Chapter 12

Alexei’s POV

Shit! I don’t know what is wrong with me. The fact that she is engaged to be married didn’t even bother me, especially when I found out it was an arranged marriage. Did those things still happen? I mean it’s a different time and age. People should be able to decide who they want to marry.

But even though I know this is casual, why in heavens name was I disappointed to wake up alone in bed this morning? It was a surprise. Usually, I had to practically drag them from my room. We both knew that sleeping together the night made things more intimate and we had agreed on after a few rounds, so I wasn’t mad that she left. And she actually did what we both said she should do, she hadn’t tried to ask me to stay longer.

Though, now that I think about it, maybe I was just disappointed because I wanted to have morning sex, which is the only explanation I’ll accept. Because there was no other reason. I woke up with a hard-on and hope to relieve it and when I saw she was gone, I felt disappointed with the fact that I had to take care of it myself.

And that would also explain why I wanted to see her this morning. I hoped for a quickie before work. I mean the fact that she was too sore down there to have sex wasn’t too bad, it boosted my ego.

At least I got a taste of her to get me through the day. I would see her tonight and we’ll discuss the weekend. Which will be filled with lots of fun and sex. I’ll make sure that at the end of the weekend she’ll remember me even after she is married.

Now I just had to get through the day, make Xenia speak, and kill whoever was involved with the plan to steal my clients and make sure that I leave a lasting impression on Emily. I could imagine her accidentally shouting my name when she pleasures herself instead of her husband’s.

« • x • x • x • »

“Boss.” I glanced up at Adrian from behind my desk. I smirked and followed him to the other room. They found Xenia about an hour ago before going to pick him up. Now he was here and I was going to get the information from him.

He was in a dark cell under the house. I kept many of my enemies down here, where I could torture them or give them a fate worst than death. I started to roll up my button-down shirt’s sleeves, hoping not to mess up my clothes if I had to make him speak. Xenia was on his knees and his hands tied together behind his back.

The dull light on the wall near the stairs barely lit the basement and made it look more dangerous than it was. His lip was busted and his right eye was swollen.

I raised an eyebrow to one of the guys that brought him in. He shrugged and said, “He tried to escape.” I nodded and walked closer to him, crouching down I placed on of my fingers under his chin, “Hello Xenia” He glared and spit into my face.

Adrian gave me a tissue that I used to clean my face, then I laughed and punched Xenia in the stomach. He coughed and felt to his side, squeezing his eyes shut. His breath was heavy and he looked weary.

“Where was he hiding?” I glanced over at Adrian. “He wasn’t hiding. Apparently, he didn’t even know his cousin was dead.” I frowned and glanced at the man on the floor. He was breathing heavily, trying to get some air back into his lungs.

“You know Xenia, I don’t believe you. He was your cousin after all. Maybe you thought that if it looked like you weren’t hiding you would get away with the fact that you went behind my back!

He rolled his eyes and struggled to get back up. One of the guys behind him helped him up.

“You think I’m stupid?” He struggled to get the words out. “I know not to mess with you. I know you will kill me and everyone I’ve ever cared for.” I bent down, leaning back on my ankles. He was right of course. That was why he was here because I think he did something.

“You want me to believe, that your cousin, who worked for you, was not working for you now?” Xenia nodded his head. “He was trafficking girls into Russian, using my shipment. I didn’t know. When I found out I fired him from my team. That was one year ago. I haven’t seen him since.

I raised and paced around the room. Things weren’t making sense. Why would his cousin work without him? Who would his cousin be working for? Is there a chance that he was working alone and wanted what was mine?

“I’m still not sure if I should trust you. So my guys will force everything you know about your cousin out of you.” He shook his head and pleaded, “I’ll tell you anything. You don’t have to beat it out of me. I’m not protecting him.

Without answering I walked to the back of the room and watched my men, Leonid and Viktor pull Xenia to his feet. They dragged the chains that were hanging from the roof and tied it to his rope knots. Slowly they winded up the lever and Xenia was lifted in the air. His feet barely touching the ground.

My men started punching him and Xenia started spilling everything he knew about his cousin. And just like he said, it didn’t take much for him to tell us everything. As we got answers from him, I sent some of my other men to follow the leads. Each time they came back empty-handed and every time it made me angrier.

Finally, he spits something out that meant something to me, “He was hanging out with this girl. She knew who you were and she didn’t like you. In fact, I think she hated you! Her name was uhm, Shit, uhm, her name was Mia and her surname was something like Pav… Pavlorich”

I held up my hand and Leonid and Viktor stopped. “Mia Pavlovich?” Xenia nodded his head up and down and I growled in frustration. I looked down at my watch and sighed. Fuck. Leonid saw that I knew who the woman was and they let Xenia down.

“Xenia, you can go. But don’t make me regret it.” He nodded and as the ropes left his wrists he rubbed them and winced. “I get it. If you didn’t do this I would have no respect for you. But I’ve made more money with you on my side. I wouldn’t do anything to put that at risk.

**Copyright © 2020 by Grace Write**

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