Chapter 13

I will let her stew in her fear, i could see it in her eyes that she was afraid to ask me to protect her little sister. But what she doesn’t know is that children are off limits. For everyone who works for me.

No one under my rule will touch a child in the wrong way, not one. They know the rules, and they know the punishment for breaking them.

I walk up the stairs and into the kitchen, Jione and Misha already sat there, eating breakfast, luckily, they’ve left enough for me. Despite the amount i know that they can eat. It costs a fortune in this house for food. More than it should. But that’s ok, well-fed men word better, and i need them all in their best shape.

“Misha.” I say, walking towards the cooker. “I have a job for you.”

He places his fork down on the table, the metal clinking against his plate. “You want to tell us why you spent the night with that ginger chick? You realise you left the door unlocked.”

I didn’t like his tone. I didn’t like the way he is fucking talking to me.

Who the fuck does he think he is?

I turn sharply, staring at him, “And when did you decide that she was any of your business?” i ask, voice cold.

One more fucking word and i will take his head off his shoulders.

Misha shifted, not much scared him, but my anger does. It always has.

He doesn’t like it when i lose my shit, none of them do, maybe because it doesn’t happen often.

But when it does, and i explode, no one is safe, and i am very fucking close to that point. So fucking close.

“Stephanie is mine!” i growl, slamming my hands on the table inches from Misha. “I decide what happens to her, and I decide what punishment she receives for her crimes, not you. Not anyone else.”

Misha nods, slowly, as though he is faced with a beast and not a man. “I get it, Alexi, you decide.” he sighs, “I was only suggesting that maybe you are too close to her already, i mean when was the last time you shared a bed with a woman just to sleep? It isn’t like you.”

“She is different.” i say, going back to the cooker, “She wasn’t running the drugs because she wanted the money, she has none. She was running them to protect her kid sister, who is now in danger.”

Jione looks up from his plate, Startled, “Why would her kid sister be in danger? We do not harm children.”

“Jione is right, none of our men would go after a child.” Misha says, crossing his arms, “It must be the scum she was working for.”

“It is.” i say with a brief nod, “But it isn’t just the girl's life that is in danger, it is her virtue.” growls echo around the room. “He runs a children's home, and his men get to look after the older girls, in special ways. Ways that are banned in my city.”

We supply drugs, we may kill and torture. But we do not hurt children. They are the innocent. We normal vet all those who work for social services ourselves, but we must have let David slip past the defence. It Will not happen again. I'll make sure of it.

Misha stands, his eyes on fire with rage. “We need to shut it down, get the kids somewhere else.”

I turn to Jione, “Call the mayor, see to it that David is removed from the home and arrested for his crimes. We can get to him later.” Jione stands nodding, “Oh, and make sure the entire city knows what he has done. He and his men will have nowhere to hide.”

Misha stands, putting his plate in the dishwasher, “And what is it that you want me to do?”

“I want you to find Stephanie’s kid sister and get her to safety.” I tell him, my voice full of anger. “Lock up the man who is with her, Jack. But do not hurt him unless you have to, i want him in perfect shape when i question him.”

Misha smiles, he knows exactly what i mean when i say question. Those who i normally have words with do not make it out of the warehouse alive.

He will pay for his crimes with his life, but my little malyshka will pay for it with her body. As soon as she is ready. Not a moment before.

I fill up two plates and head back down to her room, my new toy laid back down with her eyes closed. She looks stressed. But she shouldn’t be. I have everything taken care of.

I just need to figure out where i am going to place her sister, she cannot stay here with us, this life is too dangerous for a child. And besides, Stephanie does not deserve that kind of reward, not yet. She hasn’t earned it. And i doubt she will, not for a while.

She can have visitation with Sarah, that i can arrange, but she will not have sole care of her, not until she learns to obey her master. And then, maybe she will be able to live somewhere close by with her. Both of them under my protection.

Though right now, i want my toy close to me, and i want her to behave.

And until she does, everything will remain as it is.

I unlock the door and walk inside, Stephanie startling awake and shuffling back on the bed, her eyes wide with fear. Sometimes she can be so, so brave, and others, she cowers like a child.

A child who has been abused.

I will find out what happened to her, eventually, but it will take time. Victims always take time to break down. All because they have experienced it before.

If i want her to obey me, i need a new plan, i need to make her happy here.

“I brought us both some breakfast.” i say with a smile, though it is strained.

She looks into my eyes, as though she can see exactly what i am thinking, and then slowly, her eyes travel down to the plates, and they widen a little.

She's hungry. But she doesn’t want to admit it. My stubborn little malyshka.

“Ok.” she whispers, slowly sitting up and moving her leg, though she winces as she does.

A broken leg takes a while to heal, but she will heal.

I sit down beside her and pass her a plate, “If you are good, i might take you outside today.” i tell her.

Her eyes round at the edges and she smiles, “You would?”

I nod, but i don’t smile back, “It all depends on your behaviour.”

She nods, changing her smile, it becomes softer, less excited. She doesn’t know what i expect of her yet. But that is ok, i will teach her. Slowly.

She is mine now, and i like my toys happy. Content.

I need her to WANT to obey me.

But that will take a long time, maybe months.

I know how to break people down, make them scream and beg and cry, but i don’t know how to make a woman like Stephanie happy. This is going to be a challenge for me as much as it is for her.

But that’s ok, i have always loved a good challenge.