"But you haven't seen my man."



23 Reign I Gusev.

"My uyshali spinu tvoyey materi, one planiruyet segodnya vecherom ustroiť takoy osobennyy vykhod." Polka my lead guard spoke in my ear. (We got ear your mother's back. She planning to make a special kind of entrance tonight)

To my surprise, the glass of champagne didn't shatter in my hand, leaving me bloody. I clenched my jaw as I heard my mother's voice. She always had a flair for dramatic entrances, so I decided to let her play whatever role she had planned for tonight.

I gave a brief nod of acknowledgment before turning to Ami. "Ami, we—"

Suddenly, the main lights flickered and went out, casting the hall in a dim, eerie glow. I finished my drink with calm precision, feeling Ami's grip tighten on my arm, her fear palpable as people began to rush out in a panic.

"What's going on, Reign?" she whispered, her voice trembling. I cupped her cheek, running my thumbs along her bone structure, briefly glancing at her soft pink lips before brushing a kiss to the corner of her mouth.

"Stay here, beautiful," I murmured, pecking her lips and gently loosening her hold on my arm. I kissed her hands before standing, approaching Polka, who was holding out a gun. I took it, checking the clip.

"You won't need that."

And there she was, Ivanna, standing before me after all these years.

"I come in peace, son." She raised her hands in mock surrender, a wry smile tugging at her lips. My mother was deep into politics, and my siblings and I often grew up with her coming and going, never fully present in our lives. Ivanna, on the other hand, always seemed to return to my father in the same way—pregnant, as if the last time she left hadn't quite finished its course. Her loyalty to the Gusev name was unwavering, and it ran deeper than just family ties.

To our surprise, would you believe my mother was a lawyer for my father before any of us were born? Dedushka will endlessly call father a nuisance for that reason. Ivanna refused to stick around for anything excessively illegal, but still got her hands dirty for the family. Mother insisted my sister Irina moved away out the country in attempts to hide her away— plan horribly failed.

I smirked putting my firearm away, "what is it you need Ivanna?"

"What? I can't visit my children every now and then?" She walked closer reaching to take a look behind the guards blocking her view of Ami.

I kept a stoic face.

A smile creeped on her face, "She's beautiful."

She continued, "look my oldest son finally has a woman to call his."

"You didn't stick around enough for me to want one before." I pulled out a box of cigarettes.

Her smiled faded, "Don't act blind to how your father treated me."

"And yet you always came back ready to give birth to the next family heir." I lit a cigarette smirking.

She scoffed looking off to the side, "Your father was a son of bitch, I was suffocating." She walked closer so only I can hear her.

"You're finished leave." I blew out smoke bored with the conversation, my guards moved towards us ready to escort her out.

She deepened her voice, "I'm leaving, but if I found out you forced that girl in any way, I'll be doing this young lady a great favour taking her away from all of this and take her away from you. I know how to play this Gusev game. I won't let this poor girl get the chance to have to be like me. I'm that powerful enough to do it."

"You're no fun mať ,"

"Test me out son."

She spun on her heels and walked out, leaving me seething. My jaw tightened in irritation. Her first mistake was assuming anyone was more powerful than me, but I'd let her play her game—at least until I grew tired of it.

• • •



There's something exhilarating about testing the speed of a foreign car in a European city, especially with an exotic beauty sitting effortlessly in the passenger seat. I glanced over to find her captivated by the unfamiliar landscape, her gaze sweeping over the city. I hit the button to roll down the windows, and her black hair whipped in the wind, flowing like liquid silk as she stared out, lost in the moment.

These reckless races were fueled by a healthy dose of alcohol. I hadn't driven my own cars in a while, so why not indulge? Tonight, I felt lucky—no, more than that—dangerous. Perhaps it was the lingering words of my mother echoing in my mind. With a sharp press of the pedal, I pushed the car faster, racing back toward the estate we'd rented for the few days we were here.

I moved around to open her door, she innocently looked up at me with a smile like a loaded gun.

"Let's run you a bath." Her soft hands slipped into mine. There's a saying that knowledge is power which is precisely true. My knowledge includes knowing my woman's body and what makes her cup over flow, whether I suck or fuck on her.

"Did you enjoy yourself sweetheart." I asked her on our way up to the stairs.

"Yes, it was very eventful." I kissed her forehead. "What uh happened with the lights in there and who was that blonde woman?"

"That was my mother, there's nothing to worry about."

• • •

I was sat on the edge of the tub watching her comb through her wet hair, as she relaxed in the bubble filled water.

"Not to question your work Reign but w-what is the importance of those gatherings?" She quietly asked opening her eyes to look up at me.

I smirked at her curiosity. "You think I'm such a bad person da?"

Her body twitch in an anxious way before responding, "I recall a man once told me, there aren't any sun shine and rainbows to him that I'm hoping for."

"My world doesn't come to the light unless necessary, it's better for people that way." I look down as I played with the ring on my finger.

"Other wise you'll kill them if they knew who you really are?" She lowly gasped catching her words then slightly moving away in the tub.

I chuckled standing to my full height. "I don't kill for fun Amina, I kill to even the fucking score."

I stood over the tub snatching my gun from my hip, she closely watched me I can see the chills that took over her soft body. I expertly emptied the clip letting the bullets hit the floor, but making sure to leave one.

I slowly aimed it between those eyes before whispering, "Tell me what is running through that mind of yours right about now."

She quivered, her eyes nervously locked on that barrel of my gun, "I-I, I promise I didn't— Reign I'm sorry."

I smiled, "Ain't that beautiful.." I pulled the trigger. Amina jumped, shrinking away making my smile grow wider.

"See right there you knew why I would have to kill you." I pressed on it again, she winced begging me to stop reaching to get out the tub.

"Move and I won't miss." I promised.

I continued, "I'm not easily provoked I attend those events for good causes. I only kill people who put themselves in situations to fuck up Ami. Your outbursts will eventually make me make you wish you were dead." I emptied out the last bullet throwing it in the water.

"I-I'm sorry." She whispered reaching to my torso on her knees with her full tits on display, her hands on the edge of the tub supported her weight. "Forgive me."

"Are you still afraid?" I looked her straight in the eye.

She begun whispering tearfully, "I will forever be afraid of you Reign." I chuckled before grabbing onto her body and picking her up out the water, ready to devour her. Isn't she perfect?

Perfect is what Ivanna saw in Amina because of that she will be back, I just hope she's careful enough to tread lightly.

•••