Mikhail

17

I jolted awake to frigid water being splashed on my face. Snapping my eyes open, I glared at the man standing in front of me and looking down at me with a triumphant glint in his eyes.

I bounced off the chair I was in. Actually, I tried to. Then I realized I was bound to the chair, my hands tied behind me and my legs tied together.

“Mikhail.” Montse's voice brought my attention. She was still bound to her chair with tears in her eyes but her eyes were alight with joy. “You're alright!”

“Oh, how sweet.” The man in front of me crooned harmonically. “One advise my friend. You got to let your bitch know when to shut her mouth when she's told. I wouldn't have had to punch her three times.”

I looked at Montserrat and noticed the trail of blood on her lips. Fury tore through my veins but my intentions of springing up and ripping the bastard's throat were foiled by my shackles.

“You bastard.” I bit out. ”Consider yourself a dead man.”

He laughed humourlessly. “Don't you just love it when helpless people act like they have all the power?”

He brought his pistol to his lips and kissed the mouth, regarding me curiously. “Aren't you gonna ask me who I am?”

I looked at him cooly without saying a word, and he continued. “You really thought you'd taken everyone out and that you and your little girlfriend were safe, didn't you?”

Coming closer, he placed his hands on either of the armrests of my chair, starting into my eyes. The look in his eyes were dead-cold, not that I cared.

“I'm Ernesto. The man you killed in that bar. . . I loved him. Even if he didn't feel the same, I would put my life down for him. You took that chance away from me. Why did you do it? What did he do to you?”

I opened my mouth, making him think I was going to give him an answer. I smashed my head into his instead. He stumbled back, groaning. Then he punched me on the mouth. Montse screamed my name.

He chuckled. “I'm sure you told Angelo your reasons before killing him. You know... Angelo, idiot brother of the love of my life who went after you personally even though I assured him our plan was going to work. I knew you were going to kill him.”

He paused. “Sorry, I'm stalling. Back to the question I asked. Why did you kill him? Don't worry, I'll be killing you whether you tell me or not but I just want you to enlighten me. He told me about all his enemies. He never mentioned you.”

I wanted to growl and tell him all the things I told Angelo, that his brother deserved it. But I looked briefly at Montserrat and she had a peculiar look in her eyes as she stared at me and completely different words came out.

“I don't know what you're tal...”

Ernesto aimed his gun and pulled the trigger. A bullet pierced through my thigh. Montse screamed but the only thing I allowed to come out was a muffled grunt even though it hurt like a bitch.

I gritted my teeth, biting against the pain. I couldn't give him any satisfaction.

“Don't make me ask again, Mikhail.” Ernesto growled.

He was so focused on me he didn't hear Montse moving. I saw her from the corner of my eyes quickly untying her feet and remembered her saying the ropes on her wrist had gone loose.

Whatever she was planning, I hope she didn't do anything that would cause the bastard to shoot her.

I took my eyes away from her totally so that Ernesto didn't suspect anything and glared at said man. “You really want to know?”