II

Artemy

I stormed into my bedroom, forcefully shutting the door behind me. Brayden had been preoccupied with handling the club's issues, ensuring our operations ran smoothly. House inspections were his responsibility, but I couldn't entrust anyone else with the task. So I took matters into my own hands.

Shifting my weight, I yanked at my tie until it loosened and removed it from my neck. Just as I began removing my suit jacket, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Retrieving it, I saw Leon’s name flashing on the screen.

"What do you want?" I snapped into the phone.

"Boss," he replied, his voice filled with panic and exhaustion. I almost rolled my eyes.

"What's the matter?"

"Boss..."

I tuned out the rest of his sentence, my attention caught by something peculiar. My eyes widened as I noticed a white cloth peeking out from beneath my bed. With the phone still pressed to my ear, I approached cautiously.

As I crouched down and touched the cloth, my curiosity grew. Uncovering the bed and peering beneath, my mouth fell open in disbelief, quickly giving way to anger. My eyes narrowed to slits.

There, hiding beneath my bed, was a girl. Her appearance was disheveled, and she had a grimy look about her.

"Boss, boss, are you there?" Leon’s voice urgently echoed through the phone.

"What?" I bellowed, my gaze fixated on the uninvited intruder.

Startled by my tone, the girl trembled and began to shake. Tears welled up at the corners of her eyes, her chin quivering with fear.

I bared my teeth in a menacing grin, causing her to shrink away from me, but I refused to let her escape. Seizing her torn, grimy white dress, I gripped it tightly, holding her in place. There was no way she would get away. With a firm grasp on the fabric, I yanked her out from under the bed.

"Boss! Someone broke into the estate," Leon’s frustrated voice erupted from the phone.

A smile crept across my face. The girl cowered, hugging her knees to her chest and covering her head as though seeking protection from me. I couldn't help but laugh at her naivety. She had no idea what she had gotten herself into by trespassing in the house of the Bratva’s boss let alone hiding under his bed.

"Boss?" Leon’s confusion resonated through the phone.

"I've got this," I growled into the phone, giving the intruder a fierce glare. Ending the call before Leon could respond, I pocketed the device and grabbed hold of her arm, forcefully pulling her upright. She whimpered in pain, her sniffles echoing in the room. Keeping her head down, her hair cascading like a curtain, shielding her from me.

As I attempted to draw her closer, she resisted and squirmed, attempting to break free. I tightened my grip on her delicate wrist, aware that I was causing her pain. Her winces were evidence enough, yet I refused to release her. With barely any effort, I could easily snap her hands in half.

Finally releasing her, I took a step back. Just as I had anticipated, she sprinted straight towards the door. A smirk played on my lips as I retrieved the gun tucked in the back of my pants. Pointing it at her, I spoke in a calm tone.

"Take another step, and I'll shoot you."

She froze in her tracks, trembling with fear. Little did she know, fear was my sustenance. A harsh laugh escaped my lips, startling her, but she didn't flee for her life.

"Turn around," I commanded.

She hesitated, her body quivering. Anger surged through me. Nobody dared to defy me. And yet, this girl...

"Turn around!" I shouted at her back.

Startled once more, my captive swiftly spun around, keeping her face hidden. I desired to see her.

A sudden thought caught me off guard. What was happening? I shook my head, furrowing my brow as I observed her. What was she doing here? Why had she come? Judging by her appearance, she didn't belong in a place like this, certainly not in a Mafia house, especially not in my residence.

"Look at me," I commanded without thinking, my fingers tightening around the gun, awaiting her compliance.

She took longer than anticipated, and if she were under my command, I would have taken immediate action for her disobedience. However, I found myself unable to act. Strangely, the way she shielded her face with her long, dark hair, looking so innocent, pained me inside. I couldn't comprehend it.

"What the hell?" I muttered in disbelief. "Look at me," I repeated, my voice grating. She slowly raised her head, revealing doe-like eyes peeking through her hair. I sucked in a breath and took a step closer.

As her head continued to rise, I noticed a small, rounded nose and pink lips stained with dried blood. Her cheeks were swollen, bearing the marks of bruises. It was difficult to see her face clearly, as it was covered in dirt and more bruises.

She held her arms around herself, trembling silently. The intruder before me was evidently frightened. She appeared so delicate, and my heart ached at her vulnerable state.

Taking another step forward, I glimpsed green eyes peering at me from beneath her long lashes. Tears welled up in her eyes as she saw me approach, my gun still aimed at her.

When I was near, I slowly lowered the gun and glared at her menacingly. She flinched, and my determination wavered.

She took a step back, and I growled, "Don't move."

Once again, she flinched. My heart raced in my chest. What was happening to me? Moving closer until our chests almost touched, I felt her quivering against me, and she let out a frightened whimper. She hugged herself tighter, as if attempting to hide from me, even in plain sight.

Raising my empty hand to her face, she winced but remained still. Silent tears streamed down her cheek, and I brushed away a droplet with my thumb. She froze, inhaling sharply.

I froze too. Something was amiss within me.

Before I could control myself, my hands reached for the strands of hair concealing her face. Gradually, I moved her hair aside, revealing her entire countenance to me. Perhaps my heart skipped a beat, though I couldn't be certain.

She slowly lifted her gaze until her glassy green eyes, reminiscent of the rainforest, met mine.

I swallowed hard, gently tracing her soft cheek with my thumb. When she winced in pain, I released her, taking several steps back.

A surge of emotions overwhelmed me—initially sadness, then tenderness, and ultimately anger. I decided to cling to the anger, allowing it to consume me.

Tenderness had no place in my life. It only weakened you. Any emotion besides anger weakened you.

And I couldn't afford to be weak. I had thousands of people relying on me, thousands to lead.

So, I embraced the anger, allowing it to course through my veins until my body shook uncontrollably.

Burning, seething anger. I glared at her, once again pointing my gun in her direction. Her eyes widened, and she let out a cry, clutching her chest.

The girl shook her head vigorously, her lips moving soundlessly as though she was desperate to communicate.

With a menacing undertone, I barked at her, "Who the fuck are you, and why are you here?" The intensity in my voice made it clear that I meant business, and the girl seemed to comprehend the gravity of the situation.

If her response didn't meet my expectations, I wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger and eliminate her.