Fractured

Chapter 003

♧Aleksei

The sound of the man's scream echoed in the cold, cement-walled room. I didn't flinch. In fact, i barely registered it. I was too busy focusing on the fine detail of the deal that would set the next part of my empire in motion.

"Please, Aleksei! I didn't know! I swear-"
His words cut off with a gurgle as i pressed the edge of the blade deeper into his throat.

He had no idea what he was dealing with. No one ever did. But they always learned the hard way. Did he think i cared? I wasn't here for that. I didn't waste my time on apologies.

"Shut the fuck up,"I growled, stepping back as Dmitri did his job. The guy was going to be a corpse soon enough, but he wasnt there yet. "You think you can double-cross me and walk away unscathed? You really don't know who the fuck i am, do you?" He was shaking, pleading for his life like everyone else who thought they could screw me over.

"Get rid of him," I said, tossing my cigarette in the floor and crushing it under my boot. I wasn't in the mood to listen to weaklings beg.

Dmitri nodded, pulling the body out of the chair, dragging him like a sack of meat. The man was done. But i had more important things to focus on. A deal was going down today, and i couldn't let this fucking mess slow me down.

I grabbed my phone from the table and checked the time. 'MEETING WITH RORY BLACKWOOD IN 20 MINUTES.'

I smirked.

There wasn't a lot i cared about these days. But business? That was something i always paid attention to. And Rory Blackwood, despite what I've heard about her, she was respected, ruthless according to some people and also efficient and that got me interested. I am not easily intrigued, but something about her piqued my interest. I wanted to find out if she was who they said she is or not.

I could hear the faint buzz of Daniil's voice coming through my earpiece, giving me the rundown of the meeting ahead. He didn't need to remind about the meeting ahead. I already knew the stakes.

"Lex , Blackwood's people are in position. You're going to be late."

Daniil is my best friend as well as my right-hand man. He is the only person whose allowed to call me by whatever fuck nickname he gave me even tho i always threatened his balls if he didn't quit.

"I'm never late. This meeting's on my fucking time."

♧..

The penthouse was quiet, the scent of fresh coffee in the air as i stepped out of the elevator. Daniil was waiting for me with a steaming mug in hand, the only sign of him breaking from his usual cool demeanor the slight tension in his jaw.

"You know what you're walking into, don't you?" Daniil asked, his voice low. "She's not like the others, Aleksei. She won't bow down easily. People fear her, but there's a sharp edge to her, too. She doesn't play by the usual rules."

I took the coffee from him without looking away." I'm not here for her to bow. I'm here to remind everyone including her who runs this fucking city."

The taste of the coffee hit me hard, the biterness settling in my veins. I was ready. Always ready. I downed the rest and set the mug down on the marble counter.

"Lets go."

The drive to the venue felt like a goddamn eternity. The city flew by, but my mind was already a hundred steps ahead. I knew exactly how this meeting would go, how it would end. I could already picture the look in her eyes when she realized just who she was dealing with.

I entered the building, Daniil at my side, and the security guard at the door barely acknowledged me. People around me stiffened as they caught sight of me, but no one dared to make eye contact. They all knew who i was, and that fear-that respect-it lingered in the air.

At the conference room door, i paused letting silence stretch for just a moment.

Then i opened it.

Rory Blackwood was sitting at the head of the table, her posture immaculate. She didn't stand. She didn't smile, infact she holding a cup of Starbucks. Her eyes met mine, sharp and calculating. She was dressed in black- elegant, commanding, and confident.

"I don't do small talk," She said, her voice smooth like honey, but with a sharp edge that told me she wasn't here to be intimidated. "So why don't you tell me exactly what makes you think ll'l you on as a client, aside from the fact that you seem to think your time is more valuable than mine?"

I raised an eyebrow and smirked. I didn't waste time with pleasantries. I walked in, sitting down without saying a word. Daniil took his place quietly behind me.

"I didn't come here to talk." My voice was cool, confident. "I came here to show you what happens when you step into my world. And I'm not here for some business deal. You want power? You want to expand your empire? You play by my fucking rules."

She didn't flinch, her gaze steady and unblinking as she took a sip from her straw and set her cup down. "And if I don't?"

I smirked. "Then you'll learn why no one dares to fuck with Aleksei Rykov."

She sat back, assessing me. The silence between us wasn't uncomfortable; it was a standoff. She wasn't scared. She wasn't backing down. But neither was I.

Finally, she spoke again, her words calculated, careful. "If you think I'm going to roll over for you, you're mistaken. But if you think i can work with you, we'll see. But don't make the mistake of thinking I'm like the others who bow down."

I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms. "I don't need you to roll over, Rory. I need you to understand that if you want to play in my world, you do it on my terms. And believe me, the price for defying me isn't one you'll want to pay."

She raised her eyebrow, an amused glint in her eyes. "Then let's see if your terms are something i can work with."

I leaned foward, locking eyes with her. "I'm not here to negotiate. I'm here to take. And i don't leave anything on the table. Youre either with me, or crushed beneath me. It's that simple."

Her lips curled slightly. "Interesting. I'm looking foward to seeing just how far you're willing to go."

This was the start of something. But no matter how far she was willing to push, l was always ten steps ahead. And when this was over, she'd either be a partner or a casualty.

But either way, she'd never forget who the king of this domain truly was.

♧♧♧♧
A/N:

I would like to introduce our own dickhead, Aleksei Ryvok