“What?” Volkov scrunched his eyebrows when he saw his friends looking at him with disapproving looks.
“It’s almost evening. You shouldn’t have let her walk on her own like this. She is a girl. Besides, don’t you want to win her heart? Is this how you are going to do it? By letting her walk on her own? These are the moments that you should make use of. Have you been living with boys for so long that you have forgotten how to be a romanticist?” Samantha scoffed.
“She is not just any random girl, Volkov. She is a girl with a very attractive body and personality,” Dimitri added.
“She is right. I am not too well versed in this field, but from all the movies I watched, girls appreciate little things like these the most,” Dimitri nodded, and Volkov rolled his eyes.
“I don’t want to come off as a pushover,” Volkov sat lazily when his phone vibrated with an incoming call from Bryce.
“Yes?”
“Well, as you had said, I looked into why Aaliyah’s family moved here three months ago, and guess what I found?” Bryce spoke in a serious tone.
“What?”
“It was because they were attacked.”
“By some gang?” Volkov asked, and Bryce sighed.
“The information isn’t 100% legit since the boys got it from asking the shop owners, but it looks like it was because someone was obsessed with Aaliyah. They had filed multiple complaints about someone following Aaliyah. The girl was nearly burnt in the fire. And it wasn’t the first time,” Bryce paused, and Volkov felt a weird emotion of anguish in his mind.
“I will call you later if the boys find anything else. I will try to gather some information from Katherine too,” Bryce hung the call, making Volkov look at his friends, who were looking at him with expectations, wanting to know what happened.
Now that he thinks about it, she is quite fearful and gets scared and annoyed when someone sneaks on her. Even today, she snapped at him because she felt like he sneaked on her.
Even in the car, she was constantly looking around as if trying to pinpoint something.
“I think you guys were right. I should drop her,” Volkov vaguely answered, confusing his friends.
Starting the car, he followed the path to her house, squinting his brows when he didn’t find her the whole way.
“Did she go somewhere else?” Volkov thought and was about to turn his car in the direction of his house when he saw Ashton driving past him, and judging from the speed, it looked like he was in a hurry to go somewhere.
Turning his car, he followed Ashton’s car, his intuition telling him something was wrong.
Stopping the car right behind Ashton’s, he stepped out, his intuition intensifying when he noticed they were standing in front of the deep forest.
“Mr. Volkov?” Ashton scrunched his brows.
“What are you doing here, Ashton?” Volkov didn’t hide that he was following him.
“You look worried. Is everything okay? Are you in some kind of trouble?” Volkov probed more, and Ashton, who was already in a hurry, sighed loudly before shaking his head as he started walking inside the forest hurriedly, Volkov following suit.
“It’s Aaliyah. She called me, and it sounded like she was in trouble. Her phone’s last location is this forest,” Ashton said, and Volkov felt a pang of guilt settling in his heart.
If something happened to her today, he would be the one to blame since he wasn’t thoughtful enough to drop her home. Maybe Samantha was right. He was doing an awful job of wooing and protecting her.
“Let’s find her together. Don’t worry. Nothing will happen to her,” Volkov nodded at Ashton, and both of them split as they shouted Aaliyah’s name.
“Aaliyah!”
“Miss Aaliyah Gold!”
“Aaliyah!”
“Miss Gold!” Volkov rushed further.
If someone would be running from anyone, in which direction would that person most likely go? Volkov thought before running straight inside the forest, scrunching his brows when he heard the faint voice of a girl.
Aaliyah, who had felt like someone was indeed following her this time for sure and had run into the forest, looked at the bluff guy, who looked back at her with a toothy grin.
“Who are you? Why are you following me?” Aaliyah looked around, sighing in frustration.
Most people run toward civilization in hopes of getting some help when they are in trouble. She was probably the only person who ran towards the forest from the city to save her life.
“Why am I following you? Shouldn’t you already know the answer to it? It looks like you still haven’t learned your lesson. Our boss clearly warned you against meeting other men, no? That boy, what’s his name, Ashton Cooper? What is your relationship with him?” That guy asked, and Aaliyah’s gaze immediately darkened at the mention of the boss.
“You are his man? Can you guys not leave me alone? I have nothing to do with you or your boss. I just want to live my life happily. What did I ever do to you guys that you can’t leave me alone!” Aaliyah shouted, and the guy smirked at her.
“What did you do? Your biggest mistake is making our boss fall in love with you. Your second mistake is rejecting our boss’s proposal, and your third mistake is meeting other boys even after being warned,” the guy said before he grabbed her neck, and Aaliyah closed her eyes.
“What makes you guys think you can control my life just because of this pathetic emotion? I have had enough of this drama. I still haven’t gotten even with you guys for the last time,” Aaliyah cracked her knuckles, and before that guy could hit her, Aaliyah hit his balls before punching his nose.
Turning her hand swiftly, she was about to kick his face when she saw him taking out his knife.
“B*tches like you need to be taught their place,” that guy’s gruff voice, and Aaliyah’s survival instinct immediately kicked in.
She twisted her body before she bent and kicked the back of his knees, twisting his hand, and making him drop his knife, as she picked up the knife before placing it on his neck.
“Tell your boss that Aaliyah Gold isn’t the same girl they had kidnapped and tortured because she was weak. Now she knows how to fight for herself, but then again, will you stay alive to tell him that?” Aaliyah tilted her head before smiling deviously.
“Miss Gold?” She heard a voice she least expected and closed her eyes to control her predatory emotions before putting on a scared facade.
“Mr. Volkov?” Aaliyah’s tears of frustration slid down her cheeks.
Aaliyah had thought she wouldn’t have to deal with something like this when she moved here, but it looked like she was too wrong about the situation.
She didn’t realize how many emotions she was holding inside her and controlling her demons until she saw Volkov.
Seeing the situation in front of him, Volkov immediately got a gist of what had happened here and couldn’t help but feel the nerve on his face ticking as he felt an indescribable fury burning his heart.
“Shhh, I am here now,” Volkov walked to Aaliyah before holding the guy’s hands and twisting them behind him.
“Aaahhhh!” The guy’s screams echoed in the forest, making the birds fly as his hand dislocated from his shoulder.
Doing the same thing with his leg, Volkov clenched his fist as he was almost about to twist his neck before he realized his situation. He was in front of Aaliyah. Hating him for killing someone was the last thing he wanted her to do.
“Let me call the cops. They will handle him properly,” Volkov said, and Aaliyah turned around.
As he was making the call, Volkov noticed his Aaliyah was hugging herself close with her head hung low and couldn’t help but sigh.
It was nothing for a guy like him, but for a girl like her, it must’ve startled her, no?
Aaliyah, on the other hand, took a deep breath. She had been kickboxing for ten years now, and she knew how to handle this matter, thanks to her dad, but she had called Ashton because of the uncertainty of the matter.
Besides, she didn’t want to get her hands dirty on a scum like this. It was good that she stopped herself from slicing his neck at the last moment, or no matter how scared she would’ve acted, nothing would’ve been enough to explain the murder.
“Hey, you don’t need to be afraid -” Volkov’s words cut short when Ashton found them, and she practically jumped in his arms.
“Are you okay? I nearly had a heart attack when I heard you. How did this bas*ard find you? What were you doing walking alone? Can you be a little bit more careful? Did you kill him? I will take care of it,” Ashton said without a care in the world, not even bothering with his teacher that was standing in front of him.
“Hey, speak something,” Ashton patted Aaliyah’s back, and she just snuggled closer to him, making him sigh.
“Is he dead?” Ashton asked, and Volkov raised his brows at his change in demeanor.
“I broke his hand and leg. She didn’t kill him,” Volkov said flatly.
“You have called the cops?” Ashton roamed his hand in Aaliyah’s hair, and Volkov nodded.
“Stop feeling sad about it. It has passed. Just be careful in the future. Come, I will buy you your favorite food,” Ashton said, and Volkov was about to suggest taking her home, but before he could, Aaliyah sniffled before nodding her head happily, making Volkov sigh.
Why did he even bother?
~~~~
“Hey, everyone is already here? Why didn’t you return home, Volkov? Did you drop her safely?” Dimitri asked as soon as he sat on the table, and seeing Volkov’s gaze darkening, everyone looked at him, annoyed.
They were already having a bad time because of Volkov’s sour mood. Why was he adding fuel to the fire?
“Can we get started with the meeting already?” Volkov seethed, feeling furious for no reason in particular, and it didn’t go unnoticed by Bryce.
“What is Benjamin’s view regarding the collaboration of two gangs?” Volkov asked.
“He said to meet the leader and co-leader and discuss it,” Shane said, and Volkov pinched the area between his brows.
“What the hell makes him think I am going to do these minuscule works for him here? Didn’t you send my message? I didn’t shift here for him to make me his messenger for this branch. I am laying low for the moment and trying my best to hide my identity, so what gives him the idea I am going to risk it all?” Volkov slammed his fist on the table, and everyone jumped a little at his outburst, trying their best to behave and not offend him.
“We will talk to Benjamin again. Let’s end the meeting for today. This doesn’t look like a good time to talk,” Bryce said, and everyone left one by one.
“What is making you so angry, Volkov?” Bryce asked as soon as everyone except Dimitri left the table.
“I am just annoyed that he won’t let me live in peace. He knows I want to concentrate on hiding and -,” Volkov paused, and Bryce scoffed.
“Yeah? Are you sure that’s the only thing angering you? That it doesn’t have anything to do with an 18-year-old girl you are infatuated with?” Bryce leaned in the chair, and Dimitri raised his brows.
“So, is that the reason you asked me to keep my paws off her? Is she the one who caught your gaze?” Dimitri looked surprised.
“I don’t think I am answerable to anyone, am I?” Volkov countered, and they sighed.
“I am merely intrigued by her because I didn’t want her to unravel my secret. I don’t want any random girl to come and ruin my plans. You know what I do when I get angry, no?” Volkov paused.
“That’s what you need to tell everyone. No one should know I am in this school for her, especially her, and I hope you will keep it a secret from her elder sister. Let’s stay away from each other’s love life until it’s affecting the operation of the gang, yeah?” Volkov lit his cigarette, and Bryce looked away.
Closing his eyes, Volkov sighed when the image of Aaliyah hugging Ashton as if her life depended on him flashed in front of him, making him clench his fists.
He needs to make her trust him soon, or he doesn’t think he will be able to keep his hands off her for too long.
As he sat there, feeling annoyed with his emotions, his ears perked when he heard her sweet voice.
Turning around, he quirked his brows when he saw her entering alone as she talked to someone over the phone.
“You know how things are. Just a warning? Do you think a warning is going to end this? I want to end things once and for all. Kill him. I don’t care. Yeah, take care of it. I love you too,” Aaliyah slumped in the booth, looking tired, and Volkov noticed the bandage on her knuckles, feeling intrigued again.
“She looks like she came here directly after boxing or beating someone,” Dimitri mumbled beside him, and Volkov was about to greet her when he saw a man wearing a black suit coming and sitting close to her.
The face of that man was unrecognizable because of the mask, but Volkov could notice that Aaliyah knew the person.
“Why are you looking at her like you are spying?” Dimitri’s words caught him off guard, and he was about to turn again when he saw the guy hugging Aaliyah, kissing her forehead, and leaving.
If seeing her hugging Ashton made him angry, he was furious now. And the worst thing was, he didn’t know if he was curious or wanted to strangle her to know all these things from her mouth itself.