Deadly Desires

Eye for an eye

I shove the front door open with my foot as I juggle two paper bags filled with food from the grocery store, my grandma wanted to come with me but I refused to let a ten-minute trip turn into an hour-long excursion.

"Tu dois commencer à verrouiller la porte," I called out, angrily. I mean I've seen what type of people exist in this city and as much as I've done everything I can to keep my grandmother safe there's only so much I can do if she doesn't even lock the door.

I kick my black boots off as I tuck them into the corner, grandma hates it when people wear shoes in her house. Something about bacteria and common courtesy.

My eyes catch onto a leather jacket hanging up on the coat rack, I know it isn't one of mine and I certainly know my grandmother doesn't own a leather jacket. I frown, staring at it for a few moments.

"Tu as des invités?" I call out again but my question is met with silence. My heart rate begins to pick up as I walk down the hallway, towards the white door to reveal the kitchen where my grandmother always is.

I set down one of the paper bags, freeing my hand so I can push open the door. My blood runs cold when a set of shipwrecked eyes latch onto mine.

A shrill scream claws its way up from the pits of my stomach, and by the time it passes through my lips, I end up making a squeaking noise of surprise.

"Hello, Poison."

My jaw drops as I stare at him, his raven hair is tousled like it's been ruffled by someone and he sits at the dining table comfortably, completely in his element. And of course, I notice the devilish smirk he wears.

"Chérie you're back, come sit at the table then. Your friend is here." My grandma says, appearing in front of me as she takes the bags from my arms to unload them in the kitchen a few feet away.

Nikolai must be here to kill her, I tried to kill him and somehow he managed to evade death once again. And he's here to take her from me, I threatened his brother it's only fair. 

I don't have any weapons on me, why would I?

"Sit down Ivy," Nikolai says, his voice light. He addresses me like one might address a friend they like. But the look on his face is all too clear.

I walk towards the dining table and pull a chair across from him, half expecting him to shoot me in the kneecap the moment I'm seated. 

"How are you here?" I ask him, my tone hushed so my grandmother can't hear. She'd busy putting away all the food but I can't risk her catching a piece of our conversation.

"Here in this house, or here walking the earth after my rendezvous with death?" He asked, tilting his head to the side in a mocking manner.

I should have put a bullet in his head or a knife through his heart, poison was too open-ended to finish Nikolai Romanov. I knew better.

But what I had told him was right, I didn't want to kill him. I was furious at him for what he'd done to me but it was beginning to fade away from the all-consuming rage I'd felt. I was starting to see the bigger picture, I'd have done the same thing to him the moment I broke the kiss we'd shared. He just beat me at my own game.

Can I resent him for that?

Yes, I could. And I had for months but when I'd had my chances to kill him I'd paused and hesitated. And that was exactly why I just had to stick it and kiss him. 

Kill him.

Even that had failed, maybe I should just let Nikolai kill me. It would put an end to all of this once and for all. This game was meant to be finished in a week, and yet here we were eight months later still playing.