Code and Conduct

Escape

     "We've gotta leave." I heard Nik whispering to Demitri. "You really think she's gonna leave her family in the states while we run off to the Maldives?" Demitri said incredulously. "I wasn't planning on leaving them here, you blithering fucking idiot." Nikolai said angrily. My blood was boiling at this point. I pushed the curtain in the archway aside. "You dumbasses do know that this is a curtain not a steel door?" I all but yelled. They looked at me, practically shell shocked. "And I am not a fragile wine glass. I am second in command. Now, what you're doing conversing with Demitri about plans to flee, I don't know. However, what I do know is that you're planning shit behind my back and it infuriates me." I hissed. Demitri took a couple steps away but I snatched him back by his ear. "Now, tell me what you guys were planning." I said angrily. "We're going to the Maldives. We have to get the rest of your family involved if you don't want them to die." Nikolai said hastily. "Oh THE HELL YOU ARE." I yelled. "We have to baby. They wont be a part of the gang. But we have to do this. Andrew Alexander will kill them in due time. Your father was only a warning." he said, trying to calm me. "YOU ARE NOT GETTING MY LITTLE BROTHER AND SISTER AND MY MOTHER INVOLVED!" I screamed in his face. "Listen to me Alethia." he hissed, I could see his face reddening with anger. "They will kill your brother, your sister, and your mom. I promise you that." He said, staring me down. "Got it?" He asked, showing me that he was still in charge. It wasn't really a question, it was more of a "You damn well better understand that I'm the boss." I nodded and stalked off to our room. I began throwing all of my belongings into a suitcase, infuriated. My face was red with embarrassment from being yelled at in front of an inferior. Nikolai slowly opened the door. I didn't look at him. "Alethia.." he began. I ignored him, continuing to pack. "Baby look at me, please?" Again, I ignored his pleas. He crossed the room and grabbed me by the hips, spinning me around to face him. I looked down at my feet, determined to not let him see the tears that were welling up in my eyes.

Nikolai's POV:

    She looked down, refusing to look me in the face. My heart ached. I hated fighting with her. It killed me. Now she was upset with me and wouldn't even look at me. "Please, princess?" I begged. She shook her head and ripped herself from my grasp. She continued to pack the rest of her belongings and then walked to the bathroom. I heard the click of a lock after she closed the door. I sighed. "Sweetheart.." I said, leaning against the door. "No!" she said, obviously in tears now. I could hear the pain in her voice. "Please.. I'm sorry.." I said, trying to make up for my idiocy. "No you aren't.." she said, weeping. "Why wouldn't I be?" I calmly questioned. "Because, Nikolai. You're head honcho. You put me in my place. Leader first.. boyfriend second.." she said, her voice quivering. "Alethia.. you're more important to me than the gang." I said, trying to show her how much I love her. "No I'm not and you've proved that by not listening to me or giving me just one minute to calm down and talk to you. No, you just made me look like a bloody fucking idiot." She said, sounding more pissed off now. "Aye. Wanna smoke?" I asked in hopes to lure her out. "Not unless you slide the joint underneath the door." she said. I rolled my eyes. However, I did what she said.

Alethia's POV:

   He actually did what I said. I laughed internally so he wouldn't know that he cheered me up quite yet. "Hey, sharing is caring?" He said. "Fine." I gave in and unlocked the door. He wrapped his arms around me and carried me to sit on the bed. "You still mad at me?" He inquired. "No." I said and kissed him before lighting up. "I love you, Alethia." He said, searching my face. "I love you too." I said with a grin.

The very next morning we took a jet up to New York. All five of us went to my old home. I made Nikolai and Easton come in with me. When Mom opened the door, I thought she was gonna faint. "Mom?" I asked as she stared blankly between Easton and I. "A-A-Alethia?! Easton?! And this stupid Nikolai boy." She almost looked furious. "Mom, listen we have to talk to you." Easton said as we all entered the house I grew up in. Hudson and Elissia were on the couch. "ALETHIA!" they both screamed as they jumped at me hugging me and crying. They then moved on to Easton. "What do you have to say?! Your father was murdered and you can't even call me?!" She screamed. Easton then explained everything. "You did this?" My mother asked. "I guess this really is all my fault.." I said, looking down at mine and Nikolai's hands intertwined together. She also eyed our hands. "This is because of him!" She yelled, pointing at Nik. "No, mom. I love him.." I defended him. "Bullshit." She argued. "Either way, we have to get out of the states. Tonight." Easton stated firmly.