“Darling, please don’t take this differently. Okay? But you came here uninvited. Real Russian women don’t do that. They stay home, they take care of the family and take care of their husband!” The one who seemed to be the leader of the pack said. He’s talking while gesturing with his hand, faking sincerity. “Now now- just go home and be an ornament as you always are. Okay?” He continued as if dismissing me.
What a bunch of cowards! They did not have the balls to do this when Nikolai and Alexei were beside me on numerous occasions before. Now that my husbands are unavailable, the misogynist in them is naturally showing. I pity their wives for having obnoxious and ignorant men in their lives.
Before I completely lose my temper, I had to remind myself why I’m actually here. “Vasily, tell the man who’s celebrating his birthday to come over. I would like to greet him personally.”
Vasily dragged the kid and made him kneel on my side.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Simeon, Madame Volkov.” He answered.
“Simeon, I suppose that you have a girlfriend yah?”
He looked at me with a puzzled look on his face. “Uh, yes Madame.”
“I’m going to let you in on a little secret about women Simeon. When your girlfriend or your mother or any woman in your life for that matter asks you a question, always tell the truth because more often than not, they already know the answer. They are just testing you if you’re going, to tell the truth or not.”
“Madame-”
“Also, treat women with respect because they may appear to be quiet and all smiles as they take care of you and the family-” I looked at the misogynist momentarily before continuing. “It turns out that the coffee that you’re drinking every morning used water from the toilet bowl, your toothbrush dipped in the same toilet water and your food sprinkled with arsenic for a slow and undetectable death.”
The leader of the pack stood up from his seat and throws his napkin on his plate and bent down to whisper to my ear. “You are acting like you are so tough Madame Volkov. I hope you walk your talk because when I’m done with you-” He looks down to my belly and then up to my face before continuing. “You will look back and regret this night ever happened. But don’t worry, I will tell them to be quick. You and that poor thing won’t even feel it.”
I felt the hair on my nape raise in utter shock. This man wants to harm me and my babies. This is exactly what Yuri warned me about if anything happens to Nikolai and Alexei. Enemies from inside and outside of the organization will come after me and my babies to get rid of the Volkov bloodline.
Vasily and Ivan appeared to step forward but I signaled them not to. My hands started to shake in both fear and anger. I looked him in the eyes and all I can see is his true intentions. He meant what he just said.
It’s as if I saw black, I pulled the gun from Ivan’s side and pointed it towards the elder who called me an ornament and threatened my babies’ lives. I’d like to see his face when I shove the tip of the loaded gun down his throat as he says the word ornament again to my face.
It caught them all off guard including Ivan and Vasily. I almost scoffed at their funny faces. At this point, I am beyond angry. I feel like I am going mental.
There’s only one reason why he can say these things to me. They are without a doubt traitors of the Russian Mafia who want to get rid of me and the babies because of their plan to take over the Mafia’s Business.
“What? Have you not seen an ornament use a gun before?” I said, confronting him.
“Madame Volkov, put your gun down. This is not funny.” Says one of the elders.
“Who says I’m trying to be funny?” I retorted.
I then looked at Simeon while still pointing the gun at the ornament elder’s face. “Now, Simeon, is it really your birthday today or not? Before you say anything, remember what I told you a while ago. Be careful, or someone’s head is going to blow off!”
Simeon shook his head in defeat. “No Madame, it’s not my birthday.” He replied. I signaled him to go and leave the pub along with the others who don’t want to be involved.
I then pushed the tip of the gun deeper onto the man’s face. He sat back in his seat and breathes heavily while looking at me with such contempt.
It’s really nice when people underestimate you and threaten you because then, you get to put them in place in a spectacular way.
“You can’t do this. Killing a fellow member of the Mafia without prior authorization from Volkov is punishable by death! That’s in the rules! No one was in contact with Volkov since he was arrested. You, woman, don’t have your husband’s permission! What’s written in the rules is absolute. There are no exceptions!”
“Fucking hell Pyotr! You sound like a fucking sissy. My wife doesn’t need any man’s permission. Not from me, not even from my brother.”
My body froze as I hear the voice that I have not heard for a long time. The voice of the man that has always been there for me through the roughest times. The man who eased my heartaches and wiped my tears away when things seemed to fall apart. The man who never lets go of me.
My heart started to bang inside my ribcage as he spoke again, “My princess-”
I looked over my shoulder and my eyes started to well with tears. I wasn’t able to contain myself so I wrapped my other hand around his back while I rest my head on his chest. I have missed his warmth. I have missed him.
“Alexei.”
“Hi.” He said so softly, as he intertwines his arms around me in a tight embrace. The kind of embrace that doesn’t want to let go. “I’m sorry if you had to do this. I’m sorry if I fell asleep. I’m sorry about your birthday. I’m sorry about the stupid things that I said.”
“Alexei- we made mistakes. What’s important is you’re here and you’re alive. You’re awake.”
He holds my face and reaches for my lips for a long and sweet kiss. His lips are so warm against mine, taking my breath away in each soft bite.
He lets out a smile against my lips, “Something is awake alright.” He said naughtily, referring to his manhood.
“Alexei!” I smack him on his shoulder which made the man chuckle.
“I love you princess.” He said, without a care that we are literally surrounded by our people and enemies alike.
“I love you Alexei.”
“Princess, you can put the gun down. I got this.” He said, referring to my other arm that is still holding the gun pointing towards ornament whose real name apparently is Pyotr.
Alexei signaled his men to take the traitors out of the pub. They were forced into one of our SUVs and I think I know what the fate of those men will be soon enough.
The love of my life held my hand tightly on our way outside. He looks like he just did not wake up from coma. He is still very handsome and so damn gorgeous. How can he be a god and my husband at the same time?
“Where are we going Alexei?”
“We are going to the boathouse, but before that, we’ll just pick someone up.”
I did not inquire further since at this point my adrenaline has subsided and my pregnancy hormones kicked in. Perhaps now I feel at peace because Alexei is here. And I know that everything is going to be alright soon because the brothers always have each other’s back. Alexei will find a way to get Nikolai out of this mess. I am a hundred percent sure of that.