The Mafia and His Obsession, Part 2 by Lylah James

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 19

 

 

Viktor

 

My sweet myshka…

She loved me even when I wasn’t worth her love.

I used to think—what is love?

I used to believe I loved Ayla. I used to think that was love.

Then my eyes fell on her.

She was sitting in her room, alone and silent…a beautiful mirage. She was knitting and the chandelier was glowing above her.

In that moment, my treacherous heart had started to really beat. My life found its real meaning—my real purpose.

I love you.

Fuck. My eyes clenched close.

I wanted to cradle her in my arms and take her far away from all of this.

But I was torn between the loyalty I had for my family and this woman in my arms.

I wanted to protect my family. My brother…my King. His wife. His children. I wanted to allow them a chance at happiness and to never experience the bitterness of loss. They had been through enough pain.

But I also wanted to protect Valerie. I longed to steal her away and be the right man for her, be a better man for her.

I couldn’t, though…

I fucking couldn’t, and it cut me deeper than any blade.

It hurt more than the bullet that had torn through my heart when Alessio shot me.

After tonight, how could I make a choice?

My family or her?

I chuckled humorlessly. I used to the trickster, but now life was playing its own joke on me.

How could I choose my King and leave my Valerie in the hands of a monster?

No.

The thought almost made me gag. Bitter bile made its way into my mouth, and I swallowed it back down again.

I looked down to see Valerie had fallen asleep in my arms. It was both the sweetest thing and the most painful moment. Her eyes closed, her breathing was even, and she settled deeper into my embrace.

Valerie trusted me.

She trusted me more than I trusted myself…

She believed in me more than I believed in myself.

Vows had been broken.

Promises were shattered.

The scars were deep rooted within, and I didn’t know how to mend them, how to unbreak our hearts.

My gaze fell on her pale face once again. Her lips were swollen, the wound was red where Valentin had bitten her. The marks he had left on her body mocked me. And the Devil laughed. My shoulders curved inward at the heavy weight and my ribcage crowded my lungs, making it hard to breathe.

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.

The Devil wouldn’t leave. He made himself comfortable on my shoulders and continued his whispers in my ears.

It found ways to cut through my hardened skin, through my veins and finding its way into my heart.

My heart—an organ that was once steeled. A man who once was heartless.

A merciless killer.

A man with too much power in his hands.

He walked with shoulders straight. His name came with money and power.

With Alessio Ivanshov on his left, he was a god amongst men.

And now…

Viktor Ivanshov was just a mere human, bleeding and hurting like everyone else.

He was weak. His armor held cracks, and no glue was strong enough to hold the pieces together.

Once upon a time, my father gave me a warning. Words I refused to believe because I was invincible…unbreakable. I was on top of the survival chain, and I’d look down at the people.

But my father’s words were true.

The bigger you are, the more powerful you are…the harder you fall.

And I fell.

I fell without meaning to, and it became my undoing.

Valerie stirred in her sleep, shaking me from my thoughts. My lips feathered over her right temple, and I breathed in her scent. She smelled of peaches. Clean.

And underneath the heavy sweet scent, I smelled me.

In her sleep, her eyebrows were furrowed.

Was she hurting…was the darkness chasing her even in her sleep?

I placed a kiss between her eyebrows, soothing the tensed muscles there. Her face relaxed, and she released a breathy sigh. The side of her lips twitched, as if she wanted to smile.

I wanted more…

Are you worth it? the Devil hissed in my ear. Worthless and weak.

Fuck. You.

I gritted my teeth and ignored the hissing voice. Fuck off.

“Viktor.”

My eyes snapped down, and I looked into Valerie’s hazel eyes. “What’s wrong?” she inquired sleepily.

When I was sure her eyes were on my lips, waiting and watching, I spoke. “I am okay. Go back to sleep.”

She struggled into a sitting position and laid a palm over my face. Her blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders. She looked like a fallen Angel. Beautiful. Exotic. Mesmerizing.

Forbidden in ways I couldn’t have.

Yet I had already touched and kissed her.

I made love to her sweet body, and I fucked her savagely.

I tainted her.

Heaven be damned. I was pulling us both into hell.

“Why are you not sleeping?”

There was a thick ball in the base of my throat. Swallowing, I tried to find my voice again. “I have to meet Valentin. He asked for me.”

Her eyes clouded over. “Are you okay?”

I let out a dry laugh at her question. “Are you asking me that?”

Valerie chewed on her lips nervously. “Yes. I am. Why is that so shocking?”

“Baby, I believe you are the one who just had one hell of a fucking night,” I said, my voice shaking with anger.

“I am fine,” she replied quickly, her eyebrows furrowed. “I’m fine.”

I watched her eyes for any lies, but I saw nothing. “Are you?”

Her thumb brushed over my cheek, and she cupped my tensed jaw into her hands. “Viktor, please believe me. I’m okay.”

Valerie’s voice cracked, and she stopped speaking. Reaching toward the nightstand, I took the glass and handed it to her. She gulped down the water with a relieved sigh. “Thank you,” she mouthed.

I placed the empty glass on the nightstand. “You’re welcome.”

“You might not believe me, but…”

I entwined our hands together when she paused. “What is it?”

Valerie looked away from my face, her gaze landing on the furthest wall. “Valentin has defiled me in many ways and many times. This wasn’t new to me. It hurts to say, but I’m used to it. I know what to expect, and I know how to strengthen myself from it. I know how to move forward. I force myself to forget, and I’d like to focus on you…on us.”

Her words slammed into my chest like a heavy fucking train.

“How…how can you get used to this?” I whispered, knowing full well she wouldn’t hear me. My voice was heavy and cracked under the weight of building emotions.

“I’m stronger than you think, Viktor. I have survived seven years before you, and I can survive many more.”

She met my eyes again, her next words pulling at my heart strings. She played me like a puppet, forcing me to feel things I never wanted to feel. “I am strong…and as long as you’re beside me, I am stronger.”

But I am weak.

I wasn’t strong enough to see her like this. To see my beautiful swan break and to see another man touch her…hurt her…

I wasn’t strong enough to watch my woman cry and beg for the pain to stop. I couldn’t watch another man force himself between her legs.

Weak.

And my sweet myshka…

Her heart held a multitude of scars, deep, unhealed…yet it still beat with strength greater than mine.

My lips met the skin of her neck, and I kissed her there. Our fate had been sealed with one sweet kiss.

“We’ll be okay, Viktor.”

I wanted to believe that.

Pulling away, I threaded my fingers through her hair, caressing her scalp. Her eyes fluttered sleepily. “Go back to sleep, myshka.”

She hummed and closed her eyes. When I was sure she was asleep once again, I left the bed and got dressed. My feet were almost dragging behind me as I forced myself to leave her behind.

But it was time for business.

It was time for me to face Valentin and the outcome of tonight.

Chaos had been unleashed, and I had to deal with the aftermath.

Closing the bedroom door behind me, I ignored Yegor, who was standing outside, vigilant in his position. He walked behind me, and I felt his need to speak, but he knew better. So he kept his mouth shut. There was nothing to say…nothing could be undone.

I stilled when I felt a touch on my shoulder. Yegor moved closer to my back so he could whisper in my ears. “Straighten your shoulders, Viktor. This is your game.” Do not show Valentin your weakness.

At his words, I realized how fucking pathetic I must have looked. Standing straighter, I faced what was in front of me. I sent a silent thank you to Yegor for having my back.

We didn’t come from the same blood, yet we bled the same life.

Loyalty ran through our veins. Brothers.

The estate was silent. Dark and eerie. It was late and everyone was asleep. When I turned around the corner of Valentin’s hall, where his office was situated, I found his bodyguards there. The same fucking assassins guarding his door. His life.

This meant only one thing.

Valentin Solonik feared me.

He knew what I was capable of, so these fuckwads were his protection.

I stopped in front of Valentin’s office, facing his dogs. One of the men patted me down, and when they were sure I had no weapons, they let me in.

Walking inside, I found Valentin sitting behind his desk. His feet were up, crossed at the ankles. A lit cigar sat between his lips, and when I entered, his eyes lit up with a darkness that spoke to my own soul.

Valentin was gloating, as if he had already won.

“Come in. Take a seat, Konstantin.”

I stayed standing. “Whatever you have to say, hurry the fuck up. I’ve got better things to do, Valentin.”

He shrugged. “Why are you so grumpy? Was tonight not enough for you?”

I seethed at his words, feeling my blood boil, and I fought against myself.

He chuckled. “Son, take a seat and let’s have a drink. We have much to discuss. In fact, I have a deal for you. You won’t be able refuse this one.”

Realizing that I had to play this game his way, I took a seat, but not before snatching a bottle of vodka. I pulled the cap off and then brought the drink to my mouth, taking a huge gulp.

He wanted to play…fine, game on, motherfucker.