Mafia Connections

Forty Four

The apartment wasn't quite like Viktor's other houses around the world but it was still bigger than anything I would have been in before I met him.

Rya is already settled. She runs straight to her room as soon as we step through the door.

My injury is becoming extremely annoying as I can't go anywhere without Viktor helping me.

I've decided that if I just stay in bed then I won't have to get up to do anything. It might also be a way of getting back at my husband dearest for selling me.

I can hear him playing with Rya in the next room as I try to sleep.

****

I believe that everyone has the same dream at some point in their life. The one where you suddenly can't breathe. That you're drowning and can't take a breath. You wake up and takes great big gulps of air and convince yourself that you can breathe. It was only a dream.

Yeah well, when I wake up from that dream, I find that I still can't breathe.

A force pushes down on my throat and my eyes snap open.

No. Not him. I must still be dreaming.

The bruising pressure on my neck tells me a different story and I thrash. My ability to make more than gurgling noises is gone and my limbs feel heavy as I punch and kick my attacker. 

His short nails bite into my neck and I watch as his eyes water. It looks as if this pains him to see me like this.

"Please" I manage to get out. "Stop"

He closes his eyes and squeezes harder. Life is slipping away quicker and it's getting harder to try and beat the shit out of him.

"Oliver. Please" I gasp.

"I'm sorry Bella. This has to be done" Oliver says and I go limp as the world goes dark.

Viktor's POV

I hear footsteps in Bella's room. I stand up and ignore Rya's whines for a second.

I walk out of the room and press my ear to her door. There are faint mutterings coming from inside.

I open the door and see him standing there, his hands in his hair. He looks up and sees me "Viktor" he says.

I look at the bed and see her lying there. Her neck is bruising and her chest isn't moving with her breath. "What have you done?" I say and rush to her side.

"I had to do it" he says and runs from the room.

I put two fingers to her neck and can't find a pulse. "Shit" I hiss.

"That's not a nice word daddy" I hear Rya say from the door.

"Go back to your room Rya. Close the door and don't come out until I come and get you" I say. She nods and runs away.

I place my hands on her chest and push down. CPR was my last hope.

"Oliver. You don't have to do this" I say to him.

He shakes his head "You don't know. You don't know yet"

I nod "I do. I know why he's doing this. What I can't figure out is why you're listening to him"

"You don't have a clue! I want to tell you but they won't let me!" He shouts.

I sit down in my chair. The office in the villa was not as nice as the one back home but it was nice enough. "I do know. Of course I know about my sister. Your wife"

He stops "How do you know about Trista?"

So that was her name. She was my sister, I should probably know that. "I found out years ago that Elijah had a daughter. When you told me you were marrying her, I thought I could get to know her. But she never approached me. Now I know why" I sigh "She's working with her- our Father and Sean to take down Bella and her friends. Why are you helping kill my wife?"

He closes his eyes "I love her. She said this was the only way we would be together"

"You've killed five of them. Is that not enough?" I ask.

He shakes his head "Bella ruined everything for Sean and Elijah. I can't stop them"

I groan "I'm torn here. I love you like a brother but I can't let you kill my wife. So I present you with a deal. None of this gets out, Bella never knows it was you that killed her friends and you stay away from her. Got it? If you harm her in any way, I will put a bullet in your head"

"Okay" he says.

After a few minutes of trying to revive her it all seems to be worthless. She was really gone this time. I get frantic, I can't stop myself even when I know it's no use.

Suddenly she takes a gulp of air and I fall to my knees next to the bed. She looks around her and sees me on the floor "Viktor. Did.. did.. Oliver try to kill me?"

I nod "He's working with Sean and Elijah to get you. He said that he would leave you alone"

She looks lost. Shit, I would be too is I was in her position. I am still a bit confused. Why would Oliver risk it all?

Then I think about it. Would I do the same for Bella?

Probably.