MAFIA'S ANGEL

CHAPTER 16

"You betrayed me." 

She knew that tone. And she knew that look as well. His eyes glistened with cruelty. Cold. Unforgiving. When he last looked at her like this, she was begging for him to spare Amanda. 

"Angel, angel." He shook his head. "I am disappointed. Was I naive to think that you have learned your lesson?" He spoke, retrieving two leather gloves from his black coat. He tugged them on, moving his long fingers as if to check the fit. 

Her breath clogged up her throat. Dog and two other men entered the changing room. The click of lock turning made the blood freeze in her bones. 

"Angelique, what's going on? Do you know them?" The brash confidence had been wiped from Dale's voice. His face was pale as a sheet, and the grip on her waist loosened as his hand trembled. 

"Nikolai..I can explain. Don't hurt him. Please." She stepped back from her dance partner, struggling to keep her voice steady. "He didn't do anything. I swear-" Angelique cut herself off when one of the men suddenly kicked Dale hard enough to send him toppling onto the floor. 

"No!" 

Another kick. 

"Stop!" 

A deafening crunch followed a pained moan - the awful sound of bones breaking. 

"I said stop!" Angelique lunged for one of the men. She wanted to claw out their eyes. These men hurt innocent people and for what!? To please a monster. To save their asses from his wrath. Cowards. Every fucking one of them. 

Two strong arms wrapped around her waist, familiar scent filling her nose. Nikolai held her from behind, his shredded chest pressing against her back. "Shhh. You just have to watch." He whispered lowly. With ease he held her from interrupting the merciless beating. She felt him smile against her skin as his lips trailed up the side of her neck. "Enjoy the show, Angel. You brought it upon yourself." 

Dale had curled up in a ball on the ground, wailing. His arms covered his head in a weak attempt to protect himself. He had begged them to stop, but now all he could manage were odd gurgling noises. Blood splattered on the ground. 

Violent sobs shook her body. She kicked and screamed, but Nikolai's grip on her never eased. He held her like a vice, savoring her torment. 

"You're mine, Angel. Mine alone." He reminded, the gloved hands pressing harder against her flesh. 

Soon all noises died down. She had slumped against his chest, limp. Her bloodshot eyes stared down at the still figure laying in its own blood. Dale's sunny features were now far beyond recognition. Swollen and bloody. His chest no longer raised to inhale. His blue eyes didn't have the spark of life in them. They were empty and distant. 

He was dead. 

Dog prodded his body with the side of his boot as if the boy was nothing but trash at his feet. 

"Get rid of the body." Nikolai ordered. His arms released her, allowing her to sink onto her knees. 

Angelique heard him say something, but couldn't make out the words. She stared at the mutilated corpse. No crying. No begging. Something inside her had snapped. Odd emptiness took place in her soul. She didn't even flinch when Nikolai knelt down besides her. His large hand cupped her shoulder, but even then she didn't turn to look at him. 

He's going to destroy everything...Kill everyone. I can't escape him.

Suddenly her head was spinning. She felt sick. Really sick. 

Her hands fell flat on the tiled floor where blood was pooling around her. She couldn't breath either. Like air itself had been stolen. Nikolai's grip on her shoulder tightened and she heard him speak again, but nothing beyond the sound of his voice mattered. Men around her shuffled, one taking Dale's body by the arms to drag it away. Path of deep red stayed imprinted on the ground. 

The nausea got worse. Like all strength had been sucked from her bones, she collapsed into the blood. Then there was sound of yelling. Nikolai flipped her on her back. 

Those deep grey eyes stared down at her with emotion she couldn't understand. A man like him didn't feel empathy or sorrow. His lips moved but this time she couldn't hear his voice either. Her eyes had grown heavy. Black swallowed her vision and she welcomed the sensation like an old friend. 

Emptiness and peace. Perhaps she could escape him after all....

~~.~~

Everything around them was damp and smelled like mold. It was cold. She stared down at the boy laying in her lap, gently waving her fingers through his light brown hair. They were silk soft. He wasn't older then fifteen, but his features were hardened like ones of a man. His eyes were closed, long lashes brushing against his cheeks. 

"You're safe."  Angelique whispered, her voice of high pitch. Her hands were small and slightly round. She was just a child too. Both of them were, even if he was older. And both of them were lost. 

"You're safe." She repeated. 

The boy grimaced like he was in pain, exhaling a pained breath. And then his eyes opened....

"Ah!" A sharp gasp escaped her lips. Angelique awoke with a start, her entire body coming to life all at once. Familiar ceiling stared back at her. More than one night she had spend gazing up at them in darkness, pondering what life had in stash for her. 

Steadying her breath, she slowly sat up. A part of her had hoped not to wake up, but there she was, in her golden cage. An IV drip was attached to her arm, transparent liquid slowly flowing into her veins. She couldn't remember how she got there, but she did remember the rest. The blood. The cries of agony when Dale was beaten to death. And the snap. 

She couldn't be sure if it had been the snapping of his bones shattering or something inside her own body. Physically nothing hurt, but the hole ripped through her chest had filled itself with bitter pain. 

droplets of blood dripped onto the white sheets. She pulled the needle from her arm. Her legs were shaky, just barely capable of holding her weight when she stood. The room was near pitch black, much like her heart. It felt blackened by something fierce and demanding. An unknown force was driving her to walk, a single thought running ramp in her head. 

I can't escape him. No. I have to escape him. I have to.....I have to...

She opened a drawer of her nightstand. A kitchen knife gleamed in darkness. A couple of days ago she had snatched it from Irina's cart. It was just for safety, but now the purpose had changed entirely.

Her slender fingers stroked across the cold, sharp edge. 

I have to....

Even in her head she feared those words. 

She inhaled shakily. Her eyes dropped close and her grip on the knife tightened. As if her legs had mind of their own, she walked out from her room towards Nikolai's bedroom. She had only been there once or twice. He was a very private man, never letting her stay for longer than he needed her for. 

Nikolai never touched her since she sold her virginity to him. He never forced himself on her like she had expected him to. She saw the desire in his eyes, felt how much he resisted taking out his primal need on her. But still he hadn't....

He was strange. A strange monster. 

Perhaps after this she wouldn't be any better. 

Her steps halted in front of his door. Light seeped through the cracks. He wasn't sleeping. 

Angelique tested the weight of the knife in her hand. 

I have to.....

She gulped. 

I have to....

Her heart beat faster in her chest as she pushed the door open. 

I have to kill him.