Nico lay sprawled on the cold floor, his body barely holding together. His face was swollen and his jaw bruised. He had given up. He never thought he'd give it all up easily for her.
"Vadim, please stop this!!" Nika cried out. Something inside her twisted violently at the sight of him.She had been crying for hours now but all to no avail.
He wasn't going to stop.
"Come on sweetheart.....look at him. Does that look like a man who'd die for you?" Vadim said with a sickly smile that made her guts ache.
There was something wrong with him. Something she had been too blind to see and now it was unfolding before her. The sweet man who would listen to her vent for hours, or take her on nice dates to distract her was all fake.
She thought she knew him but she was wrong. This was the real Vadim. The unmasked warlord who would go to any lengths to get what he desired.
He always condemned Nico but was he any better?
Maybe even worse—
This wasn't the Vadim she knew. It's only a matter of minutes before he kills Nico. She had to do something. She couldn't really do anything much with her hands and feet tied up.
"I'll go with you." The words came out of her mouth before she could stop them. The slight dilation of his grey pupils made her feel uneasy. His expression darkened as he approached her.
"What did you just say?"
She tried to say something but his hand cracked across her face snapping her head to the side. Her cheeks stung. Her face was red with bruises and open cuts. She licked her busted lips, hissing in pain.
He lowered himself before her and gently cupped her cheeks. "Stop crying tsvetok" his thumb brushed her tears gently like he cared.
"I don't like it when you cry." He whispered, searching her eyes.
"Don't call me that!" Nika snapped. She shook her head free from his hands. She sniffed, fighting back her tears that threatened to pour.
"I hate you!" She spat on his face.
He shifted back surprised. He stood up and wiped her spit off his face with the back of his palm. "You're going to regret this." His voice dropped, low and dangerous.
"Taras!" He signalled to one of the men standing at the gate of the basement. A bulky, mean-looking man stepped forward. "Yes sir." He stood, his hands behind his back.
"Knock her out."
"Yes boss." He nodded. Nika's eyes widened as he took large steps towards her. "No...no, please I'll behave." She pleaded. Before she could mutter another word, the butt of the gun slammed against her neck.
Pain shot through her body. She looked up at the guard but she couldn't make out his face clearly. The ceiling of the basement spun and the light around her dimmed slowly before everything turned pitch black.
Vadim glanced at her, his eyes softening a bit. He hadn't meant to hurt her. He just needed her to be on his side but she chose Nico instead.
He clenched his fists at the thought of it. She cried for him....after everything he'd done? His jaw tightened. She was weak and pathetic. He convinced himself it would all be over soon. He just had to get Nico out of the picture first.
"He shouldn't have gotten in my way." He murmured. He opened a black metal box she before him. He brought out all the items, examining each of them as he hummed to himself.
Nico stirred awake. He tried getting up but pain shot through his waist pulling him down with a loud thud. Vadim flickered his gaze towards him.
"I thought you'd never wake up." He chuckled. Nico remained silent. His breath was heavy as he struggled to breathe. Each breath he took, sent a sharp pain to his lungs.
"I'll....I'll give you whatever you want, just let her go." He heaved.
"Now, you know I can't do that. She belongs to us. She's one of us." He played with the pocket knife in his hands, swinging it randomly in the air.
"But I have a question for you though." He walked up to Nika. Nico's eyes widened in panic when he noticed her unconscious body tied up to the chair.
"Do you love her?" He ran the knife down her face, the blade a few inches away from her skin.
"I can't live without her." His swallowed. His words were heavy. He had never admitted this before— not before her, not before anyone.
"No you don't. You used her." He removed the knife from her face.
"You're not any different." He breathed as he struggled to get up again. He clutched his sides as he managed to pull his body up placing both hands on the ground to steady himself.
Something flashed in his eyes, lethal and dangerous. He brushed her hair backwards with his fingers in a slow motion. "I loved her better. But doesn't matter now."
He left her side and walked towards Nico, quick paced with a killing intent. He pulled out his gun from his waistband quickly and aimed the gun at Nico.
He pulled the trigger—
The gunshot tore through the room.
Nico shut his eyes tightly but he felt nothing. He opened his eyes and saw a wide eyed Vadim staring at him. His grip on his gun loosened and it dropped to the floor.
Nico stared at him confused. Vadim's body dropped to the ground with a loud thud, stirring dust in the air.
Nico froze, his breath catching in his throat.