The Darkness Within

Chapter Twenty Five

Chapter Twenty Five

Sergei

Every six months, all the prominent Pakhan's of Russia meet. It's always at a place designated by the boss of bosses—me—and the meeting is highly secretive, as well as highly dangerous.

I've turned over the prospect of bringing Kira with me in my mind again and again.

On one hand, I want her by my side. Her mind works as quickly as mine—if not faster—and she's an asset to me in every way. Her very presence seems to balance my normally restless equilibrium. Her memory gives mine a run for its money. Her ability to evolve with circumstances surpasses anyone else I've ever met, including her father, who was truly unparalleled. She's valuable, and anyone who crosses paths with her will know it.

On the other hand, she's my only weakness. In a den of wolves, someone's always sniffing around for leverage, and Kira is the only possible leverage that could ever be used on me.

Then again, she wouldn't be a docile, helpless little lamb I'd dangle in front of the wolves. Despite her diminutive size, she's dangerous enough to give me a run for my money, which is no small thing by any means.

I look up as she strolls into my office, Leo trailing after her as always, and my cock springs straight to attention as it always does whenever she's in line of sight. I set down the contract I'm reviewing and lean back into my seat, loloking her over. She's wearing her normal attire for our training sessions—leggings and a tank-top that showcase her phenomenal body—and is looking at me with an expression of expectation.

That's when I realize I've been so engrossed in both work and wondering if I should bring her to tonight's meeting, that my punctuality has faltered. Glancing at the wall clock, I see that it's 4:15.

Kira doesn't speak, simply fixes me with that unblinking gaze of hers—a stare that makes someone worry that she can see down to the bottom of their very soul, which she does with alarming ease.

"I'm sorry, baby," I say. "I got carried away with work. We'll need to skip training today, but I do have a surprise for you."

She tilts her head, considering me. "You going to tell me what's been playing on your mind the last few days?"

I chuckle. Although my poker face is excellent, she sees right through it. The last two days have been a flurry of preparations for the meeting, as well as a constant internal debate of whether or not it's wise to bring her. Looking over my beautiful psychiatrist now, I decide that she will be attending.

Her posture, as always, is something resembling regal, but there's a new lethal edge to her that's been slowly building through her time with me. Her body, although it was always lithe and toned, has become stronger—her muscles more defined from the relentless workouts and training I put her through daily.

On top of that, she's officially a made woman. She killed a man without batting an eye, and I have no doubt she'll kill again if it means defending herself. If there ever was a woman who earned a seat at the high table, it's her.

"There's a meeting tonight I'd like you to attend," I start, getting straight to it. "Four other Pakhan's who hold substantial power in Russia will gather with me to discuss business." I slide open a drawer at the side of my desk, remove a small, sleek-black briefcase, and slide it across the desk. I nod at it. "That's your surprise."

She examines the case for a moment, before saying mildly, "It must be a dangerous meeting for you to be giving me a gun."

My lips twitch. Of course my perceptive girl managed to figure out what the surprise was with only one glance at a briefcase and a few sentences from me.

"Open it," I tell her.

Kira walks over to the desk, her pace unhurried, telling me silently that she does what she wants to do on her own time, regardless of anyone else's wants. Unintentionally cementing my resolve to take her with me. Kira isn't a princess who'll bow to the whim of others, she's a goddamn queen. She's my equal, the one person I don't require subordinance from. The one person at the high table I neither expect nor want to defer to me completely.

Cracking open the case, she reveals a gleaming, jet-black gun small enough to fit into a purse or inconspicuously strap to a thigh, yet built for precision and lethality.

We've been going over guns for the last week during training, knives the several weeks before it. Anything I teach her, she almost instantly excels at, so I don't worry she'll misuse it.

She lifts the gun out of the case, examining it closer. She loads the gun with one of three magazines in the case, testing the weight in her hand, ensuring the safety's on before experimentally pointing it at one of the walls.

"What do you think?" I ask her.

"It's very appealing," she says. "Easy to conceal." Her eyes meet mine as she sets the gun down. "You're not worried I'll use it on you?"

I try to keep my smile pleasant instead of patronizing. "If you truly wanted me dead, Kira, we both know I'd be dead by now."

She inclines her head, conceding that.

I tilt my chin at the gun. "That'll go in your purse. You'll also have a switch blade strapped onto your thigh. I don't expect anything to go sideways at the meeting—the others know that I'm in charge—but it's always better to air on the side of caution."

I blink as Leo rounds the desk and leaps onto my lap, apparently not impressed with the lack of attention he's been receiving. Although he's partial to Kira—loves her in the wholesome way only an animal can love a human—he doesn't seem to mind me, either. He's warmed to me recently, especially since Kira and I have been sharing the same bed more and more often.

I make a point of exhausting her during sex, so that she isn't lucid enough to insist we sleep apart once we're done. The simple pleasure of going to sleep with my arms around her, and seeing her first thing when I wake up is strangely pleasing, grounding, and addictive.

It was a month ago that she told me her favorite gemstones—after some convincing—and her engagement ring is already on order. As soon as I propose, I intend to officially move her into my room, ending the few nights a week we still spend apart.

I know she's expecting me to propose, and I also know it irritates her that she can't guess exactly when or how I'll do it. Kira likes to have some measure of control in her surroundings, some form of power. And we both know very well that knowledge is power.

"What are chances that the meeting will turn violent?" Kira asks, watching as I stroke Leo's soft fur.

"Eight percent for general violence, five percent for lethal violence," I answer at once. "The only people with weapons will be us, and our guards. Everyone else will be searched before entering the room, and their guards will have to wait outside. Meetings have been amicable enough for the last five years, but not all bosses are as controlled as I am—they tend to be a bit volatile. They get drunk on power, start thirsting for more, and think that violence is the best way to get what they want. Still, despite safety measures, anything's possible."

"Where there's a will, there's a way," she murmurs, nodding.

"Precisely," I agree. I grab a thick file from my desk before setting Leo on the floor and standing, rounding the desk to her. I hand her the file. "In there is everything you'll need to know on others attending. Wear a formal dress, meet me in the sitting room at eight, and we'll leave."

I plant a brief kiss on her lush lips, watching her ass sway as she walks out. If all goes to plan, tonight's meeting will be simple and routine as always.

A/N

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xx

Rose