LIGHTNING STRIKE
1185 Words
Vladimir looked at the unconscious Ivy, and then at his guys.
He repeated his eye movement three more times before laying it to rest on the guys.
“I told you she's strange, didn't I Andrei? And how the hell did she get into the garden?” He asked, half reproachful, half in awe.
“Ivan left the door open so Sergei could come in after his usual stroll round the garden. She probably found it that way, and got curious to see what was on the other side,” Andrei explained.
“So let me get this straight,” he stood up from the bed, walked a few paces, and paused. “Ivan left Sergei to stroll around on his own? Without bothering to stay nearby just in case he wandered too far? No one informed me Sergei is now so independent. Did you know about this latest development from Sergei, Hedeon?”
Hedeon, who had been silently listening, looked up.
“It's news to me too, boss.”
“Hear that, Andrei?” He drew closer to him. “It's news to him,” he placed a hand on his shoulder. “Say Sergei got very excited. Say he decided to have a feast of flesh. Say the flesh he desired was that of the Greene girl. Do you realize she was almost poisoned? Do you realize it would take forever to convince her not to be paranoid? I need her to not be paranoid, Andrei,” he squeezed hard. “If she is, how do I get the information I need from her so we can both move on? How?”
Andrei bobbed his head in understanding. “Sergei will be less independent henceforth. Ivan will see to it.”
“He better. He better see to it, Andrei. I'm counting on you.” He took off his hand, and stepped back.
“What about the girl, boss? Her mouth runs a lot, but it's obvious she's not as strong as she portrays,” Hedeon observed out loud.
“Andrei?” Vladimir called.
“Yes boss?”
“You're excellent with women, aren't you?”
“I try,” he replied honestly.
“Good. What is your diagnosis of her? I say she probably has some sort of trauma she hasn't healed from. Do you think the same way?”
Andrei gave it a good thought for a couple of seconds.
“She asked me to let go when I caught her before she could fall. She fainted after seeing all three of us together–”
“She talks about men with such unrivalled viciousness,” Vladimir interrupted to add. “Then again, it could just be me in particular she reserves the verbal lashings for.”
“Let's not forget she lived in an all women villa for most of her life,” Hedeon jumped in.
All three looked between themselves, and then slowly looked towards her.
“You have your work cut out for you, boss,” Hedeon said bluntly.
Vladimir took a deep breath. “I know. Go inform Anna to prepare herself to come over again. The girl might wake up any time soon.”
Hedeon bowed, and walked out of the room.
“She's trouble, Vlad,” Andrei said the second the door shut, losing the formality.
Vladimir dragged his eyes away from Ivy's face, and looked at his oldest friend.
“I know. But eight hundred billion dollars hangs in the balance. Eight hundred billion dollars will wipe out the Gambino's from the face of the earth, and give us complete control, even of the government. Let's not forget the valuables that bring the total to a trillion dollars. This one girl is the key to unlocking unbeatable generational power. Who am I, if I don't risk it?”
“A coward? God forbid,” he answered, and then rebuked it.
“Truly, God forbid.”
Ivy began to stir in her sleep, and they turned to her.
“She's awakening.”
“Then I'll give you a chance to speak to her alone. Let me see if Sergei is doing okay.”
“My love to him, Andrei.”
“He'll hear.”
As he was leaving the room, Ivy's eyes were opening.
Her memories didn't stall this time. Like a wind, it came rushing.
She jolted into a seated position, and as her eyes shot up, she found Vladimir staring.
“Why are you still here?” Ivy blurted before she could stop herself.
Vladimir, fully expecting some sort of heckling from her, was fully prepared.
“That question is actually supposed to be for you,” he answered.
“For me? You're the one hovering. You with your-" She paused when she looked around, and saw no one else.
As if that wasn't shocking enough, she noticed dark grey walls, with a primness that was almost obsessive.
No one needed to tell her she wasn't in her room.
“You were saying?” Vladimir rubbed it in, noticing she had come to a realisation.
“Fine, I get it okay? I'm in your room. But this would have never happened if I wasn't chased by a snake. First I was almost poisoned, and then I was chased by a snake? Be honest with me, even though I know it's against your nature as a man to be honest- are you trying to kill me?”
Vladimir let out a light chortle. “Do you really think you'd still be alive if I wanted to kill you?” He snapped his finger. “It's that easy to kill. Step out of your imagination.”
“Yeah, that's right. I forgot. You make all the rules. Marry me or I kill your grandma and serve her liver to you. Do whatever you want, but don't cross my path until I send for you. Do this, do that,” she jumped out of bed, forgetting she was only just recovering from falling unconscious for the second time. “I kept quiet for obvious reasons, but don't you dare think you can just boss me around okay?”
Astounded by the fire in her eyes, the venom in her tongue, and her heaving chest, Vladimir took an unpredictable step forward, closing the gap between them.
“Or what?” He questioned in a challenging tone.
Ivy's stomach flipped, as his scent consumed her nose.
“What will you do to me if I keep bossing you around, Princess?” He questioned again, pushing a button he knew she wouldn't be able to resist responding to.
“Don't call me Princess. Don't you dare–” her eyes caught a glimpse of her reflection in his eyes, and she paused.
Abruptly, her head shot down to see herself in an oversized shirt, which on a single whiff, scented exactly like him.
“You bloody pervert!” Her hand moved so fast, it connected with his cheeks in a heartbeat.
Silence ensued following the resounding slap.
The kind of silence that could only give way to an inferno.
- Writer
