“What the -” Dimitri looked at the man with the knife on the ground.
“Do a better job next time,” Volkov growled at Dimitri, who was responsible for checking the security. Dimitri was about to clarify that he had indeed checked everything thrice because it was Volkov coming personally when a girl’s scream came from the room of their meeting.
As they entered the room, the first thing they saw was the man from the other gang lying in his own pool of blood.
“What happened?” Bryce asked no one in particular.
“Someone was here to attack the leader, but this man saved his boss,” The girl hiding in the corner said. Volkov chuckled darkly when he looked at a few men that came out of the other corner of the room as if they were waiting for their arrival again.
“Who else knew about this meeting today?” Volkov asked Dimitri, but the latter didn’t have a chance to speak.
“Dominic Volkov. I finally meet you,” one of the men said, standing in the center with a pistol in his hand.
“I have been looking for you to kill you for so many months. Let’s see if you’ll be able to get away this time,” The man scoffed, and Volkov tilted his head.
“Dominic Volkov? Where is he? Bold enough of you to assume Dominic Volkov will show his face in public for a measly collaboration,” Volkov said before taking off his mask, only his eyes hidden because of the hooded cap, and the man, who was here to attack him, paused for a second.
However, he was quick to gain his composure.
“Don’t think you can play me with your words this time. I heard these guys introduce you as Dominic Volkov,”
So this man was a part of the other gang? Volkov looked at Dimitri, who bowed his head in guilt.
Were his good days ending now? It was already bad that they were attacked even after he checked everything, and now one of the men turned out to be from the other gang. Volkov was already against coming here, and it was he who brought Volkov here after so much persuasion, and things had to turn out like this, no? Dimitri cursed his luck before looking at Bryce, who sighed before shaking his head at him.
Now wasn’t the time to think about these things. It was the time to act carefully and smartly.
“And did I agree with that? I merely got along with their settings. It was daring of you to attack a place surrounded by the python gang,” Dominic said with a smirk, looking at his knife as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.
“I don’t care. Even if you are the fake Dominic Volkov, I will kill you for pretending to be him. That man killed my brother brutally just because he leaked a little information. Was that a crime bigger than his life? He takes life without remorse, and I will teach him a lesson by killing his trusted and important men today. I will get to him sooner or later,” The man said, and Dominic nodded his head before scratching his jaws.
“You indeed did an awful job checking everything,” Dominic said to Bryce, not giving the man any face, and it angered him.
“You! Stop talking, or I will shoot you! You bas*ard,” The man said, and Dominic rolled his eyes before looking at him and throwing the dagger that hit right between his brows, killing him in a second.
“I really don’t like it when people disrespect me,” Dominic walked towards the man before taking off his dagger as if it was the most common thing to do, not even a single hint of remorse in his eyes.
The other men looked at each other, unsure if they should attack these people or not.
From what their boss said, this man was really dangerous, and as much as they wanted to fight for their boss, he was already dead. What use would it be in risking their lives? They thought and were about to retreat when, out of nowhere, a few more men started running towards their room with killing intent in their eyes.
It was obvious they didn’t belong to the python gang but were here to hurt Dominic, and Volkov couldn’t help but chuckle darkly.
“This is going to be so much fun,” Volkov clapped his hands as if this was the funniest thing happening around him.
“Volkov, let’s go. It’s not worth it,” Bryce tried to talk Volkov out of it, but Volkov took the pistol from the dead man’s hand, and as soon as the people who entered the room pointed their guns at him, without a second thought, he shot eight guys.
“It had a silencer,” Volkov smiled at Dimitri, who felt edgier.
It was one of the things they were scared about. They didn’t like it when Volkov’s father asked him to hide under a different identity so that he could learn to control his anger, but more than that, they didn’t like it when he would get sarcastic and evil like this. It meant destruction.
“Bryce, take him out of here,” Dimitri shouted.
“Come on, Volkov. Let’s go from here today. We will deal with them later,” Bryce pulled him down the stairs.
“Why? I can handle this right now. Didn’t my brother want my help?” Volkov scoffed.
“Volkov, please listen to me this once. You are a teacher, remember? What if someone sees you? What if Aaliyah’s friend, who is here, sees you and tells this to Aaliyah, who might start hating you? Wear this mask first,” Bryce used the card that he knew would work on him, and Volkov indeed calmed down.
“Come on. I am sorry, Aaliyah -” they heard a drifting voice, and Bryce followed it.
Bryce turned around to pacify Volkov more when he heard her name, but to his horror, Volkov was nowhere in sight.
“Damn it!” Bryce growled, walking back to the room where the fight was about to break out.
Meanwhile, behind the coastal ring, Ashton walked away from Aaliyah because he had to take an urgent call from his dad, and Aaliyah leaned on the icy wall with a pissed-off look on her face.
Seeing a few men with a python on their jerseys running inside the coastal ring, she scrunched her brows before walking some more distance to hide herself.
Maybe a fight was about to break out.
Aaliyah thought before looking at the man from head to toe, who suddenly approached her, her gaze widening when she noticed the blood on his clothes.
The man gave off a powerful aura, and though she was unsure, why did he feel so familiar?
“Hello, pretty lady. Can you please help me a little? I need to use you as a cover to save myself,” the man said, caging her in his arms, and Aaliyah smelt the familiar smell of Mr. Volkov mixed with blood.
This voice. Even this felt the same. But there was no way her Mr. Volkov would appear like this. Seriously. Her obsession with Mr. Volkov was increasing at a different level now.
“Thank you,” Volkov said when a few men rushed inside the coastal ring.
Aaliyah was about to say it was okay and leave when he suddenly grabbed her jaws, his touch too familiar to ignore this time.
“Thank you for saving my life,” Volkov bent before he placed his lips on the corner of her mouth, biting her cheek softly, making her widen her eyes.
Though he was wearing a mask, she could feel the heat seeping through it, and the way he grabbed her jaws, his voice, and his intoxicating smell, was he –
“Mr. Volkov?”
“It’s harsh to speak some other man’s name when you are with someone else,” Volkov said, amused at her, before leaving her hot and flustered.
If he wasn’t Mr. Volkov, then who was he? Did she allow someone to kiss her cheeks just because she thought it was him? What is wrong with her? Aaliyah growled while Volkov chuckled as soon as he sat inside the car, in a much better mood now.
Dimitri, who saw everything from the car, didn’t know what to say.
He thought Aaliyah was harmful to Volkov because of her background and how different mysterious things about her were coming out daily, but after witnessing this, he wasn’t sure anymore. Maybe it was Aaliyah who was in danger. Dimitri looked at Volkov from the rearview mirror, his theory becoming stronger when he caught his predatory gaze looking at her.
~~~~~~~~~~
“Everyone, get back to your seats, clear your benches, and pack your things in your bags. Only a pen and a rough sheet should be on the bench for the surprise test. Let’s evaluate how far your understanding of comprehension reading has come along,” Mr. Volkov announced as soon as he walked inside the class, his gaze lingering on his favorite student for a second before he smirked and distributed the sheets.
“Best of luck,” Volkov said, roaming around the class.
Volkov stopped right beside Aaliyah’s seat to tease her a little, and she couldn’t help but take a deep breath as she suddenly felt conscious of his presence. Remembering the man she thought was Mr. Volkov and had let kiss and bite her, Aaliyah tightened her grip around the pen.
After fifty-five minutes passed, Volkov collected all the sheets from the tables.
“Do you guys think you’ll be able to pass?” Volkov asked, and many students nodded excitedly.
“These are the patterns that come in the exams. If you can do them effortlessly, the main exams shouldn’t be a problem.” Volkov placed the sheets on his table.
“We will discuss the answers in the next class when I’ll return these to you,” Volkov said.
“Hey, Aaliyah. Come on. Stop avoiding me, will you? Are you still angry?” Ashton held her hand, and she looked at him before huffing, not saying anything, making his theory more resolute.
After school, Aaliyah walked to the classroom, dazed about last night’s incidents and also because of her brother’s vague message. Last night, he messaged her. He was flying to see him, but her mother’s birthday was coming soon, and they never missed it. Will he come back in time or not? She thought while turning to enter the class, bumping into Volkov’s chest with an ‘oomph’, his intoxicating smell wafting her nostrils, and she looked up.
“Hey, you okay?” Volkov cupped her cheeks, and Aaliyah practically smacked his hand away from her face, feeling her skin heat under his touch.
There is no way in hell she is letting her body get more reasons for fantasizing about him.
“I… I’m sorry. I wasn’t looking.” She took a step back, and Volkov smirked inwardly.
Getting squeaky around me, are we? He thought before nodding at Aaliyah.
“Principal Lincoln, it’s today, right?” Volkov called to the principal, who nodded his head before walking away.
“The session will be in my class. Principal Lincoln will join us there,” Volkov brought out his suitcase, and Aaliyah bobbed her head up and down in understanding.
“Why are you sitting alone? Don’t you have that tutoring session with your infatuation?” Dimitri, who was busy on his phone, asked as soon as Volkov walked inside the class, and Aaliyah, who was behind Volkov, felt a little awkward.
What was Dimitri even doing here? Was it alright to have strangers come here?
“Stop spouting nonsense and get lost. Don’t you have a home? This is my workplace. What gave you the idea that you can come here freely?” Hearing Volkov’s sweet voice filled with extra sarcasm, Dimitri looked up before turning his lips into an O when his eyes met Aaliyah’s.
“You had a nice match-” Dimitri stopped mid-sentence when he looked at Volkov’s glare, a little confused.
What was this? Was he trying to hide they were present there at the ring? But after his mischievous actions yesterday, when he kissed her, Aaliyah must’ve already figured that out. Then why was he acting – Wait a second. Don’t tell him Aaliyah doesn’t know Volkov was the man who kissed her. Dimitri widened his eyes, and Aaliyah’s oblivious nature to Volkov’s predatory gaze was the answer he was looking for.
“Poor girl,” Dimitri scowled.
“Huh?” she asked, confused.
“He is pitying you because you have to attend an extra session for showing your progress for the olympiad to Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln who would go with you for the first round that is going to be held soon,” Volkov covered, and Dimitri raised his eyebrows at her.
Extra session? Wasn’t he being a little too much? Dimitri was sure this was one of Volkov’s tricks to keep her with him for a longer duration. He sighed before shrugging. As long as she was Volkov’s target, there was nothing anyone could do now.