Chapter 3- Lucien
I had given him enough time.
More than enough time.
I’d had one of my men begin searching and putting out feelers. They had spotted him coming out of a tattoo shop and had followed him to a nearby loft apartment in Midtown. I’d taken over from there because I wanted to see who he’d run to. There were rumors that Albert had a sister that always tried to get him out of trouble.
She wouldn’t be able to save him this time. He had to pay, if for no other reason than for who he was.
The last rays of the sun shined into my eyes as I sat near the loft apartment waiting. I’d been sent a photo of his sister. She was petite but shapely, with a perfect pout to match. Somehow, she had never been on my radar. Something roared inside my mind as I took in her features on the screenshot from her website that Dimitri, one of my men had procured for me.
Looking up from the phone, I reached to bring the cup of coffee I had sitting next to me in the center console to my lips. It had grown lukewarm during my wait but I didn't mind. The caffeinated taste lingered along my taste buds. I loved a good coffee from the siren brand.
I almost chuckled to myself. A member of the Bratva who enjoyed coffee more than he enjoyed handling the sales of cocaine. It seemed like some sort of anomaly.
My thoughts were soon interrupted when Albert’s sister appeared walking with a coat pulled close around her neck. Her nose seemed to reflect the extreme chill that had filled the air; simply put she seemed to resemble a certain red-nosed reindeer. My own hands felt stiff sitting inside of the SUV that I’d had detailed recently. I’d been sitting in the cold because a running car would have drawn way too much attention.
Simone Del Lafluer never looked up as she entered into her building. I gave her a few seconds head start, slipping on the leather gloves sitting in the passenger seat.
And then I followed her.
The feelings the came over me, made me feel like I was a predator stalking its prey. She never seemed to notice me, as she checked her mail rather quickly and then walked up a flight of stairs. Trailing quietly behind her, the smell of her perfume wafted into my nose.
The smell seemed to be floral and almost wood-like as it washed over me. It was a very light and feminine fragrance and I almost wondered what it was called. This was an unusual thing as I had never in my life wondered about what perfume a woman wearing, had never cared to.
The door to the apartment had just about closed into place, and she was none the wiser as I caught it before it shut into place. Years of training as a Bratva soldier had prepared me for moments like this.
The sound of Albert welcoming his little sister home filled my ears and then it was silence. Their eyes became trained on me in open surprise as they found me waiting. The corners of my mouth turned up. It felt unfamiliar and foreign to smile. I probably looked extremely vicious. I wasn’t known for smiling.
“Albert, Albert, Albert,” I said already closing the door behind me.
“Holy fuck!” he exclaimed. “Holy fucking shit!”
“What the fuck is going on?” his sister question, still clutching the mail in her hands.
Grey eyes.
I could see them clearly now and maybe there were some flecks of blue. It was a shame she was so fucking beautiful and I’d have to kill her because of her idiot brother and his gambling. The Glock was already out and in my hand.
“She has nothing to fucking do with this shit, man!” Albert stated.
“I bet you thought I’d send henchmen, didn’t you?” I chuckled. “But you’ve done this shit too many times. Gambled with the Italians, gambled with the Irish, even the Blacks. But you fucked up when you ran from the Russians…made me look some type of way. Made me look weak. Do you think I’m fucking weak, Albert?”
“No! Bro, look seriously I’m gonna pay you back. I just gotta find the money…”
“Doesn’t’ matter now,” I raised the gun and trained it on him.
“You can’t just come in here in broad daylight and kill him…I’m standing right here,” his sister spoke up looking between us.
Disbelief painted her gorgeous features as her brows knotted together looking angry.
“I know, Sweetheart…you’ll die knowing it's because of your idiot fucking brother.”
She surprised me then and dropped down to her knees letting go of the mail that had been in her hands. Her hands immediately clasped together, and her plump lips with their perfect cupid's bow did the last thing I expected.
“If you spare him, sir….if you spare my brother I’ll do anything. I’ll find a way to repay the debt.”
It took me off guard, and for just a split second...
