The Mafia and His Obsession, Part 2 by Lylah James

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 9

 

 

I loved my ass, really. And I would never forgive Alessio for putting a hole in it. Right now, he was threatening to prettily decorate my ass with another hole, and that was all kinds of fuck no.

“Can you stop with the ass shooting, for fuck’s sake?” I growled, turning around to face the intruder.

He was standing in the middle of the room now, his arms crossed over his wide chest. Alessio had ditched the suit jacket, with the sleeves of his black dress shirt rolled up to his elbows. He looked fucking intimidating, standing there glowering at me. Anyone would piss their pants.

I was just damn irritated.

Alessio’s lips were pressed into a thin line, and his head cocked to the side the slightest bit. I knew he was staring at Ayla from behind my back. Her exasperated sigh could be heard, and she walked from around me.

“Alessio. Play nice,” she admonished. Her hands were now on her full hips, and she tapped her left foot impatiently.

“I am playing nice. If I wasn’t, Viktor would have known,” he shot back before sending a glare my way.

“Oh. Piss off, fucker.” He raised an eyebrow when I snapped, although he didn’t look one bit surprised.

He was the Boss. The King. Nobody spoke to him rudely or with disrespect. People cowered at his feet. They wouldn’t even dare look into his face, into the eyes of death.

But I was a whole different fucking story.

And I also enjoyed pissing Alessio Ivanshov off. Favorite pastime.

“Angel, Viktor and I have a lot to discuss…” he started, but Ayla was already gesturing for us to walk away.

Moving closer to her, I took her face in my hands, and then I placed a kiss on her forehead. “Soon, baby girl. Just bear with it for a few more weeks.”

Ayla stared at me intensely for a second, as if she were reading me—really seeing the depth of my soul—before she nodded and gave me a sad smile.

I followed Alessio out of the room, and we walked side by side downstairs. We were both silent. There were many things to say, many things to discuss, yet we both dwelled in silence. Waiting.

I wasn’t exactly sure what we were waiting for, though.

Maybe Alessio and I had been fighting side by side for so long, on the same team, that we didn’t have to speak to say what was on our minds.

In the Bratva, as Alessio’s second in command, we were clones of each other. We thought the same. We fought the same. We bled and breathed the same.

Alessio led us outside, and we got in the car. Finally, when the door closed and the car started moving, leaving the estate behind, I spoke.

“Where are we going?”

Alessio rubbed a hand over his face, tiredly. “Red Night.”

Red Night, one of a dozen of clubs we owned. This one, Alessio visited more frequently than the others. It was closer to home, easy to manage. He even had a fancy office there where our business associates met up with him to discuss our deals and contracts.

To the outside world, it was just a regular strip club. People come for a drink, get wasted, watch some young girls dance. Fresh, tight pussies waving at you like a red flag.

Mingling with the regular customers, we had the wealthy ones. The upper class—the bluebloods, the ones who were only allowed on the top floor. The corrupted. The very same who liked to play games in the black market.

“Why are we going there?” I wondered what was so important he would choose to go to Red Night now. I came back home after weeks and we had much to discuss, but I guessed Alessio had other plans.

He was always one step ahead. Always the Master Player.

“We are meeting someone,” he drawled nonchalantly. Alessio didn’t tell me more, and I gave him a suspicious look, which he purposely ignored.

Instead, his lips twitched, and then I saw a little smirk. Arrogantly, he chuckled in the darkness of the car, filling the silence with something akin to sinister.

Fucking scary and shit. But Alessio appeared as if he were sharing an inside joke with himself. This man really couldn’t be trusted. He was slightly unhinged, this crazy bastard.

Whatever he was planning…it was bad.

And I knew I was going to fucking love it.

The rest of the car ride was filled with silence. I took my time to study Alessio. He studied me back, staring, yet saying no words.

I knew this look he was giving me.

His eyes appeared darker tonight, deeper…soulless. The intensity of his gaze was sharp enough to cut through glass. His posture was relaxed, as if he were at home, in his own element. Nothing and nobody could hurt him now. He was in power, feeding off the weaker, poorer souls.

Alessio was always silent before making his kill. Like a predator, he stalked, prowled, and then pounced right for the jugular, ripping you apart in shreds until you were bleeding at his feet.

He was death. Plain and simple.

His silence told me only one thing.

Someone was about to die tonight.

My fingers started to twitch, wanting to reach for my knife…gun, or even my fucking lighter. My skin was now itching with excitement. My lungs worked better, my heart accelerated, and adrenaline was now a new vibe in my body.

The car came to a stop, and we both stepped out. There were men, bodyguards, standing at the entrance, and they all greeted us with a bow of their head. Money came with power. Power came with respect. And respect went hand in hand with loyalty.

And these men were loyal to the core. Or they paid with blood.

It was a simple rule. In the Bratva, once you become a made man, there was no out. You either lived and breathed this life, or you died as a made man. If one thought to escape, they bled until their bodies gave up on life.

We walked inside and then went up to the top floor where Alessio’s office was situated. But we bypassed the office, and instead, Alessio walked further down the hall and then stopped in front one of the private VIP rooms.

There was another man standing there in a clean suit. Another bodyguard. He nodded in acknowledgement and opened the door for us.

The room inside was immaculate. We were on the top floor, and instead of small windows or walls, the main side of the room was made of glass. It overlooked the whole club. We could see the dancers and strippers from here, the thirsty, horny men watching like predators.

We could see everything…but no one could see us. Complete privacy. This room was also soundproof.

Alessio had planned the perfect fucking trap.

Settling into one of the couches, I waited. Alessio took a seat also. One of the girls walked in, wearing close to nothing. Her dress was so short that if she bent over, her pussy would have been in the open. The cleavage was low, enticing and sexy. I bet she wasn’t wearing any panties or any fucking bra, for that matter. The air conditioner had made the room cooler, and her nipples were now standing up to attention.

For the first time in my life, I found myself averting my gaze from a pretty woman. Who really was handed to me on a silver platter. If I wanted to fuck her, I could. She wouldn’t say no. I could easily ask her to lift her dress up right now and bend over.

We were all here for a good time. Even the dancers. Heavy paycheck and a good fuck once in a while.

But I guessed I had no fucking interest. I knew before that I was obsessed, but it was in this moment that I realized how deeply Valerie had sunk under my skin and coiled herself around my heart. My feelings for her were wild and untamed. Tainted and beautiful.

“It is nice to see you again, Viktor.”

A sultry voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I stared at the girl. She smiled, sexy and seductive.

Handing me a glass of whiskey, she winked, and her fingers lingered on my hand. I found myself snatching my hand away quickly.

“Maybe, if you’re up for it…” Her eyes went to my crotch before coming back to my face again. Her eyes held a teasing glint. “We can meet in one of the rooms. Last time…”

“…was one time only,” I interrupted before she could finish. Fuck, I didn’t remember her or the time we spent together, but the suggestion was clear.

My fucking conquests were all faceless and nameless to me. None of them mattered. I liked to conquer things. After I had won a battle, there was no interest left. So I’d move on to a new one. A new fuck and a different pussy.

Men like me, we didn’t have time for a relationship. Too dangerous and too many emotions.

Then Ayla changed that. The whole fucking game.

Alessio had to go and fall in love. Fuck him.

And fuck me—for also falling into this trap.

Shaking my head, I nodded at the door. “If you’re done, you can get back to your work. Alessio and I have a guest coming, and we would like some privacy.”

She looked surprised, blinking once, then twice. When I snapped my fingers impatiently at her, she seemed to finally come out of the trance. The girl walked away silently, without another word. I figured her ego was slightly bruised right now.

From the corner of my eyes, I watched Alessio raise an eyebrow. There was no question. He just studied and observed the show. Alessio was a calculated motherfucker who did everything deliberately. He leaned back into the couch comfortably and then crossed his ankle over his opposite knee. The whole laid-back attitude was actually scary on him.

Throwing the rest of the drink down my throat, I felt the burn and enjoyed it. I snatched the bottle from the table and poured more into my glass, forcing that down my throat too. Damn, it felt good to freely loosen up sometimes.

The door opened again, and this time, Nikolay walked in. Stoic and deadly, dressed in his perfect suit like the rest of us. Clean cut. To the world, we were some wealthy businessmen, attending a meeting to maybe close a deal or a contract.

Oh, if they only knew the truth.

Gentlemen liked to wear suits.

But bad boys wore them better.

And we were the type who liked to kill while wearing our nicest suits.

Evil burned in the fires of hell, but apparently, we liked to look slick and hot before going down into the hotter side.

My thoughts came to a halt when I saw someone else walking in behind Nikolay.

Oh, fuck no.

My head snapped toward Alessio, and he looked so fucking arrogant in this moment, I wanted to punch his face.

But damn, he sure liked to play his games. And I finally understood what was happening.

This was the perfect ploy and the perfect revenge.

“Our guest is here,” Nikolay announced, as expressionless as ever.

Abram.

The bastard walked forward. No, he sauntered forward like he owned the room. Little shit was nothing. He thought he could cross us, show us loyalty, but then stick a knife into our backs.

Nikolay stayed by the door, while Abram continued inside. He joined us and sat on the opposite couch. His attention stayed on the King, though. He hadn’t given me another look…yet.

“I’m surprised you wanted to see me in person,” he started. Alessio had still not uttered a single word.

The last time I had seen him in Russia, he was nervous and almost scared of me. Men like him were weak opponents. Useless and helpless. A few weeks ago, the same man would have been cowering at Alessio’s feet at the mere sight of him. Now, Abram looked way too confident.

The day Ayla risked her life and her unborn baby, right along with Valentin, they thought they won a jackpot.

Not so fast.

“You are one of my partners, Abram. You provide me with the best shit, and I happen to like what you offer. Thought it would be nice to get more acquainted, build a stronger friendship,” Alessio said smoothly.

Abram laughed, extending his legs in front of him. He leaned back comfortably in his seat, his eyes glimmering and all kinds of fucked up. He grinned like a fool, and I knew the bastard was already really fucking high. No wonder he hadn’t realize the trap…yet. Fool.

“We have been doing business for five years, Alessio. Might not have come face to face a lot, but I’d say we could be family. Same blood. Same thread.”

Wrong. So fucking wrong.

This man was not family. He was a traitor.

And traitors like him always fell easily into our trap. It was almost laughable.

Abram snapped his fingers, and his man walked forward, dropping a duffel bag at his feet.

“I got you some samples, like you asked,” he boasted. His shoulders were all high and his chest all puffed up. “Best fucking shit, I tell you.”

I arched an eyebrow at him. “Show us then.”

Finally, at the sound of my voice, his attention was drawn to me. His hazy eyes seemed to take longer to understand, but when his foggy mind finally registered what was happening—or who exactly was sitting opposite to him—his mouth fell open in shock.

Abram’s eyes widened, and he froze in place. Recognition shone in his gaze. His reaction made this situation ten times better and funnier. My lips twitched, and I knew I was smirking. It was hard not to.

His lips moved and he wordlessly mouthed a word. Konstantin.

Bingo, motherfucker.

Abram looked between Alessio and me, confused and now on full alert. He was high as a kite, and he was fighting his brain to stay focused. He finally saw the threat.

But then again, he was a fool.

He knew me as Konstantin, as Valentin’s heir. He thought I was on Solonik’s side, and being a close associate of Konstantin and one of his friends, he also knew what the plan was.

To infiltrate the Ivanshov and fake my loyalty to them.

In that moment, Abram seemed to think this was it. He thought Konstantin was playing the game per Valentin’s orders. That I was fooling Alessio by making him think I was on his side.

When he returned my dark smile, he seemed to think that we were on the same side.

I sent him a quick, small nod, confirming his silent assumption. I let him think we were playing a game together. Same blood. Same thread. I made him see what I wanted him to see. The perfect ruse.

He relaxed once again.

Little did he know…I was the real Viktor in this moment.

Not Konstantin. Not a traitor.

“Show us what you got,” I said again when I felt this was settled and he had fallen perfectly into this bloody web. There was no escape now.

Abram shook the web of confusion away and finally obliged. He leaned down and opening the bag. He pulled out a small black packet and then removed two white pills from it.

“These are called Tlazolteotl. Aphrodisiac drugs. They heighten your senses and sensations. We have been testing them for months, making sure they were perfect and stronger than before. We think it’s ready to sell now. You are the first one to get these, Alessio,” he assured us, looking to please the King.

Lies.

Solonik got his hands on these first.

Alessio hummed in response, trying to look interested. “What else?”

“Weed. Cocaine. The usual, but they are the best we have. I got my people from across the border. We’ve been…buying and selling. An exchange, you know. This shit is the finest Mexico has. Trust me, the market will love these. We can sell at high price.”

This was the business of the black market. Buying and selling. Until it got into the hands of the most powerful men.

Before the discussion could continue, I heard more voices. Females. The door opened ,and two girls entered the room, just like the one before. They were all smiles, sexy and ready to seduce.

Abram beamed and then sat up straighter in his chair. I internally rolled my eyes.

“I thought I could get us some entertainment. To keep the night interesting.” Alessio chuckled.

Abram looked the girls up and down, taking in the lack of clothing and obviously thinking with his dick. “I have to say, you really know how to welcome your guests.”

Alessio smirked knowingly. “Oh, trust me. I know.”

Only Nikolay and I could catch the double meaning.

Music filled the room, and the girls started to dance.

One moved toward Alessio first, her fingers teasing the edge of her dress as she started to slowly pull it up. The glare he sent her way had her scurrying off toward me. But I raised a hand to stop her too. Poor thing looked confused.

Neither Alessio nor I were interested. Nikolay looked bored as fuck, so I could tell these girls were doing nothing to his dick either. He leaned against the wall and looked ready to get this show started.

Soon.

I gestured to Abram and then winked at the blonde girl. “He is all yours,” I whispered.

She nodded, finally understanding our meaning. They were here to entertain the guest, not us. We weren’t interested.

I glanced at Alessio and noticed him staring at Abram. His eyes stayed on the target and not once hovered over the half-naked girls. He was a married man and damn faithful to his Angel. No other women did it for him.

I looked down at my own limp dick. It appeared I was just as whipped.

My gaze followed the girls as they danced around Abram, giving him all the attention. He was soaking it all up.

Time passed, and the girls stripped, teasing and playing the perfect seductress.

The curvy one climbed over Abram’s lap and was now practically humping him while he took several strong hits on his pipe. When he exhaled, a pungent smell filled the room. I could tell it was really good shit. Especially when Abram looked like he was in some other world right now. Happy and hazy.

Never let your guard down in the enemy’s cave. And that was exactly what Abram just did.

Alessio lighted his cigar and watched the scene as he inhaled and then exhaled a puff of smoke. He left that shit between his lips and draped an arm on the back on the couch, observing and tracking his victim.

I downed another glass of whiskey while the music continued, the dancing continued…it probably became exhausting for the girls. The blonde one, who was topless now with only her G-string on, fell to her knees in front of Abram. She masterfully rubbed her hands over his crotch, and he threw his head back. He looked like he was about to come in his pants, like a fucking teenage boy.

“How about we sign a contract for another five years of partnership?” Alessio spoke over the music after some time.

Confused, I looked back at him, but his focus was still on the other man. Sign another contract for another five years? What the fuck was he thinking?

I thought Alessio brought Abram here to…

What the fuck?

It got Abram off guard for a second, but then he was nodding eagerly.

Nikolay came forward with some papers and handed them to Abram.

“Girls. You can leave now,” Alessio commanded. His voice was sharp, almost harsh. Deadly with no room for argument.

Both women quickly walked out of the room while Abram studied the paper in his hands. His body froze, and he slowly lifted his head up. I saw nervousness…and then fear.

“What is…this?” he said slowly.

Alessio chuckled loudly. “Numbers. I’m sure you can read,” he drawled.

Numbers?

After a second, realization dawned on me. And then I smirked knowingly. So Alessio did get the message I sent him a few days ago.

I had done some digging on Abram. His partnership with Valentin and Carlos. And how he was trying to play Alessio.

“These are wrong.” He was quick to defend himself. His voice shook with tremors.

Alessio tsked. “Numbers are never wrong. They don’t lie. And whoever I hired to check over these, they never make mistakes.”

Abram swallowed nervously, and he looked toward the door, thinking of his escape. Too late, shithead. His man stepped forward, now sensing the mood change, but Nikolay blocked his path.

Silence filled the room. The atmosphere changed, becoming more chilled. Fear now saturated the air.

“Do you know who lies?” Alessio asked, his voice deadly cold now. “The ones trying to play games. You.”

Abram seemed shaken, and he was now trembling. “I…this…is wrong. I didn’t do this. I wouldn’t steal from you, Boss.”

Death laughed. “You stole and lied.”

And that he did. Abram was sending us second-level drugs. Solonik got the best and finest—weed, cocaine, anything out there, name it.

Not only that, he was selling our shit for higher prices, and when he inputted his numbers on paper, he put down less, taking a bigger percentage for himself.

Basically, over the last five years, Abram had stolen more than a few million from us.

Alessio was angry. He was vicious. But that wasn’t exactly what drove him to the point of insanity.

No, the other part was much bigger.

Abram’s shoulders tensed, and he went to stand up. His man tried to take another step forward, but he didn’t get far.

Nikolay was quick. He was so swift, we could have easily missed it. He had taken his knife out of his pocket in half a second, and the next second, he had the man pinned to the wall with the knife stuck in his throat. It was an easy death.

Nikolay stepped back from the bloody mess. The man wordlessly and lifelessly fell to the floor. Now, Abram was alone.

His wild, fearful eyes told us he knew he was trapped.

“You know, I could have maybe forgiven you for stealing and lying to me,” Alessio started, slowly sitting forward now. He took another blow of his cigar, inhaling deeply before exhaling into Abram’s face. “I could have even forgiven you for betraying me. For being a traitor and siding with Solonik.”

He stood up from his seat and walked toward Abram. I stayed seated, enjoying the fucking show. I’d get my chance later.

Our plaything tried to escape, but Nikolay was already behind him. He grabbed Abram by the shoulder and held him in place. Alessio, being the sadist, took a knife from his own pocket. He liked to play with his victims. But I could tell, today he was slightly impatient.

Not giving Abram a chance to think, he had the knife impaled into his left shoulder, pinning the poor bastard into the couch.

I fought back a laugh when he howled in pain. That was exactly why this room was soundproof.

Alessio took the cigar from his lips and pressed it into Abram’s forehead. Another painful scream. He writhed and tried to escape the assault. He cried out and begged for mercy as his skin burned and melted. Blood dripped down his face and his shoulders, making a mess out of the pretty couches.

When Alessio pulled the now-ruined cigar away, Abram’s forehead looked like a barbecued steak. He was shaking violently, agony coursing through this body. The smell of burned flesh and the pungent scent of blood filled the room.

“You know what I can’t forgive?” Alessio demanded harshly. Abram whimpered in response. His lips moved to speak, but only useless cries escaped.

“When someone tries to hurt my Queen.”

Abram’s eyes widened and he knew…he fucking knew he was caught.

Bullseye, asshole.

Alessio’s control had now snapped. The beast prowled forward, and he was ready for a bloodbath. “It might not have been you, but you wanted it to happen. You thought of it. You celebrated when she was hurt.”

“Konstantin…” Abram called out. “…help…”

“Konstantin…help…” Alessio mocked with an evil laughter. Fuck, I almost pissed my pants myself.

From laughing, that was.

A howl pierced the room when Alessio took the knife out of the left shoulder and plunged it into the right one. He was merciless in his assault.

When Abram noticed my lack of sympathy, he finally understood this too.

“You…” he spat.

“Viktor Ivanshov,” I simply replied.

“Traitor,” he hissed and then cried out again when Alessio twisted the knife more into his flesh.

My fingers itched to join the fun, but I sat still and waited for my Boss’s command.

“Do you know what happens to men who think of hurting my wife?” Alessio snarled. “You. Fucking. Die.”

Alessio lifted his head up and stared at me. His glare was murderous, and his face was a mask of rage. “Right, Viktor?”

“Nobody harms the Queen,” I added, my voice a low, threatening growl. Nikolay nodded in agreement but stayed silent otherwise. He was a man of few words. His actions spoke louder.

Abram stopped whining and shaking. He stared at me and then looked into the eyes of death.

He knew he was a dead man already, so he danced with danger. Fucking fool, he was.

“You can kill me now. I will…die. But Valentin…will…strike. And your wife,” Abram said with a laugh. “Better…protect…her. Because she is gonna…be a corpse…soon.”

My gut hollowed, and then I raged. I shot up from the couch and stalked forward, stopping right beside Alessio, side by side. Shoulder to shoulder.

“He…is…gonna fuck her up so bad. Make you watch.” He laughed and then started coughing, his face twisting in pain.

This was Abram’s way of riling us up. He wanted us angry. He thought we’d kill him faster this way, end his suffering. It was his best shot at mercy. It was a smart move.

Except, you see…we liked to play with our toys. Call us heartless or uncivilized, but we liked to decorate it prettily, and only after we were satisfied it had bled enough, we’d decide if it could take its last breath.

And that was exactly what we did.

The bastard had crossed a line with his words, and Alessio…well, he had his fun.

I watched silently as he snarled and lurched forward. Pulling the knife from Abram’s shoulder, he dragged the bloody blade over Abram’s face. He screamed and screamed as blood poured out of the open wound.

Alessio’s face was pure unfiltered fury as he slashed at Abram’s face over and over again. The blade was sharp and cut through the skin easily, digging into the bloody flesh. It was messy. It was filthy. It was fucking exhilarating to watch.

Alessio was lost in his madness. Abram was barely alive now. His breathing was slow, stuttering, and his chest barely moved. The fight had left his body, and he went limp against the bloodied couch.

Alessio took a step back, his fist still clenching the knife. “Is he decorated prettily enough now?” he said in a low voice. It was so cold that even I almost shivered at the sound of the deadly tone.

Abram’s face was completely disfigured. He let out one final weak garbled sound at the back of his throat.

He was unrecognizable and bleeding so badly that he wouldn’t last much longer now. But I wanted to take the pleasure of ending his life.

“May I?” I asked. My turn.

Alessio handed me his gun without a word, his silent permission.

It was a perfect shot. A single bullet.

Right through Abram’s heart. Sweet and fucking simple.

It was satisfying enough to watch his body tighten for a second, and then he went completely limp. We watched as life left his body.

“Nobody harms the Queen,” Nikolay said into the now silent room.

The three of us stared at what was left of Abram.

Alessio released a long breath, as if he were finally relieved. He clasped me on the back. “Let’s go home.”