Page 14

I furrowed my brows as I stirred from my sleep, feeling the softness of something against my cheek.

A deep sigh fell from my lips, nuzzling deeper into the pillow that I buried my face in—hiding from the bright light.

The soft-touch ran down to my neck.

Something I realized wasn't a hallucination.

Someone's touching me.

My tired eyes immediately fluttered open, blinking a few times as I adjusted to the brightness of the room.

And the person standing over me.

Which made my brows furrow deeper, still feeling beyond jet lagged from yesterday as I processed my surroundings.

"Good morning," she spoke first.

And suddenly the blurry edges of her face grew clearer.

Sevan.

I sharply leaned away from her hand that caressed the edge of my jawline—tugging the covers over my body covered in nothing but black lace.

"Hiding?" Sevan said, tilting her head as her dark eyes stared down at me, "It's nothing I haven't seen before baby."

I narrowed my eyes, still trying to fucking wake up and form a sentence.

But it always takes me a moment.

And Sevan isn't helping—especially with her cologne filtering so prominently around me.

I can't think fucking straight.

"Leave," I was finally able to say, my voice raspy and barely audible.

Sevan's lips tilted up as she stared down at me, "I have been here for a while," she determined, which naturally made my brows furrow, "You're a really deep sleeper—I'm surprised you didn't hear the screams."

I immediately glanced away from Sevan as I processed her words.

Until I was suddenly processing the hotel room I forgot I stayed in last night.

I also forgot about the three women I shared it with.

Who are all dead.

And laying beside me in the fucking bed.

I immediately sat up from the bed that I stumbled out of, getting far away from the dead bodies I had been laying with for god knows how fucking long.

Sevan's hands found my waist as I tried to balance on my legs—but I immediately pushed her away.

I also brought my hand up and slapped it across her face.

The sound echoed around us for a moment with my heavy breathing.

I was irritated and Sevan was nothing but amused.

"I know none of them touched you," Sevan said, her dark eyes openly falling down my body, "But I warned you—and even is even."

I felt my jaw tighten, "I get you back, Sevan—there never is even," I gritted, but Sevan could only look at my fucking body.

"You should get dressed," Sevan determined, eyeing my breasts barely contained in my bra, "I can't have a conversation with you when you look like this."

I narrowed my eyes at her, "Good," I mumbled, walking past her to grab my wrinkled dress on the floor.

Which I reluctantly pulled on—but not because of her demands.

Because she doesn't get the privilege to eye fuck me right now.

"There you go, Zinovia," Sevan said, watching as I tugged my dress down, "Cover what's mine."

I bit down—so harshly that I could feel my jaw locking from how much I clenched it.

"Not yours," I mumbled, grabbing my fur coat draped along the chair, "Never yours, Sevan," I emphasized as I pulled my jacket on.

Sevan lazily raised her brows, "Right," she said, furthering my irritation, "Where are you going baby?" she asked as I trailed over to the door where my heels were.

At least until Sevan yanked me back to her by my hair—earning a rough grunt from me.

"I leave," I gritted, tugging against her hold that only tightened in my hair.

"Oh, but you have a mess to clean up first," Sevan murmured, sliding her arm around my waist and pulling me back to her entirely.

Which irritatingly made a warmth burn around me.

I ignored it.

"You have mess to clean up," I emphasized.

Sevan only hummed, "This one's on you Zinovia," she said, leaning into my ear as she gripped my waist closer to her body.

"Fine, I have my men clean it up then," I mumbled, not even trying to argue with her.

I woke up worse than on the wrong side of the fucking bed.

"Oh no chispa," Sevan said, leaning down to my ear, "You're cleaning this up all by yourself," she whispered, her warm breath fanning across my exposed skin and sending goosebumps racing down my spine.

I tugged against her hold, forcing her hand wrapped in my hair to tighten, "I don't do clean-ups," I said, tugging away from her hold around my waist.

She only held me firmer to her body.

"Exactly," Sevan murmured, barely grazing her lips against the shell of my ear, "But this one you're doing—you're learning your fucking lesson this time."

I tightened my jaw, "Nyet," I gritted, tugging against her hold.

"That's your choice," Sevan said, unbothered by my refusal, "But your dogs will suffer if this isn't cleaned up by the time I get back."

I reached back to her, digging my nails into her legs, "You touch them—"

"And what baby?" Sevan asked me, holding me so firmly to her body, "Because you'll be locked in this room until you decide to listen."

I tugged even more under her hold, but at some point, Sevan gripped me back so harshly by my hair that my eyes burned.

So for once...

I remained still, letting her hold me in place against the front of her body.

"Did you miss me?" she asked as she squeezed and kneaded my waist.

I rolled my eyes to myself, "Nyet," I mumbled, actively trying to avoid the warmth her touch sent down my body, "But you miss me, da?" I purposely said, clenching my jaw when my breathing threatened to grow heavier, especially with Sevan brushing her fingers across my lower stomach, "You miss me between your legs—how I make you take it all even when you've desperately come for me."

Sevan hummed, sending vibrations through both of our bodies, "Sounds like you miss it more than me," she whispered so fucking delicately in my ear.

Before she pulled away.

I stumbled slightly as soon as she tugged me back by my hair—only to walk past me.

But I quickly recovered, catching up with her as she walked to the door.

"I'll be back later, Zinovia," Sevan said, not even caring that I was now directly behind her.

At least not with the numerous guards that entered the room when Sevan opened the door.

Which left me pushing and kicking them as they stood in front of the open doorway she walked through.

And as they followed behind her, I tried to squeeze my way through—mumbling a few Russian cuss words under my breath as they managed to keep me back.

If I had a weapon I could've easily gotten out of here—but with so many of them, I can only fight so fucking much.

Which left me locked in the hotel room.

Where Sevan wanted me to be.

But I purposely sat on the floor against the door—as far away from the three dead bodies as possible.

Even if a part of me knew I should just clean it up.

At least for the sake of Misha and Varya.

Blyat.

I let out a long irritated sigh—still internally refusing to stand up and start cleaning.

Because then she wins this one.

But I'll get her back.

I swear, I'll get her back.

I'll turn the tables myself.

I clenched my jaw, shaking my head as I forced myself to stand from my seated position and walk further into the room.

There was an assortment of stuff already waiting for me on the table—something I didn't notice beforehand.

Black tarps, bottles of bleach, and heavy-duty trash bags.

I never had to deal with bodies before.

That kind of thing was below my rank.

So this?

This wasn't just some lesson, but Sevan's way of humbling me

Or else she would've just killed them and easily had the bodies disposed of, but this was for me to handle—deliberately.

I sighed, my frustration growing as I crouched down to unfold one of the tarps.

The thick plastic crinkled beneath my hands as I unfolded another one, ensuring there would be enough for all three bodies.

Which I planned to wrap them in—tight enough to keep everything contained, though the stench of blood and sweat already lingered thick in the air.

The bed was a fucking mess.

Blood soaked through the sheets, pooling beneath the mattress.

I would have to strip it all—tossing the bedding into the trash bags along with any other evidence.

My hands burned from the bleach as I scrubbed furiously at the floor, the sharp chemical scent burning my nose and throat.

It wasn't just the smell—it was the headache that followed, a pulsing and nauseating throb behind my eyes as the fumes consumed the small space.

Hours blurred together as I worked, my arms aching so fucking much that I considered if they would fall off.

And there was no telling time, considering Sevan had taken my phone.

Either way, I was trapped in this suffocating room even once I had finished—or at least in the bathroom where I sat until Sevan finally returned.

Which wasn't until the sun had set and it was dark outside.

I had spent my entire fucking day in a hotel room with nothing but three bottles of water and a large room service spread that was rolled into the bathroom away from the room.

I felt fucking sick to my stomach—I barely could eat anything after the things I had touched and cleaned.

Killing people was easy.

Cleaning them up...

That was the hard part.

I have new respect for my men.

"Seems like you can take orders after all," Sevan said as soon as she walked into the room holding a black duffel bag.

I didn't say a word.

Not even as she approached me and ran her arm around my waist—pulling me into her body as her lips grazed my ear.

"Good girl baby," she whispered in my ear, degrading me with her praise.

I still remained quiet as she drew her hand up my back, caressing the nape of my neck for a few moments.

It was silent between us as she held me close to her body, wrapping me in nothing but her warmth.

"I have clothes for you," Sevan murmured, pulling away from me as she set the duffel bag on the bathroom sink and zipped it open.

My eyes narrowed as I watched her take out a grey sweatshirt and sweatpants.

Something I wouldn't be caught dead in.

But I took it anyway, determined to stay silent as I stripped out of my dress in front of her.

Sevan leaned back against the sink, crossing her toned arms over her chest as she watched me strip down to my undergarments.

Her eyes carefully trailed along my partially exposed body as I pulled on the sweatpants and tugged the sweatshirt over my head.

And by the familiar cologne that invaded my senses, I immediately knew these clothes were hers.

"Silent treatment?" Sevan said, gently grabbing my chin to level our stare.

I stared up at her blankly, not giving her an ounce of a reaction.

Even if I was beyond fucking irritated.

I clenched my jaw as soon as Sevan lowered her face down closer to mine.

But only to lean past it and trail three soft kisses down my neck, her lips so irritatingly soft against my skin.

I could feel the softness of her touch lingering on my neck as she pulled back from me, processing her actions that sent a warmth burning down my body.

"You look good in my clothes," Sevan whispered, her dark eyes openly tracing every inch of my body for a moment.

Until her eyes were off of me and she was guiding us both out of the bathroom—making me question if I had hallucinated not just her actions but her words too.

It was silent between us as we exited the hotel room past the men who entered in past us with more supplies—probably going over what I had cleaned of the room.

It was cold outside as expected—and I looked fucking weird with my fur coat on over Sevan's clothes.

I practically rushed to slide into the backseat of the car where no one could see me.

Luckily, the windows were tinted almost black and the doors were closed as soon as I was in the car.

Where I noticed three phones.

One was mine.

But the other two were Sevan's.

I think?

"One is a secure line—the other isn't," Sevan explained as she settled in the car beside me, closing the door.

I still remained silent as I eyed the phones.

"There's no digital footprint on the one I text you or anyone else on," Sevan said as she handed me a bottle of water.

I raised a brow at her not bothering to take the bottle of water—and instead, wondering who else she was texting on this phone.

So I went to the passcode screen and flipped the phone around to get Sevan's face ID.

And she let me.

She watched as I scrolled through the empty home screen before clicking on the messages.

Where my contact was—along with a few other business contacts.

Dario was also in there too—someone I forgot I killed for no reason.

The unanswered texts to him made my jaw clench, truly realizing what I had done.

And what Sevan would do if she found out.

It would be different if she had tracked down Klara in Paris and killed her.

But she didn't.

And I killed her right-hand man.

Something that I've luckily unassociated myself from so Sevan doesn't try to come after the people or animals closest to me.

"They're always watching, but I have my ways," Sevan interrupted my thoughts, referring to the executioners, "There's no trace of either of us at the hotel—I had the footage replaced."

I lazily raised my brows in response, locking the phone that I sat back down on the leather seat.

The executioners sound like people who don't have an interesting enough life to mind their own fucking business.

But I guess I understand how they have to ensure Sevan makes ethical decisions.

If not, then no one will.

There's always been a delicate balance in this world of power.

I glanced over as soon as I felt her warm hand slide across the back of my neck.

"I have business to finish in Colombia," Sevan said, her dark eyes staring precisely into mine, "Behave yourself for me until I get back," she murmured, briefly glancing down to my lips.

I still spared her a response, facing forward and avoiding her dark eyes.

Even if Sevan kept gently caressing her thumb across the back of my neck, relaxing back in the seat beside me.

But I knew I would be doing the opposite of behaving myself.

I'm getting her fucking back.

She's insane to assume otherwise after what she just made me do.