Phoenix's Revenge

25.

Tw: SA Violence

Nikolai POV

I look down at her completely awe struck.

"What?" I ask again, almost afraid that I had imagined the whole thing.

"What did you say?"

Her grey eyes flicker up to mine. Our naked bodies intertwined together make me quickly realize that this is the most intimacy I've ever experienced.

I love it.

"I love you, Nikolai."

She reaches her hand up to my face and gently cradles it. My heart beats wildly as her words sink in. I don't think anyone has ever said that they love me.

I look down at her as a grin takes over my face.

"I love you, Phoenix."

We both doing say anything else as we hold each other. Her hands find their way to my hair and start playing with it.

It's bliss.

...

Phoenix POV

The next morning I'm thrown off of Nikolai and onto the floor. A punch lands squarely on my jaw as I scramble to get my bearings. I'm rolled onto my stomach and hauled up, with my hands pinned behind my back. I look across the room and see Nikolai throwing hands with two men.

He's winning.

Hot.

I watch as one of them pull out a bat and swing it square across his chest. The air gets knocked out of him and he hunches over.

His hands get pinned behind his back as he fights to
breathe. We make eye contact and he simply nods, signaling that he's okay.

I look around the room and recognize the man holding me.

He was at Gonzos.

Panic raises in my chest as memories flood my mind. People start talking, but I don't hear a single word anyone says. I start in on a full blown panic attack, completely lost in my own mind.

He said you were nothing but a piece of ass.

He did things.

Worthless.

Replaceable.

The stench of him fills my nose and I have to fight the urge to wretch. Wetness populates on my cheeks and my eyes desperately search for Nikolai. For comfort.

I meet his mesmerizing eyes and they are filled with concern.

This is bad. I feel a hand burry in my hair and yank back. I find myself abruptly looking into the man's eyes.

"Remember me, sweetheart?"

Rage fills my chest as I spit in his face.

"I'm not your fucking sweetheart."

His face grows bright red as he wipes his face. He lets out a dry laugh.

"You know I like it when you fight."

My feet leave the floor as I'm being thrown onto the bed.

No.

No no no.

I hear the other men cheer him on as Nikolai's voice grows unhinged. The threats he spews are terrifying and cold. I feel asshats knee on my back as he leans over me.

"This is your fault. If you hadn't stuck your nose in where it hadn't belonged, you wouldn't be in this situation." He sneers in my ear.

"I'll murder your entire family I swear it. I'll fucking ruin generations." Nikolai spits, his body shaking with fury.

All heads snap towards the door when a large figure walks through.

Mr. Petrov.

Nikolai's face grows impossibly more angry as he starts to put the pieces together.

A cynical smile crosses his face as he realizes what's going on.

"No fucking way. You are all butt buddies?" He growls. "No wonder you didn't look for me."

The words break my heart as he understands the full extent of his fathers betrayal.

"We had an agreement, son. We are mutually beneficial to each other. You see, the Americans are an arrogant people. Always assuming that we want what they do, but after my little discussion with this one's mom," he points to me "I got a better offer. We kept everything under wraps. There were a few mishaps along the way, they were handled."

Oh god. The dreaded villain speech.

Gross.

Nikolai is eerily calm by now, eyes trained on his dad. His jaw remains clenched so hard I'm afraid his teeth will shatter.

"Sorry, son. It's just business."

Mr. Petrov looks over at the man on top of me. "Teach her a lesson about obedience, will you?"

My fight instinct kicks in as I thrash and use every trick in the book to get the asshole off of me. I reach for my knives, only to be reminded that they're gone. Nikolai fights just as hard as I do, but he manages to get loose. He elbows one guy hard in the nose as a sickening cracking sound fills the air. He lunges towards his gun under the bed, when I feel a knife pressed firmly on my throat, drawing blood.

The room stills completely.

"Move and she dies."

His hands shoot up by his head, surrendering.

The man's hands travel down my body and Nikolai meets my eyes once again. Tears fill his as we both curse our own helplessness at the situation.

"It's okay, Phoenix. I'm here. Keep those pretty eyes on me, yeah?"

I nod.

I feel his hands undo my pants.

"Think about last night. You're so perfect. I'll take you to the beach after all of this, I swear. Somewhere warm. We'll be okay. I love you."

He continues like that as I cling to his every word. I feel hands all over my body and I feel nothing. My eyes never leave his. His never leave mine.