6- I don't smoke!

Adrian 

What a crazy and Dramatic family! From the mother to the sister they are all crazy. No doubt.

Like what the hell?

The sister tries to stab the brother and the mother slaps the son. I couldn't stand that and had to stop her. I did not stop her because I cared for Nikolai. I just hate seeing parents hit their children. I was a constant victim of that, and it's kind of traumatic for me.

And the bastard? He asked me to join him in the back seat, making me feel so uncomfortable. I wanted to join the other SUV that contained his other men.

We finally arrived at the house I recognized as the Pakhan's house. While Nikolai went inside, Ilya and I remained outside, standing with other guards.

Minutes later, a man storms out of the room, looking pissed as hell. He keeps mumbling something under his breath as he walks away. That's Vladimir.

Two other men walk out moments later. Viktor and Alexei. They seem to be the same age as Nikolai and handsome as well. These men scream power with an intimidating aura. They are all known as the four reapers, Nikolai inclusive. They leave with their guards as well.

Nikolai has not come out yet. Speaking of the devil, he steps out moments later with Mikhail walking beside him.

"Who's he?" Mikhail asks, stopping in front of me. I noticed the way he kept staring at me the first time he arrived.

"Adrian. He works for me." Nikolai replies and my eyes finally land on him. His hair is packed in a man bun this time, with just a few strands falling on his forehead. And I hate to admit, the fucker is as handsome as ever.

The way Mikhail's eyes keep staring at me makes me feel so uncomfortable. "That's interesting." He mumbles, his eyes never leaving me.

"But why him? He looks weak." He suddenly asks and a low rumble is heard from Ilya. Which screams 'told you so.'

"But he's not. The guy has potential." I smile at Mikhail as Nikolai defends me, but Mikhail shakes his head in disapproval.

"Only with guns. I doubt he can fight." Ilya scoffs, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Why don't we try?" I challenge, I'm good with guns, but I also know how to throw a few punches.

"You want to try?" Mikhail laughs as his jaw works.

"He's pretty." Mikhail adds, still laughing. 

Yeah. I'm more pretty than handsome. You can say I have soft features. Making me look more feminine.

"I doubt he can use his fist." Mikhail snickers and the next thing I feel is pain. The bastard punched me. The punch landed squarely on my cheekbone, just below my left eye.

"He can't even block an attack." He smiles and my eyes widen in disbelief, feeling my nose hurt. What the hell? He's got powerful punches. The hell!! It hurts.

"He'd be more suited to entertaining at a nightclub, considering his appearance." Mikhail sneers. That's it! I hate him. 

"That's it, Mikhail. Adrian is good and you punched him because you took him unaware." Nikolai says in my favor with a calm expression on his face.

"We'll see. Be prepared the next time we meet Adrian because I'll hit you again. Make sure to block my attack and prove yourself." He smiles, patting my shoulder.

He stares at me briefly, before walking away with his guard.

"You see I'm not the only one who disapproves of him" Ilya utters the moment Mikhail leaves, displeasure written on his face.

"Shall we?" Nikolai ignores his statement and begins to walk away. Ilya shoots me a glare before following Nikolai. 

It's quite apparent that all of Nikolai's friends hate me. Nice! Just nice.

We get to the car and once I settle beside Nikolai, I remember that I have something to tell him. I've been wearing the same clothes since yesterday, I need a change of clothes and want to meet someone.

"Can I go home?" I ask, slowly clearing my throat. He lifts his gaze to look at me. Kuzma is already driving the car.

"Home?"

"Yes. To pick up my stuff."

"You don't need them." His gaze on me is intense, it feels like his green eyes are staring deep into my soul, making me feel so uncomfortable.

"I've been wearing this since yesterday, I need to get a change of clothes. And I'm not running away. I'll be back." I try to sound as convincing as I can.

He stares at me for the longest of time, before finally looking away. That's it? No reply?

I'm about to speak when he says, "You can go. Don't make me look for you." 

Thank Goodness. I breathe out in relief as I tell Kuzma where to drop me. I'll find my way home from there. The rest of the ride is quiet until Kuzma arrives at the next stop. I get out of the car and don't board a taxi until their car drives far away, along with the SUVs behind.

It will be my only chance to meet him until God knows where. I can't meet him carelessly or Nikolai will disclose my secret in no time. He's smart, I'll give him that. 

I arrive at my house and pay the driver with the money Nikolai passed to me. I seriously didn't expect him to do that. 

I walk into my house, it's just as I left it. A few things are lying around, some belong to Larisa. I feel a pang of pain at the thought of her betrayal. I suck my lips hard, walking straight to my room. I'm not rich, just well-to-do. My only property is my bike, my house and a few belongings. My bike is back at Nikolai's place.

I go straight to my cupboard and bring out a phone to send a message. 'Meet me in thirty minutes, I have just a little time left to hang around.' The moment I press send, I let out a deep breath. Fuck!

Where the hell is he? I already packed my clothes, he's the only one holding me back. I proceed to call him. He replied to my text earlier saying he was coming.

But time is delaying. I need to return back to Nikolai's place. I will not run away. Not only will he look for me and kill me, but I'm not done with that house. Not yet.

"Where are you uncle?" I ask the moment he picks the calls up.

"I'm near your place, Adrian. Give me a few minutes." 

"Okay then. Be fast. I have to leave soon." I urge him, ending the call afterward. I shove my phone into my pocket, standing up from the chair I'm sitting on. I look around my sitting room and my eyes land on a picture.

It's me and my mother. I was eight there. I suck in a deep breath, reaching out for the picture. I look just like my mother, with brown hair and the most beautiful brown eyes. She used to smile a lot, she was the best. But they had to take her from me, they killed her. I watched her die.

My heart races as the memory comes back, the memory of her taking life away from my beautiful mom. She killed her and I vowed to have my revenge. Not just on her, but her whole family. They'll pay for it.

I place the picture into my bag, that's the only memory I have left of her and there's no way I'll leave it behind. Just after I finish zipping up the bag, the door pushes open and my uncle walks in. Sergei Petrov was my mother, Alisa Petrov's brother.

"Uncle Sergei." I smile when I see him. He smiles back at me, patting my shoulder gently.

"How are you?" He asks as he looks around the house.

"Fine. Though I got a good beating." I say sheepishly, rubbing the back of my nape. It was all a plan to get into Nikolai's life. Igor was just a means to an end. When he gave me the job, I got a good opportunity to kill Nikolai. But now, I have an even bigger opportunity. His whole family will pay.

"But it was worth it. You got in." 

"Yes. I'm his guard. My sniping skills seem to impress him a lot."

"That's good. And Zorya?" He questions. My eyes harden at the mention of that name. Zorya. She killed my mother, I watched her kill her. Zorya killed my mother and I have been bearing a grudge towards her for sixteen years.

"She's well. Just like I remember." I inform him and the smile on his face widens. 

"Good. Don't forget our plan, Adrian. You must be careful. Nikolai is a powerful man. He'll kill you the moment he finds out about anything suspicious.." 

"I'll kill him before he does uncle. Do you think I spent years preparing for nothing?" I scoff, walking over to pick up my bag.

"I'll gain his trust and kill him. Then I'll kill that witch and her other children." I seethe, clenching my fists tight. This is the price she will pay for killing my mother.

"Focus on Zorya and Irina, Adrian. Leave the boys to me. Especially Nikolai, I'll deal with him myself!" Sergei says with hostility in his voice. He hates Nikolai just like I do. Sometimes, I feel he hates him more than Zorya.

"Don't worry uncle. I'll take things from here." I inform him. He's helped me a lot. I'll deal with things myself. 

"Rubbish!!" He slams in Russian.

"Alisa was my sister too. There's no way I can rest until I get justice for her, and that's by destroying the Rostovs. Do what I say, boy, I'll deal with Nikolai myself." He states again as I slowly nod. I really don't care what he does with Nikolai. My main target is Zorya. 

"I'll leave now. Don't call me in the meantime. I'll text you if anything comes up." I say to him and he slowly nods his head.

"Take care uncle." He nods at me again and watches as I walk out of the house. It does not take time for me to find a taxi, which I board to Nikolai's place.

The only thing on my mind is to shower and get a change of clothes. New fresh clothes.

The guards search me on my way in. After making sure I bear no threat. They allow me in. The house is as quiet as usual. The maids and the guards don't even move around unless it's necessary. And the tons of guards stationed outside, hardly come into the house.

I have no idea if Nikolai is home. I sigh, heading toward the stairs to go to my room. I'm about to take the first step when someone calls out to me.

"You!!" The voice is harsh and drips with venom. I turn to see Zorya walking towards me with nothing but hatred in her eyes, there's a man with her.

"You dared to touch me didn't you." She fumes, stopping in front of me.

"I was only protecting my boss." I say in a blank tone with no emotion crossing my face. This woman is shitty, even to her children.

"Boss, my foot." She scoffs and then stares at me for a long time, before saying.

"You look oddly familiar." She smacks her lips, her gaze on me intense.

My heart skips a beat at her words, I hope she does not recognize me. My mother and I sure bear a lot of resemblance. 

"Count your days! You dug your grave the moment you touched me." She deadpans, nodding briefly at the man behind her. They brush past me, disappearing upstairs.

I breathe out slowly, my eyes fixed on their fading silhouettes. She sways her hips and mouths something to the man, who smiles as he circles his hand around her waist, he leans down to kiss her. I don't see much again as they walk farther. She brought a man to fuck and she's taking him to her matrimonial room. A woman who just lost her husband.

Zorya Rostov should be the one counting her days, because she has no idea what's coming for her. 

***** 

I'm standing under the warm shower, losing track of time. It feels like decades since water last touched me. Finally, I turn off the faucet and proceed to dress up.

As I'm adjusting my clothes, I hear a knock on my door. I walk over to answer it, finding Kuzma holding a tray.

"Hey, man," he says with a smile. "I figured you haven't eaten anything, so I brought you food."

My stomach growls at the sight of the food. "Fuck yes!" I exclaim, taking the tray from him. "I'm starving. When was the last time I had something to eat?"

"Thought so," Kuzma replies, chuckling. "You're welcome."

"I really appreciate it," I say sincerely. Kuzma's the only cool person around here.

"No worries," he responds. "I've already instructed the maids to bring your meals every day."

I mumble another thank you, feeling grateful.

Just as Kuzma's about to leave, he pauses and turns to face me.

"By the way," he starts, his expression turning serious. " The boss asked to see you. Meet him after you've finished having dinner." He informs me and my brows furrows.

"Nikolai?" 

"Yes, Nikolai." He confirms before turning to leave. I go into my room, gently closing the door being me, before sitting to eat. I open the plate to reveal Pelmeni, there's a glass of water as well.

I dig in, finishing everything up. After making sure my food has been digested, I step out of my room.

Luckily I find a maid, who I give the tray to before heading to Nikolai's study. On getting there, I realize he's not in. What the hell? Why ask for me if he's not in his study room? And I have no idea where his room is.

I'm about to go to my room when I come across another maid who informs me that he's in his room. She shows me the directions to his room. I utter a thank you to her, before heading there. It's the last room on the last floor.

"Nikolai?" I call, knocking briefly on his door.

"Nikolai?" I call again but there's no reply. I suck in a deep breath as I turn the knob. The door's open. I open the door and walk into his room.

As I step into the bedroom, I'm surrounded by the unmistakable essence of Nikolai. Every detail screams his name, from the lavish furnishings to the subtle scent of his signature cologne and a hint of cigarette. I've sat near him enough to know that he smokes and has a spicy smell. The bastard smells nice.

 The king-size bed, adorned with fine linens and a velvet headboard, dominates the space. 

My eyes wander to the walk-in closet, its doors slightly ajar, revealing rows of tailored suits, designer shoes, and exquisite accessories. Nikolai's impeccable taste is evident in every item. And there are a few portraits of paintings around.

I hear the soft sound of water droplets. If I'm not mistaken, it's coming from his bathroom. He's in the shower. Suddenly the water stops flowing and Nikolai steps out. Naked.

What the hell??

"Fuck!" I curse on seeing him. I always knew he was hot behind his suit. Tattoos cover his upper body. From what I can see, it's a drawing of a skull, and a viper opening its mouth, among other things. There's also something written on his upper chest, ' Carpe diem' written boldly.

And his…fuck! I never meant to look down. His dick is huge. I have a big dick, but Nikolai's is definitely bigger than mine.

And he's not even hard, just semi-hard. Why is he even semi-hard?

Realizing that I'm staring too much as he smirks at me, I quickly turn away from him. Men Don't fascinate me, but Nikolai's hotness leaves me speechless.

"Why turn away? You can look." I can hear the taunting in his voice. I bite back a harsh reply and say instead.

"You called me." 

"Yes, I did." He replies and I hear retreating footsteps. I think he's leaving, but I don't dare turn, in fear of seeing him naked again. 

"You can look now, pretty boy." His voice sounds after a while. I reluctantly turn and thankfully, he has a towel wrapped around his waist, leaving his upper chest bare. His hair is wet, the long strands a few inches away from his shoulders.

His piercing green eyes lock onto mine, and I feel a shiver run down my spine. Fuck! Why do I feel so strange? 

"Adrian," he calls, his deep voice low and smooth. "Make yourself comfortable."

Nikolai's gaze lingers on me before he moves to the dresser, pouring himself a glass of vodka, and doing the same to another cup. 

He offers me one, and I accept, feeling a sense of unease. I need to drink.

As I take the glass, our fingers touch, sending a spark of electricity through me. Nikolai's eyes narrow, his gaze intense.

I clear my throat, taking a step back away from him. He smiles and reaches for a pack of cigarettes. He shoves a stick into his mouth and lights it up.

"Want one?" He offers and I shake my head.

"I don't smoke." I politely refuse and he nonchalantly shrugs his shoulders while blowing out a trail of smoke.

"Drink," he gestures, pointing his cup towards mine. I slowly nod, bringing the cup to my mouth. I need it, I miss my bottle of vodka. That's my best buddy. It helps me think whenever I'm confused.

And Nikolai? What's up with his sudden attitude?

"Do you need anything?" I ask, after a while, wanting to get out of his intimidating presence as soon as possible. He just stares at me, while he smokes.

"Yes. Why will I call you here if I don't need anything, pretty boy?" He lifts his cup to his mouth, taking a sip.

"What's that?" I just want to get out of his presence. The way his green eyes stare at me makes me feel so uneasy.

"The question is simple, Adrian. Are you straight or bi?" He suddenly asks as I freeze. Wait what?

"What?" I stammer in confusion. Why the sudden question?

"Do you fuck men?" He asks bluntly, not caring if that's a sensitive question. Because it is.