“Bo-boss, I am sorry. Please, I won’t do it again. I was muddle-headed. It was ignorant of me. Please forgive me for this once,” a man in his twenties knelt on his knees with his hands in front of him as he begged for mercy.
“That’s not what I heard when we caught you. What were the lines you spoke?” The man on the chair said, his voice dangerously low as he played with the tip of the dagger in his hand.
“Haha, I finally got you. Now we will see who will get out of here alive,” one of the men repeated the words for the leader in a flat tone, and Jacob shook his head in fear.
“You were quite boastful about spying on us. Was it because of those little rascals you had as a backup? Did you think we won’t be able to get rid of them? You have been working for our gang for so long, and you still underestimated our power? What kind of job were you doing here? Cleaning our bathrooms?” That man smirked, leaning ahead, and seeing the face of the man sitting in front of him, Jacob, who was on his knees, immediately staggered back, not expecting it.
He frantically looked around before holding Dimitri’s legs.
“Sir. I am sorry, sir. Please spare my life. I thought the man on the seat was the main boss. I didn’t know it was someone else,” Jacob pleaded with his face on Dimitri’s foot, and the otherwise jolly-looking Dimitri tilted his head slightly before scoffing in fake amusement.
“He is indeed the main boss, fool. Not only were you arrogant about spying on us, but you also dared to point your gun at him. Have you gotten tired of life, Jacob?” Dimitri grabbed a fistful of Jacob’s hair, pulling him up with a jerk, making him wince in pain.
Looking deep into his eyes, Dimitri scoffed.
“We haven’t even started with you, and you are already sweating so much? Tut.. tut… How are we going to have fun like this? Even if you are an ex-member now, you were once a part of us. Show us some guts, will you? Are you planning on pissing our boss off with your pitiful begging? Where is the spirit that you showed us on the deck?” Dimitri brought him close as he looked into his fearful eyes.
“Please, boss, spare my life this time, and I will swear my loyalty to you. It was stupid of me to even think I was strong enough to go against you. I know I am in the wrong, but I won’t repeat this mistake ever again,” Jacob pleaded and prayed, and the man on the chair took off his black shades before looking at the guy.
“Give us one good reason we should ignore your mistake,” the man asked, and Jacob raked his brains, trying enough good reasons.
He has known that many people were spared because of their families, but he doesn’t have anyone like that. Lying about it will only make his death more painful.
“I don’t have any,” Jacob hung his head, and the man on the chair leaned back before smirking.
“I like your honesty. Send him to our branch in Austria,” The man ordered, and Jacob widened his eyes, thankful that his life was spared.
“Thank you. Thank you so much, boss. I swear my lifetime loyalty to you for sparing my life,” Jacob kissed the man’s feet, and he only scoffed in return.
However, those men who knew about that branch could only shake their heads in pity. To say it was a nightmare for traitors would be an understatement.
His information about why he is being sent there will also go with him, and that would be enough to have his life become a living nightmare.
“Thank you, boss. I will forever remember your mercy,” Jacob spoke again, and he, who was playing with his dagger all the time, raised his hand before bringing it down swiftly, making blood splatter around.
Jacob’s painful screams echoed in the basement. A few new members flinched, but the old ones knew this was nothing in front of what they have witnessed before.
“Are you leaving, Vulcan?” Dimitri asked when he saw him standing, and Vulcan wiped his dagger as he looked at Jacob, who was still screaming in agony because of the fresh cut on his face.
“I don’t like this mess,” Vulcan commented, walking out of the basement, and the boys, who were standing on thin ice, breathed a sigh of relief.
“That was close. We didn’t know boss would come himself,” one of the men said, and the others nodded as they rolled their eyes at the pitiful Jacob.
“Have him deported. And this incident shouldn’t go out from here, especially to the Volkov family,” Dimitri sighed before walking behind Vulcan.
“Are you going home?” Dimitri tried to strike up a conversation, but Vulcan only glared at him, making him nod.
“Of course you are. Sorry for spoiling your weekend morning,” Dimitri looked helplessly.
~~~~
“Come to the Cornville mansion,” Samantha’s word echoed through the phone’s loudspeaker, and Volkov rolled his eyes at that.
“What makes you think I am going to waste my morning to entertain you? Besides, this teaching job isn’t as easy as I had thought. I have to arrange some assignment sheets for the students before marking their previous tests, not to mention the sheets for Aaliyah to prepare so that she doesn’t think I am some kind of rookie and run off to the other teacher at the first chance she might get,” Volkov explained, and Samantha sighed at the poor soul.
If someone had told her the leader of the most feared gang in the country would be worrying over such minuscule things, she would have laughed in their faces, but it was happening for real. And it was all because of a particular brown hair girl who has captivated his heart.
“Well, I don’t think Aaliyah would run off to some other teacher if you successfully gain her trust and make her fall in love with you. Isn’t that your main plan? You need to interact with her out of the school for that to happen, no?” Samantha asked and Volkov paused in his steps before pouring food into Miss Smile’s bowl.
“Yeah? And how exactly should I do that? Should I go to the cafe she works at and make her work harder than she already is? Visit her house in the name of a parent-teacher meeting? Invite her to the gang meetings to scare her for life, or invite her to a club so that she thinks I am a spoiled teacher, who doesn’t take his work seriously?” Volkov scoffed, and Samantha rolled her eyes at his words.
This guy was a hopeless romanticist. It really sucks when guys like him get infatuated with some girl. They don’t want to work hard for her, but they can complain all day about how things weren’t going their way.
“That’s exactly why I am calling you here. You can’t go to her house, but you can come to your Cornville house, right? Aaliyah will come here in some time. I just wanted to help you a little, but if you don’t want to waste your time with -”
“I am coming. What time is she arriving?” Volkov cut her off, and Samantha chuckled at his urgency.
“You know, on a second note, I think you should stay at your house and do your work. You need this job to maintain this facade of a teacher to protect your identity so that you could meet Harry, right?” Samantha said, and Volkov gritted his teeth.
“Do not test my patience, woman,” Volkov seethed, and Samantha chuckled.
“Well, aren’t you a cute little one?” Samantha chuckled.
“I am messaging her now. Hopefully, she will arrive in half an hour. So do not make things suspicious, arrive after one hour. Come nicely dressed. Wear a black shirt. I was going through her social media profile, and it says she loves black color,” Samantha said, and Volkov scrunched his brows.
“Send me the link,” Volkov ordered, and Samantha scoffed.
“What are you going to do with it? You don’t even use social media, for god’s sake. Are you going to make a pendant about her link or something? I will inform you when she arrives,” Samantha chuckled before ending the call, making Volkov sigh with helplessness.
Meanwhile, Aaliyah, who was going through Instagram mindlessly liking people’s posts, squinted her brows when she received an anonymous message.
“Hey, are you free?” Aaliyah read.
She was about to type who it was, scared that it was that lousy Boss’ trick again, but she received another message.
“It’s Samantha Stan. You haven’t forgotten me, right?”
Sighing in relief, Aaliyah smiled before replying.
“I am free. What’s up?”
Samantha: “Do you want to hang out with me and have some fun? I don’t have anyone to call over to play.
Aaliyah: Are you alone? What about your Mr. Volkov? And your other friend Mr. Dimitri Troy?
Samantha: Seriously? Are you making fun of my lack of girlfriends? Just like everyone? You could’ve just said no. Do they look like people who would waste time having fun with me?
Samantha: Pretty please, Aaliyah. You must’ve heard it last time from Dimitri. I am new here and practically know no one. I know you might think of it as a little awkward because we met only once, but please help an alone girl. If I die because of depression from loneliness, you will be the one to blame.
Aaliyah read Samantha’s message again and again, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. She didn’t pull the s*icide card over such a small matter, right?
Taking a deep breath, Aaliyah looked at the time before humming.
Aaliyah: Meet me at the cafe. I will be there in half an hour.
After seeing Samantha’s reply, Aaliyah quickly got ready in a pair of comfortable yet fashionable clothes with a haggard sigh. Katherine would throw a tantrum again if she saw her going out of the house in pajamas. According to her, Aaliyah was a sister of a star model.
She wore a tank top and denim shorts that reached her mid-thighs. Taking her biker jacket in her hand, which was specially designed by Katherine as her birthday gift, she told her mom she was going to a friend’s before walking out.
“Hey, you are already here. And damn, girl, you look smoking hot. If I were a man, I would do you,” Samantha roamed around Aaliyah, making her laugh at her tactics of checking her out.
All of the doubts she had about coming over, dissipated as soon as she gazed at the woman’s happy face.
“Stop exaggerating. It’s nothing,” Aaliyah sat as they ordered a glass of cold coffee and lemonade.
“So? What are your plans? Please don’t tell me you have shopping in mind. I will do anything but that. It’s the worst thing you can ask me to do,” Aaliyah shuddered at the memory of going shopping with her sister and Momo, and let’s say, things didn’t go well for her, making Samantha chuckle at the natural girl in front of her.
No wonder Volkov risked everything and become a teacher just for her. She indeed is up to his mark and taste. Samantha thought before smiling.
“How about we go to our house?” She asked, and Aaliyah looked at her for a minute before nodding.
“Sounds cool,” Aaliyah said.
“Should we watch a horror movie? Are you okay with it? Let’s order some pizza,” Samantha clapped her hands, and Aaliyah grinned as soon as they entered the house.
“Perfect,” Aaliyah made an okay sign.
“So, I don’t want to sound rude, but why don’t you make other friends? I mean, you have been here for two days, so it’s uncalled for a beautiful woman like you to be alone,” Aaliyah tested the waters, and Samantha sighed while pouring them drinks.
“Well, you can say I am a bit cautious about making friends. There was one. She was my friend until she backstabbed me and blamed me for something filthy I would never do. I was accused of bullying, and she testified even after knowing I didn’t do it. That’s how I became friends with Volkov and his group.” Samantha shrugged, only telling half the truth, and Aaliyah nodded.
This was one of the worst feelings. To be accused and punished for something you didn’t even do.
“It’s okay. I can’t exactly promise to be a best friend, but I will surely be a good friend,” Aaliyah smiled.
“So, are you and Mr. Volkov a thing? Like a couple? Or like do you have feelings for him?” Aaliyah asked, and Samantha spat the water in her mouth, looking at her wide eyes.
“What? What gives you such an idea?” She looked at him in shock and horror.
If Volkov heard it, he would probably deport her to Antarctica thinking that it was her because of whom Aaliyah wasn’t coming close to him. Samantha shuddered at the possibility.
“Well, you are his friend. He goes around to pick you up, and you hang around. You just said you have no one apart from him and his group. Besides, you are beautiful, and I can see he cares for you,” Aaliyah went on and on, and Samantha just looked at her like she had grown two heads.
“Girl, even if Volkov were the last person on earth, I would still not date him. That guy is just too hard to please. He is like a brother to me,” Samantha said, and Aaliyah raised her brows before nodding.
“I can agree to that,” Aaliyah spoke before both of them ended laughing, making Volkov, who was about to turn the doorknob, clench his fist around it their choice of topic.
Why does he feel like this was more of a roast Dominic Volkov party than a girls’ hangout? He rolled his eyes before sighing.