VIKTOR

“You're going to refuse the proposal” I say to Stella.

“What?”

“I didn't know you were deaf” I say, trying to focus on anything but her scent.

“I'm not deaf”, she says, her emerald eyes lighting up.

“Good, so you heard what I said”

“Yes, but how do you expect me to just, refuse the proposal”

“It's quite simple, your father will take you to an event this weekend, where you're expected to bring forth your own conditions and sign the papers. But that's not what you're going to do, what you're going to do is, you're going to tell your father that you do not want to marry me, and you will NOT sign those papers”

I don't miss the way she glances at her friend–Vivian, to make sure she's not listening. Said friend has blocked out the outside world with an earpiece. Stella clearly doesn't want her friend to know about the arrangement and it makes me wonder if Vivian even knows her friend is a mafia princess.

“Listen, I don't want to get married to you either” she says almost in a whisper.

“Good, we're on the same page”

“But I can't be the one to refuse the proposal”

“And why is that?”

Her eyes widen a little but return to normal almost immediately. She's hiding something.

“Why don't you do it yourself?, You are the guy and only you have the power to stop the whole arrangement, The parents would most definitely listen to you and not me”

“Well if I could do it myself, I wouldn't be talking to you right now, would I?”

“Well, why can't you?”

“That is none of your business Emerald, Refuse the proposal, or else”

Her eyes light up with what looks like a challenge. Hmm.

“Or else what?”

“You don't want to know” I reply and turn away from her.

I don't usually confront people. Normally, I would have one of my father's men take care of any obstacle. But that's the problem, Emerald–Stella, doesn't need to be taken care of like every other obstacle, she just needs the right amount of push to do what I want her to do. I think I know just what to do.

——

I watched Stella till school was over. It's not like I am stalking her or anything, I just didn't like the idea of leaving her to plot something. Petty reason, I know.

The truth is, I don't know why I was following her around like a creep. She's not even my type.

It could be the way her eyes light up, or the way she laughs around Vivian. She's still not my type. She's merely an obstacle that needs to be taken care of.

By the time I got to my penthouse, my mind had already been exhausted with reasons why she could possibly want to sign the papers.

She clearly doesn't want to get married.

The only thing that could make someone do something they don't want to do is being under pressure or threatened. No way she falls under any of those categories. What are you hiding Emerald?.

I exit my car and head to the main entrance. I hear the unmistakable beat of heavy metal. Niko. I forgot the fucker lives here now. I wonder what gave my father the idea that transferring Niko here would yield any good result. Now I have to babysit my cousin who is the same age as me. The guy is literally the definition of recklessness.

On walking into the house, I'm met with the most disastrous clusterfuck I've ever seen in my life. Niko's clothes are all over the place, different empty bags of chips are littered around and the fucker is seated on the cushion–which he has soiled with his presence, and his legs are on the center table. He didn't even take off his socks. That's it, he's dead.

“Nikolai!” I practically growl. The motherfucker doesn't turn around. Either he didn't hear me, or he doesn't want to answer.

I march to where he is seated and stand in front of him. That's when he looks up.

“Oh hey mélkiy(little bro), where have you been, I was worried about you for a moment”, he says, and I internally scoff. Niko would never worry about anyone but himself, same as me but the guy gives me a run for my money.

“First of all, I am not your little bro, and secondly, what the actual fuck?” I say through gritted teeth.

“What?” He says, as if he didn't turn my living room upside down.

“I'll only say this once, get off your lazy ass and clean this place up” I order, knowing fully well that he won't be doing any of that.

“Has anyone ever told you that you are such a boring soul?”

“Yes, you do, every day”

He shakes his head.

His expression changes and his eye colour becomes a stormy blue. Whatever he's about to say next, I'm sure I won't like it.

“Dyadya (uncle) called me”

“What does he want?”

“He said the Greeks are plotting something, he doesn't know what yet”.

My body becomes cold instantly. Greeks. All I can think about is different ways I can kill each and every one of them. It's evident on Niko's face that he is thinking the same thing.

The Russians and the Greeks have been rivals ever since that night, when I was seven. Memories flood in and it feels like I'm still in that warehouse, tied up and bloodied. I internally shake my head to chase away the vivid images. One thing is for sure. I will make them pay for ruining my childhood and taking away the one person I have ever cared about.

“We'll make them regret ever being born”, Niko says with a sadistic smirk, and I reply to him with a nod.

I turn around to head upstairs.

“Don't you have a cleaner or something?”

“Lee-nee-vyets” (lazybones) I say but quickly add “leave it, I'll get someone to clean it up”

“Good boy,” he says while still seated. I flip him the bird and take the stairs two at a time.

Once I am in my room, I lock the door behind me and close my eyes. The scent of Lillie's assault my nose and it brings back memories of a time when I was happy, carefree and without a care in the world.

The scent both enrages and calms me down at the same time. It reminds me of the one person who desperately needed my help, but I was too weak to do anything.

The same scent I perceived on Emerald.