Havok: A Bad Boy Mafia Romance - Riley Rollins Page 0,12
it covers up her natural beauty, and because I suspect she's hiding bruises underneath.
I swear, if I ever see that piece of shit again, I won't be able to hold myself back. On the next hit I performed after that night, I cut the target's throat and let him drown in his own blood. In my mind, I imagined he was Penny's boyfriend.
The girl makes me crazy with desire. And I don't know how much longer I can stay away from her. The only thing holding me back is myself. Her boyfriend may be bad for her. She may think he's dangerous. But neither one of them know what true danger is.
I am true danger. And if I truly want to protect her, I'll keep myself as far away from her as possible. She doesn't need to be exposed to my sick and twisted mind. Doesn't need to be brought into this crazy and fucked-up lifestyle that I live.
From the moment I step into the White Bear's basement, I get a strange feeling that something big is going down tonight. The thick air circulates slowly, thick with tension.
The table has been laid out with traditional Russian noodles and dumplings, but the guys are drinking more than they're eating. We're all here—Valentin, Luka, Igor, and me. We're just waiting for our pakhan Petrov to show up and get the meeting started. He's not usually this late.
Next to me at the table, Luka examines the barrel of a new stainless steel revolver he bought.
"Hey, you crazy fuck," says Valentin, "Put that piece away before somebody gets killed." He's the most risk-averse one of us. Since he runs the drug trade here in West Ark, he has to think that way. Has to stay paranoid, has to conceal his identity and constantly search for security leaks that could compromise the entire operation. He doesn't go for this kind of bullshit, never has.
"Putting this away isn't what I had in mind," says Luka. He reaches into his pocket, then pulls out a single round with a copper casing. "When's the last time you boys played some roulette?"
Igor and Luka roar with laughter.
"Oh, fuck no," says Valentin. He stands up and kicks his chair back from the table. "I'm going upstairs to get another drink. Fuck this. Fuck everything about this."
Everyone roars with laughter again, me included, and Valentin disappears up the staircase. Luka drops the round in the cylinder, then snaps it shut and spins it.
"You feelin' lucky, punk?" I say, busting his balls. But Luka is one crazy fuck who's always feeling lucky, and he doesn't need my encouragement to act insane.
He looks me right in the eyes. "Never doubt me, baby," he says. Then he puts the revolver to his temple and pulls the trigger.
It clicks quietly, and there's a release of tension in the room, followed by nervous laughter. Luka hands the gun to Igor.
Igor spins the cylinder. "You pussies," he says. "Luck is overrated." He puts the barrel to his temple. I hope this fucker actually blows his brains out. I don't trust him, and I don't like him being around Penny and the other girls at the club. This round of roulette could actually solve a big problem for me.
But no such luck. The hammer of the gun clicks quietly, to my profound disappointment.
He smiles smugly, then holds the gun out toward me. I'm the last one in the room who hasn't taken his turn. "How about you, Vlady," he says, staring at me with glassy eyes. "Feeling like a man today?"
There was a time in my life when I would've done it without hesitation. But this time, something slows me down. I can't get my damn mind off of Penny, and something tells me she's going to need me. I don't know how, or why, and it sounds like a fucking stupid excuse even to me, but I still think it.
Still, I spin the cylinder. This is a challenge from Igor, one I can't back down from. Guys like Igor seek out weakness and exploit the fuck out of it. I need to prove I've got balls.
I'm raising the gun when Petrov comes down the stairs, followed by Valentin, who's holding a glass of vodka. Petrov stops short upon seeing the gun, then shakes his head when he realizes what's going on. "You dumb fucks," he says, and we all guffaw with laughter.
Silently, I feel relief. This is my out. The meeting's starting, and Petrov would never approve