’t care about the lives he took. They didn’t matter to him.

“And?” He blinked innocently, staring at me like a puppy awaiting a treat for good behavior. “Is there something you would like to do about it?”

“I can file papers out for you if you ever decide you are prepared to accept mental health help,” I retorted, almost slapping my hand over my mouth when I realized what I’d just said.

Sometimes, there was no filter between my brain and mouth, even when my life depended on it.

But he only added to my confusion when he chuckled instead of ripping my head off.

“Thank you,” he said politely. “I’ll let you know if your assistance is needed.”

I couldn’t tell what stunned me the most: their lack of fear that I would go to the police and turn them in or Dorian’s confession about killing Adam and his family. If this was an example of how the mob families were working, then there was no doubt why the world was heading to its end .

They had no respect for the authorities because they were more influential, powerful, and probably untouchable.

They could do whatever they wanted, and no one would dare to stop them.

They could go around killing people, and no law would stand in their way.

They had the money, which basically meant they had everything.

“Are you sure you took care of it?” Malin asked, looking at his older brother like I was invisible. “She can’t run around talking this nonsense to people.”

“I won’t tell anyone,” I claimed with certainty dripping from my every word, but Malin didn’t look convinced, and Zyon didn’t reply. Instead, he placed his hands on my shoulders, making me wince, and he leaned closer, whispering into my ear from behind.

“Look at him, Valeria,” he ordered. I did as he said, glancing into Malin’s emotionless face. “That’s the man who will make you pay for your mistakes—slowly and torturously until you’ll beg him to kill you.”

“Why are you doing this?” I sobbed, overcoming an urge to scream like a lunatic or start hitting, kicking, and maybe biting them. I knew I didn’t stand a chance against them, but I didn’t care. I had to do something to save myself.

“I’m deterring you from making the mistake that could cost you your life,” he replied matter-of-factly, turning me to the door. “Now leave. This adventure is over.”

I didn’t need more encouragement to bolt from Zyon’s office into the casino. I grabbed my purse in the locker room and ran to the elevator to escape.

Only when I inhaled the cold night air in the parking lot did I allow myself to slow down. I got into my car and burst into tears, yet I didn’t dare stay there and cry. I turned the ignition and pushed the gas pedal down so hard that the wheels screeched.

I couldn’t wait to be hidden in the safety of my home, but subconsciously, I knew I could never hide from Zyon. I had cast a curse on my life, and I had a deep gnawing feeling in my stomach that he would never let me go so easily. I was screwed, and it was only my fault.