Kiss Me in the Dark Anthology - Monica James Page 0,27
night aren’t uncommon occurrences.
Once upon a time, I ruled this city, but now, I’m forced to hide in the shadows. My past has made me hated by all. The good, the bad, and the in-betweens all want me dead. I’ve been labeled a traitor, and that’s because I am.
I happily sacrificed the lives of my “friends” because their spilled blood granted her freedom. Everyone can hate me, and I don’t care. I only seek forgiveness from one person. But it’ll never come.
Pushing such sentiments aside, I focus on the task at hand and what’s important—violence and vengeance.
My Glocks sit snugly in my shoulder holster as I’m now the one responsible for taking out the trash. But honestly, I like it. It’s the only time I feel like I’m in control once again. Stepping from the SUV, I button my suit jacket and reach into my pocket for a Cuban cigar. This calls for a celebration, after all.
I was knocked from my throne, and I won’t lie, I don’t like sitting at the bottom of the food chain, especially when the new “king” of this town is a worthless son of a bitch.
Cupping my cigar, I light it slowly, savoring the tobacco hit. It’s the simple things in life that give me great pleasure—a neat scotch, a good Cuban, and slitting my half-brother’s throat.
That night, eighteen months ago, we all lost something. Lives were lost as was love. As I can’t do anything to rectify the deaths of Ingrid, Zoey, and Sara, I live with their deaths on my conscience every single day.
But the only way I can ensure their deaths aren’t in vain is to find Serg Ivanov and deliver him the same fate. I killed his father, my stepfather, and I plan on doing the same thing to him. Twirling my pinkie ring, the one which once belonged to Boris Ivanov, gives me great pleasure knowing that tonight brings me one step closer to achieving this.
Pavel and I commence a casual stroll toward the abandoned warehouse. If anyone is watching, no one will dare get involved. Pavel reaches for his gun the moment we enter through the back door. I, however, continue smoking my cigar because it’s all about the simple pleasures, remember?
It’s a warm night, and the sun has just set. There is an electrical pulse thrumming. It’s an evening when magic can happen, and what I see before me only accentuates the feeling.
A string of incoherent mumbles fill the air, and even though I can’t make out what he’s saying, it’s safe to assume Viktor Belov is one unhappy boy. I mean, he is tied to a chair in the middle of a rat-infested warehouse.
Stopping feet away, I peer down at him, continuing to puff on my cigar leisurely. The calmer I am, the more irate he becomes. See, I told you I’m a simple man.
As Viktor is Serg’s right-hand man, I plan to take his right hand as punishment. Pavel’s patience is wearing thin, however, and he storms over to Viktor, ripping out his gag.
Viktor moves his jaw from side to side. “ты ублюдок!”
I reply by blowing out a ring of smoke high in the air.
“You are nothing.” He spits, wishing me to know what he thinks of me. All this does is cement my decision to cut out his tongue. “I’m not telling you anything. You may as well kill me now.”
As he continues to ramble, I look down at my Rolex. At this rate, I’m going to be late, so I decide to get this show on the road. With my cigar between my lips, I reach into my shoulder holster and am overwhelmed by a shiver when I come into contact with the cool metal.
“Hello, Viktor. How’s your mother?” I ask casually, producing my gun.
Viktor isn’t surprised I’m carrying, but rather, that I’m asking how his dear old mother is. “If you’re trying to blackmail me into talking, then you’ll need to try another tactic, Мудак!”
Tsking him, I take a draw of my cigar with my left hand. My right is busy with my gun trained on him. “You kiss your mother with that mouth? I must pay her a visit and inform her of your insolence. I fear she’d be most disappointed.”
He scoffs, incredulous, but when I rattle off her address, he realizes I’m not playing.
“So this will go one of two ways. You tell me where that piece of shit is, and I kill you. Or you tell me where that