When Crows Call

Chapter 3

                                      •Ruslana•

Ruslana heads down the street the opposite way of her brother towards Natalya's apartment complex since her brother was being difficult as usual and someone had to step up and do what needed to be done. She knows that if she doesn't get the money today someone was going to get hurt, she really didn't want that person to be Natalya, Ceru's mom.

She also wanted to avoid Gustav's whining when it came to Ceru or any of his kin getting hurt in any way. Although he acted like he hated the other boy she knew it was only love between them, maybe even a little more than love. As she passed by the pizza place that was around the corner from the apartment complex she heard a voice calling out her name.

"What do you want? I have shit to do," she says smacking her gum between her teeth in annoyance.

"Aye I've been trying to find you mamas. Haven't seen you around here in a while and I've missed you. Wanna come and chill with me and the boys?" Elia says giving her a smirk his eyes twinkling.

"Look Elia as I said I have stuff to do and Drobarka Kitsky would kill me if he heard word I was chilling with Italians. Besides don't you have Daniella breathing down your neck asking for new ice all the time and money for clothes?"

Elia's handsome features were throwing Ruslana for a loop as usual which is why she stopped coming to Ceru's place of residence years ago. His inky black hair paired with gorgeous green eyes and freckles placed strategically along his nose made all the girls swoon. His tattoos certainly helped as well as his friendly attitude, especially the one on his neck which consisted of a wall of black with white symbols interlaced with detailed knots, the symbols of his powerful mafia family.

"Aye listen, I haven't seen Dani in a long time she cheated on me with the boss. Don't blame 'er really seeing as he has more status and money than me. Just came up to say hey like I do whenever you come around ice princess."

Elia squeezes her arm winking before she yanked it away rolling her eyes. On the outside she had to pretend that she wasn't hopelessly in love with him because of family ties. She would do anything to protect Gustav, especially because he's often targeted because of his quiet nature and his close friendship with Ceru.

As she walks away towards Natalya and hopefully money that'll be in her hands Elia calls out, " Look after yourself piccolo (small one). I'll see you soon, maybe Saturday at Lorenzo's party?"

In response she sticks up her middle finger earning her Elia's prized chuckle and she stomps away to make sure that he understands that she "hates" him.

"Oh come on Rosa lighten up I'm just kidding. I'll see you around yeah?"

"Fuck off Elia or I'll set Bone Crusher on you," Ruslana yells back.

"I'd love for you to crush my bones mamas," Elia says his voice flowing out of his mouth sounding like melted gold flowing  in a stream.

Ruslana sighs because of all the things she can't have because of her family and because of her brother that will always need protecting. He's too weak for this world and she knows it, always too good to do any dirty work and leaving it all to her.

She goes into the decrepit apartment building and walks up the stairs to the fifth floor because the elevator broke a few years ago and no one bothered to fix it. Beer bottles, heroin needles, and other trash litter the whole building and the stench of Dmitri the building drunk makes her almost gag. Once she gets to Natalya's door she bangs on it loudly not caring if she was sleeping or not, her beauty sleep was interrupted for this. 

Natalya opens the door around five minutes later wiping her mouth that's covered in saliva from another one of her many conquests.

"What do you want Ruslana? I'm busy right now can you come back later? I have company."

Ruslana glares at the woman and feels anger pour through her veins as she thinks of what poor Ceru has to come home to. The sweetest male she's ever met deserves the best life possible and not the life of a whore's son. Maybe that's why Gustav is so protective and sweet on him, to protect him from the reality of his life.

"Ceru know you have another asshole over? Hope he doesn't beat you," Ruslana spits out sarcastically.

"He does, that's why I sent him out to get himself breakfast. Ceru tends to interfere when mommy is busy which makes them ummm wait what was I saying again? Ah right, it makes them angry. Why are you here?" Natalya asks again yawning loudly.

"Your debt of course you dumb bitch. In case you forgot you have our money. The merchandise you stole was worth it was it? Ceru must be so proud having you as his mother what with your heroin habit? You win mother of the fucking year."

"Oh shut up it's too early. Come back later," Natalya says lazily in her thick Ukrainian accent and turns to go back inside her apartment.

Ruslana puts a hand on the door and pushes it forward as well as Natalya out of the way. She easily pushes past the woman and gasps as she spots the table of cash that's visible as soon as the door is open  wider than it was before.

"Just for inconveniencing me I'll have everything on that table. Now. Come on bitch hurry it up I have other things to do."

Natalya shakes her head no and Ruslana's hand automatically reaches out and slaps her. The impact of the blow resounds through the entire apartment and the other woman screams loudly and dramatically which only makes Ruslana laugh.

"Baby what's going on here? It's too fucking loud this early in the morning. Stop screaming I have a hangover," screams a voice in another room.

"The Lioness is here demanding money my love I don't want to give it to her. It's ours isn't it? I've been good haven't I? I've earned it," Natalya states proudly like she's won an award of some kind.

The man that steps out makes Ruslana gasp.

"Artem what are you doing here? You could have anything better than this whore right here. Just because you're the feared and respected Bone Crusher doesn't excuse this type of behavior," Ruslana states angrily putting her hands on her hips.

"Quiet little sister. Can't have just anyone test the new merchandise can we? All of them must be cleared by me and this one will make me lots of money. Won't you my sweet," he says smirking to Natalya his voice sounding like death itself.

"Of course Artem I'll always do whatever you want. Anything and you remember that. As long as you keep paying me and treating me like a queen. It's what I deserve after all," Natalya says boastfully.

Queen of roaches, Ruslana mutters under her breath.

"Go make me food woman. I have things to discuss with my dear sister. Burn it again and I'll have to send you out to my men again. Do you want that?"

Natalya shakes her head in an enthusiastic 'no' and runs off to the kitchen to cook whatever awful food she has in mind for my infamous brother.

"What? I was bored, can't a man satisfy his needs without being judged?" Artem asks incredulously.

"We all will be judged brother."