CHAPTER Twenty Four
Alek
Tomorrow night I perform at La Scala.
The past eight weeks blur in my mind. Erin’s interns delivered all six sets of costumes a few nights ago. Mother has retreated into her corner, and the woman I love waits for me to pick her up so we can have dinner. No, she still hasn’t told me that she’s ready to continue with our arrangement, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes to fully convince her to give us another try. There are only two things threatening to dampen my streak of luck as I drive toward Black Butterfly’s shop: the confrontation I’m going to have with my sister about the man she chooses to date and the black Sedan that has been following me since I left the townhouse.
I make several fake turns. Milan rivals New York City in its ability to confuse the inexperienced driver. I only hope my pursuer isn’t as seasoned as he or she thinks. The Phoenix taught us that sometimes the best defense is the most obvious one. In this case, I simply need to let my mysterious friend know that I’m on to him…or her.
I make about seven or eight turns onto various streets. I wonder how long it’ll take before the person realizes I’m f*cking with him. I don’t like it. I’m getting that heated feeling on the tips of my ears I sometimes get when something in my life is about to change.
I make several more false turns. As I drive down the third street, the driver takes off and screeches his tires in a quest to get around me. “Somebody has temper issues,” I yell out the window. Honestly, the situation isn’t a joking matter.
I thought when the Master left town, that I wouldn’t be bothered with the sedan situation again. My mind races with various theories. I need to stay calm if I plan to pull off tomorrow night’s performance. Otherwise, Frederico will get his wish and hire someone willing to stick to a more traditional show plan.
I pull into Black Butterfly’s parking lot. Something in the evening air seems strange. It’s making me feel crazy. On the way over here, I called Erin twice. Each time I made a new excuse for calling, she patiently humored me. But she’s smart. Her father was an CIA agent. She has his natural instincts. I don’t want her to worry. Because of me, she already has enough things to handle.
Walking into the shop, I’m still wondering why Adriana chose to have me meet her here before we all head out to dinner together. She sits on one of the benches closest to the storefront window to the right when I walk in.
“What are you doing here alone, Adriana? I told you not to be traveling around the city without Hagar, did I not?” I ask, hoping I did actually lose the car that was following me.
“Geez. Did somebody forget to take a swig of his calm-down-drink before he left the house?” she asks, smirking. I keep silent. After what happened on the way over here, I can’t find the humor in her joke right now.
“Answer my question, Adriana,” I urge harsher than I intended.
“I’m waiting on Luca to get back. He went down the street to get a cup of coffee, so I can talk to you in private,“ she answers, lifting her tiny chin up with a proud look on her face. “We’re a couple now in case you didn’t know.”
“So it’s true. Martuccio’s screwing my baby sister.” I shake my head and try my best to look disgusted.
“I already have to deal with Mother’s scolding. I thought you’d be on my side,” she pouts, crossing her arms. I am, but I still don’t know how I feel about Martuccio’s colorful history with women. “Doesn’t matter what you or Mother think, anyway. We care for each other. Even though you and Erin might be too stubborn to admit to your love for each other, it doesn’t mean the rest of us have to be miserable.”
“Ouch, Adriana. Hold on to your bullets, alright? You have my support.” I walk closer to the place where she sits, my back now turned to the entrance door. She’s trying to keep a smile from spreading across her face as she fumbles with some fabric lying on the table beside her.
“Wait a minute. You won’t actually castrate him or anything like that?”
I wink. “Don’t know if I’d go that far just yet.”
She attacks me with an embrace. For years, we never interacted this way. Because of Erin I’ve changed in many ways. My sister loves this new part of my personality. Pulling away from her arms, I glance down at her face that reminds me of a perfect cross between Mother’s delicate features and father’s exotic dark skin.
“I need to make one thing clear, though.”
Her smile fades. “What’s that?”
“If he hurts you, I’ll kill him. No, even better, I’ll break his fingers, one limb at a time,” I threaten, even though I’d never do anything to hurt Adriana.
“Excellent idea, Scarlet Phoenix,” a male’s deeply accented voice says from behind me. Every muscle in my body tenses. No one other than Sebastian has called me by that name in almost six years. I whirl around. Two men stand near the doorway. The older one easily matches my height of 6’2”. Their black clothing blends in with the darkening evening, and their faces look familiar. It’s funny how the past always chooses the perfect day to come back and f*ck with you.
Folding my arms, I stare them up and down. “Hello, boys. I see you could use a new outfit or two. Why don’t you come back tomorrow when the shop is open?” I say to the taller one, speaking in our native Russian tongue.
“Still a smart ass, I see. Don’t remember me, do you?” He takes out a knife, flashing the golden blade. I do remember him and his little toy. This is the a*shole who that shot my cousin. Adriana squeaks and moves behind me. Every nerve in my body fires to life. I’ll do what I have to in order to defend her.
“From your expression, I can see that you remember this,” he says, smirking. “We hear your Master is in town.”
“Well, you heard wrong. I don’t have a master,” I correct. My blood rushes through my head and chest. I’m more afraid for my sister than myself. Adriana hangs on to my arm, her little body partially hidden behind mine.
“That bastard owes us more money than the two of you are worth. For five years, we’ve been trudging through some of the nastiest slums of Europe in order to find him. We’ve followed his trail to this place. Imagine our surprise when we found out about you. And guess what, Scarlet? We know all about your sister there, her boyfriend, what time she heads to his house every night. Oh and I almost forgot. We also know where your little girlfriend stays.” A wide grin slashes across his face. My body heats and my blood boils. I’m going to do something I’ll regret. It’s in my nature to be that way. I am the son of a man with no conscience, so I can’t help but to be a tad damaged.
The younger man standing beside him makes a goofy noise and says, “That doll’s ass is tight. She’s a piece of work.”
Control, Alek. They’re testing you. Don’t let them win.
“I will rip your tongue out if you so much as even say another word about her,” I threaten.
Knife Guy bursts out laughing. But he’s not really humored by what I said. I can tell. He wants to make me believe he’s the one in control, when I know he’s losing it because I’m not falling for his weak threats.
“Tell me where the Master lives, and we’ll let your little sister go,” Knife Guy says, his gaze locked on Adriana.
“Can’t help you,” I answer. “I don’t have a Master.”
“You sure this is the right guy?” Goofy Grin asks.
“Don’t question me,” Knife Guy snaps back. He turns to me and says, “Show us your arm. You say we got the wrong guy, then prove it.”
I grin, but nothing’s funny. “You want to see my arm, then come lift my shirt yourself. You’re the bad ass with the knife, somebody who shoots people in their backs, yes?”
“Alek,” Adriana says in a worried voice.
Martuccio walks through the entrance. Holding two coffees in his hand, he glances around at all of us and checks out the knife the leader holds. “What’s all this?” he asks, giving me just the distraction I need.
Both men turn toward him. I charge toward Knife Guy who stands closest to me. We slam against a table behind him, knocking down a glass case filled with bracelets.
“Alek!” Adriana cries out.
Behind me, Luca lets out a string of curse words in Italian. Holding Knife Guy by his collar, I jerk him around in a circle, so now I’m facing Luca and my sister. Plus, I need to be able to see what his partner’s doing.
At once, Luca takes action, surprising me. He tosses the coffee in one of his cups straight into the face of Knife Guy’s partner. He’s now wearing hot liquid on his face. But these guys come from tough stock, an enemy gang. The partner cries out for a short moment and then charges toward Luca who dodges him.
Luca throws a punch at his face, hitting his target. Call it luck, or maybe I’ve underestimated his street skills; but Martuccio fights almost as efficiently as I do. A fist collides with my left jaw. I get the shit knocked out of me because I’m distracted.
From somewhere behind me, I hear Adriana giving out our address to the authorities. I hope she has sense enough to stay hidden until help arrives.
I straighten up and charge at Knife Guy. We briefly collide, staring into each other’s eyes. My temper erupts. I take a step back and pass a fist into his face, knocking him backward. The bones in his nose make a sickening crunch.
Sharp pain shoots through my hand and a couple of other places throughout my body. I wonder if I broke a bone in my hand and ribcage.
“F*ck! Little shit broke my nose,” Knife Guy shouts, shuffling to his feet and glaring at me.
“Good. That was for my cousin, you son of a bitch!” I’m running on full adrenaline now. Even with a couple of broken bones, I’m ready for more action.
Across the room, Luca and the partner have each other in a double headlock. Call me crazy, but the sight of the two men fighting makes me want to laugh. Sirens sound out in the distance. Black Butterfly’s shop is located in one of the most prominent areas of Milan. The police waste no time in responding to Adriana’s call.
“Come on, you jackass! Let’s go!” Knife Guy says to his partner. Goofy shoves backward, breaking out of Luca’s grip. The two men storm out of the front door. Luca hops to his feet and embraces Adriana as she rushes over to him. The room starts spinning. I’m not for exactly certain if the pain in my chest comes from a broken rib or something more. I lean over, supporting myself on my knees. To my surprise I realize that the shot to my jaw shook me up more than I realized.
“Run you crazy bastards! Come back here again and I’ll rearrange another part of your face!” Luca shouts at the doorway. He turns to me and says, “Teaches them to mess around with my shop.” I admit he has impressed me. Scoffing, his gaze moves toward something on the floor. The golden knife. “It’s covered in blood.”
“Alek, are you okay?” Adriana asks, her voice echoing around me. I’m wearing a black shirt and pants, clothes to accentuate my slim waste. But they also hide something else too.
It’s not too hard for me to figure out whose blood is on the knife. Mine. I close my eyes and envision Erin’s face. She’s wearing a white dress, and the smile on her face makes all that I went through to leave Russia worth every fight I had to endure to create this new life.
“Alek!” Adriana screams. I don’t respond. I’m caught up in visions of loveliness with my Jaybird. “Help him, Luca! Please.” My sister is crying for some reason.
Her agonizing wails rip through me. I want to tell her that I’m fine, but my lips have gone numb, and my body feels like somebody put a slab of ice under my ass.
Erin tugs lightly on my hand, and I follow her out into a field of white flowers. It’s beautiful here: the sky, the sun, the floral scent. And then, our world darkens.