The Contract Keeper's (PLAYBOOK #4)

CHAPTER 10: Russian Roulette.

BIANCA

There comes a moment in every woman’s life where she has to admit that a man was right. Sadly, for me this is that moment because I should have taken that pocket knife.

I am angry at Kevin, mad at myself but more pissed that I let solid advice slip through my fingers because I wouldn’t be here if I had taken a moment to listen. I wouldn’t be bleeding or holding a pipe over a sorry excuse of a man as I would have long stabbed him.

Felix was right.

“Now I am really glad I never slept with you psycho!” I hit him mercilessly because I am becoming undone. “You are pathetic Kevin.”

“And you are a w***e!” Kevin coughs blood on the floor when I hit him harder. “No wonder that guy you slept with didn’t want you. He will never love you Bianca!”

For some reason it echoes into my head as the room spins but it is not spinning like when I was drugged. No, it feels like my own personal earthquake as I raise my weapon to aim at his head this time.

Kevin Newton needs to go.

“And I will never love you.”

I do not need to yell because I plan to end this quickly. I brace myself for impact but a strong arm stops me before I can do anything.

“No.” A deep tone says against my ear but the fog is too strong which is why when it adds “that is enough,” that I try to free myself.

Enough is not the word I would use because though Kevin did not break my heart the traditional way, he still hurt me. With his hands, with his words and more with his actions.

That is probably why a tear rolls down my cheek because I realize Kevin is right too. He may be an abusive pyscho but even he had someone who wanted him enough to agree to marry him.

Granted, Meryl ended up running the opposite direction and trading her silence for a divorce but none the less she was in love once upon a time, it was requited and real.

How is that fair?

“Let it go Bianca.” The voice unblocks to reveal it is Felix Dominaka who just stopped me from doing any real damage. “Give it to me.”

“No.” I keep my eyes on Kevin. “He drugged me with a perfume, he hit me and he will do it to someone else, he will hurt them too.”

Kevin may wait a few years to perfect the harmless look but he always does it again. First it was Meryl and then it was,

“Bianca,” a pale hand cups my cheek to turn my face away from him. “Look at me baby.”

Felix’s usual baby blue eyes darken when he sees something on my face, without breaking eye contact he takes the pipe from my hand and throws it without turning.

“Holy s**t,” Kevin coughs below us. “It’s him isn’t it? The one you told me about, the one…” he coughs again which thankfully shuts him up.

“Felix—” I am stopped by sound being cut off.

I am confused for a moment until I realize it is because Felix just stuck his fingers into my ears to block the noise.

“It’s okay.” He promises before his lips curl up to say “Ivan” as he keeps my face focused on him and only him.

I am so distracted by his lips that I almost miss the flicker of the sharp light in my peripheral view followed by a soft double bang.

Wait.

“Did you just—” I try to turn my head but Felix pulls me into his arms for a hug.

“You are safe now.” Felix assures gently that, “I am here now.”

FELIX

Bianca left the pocket knife I gave her and disappears for the rest of the night so of course I am worried.

It was bad enough I had to endure Lucille’s judgy eyes when I asked for Bianca’s mobile number but seeing her room empty all night while her cell went to voicemail was gut-wrenching.

The danger we didn’t see was the worst kind and Kevin Newton was no exception.

I stayed back because despite what she believes, I do trust Bianca but I trust my instinct more. This is why I ask Ivan to come immediately because I know when something is wrong.

Call it fate or irrational but we are able to track Bianca by her phone. We end up at some dark park that is not alarming until we find her bag locked in the back seat of a smart car.

Ivan is fuming because Rosanna is back and I admit, I took advantage of that. When I turn Bianca’s face to me, one of her usually bright eyes is reddening in the corner as blood trickles down her nose.

The bastard groans on the ground like he deserves to be in pain so I block her ears despite the silencer and try to reassure her that “it’s okay.”

I don’t even pay attention to a word he says because in my mind, he is already erased.

Though a small act, Bianca’s body loses a bit of tension like she believes me so of course I give the signal.

“Ivan” is all I need to say before my cousin shoots Bianca’s abuser in the head which stops all sound and life from him.

Bianca is right. Men like Kevin never change and eventually another girl was going to be in the same situation if not worse.

Bianca’s training loosened the blow but he hurt her, repeatedly. He drugged her, did who knows what all night, made her bleed and for that, yes Kevin Newton had to die.

I release her ears because though I am unaffected by a dead body and Ivan is basically immune at this point, Bianca needs the confirmation for herself.

She needs to see that she is free.

I expect emotion in her eyes but she kicks his limp body on the floor as Ivan crosses it to move closer to us. Like a bond agent, he pulls out his pocket cloth and stretches it out for her to wipe her nose.

“Hello,” my cousin looks at Bianca to introduce. “I am Ivan Akarove Dominaka.” His accent is thick with assertiveness.

Moving her eyes from the dead body to me, I shrug to confirm and put my jacket over her shoulders despite it being warm.

“Bianca de Faría Hidalgo.” She takes the handkerchief to say, “it’s an honor to finally meet you.”

“Likewise,” Ivan moves to the side to block her view of the dead body. “So, Odessa is the eyes, Lexie is the lips and I am?”

She glances at me and I smirk mischievously because she might as well know I confide in Ivan for almost everything. He may be only 18months older but is an honorary twin.

“The hair.” Bianca’s lips turn up a bit. “Definitely the hair, this heat is not kind to anyone but somehow you are rocking the tousled movie star look.”

“You are right,” Ivan glimpses at me with a ghost of a smile. “She is adorable,” he turns to her to add “and beautiful. Very beautiful, why did you leave out that she was drop dead gorgeous?”

“Yeah Lexie,” I wince when her tongue rolls the i. “Why didn’t you?”

I roll my eyes because Ivan used the term I said on the phone on purpose.

“Well, Bianca.” Ivan softens when he notices how beat up she really is. It is actually getting worse the longer we look at her. “You are one good looking woman.

“Back at you.” She almost smiles but deflates when she notices Kevin’s feet.

Ivan must notice her uneasiness too because he suggests, “how about you guys heard back to my hotel while I handle our problem here.”

“A hotel?” Bianca looks at me for clarity or is it panic?

“I doubt you want to explain to your family why you are hurt. I suggest you two crash there for a few days while this blows over.” Ivan notices her tense up.

“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with us.” I try to ease her nerves but it does not work because Bianca has that look in her eyes.

The one she had when she was about to bash Kevin’s brains in.

“That bastard drugged her last night so he must have taken her to a hotel hence her reluctance to seek refuge in one.” I tell Ivan in Russian because Bianca is showing all signs of frozen panic.

Even her body is tensing up.

“Oh,” Ivan nods like he understands. “Bianca, I can assure that no one will ever know what he did or what happened to you, consider this asshole erased.”

I nod to agree and it must give her relief because Bianca leaps into Ivan’s arms to exhale like she has been under water and is finally taking in oxygen.

“Thank you.” She holds Ivan’s hands and I don’t know why I stiffen when he reciprocates the action with a gentle rub.

Ivan is not a hugger, like us (Odessa and me) he as robotic as they come so seeing him show some sentiment towards Bianca proves to me how bad things are with her.

“Of course.” Ivan’s eyes move between us. “Anything for family.”