Chapter 5

Rai’s POV

Axel Morozov, my second in command, caught up to me as I walked to my room.

“Boss… what do we do with her? We have never brought a woman to Podolskaya, let alone allowed her in the house,” he said, walking side by side with me, matching my fast steps.

“I know, Axel… I know,” I said nonchalantly.

“Why, Boss… why did you…”

“Questioning my orders now, Morozov?” My tone changed, irritated.

He cleared his throat. “No, Boss… I’m just…”

“Worried?” I gave a deep chuckle. “No spawn of mine should have that. She’s harmless and stupid. If she tries to be smart, I won’t waste a second blowing off her head.”

Axel seemed a bit relieved after I said that. “I want her in the mansion from tomorrow… I’ll decide how useful she’d be later… maybe the kitchen,” I said, slamming my door as I entered my room. I heard a “Yes, Boss” from outside.

I poured myself a glass of whiskey, then proceeded to drink from the bottle as I closed my eyes, relaxing.

Reina fucking Gazem.

I didn’t know what it was that made me pick her that night. A fucking woman. Something I had never done in my entire life. It was because she couldn’t speak.

Her fear, her weakness. She was a lab rat waiting for an experiment. The way her olive eyes widened anytime she wanted to speak like she had forgotten she couldn’t… the way her hands trembled when I faced her… the way her lips twitched when I watched her throat move… It was thrilling. Exciting. And I wanted to press on it.

I thrive on weakness, and when I set my eyes on the girl, my body reacted. At her fear, her weakness, her innocence, her situation. I wanted to ruin her. I wanted to own her fear, and I already knew how. Hell, I knew I already did. I am Rai Mikailov of Podolskaya… a serpent. Having people fear me was my specialty. That’s who I am.

It had been a long time since I had something exciting that wasn’t spilling blood, and I intended to devour it. The only way I could do that was by keeping her near. I thought of her neck, Fragile. Easy to snap. But where’s the fun in that? I wanted to break her, piece by piece, Until there was nothing left.

I took another swig of whiskey, feeling the burn in my throat. My mind wandered back to the night I took her. The fear in her eyes. The desperation. It was intoxicating. I wanted more. I wanted to see that fear every day, to taste it, to bathe in it.

The sound of my phone ringing broke my trance. I picked it up, my voice low and menacing.

“Speak”

The voice on the other end was hesitant, but I listened intently.

“Good. I want him brought to the house tomorrow. Keep watching him. I want to know who he meets, everyone he speaks to.”

I hung up, my mind drifting back to my new property.

Reina Gazem was going to be a fun toy.

And I would break her.