Page 114 of Lilies from Hell

“Explain to me what the hell you think you’re doing! Do you have any idea how much money you’ve lost us because of that stupid bitch!?” I look up and lick my lips. My skin twitches with the urge to get his blood on my knuckles.

“Repeat what you just said. Maybe then you’ll give me the pleasure of cutting out your tongue once and for all.”

“Watch your words with me. I’m your father.” I laugh. My laughter only growing when I see his furious face.

“I don’t have time for you,” I murmur, wiping away a tear that fell down my cheek from my hysterical laughter.

“And I don’t have time to fix your mistakes.”

The air in the room is starting to feel fucking tense. I get up from the chair and stand face to face with him.

“No one messes with what’s mine.” He stares at me in disgust, shaking his head.

“You better have Ray’s head in a week. If not, you can forget about your damn whore. I’ve been very patient with you.” My vision begins to blur with rage. My hands move on their own to grab him by his shirt, pulling him toward me.

“If you dare touch a single hair on his head, I’ll kill you!” I roar, my eyes burning with rage as I raise my fist, landing a blow directly to his face with enough force to break his nose. Denis grabs my arm and pulls me away from him before I can hit him a second time.

“Fuck. Calm down, man,” he says close to my ear, acting like some sort of dog whisperer trying to calm down a rabid dog.

The pressure he’s exerting on my neck and chest is making me gasp for breath, but even that can’t quite quell my rage. Just then Sergei comes in and watches everything with curious eyes.

“I’ll let your tantrums slide this time. But don’t forget the hand that fed you,” Kristoff mutters, smoothing his shirt and covering his nose with a smile. Then he starts walking toward the door and turns around before disappearing to speak one last time. “I’ll be back in a week.”

“What the hell was that?” Sergei asks after the door slams shut. I put a cigarette to my lips, needing my lungs to fill with smoke so that the rage burning in my veins would take a back seat.

“Family meeting,” Denis says mockingly.

“I swear by all the demons in hell that if I see him within a mile of her, I’ll kill him,” I whisper, blowing smoke out of my nose.

“What are you going to do about the other thing? I don’t think she’ll be too happy if you kill your father-in-law.”

“Do you think I’m an idiot? I know that.” Denis raises both hands in a gesture of peace.

“Relax your balls. I was just asking.”

“I want you to keep an eye on him 24 hours a day. I need to know his every move,” I mutter, lighting another cigarette. I would finish the whole box, and it wouldn’t be enough.

“I’m sure we’ll find something,” Denis says behind me, starting to squeeze my shoulders until I push his hands away with a sudden movement. “How about you put Ray on alert?” He asks with a grin from ear to ear. Sergei gives him a look of disdain before speaking.

“What are we going to tell him? Hey Ray, everything okay? In a few days we’re going to put thirty bullets in your ass and we wanted to get your blessing before we do it. Oh, by the way, we’re taking your daughter with us because she secretly married this psycho.” He points his head towards me. “Welcome to the family.” Denis clicks his tongue.

“When you put it like that, it sounds worse than it is.”

“You should consider thinking before you speak. It wouldn’t hurt,” Sergei retorts with a mocking smile.

“Okay. Tell us what you think. Enlighten us with your wisdom, Einstein.”

“I don’t want to hear another word,” I snap to both of them, throwing my head back and squeezing my eyelids shut. My eyes then go to Sergei’s. “Sign me up for one at eleven.”

“Done.”

“Not a bad plan, sign me up too,” Denis chimes in from beside him, flashing a smile.

“Do it yourself, I’m not paid to be your damn assistant,” he retorts before walking out, leaving Denis with an angry grimace.

“You should have killed him like you did his partner that day.”

I put the last bag I bought recently in its place and leave my dressing room when I hear a noise and footsteps on the other side. The room is in total darkness, except for the small lamp that illuminates the bed and its surroundings. My stomach flutters with butterflies when I see him standing by my furniture with his magnetic eyes calling to me. His lips move in a small smile as I run to him barefoot. The warmth of his chest making me flood with desire when I hold him in my arms.