“Maybe you need some colors in your life,” I state.
“I have the color red in my life. I told you to stay away. In an hour you’re about to see why. I can’t dirty you,” he says before walking off.
I wish he would let me in. I feel drawn to him and I don’t know why. I need to see him again.
Thirteen
Ivan
“You ready?” Tim asks me from the changing room they built for me, equipped with a shower and a jacuzzi. It’s like a little room, there is even a bed, though it’s way too small to hold me. I strip down to my boxers and wrap my hands before answering.
“I’m ready,” I hiss. I’m more than ready to tear apart the man who could have brought death to my father, all for money. I’m ready to tear his head off and throw it to the dogs to use as a chew toy.
“Don’t kill him so fast, let them see you play first,” Tim sneers, just as ready as I am for this.
“I will, but when I’m done, I’m ripping his head off,” I growl and Tim steps back.
“Alright. Let’s do this,” he leads the charge to the cage, my prey already cowering in a corner like I knew he would.
I step inside and crack my knuckles, grinning like a mad man at my target, relishing in the blood I’m about to spill.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Rushka Casino and Lounge. We live to cater to your wants and needs. Pretty girls, loose slots, tables galore. We also have a real-life beast to fight for your betting needs. Tonight for our grand opening, you can watch as he picks apart a traitor to our cause. I hope you enjoy it,” my uncle booms through a microphone to cheers and applause.
I tune it all out, focusing on Pavel or trying to. I catch a hint of pink glitter out of the corner of my eye. Adelina. I shake off the thought that she’s watching. She will see me for who I am, an unredeemable beast.
“Begin,” my uncle says and I stalk Pavel like a cat stalks a mouse.
“You don’t have to do this,” Pavel cries out like a little bitch.
“I do. Fight me,” I roar.
“No, I won’t. I mean I can’t.”
“You can,” I flick his nose, trying to rile him up.
“Stop. You don’t want to kill me,” he tries to reason with me, “I helped raise you.”
“Raise me? No, my father did that. I did love you like an uncle, but once you betray the family, you’re nothing to me.”
“Please don’t,” he cries out as I snatch him by his throat, holding him up as he struggles to stand and breathe.
“You’re nothing. You’re the message we’re sending to all these people, don’t fuck with the Bratva.”
“Ivan, you’ll never recover your soul if you keep killing,” he gasps for air as he struggles.
“Don’t give a shit,” I snarl as I throw him across the ring, lunging at him and punching him in the face. He goes down fast, but I slap his face to rouse him and then kick him in the stomach sending him flying across the cage.
“Ivan, don’t,” he sobs, but I don’t care, all I can see is my father dying if he was able to live and I can’t let that happen.
“You’re pathetic,” I scream as I punch him, right under his chin. He flies back and lands with a thud, trying to find a way out of the cage. There’s only one door, no way out for him.
I pick him up above my head and then bring him down on my knee, I can feel and hear all the bones in his back break. I hear him cry out, but it just spurs me on.
“I hope your soul finds mercy someday,” he gasps as I pick him up one more time and spin his head, crying out as I rip it from his body.
I toss it on the floor as I catch my breath, calm myself down. The whole place is quiet, stone-cold quiet. I told Tim I would rip his head off.
“Well there you have it, ladies and gentlemen, that’s our big show for the night. Free round of drinks. Men, if you’d like a girl to keep you company, see the desk. Have a merry night,” my uncle booms. I stand over the corpse, still seething with energy. I spit on Pavel’s body and stalk out of the cage. I catch Adelina’s eye and she frowns, and that makes me feel something, which angers me more. I shouldn’t feel, I don’t want to. I need to be hard and angry. Fuck.
