Rodrigo’s men moved in an instant, pulling out their weapons, each one pointing directly at Kai. He didn’t even flinch. If anything, he looked…bored. Like this was just another Thursday night for him.But this wasn’t normal. This wasn’t okay.People in the club barely reacted. They never did. That was how things worked here—no one interfered, no one called for help. They just watched, waiting to see who would drop first.I clenched my jaw.Screw that.Before I could second-guess myself, I grabbed Kai’s whiskey and the tray, stepping out from behind the bar. My heartbeat pounded in my ears as I took a deep breath and started toward his table.“Amelia, are you crazy?!”Emma’s voice snapped at me, and I barely had time to register her grabbing my arm before I shrugged her off.She tried again. “Amelia, don’t—”But I was already walking past her, ignoring the way my hands trembled slightly as I gripped the tray. If I didn’t do something, someone was going to die tonight.I reached their t
Amelia’s POV"Don't you want to see your child?"I saw him stiffen immediately i said that and for a moment, he stared at me like i just spoke another language he didn’t understand. “it’s fine if you don’t want to, you can leave” i said walking away and i heard the door go open immediately.“wait….I’m coming” he said as he hurriedly stepped out of the car. I unlocked the door and stepped inside, the familiar warmth of home washing over me. The soft glow of the lamp in the corner illuminated the small living room, casting shadows against the walls. I toed off my shoes and turned slightly, watching as Kai stepped in. His gaze swept over the room, his expression unreadable.“have your seat” i said as i headed over to the roomKai sat there, his body tense, his fingers drumming lightly against his knee. He was waiting. Expecting.I swallowed the lump in my throat and turned away, walking towards the bedroom. Walking into my room, I reached for the small wooden box on my nightstand and pu
Amelia’s POVThe familiar scent of lavender and baked bread greeted me as I pushed open the creaky wooden door to my grandmother’s house. The warmth of her small, cozy living room wrapped around me like a comforting hug, a stark contrast to the chilly air outside.“Grandma?” I called out, setting my bag down by the door.“In the kitchen, darling!” her cheerful voice responded, followed by the clatter of pots and pans.I smiled to myself, shrugging off my jacket and hanging it on the old brass hook by the door. This house hadn’t changed a bit since my childhood—same floral wallpaper, same mismatched cushions on the worn-out couch, and the same faint hum of the vintage radio playing in the background.I made my way to the kitchen, where my grandmother stood by the stove, stirring a pot of what smelled like her famous chicken soup. Her gray hair was tied up in a neat bun, and her glasses perched at the tip of her nose as she glanced up at me with a wide smile.“There’s my Amelia,” she sa
Amelia 63Kai’s POV“You didn’t show up last night,” Nikolai said sharply, skipping any pleasantries. “you kept Rodrigo waiting”“I did show up,” I replied, running a hand through my hair. “I just… left early. Something came up.”“Something came up?” Nikolai echoed, his tone laced with skepticism. “Kai, you know how hard it is to get Rodrigo to meet with you. you should’ve at least told….”“I know Nikolai,” I cut him off, my voice firm. “Did you talk to him?”There was a pause on the other end before Nikolai sighed. “I did. Rodrigo agreed to meet with you again, but you better not screw this up or i wouldn’t be able to meet with you again.”“i can’t wait to get this over with” i said“And what if he doesn’t like your deal?” Nikolai asked cautiously.I nodded, my mind already playing out the worst-case scenario. “Then I’ll deal with him the other way. I’m hoping it doesn’t have to resort to that”“alright. I’ll keep you updated” Nikolai said before ending the callI tossed my phone ont
Amelia’s POVI hate Friday nights. This darn place is always so parked with annoying customers, and i have to pretend to be nice to them. Don’t get me wrong, i love my job, but it’s just the rude customers with bad tipping habit that sometimes make this place unbearable to work at.“Vot vash napitok, ser.” I said with a fake smile as i placed the drink on the table and walked away.Bro couldn’t even say thank you.Anyways, i walked away, not regarding the fact that he couldn’t even acknowledge my effort. I looked at the time on my watch, it was past 2:00am, Emma should be here to take over from me already, what was taking her so long. This is the reason i hate running night shifts with her, she never shows up early and i can’t just leave all the customers unattended to. I looked around the club, most people had drinks on their tables already, i was just about leaving when i spotted another customer sitting alone at the end of the room, he was backing me, his eyes glued on his phone an
3 years laterKai’s POVThe steam from the shower clung to the room as I stepped out of the bathroom, a towel loosely tied around my waist. Moscow’s skyline stretched beyond the window, glowing faintly in the cold night.I grabbed the hairdryer from the dresser, plugging it in with one hand while running the other through my wet hair. Just as I was about to start, a knock came at the door.I paused, glancing at the clock. It was late, too late for room service or staff. My jaw tightened as I set the dryer down and walked to the door.Opening it slightly, I saw a blonde woman standing there with a cleaning trolley. Her red lipstick stood out against her pale skin, and her blue eyes had a sharpness that didn’t match the cheerful uniform she wore.“Dobryy vecher,” she said with a polite smile.“Speak English,” I said curtly, already annoyed.Her smile faltered for half a second before she switched to English, her accent thick. “Do you need cleaning services?”I frowned. “This room was cl