The Underbosses House Cat [M/M]

21 - Twenty-One - Ilya Russo's Point Of View.

Lev and Vito must have been competing for the best time to get to Alessio, Matteo and I, because they came in together. Vito took one look at me, and he shoved Lev out of the way. I grabbed his arm and pulled him against me, and tucked my head into his shoulder. I bit down on his leather jacket, panting, and Vito rubbed my back. Matteo just watched until Caio came and got him.

"Ilya, please, you're going to wreck your teeth," Vito said, and he rubbed my clenched jaw, bringing me back to him. "What happened Ilya, what is going on?" Vito said softly and Alessio pulled back from whispering in Lev's ear. I heard Lev mutter to Alessio that he and Nikita would handle this.

"No!" I yelled from Vito's shoulder. Vito's hand slipped into my hair and he lightly pulled my head back until I could see his eyes.

"Ilya, are you trying to deafen me?"

"No."

Vito let me go, and Alessio asked to speak to him in the hall, and as they left, I was itching to have him back. Nikita made his entrance, and Lev spoke to him in Russian. Lowly, but I could hear some words.

"I can understand you." I muttered, clenching my hands, my stomach rolling again. His voice brought back forgotten horrors of the way they kept me. Standing up, I moved to the trash, shoving by Nikita and Lev. My stomach contents made an exit again. I collapsed to my knees and started dry heaving.

"How long are you going to leave him in such a state?" I heard Nikita mutter.

"Ilya is—-" I cut Lev off.

"Ilya is going to fucking eat you." I hissed, before dry heaving again. Feeling twitchy and angry, craving to have my hands on Vito and the calm he brought me in my panic.

Nikita chuckled before he got closer, and squatted down, too close to me. "You're more than welcome to try. Others have before you."

"Get away from me."

"I think not." He said. Pulling my head out of the garbage and looking at the door. I chuckled.

"Ilya, he didn't mean—-"

I used my foot to sweep Nikita off his feet and he fell onto his back, and his jacket fell open and I spotted the scar around his neck. Someone had slit his throat before. The intent to follow through on his challenge was lost.

"What happened?" I asked, getting closer. I grabbed his chin and tilted it to look over the whole scar. Vito opened the door and cleared his throat.

"What are you doing, Ilya?" He asked.

"Looking." I muttered, letting go of Nikita's chin. I grabbed his arm before he could yank it back. I bit him. He hissed and raised his hand to hit me, and we met eyes. Vito was right behind me, and he wrapped his hand around my neck.

"Let go, now. Ilya."

I opened my teeth, and Nikita yanked his hand back. The back of my head was resting against Vito's thigh.

"Try not to provoke him, if you still intend to stay. Ilya bites." Vito said flatly.

"Alessio warned me about your pet," Nikita said, hissing out the last words, and I felt Vito tighten his hand around my throat.

"Don't fucking call him that." Matteo snarled as he entered the room.

"What the hell is going on here?" Alessio said, as he entered the room again, looking at Lev.

"Ilya bit Nikita."

"Let me go. I'll bite him again for the pet comment." I smiled, narrowing my eyes at Nikita.