ALEX’S POV:

After discussing business with Xavier, I headed downstairs to deal with that Italian whore and that bastard, Niko. That woman had the audacity to insult my baby, my Emily. I’ll show her exactly where she stands.

When I reached the dining hall, she was sitting there, eating as if she owned the place. The moment she spotted me, she rushed over, her voice laced with fake sweetness.

"Oh, thank God I found you! I was thinking about our engagement. We should announce it before the annual mafia ball. It has to be grand, and I want it in your Italian manor!"

I stepped forward, gripping her throat with just enough pressure to make her panic. Her hands clawed at mine, but she was too weak to fight me off.

"Now, listen to me and listen carefully, whore." My voice was cold, calculated. "I am not getting engaged to you. The girl you tried to throw out earlier? She's my wife. And you? You dared to lay a finger on her. That was your first and last mistake."

Her eyes widened in shock, her body trembling. I leaned in closer. "Call your pathetic excuse of a brother and tell him to come pick you up. Get the fuck out of my house before I decide to deal with you myself."

She stumbled back, choking on her breath before running out. Pathetic.

Now, for the fun part—Niko’s skinning.

Some might call me sick for enjoying a good kill, but I’ve long stopped caring about morality. The first time I watched a man bleed, I felt repulsed. Now? Now, it fuels me. The monster inside me thrives on it.

I stepped into the torture room, where Niko was already half-dead, his face swollen and bleeding. Xavier did a good job softening him up, but this kill was mine.

The tools lined the wall, each one a promise of agony. I pulled on a pair of gloves, grabbed a hammer, and walked over to where he was tied down.

"You see, Niko," I murmured, "I don’t like people touching what’s mine. And you… you made the worst mistake of your life."

I swung the hammer down, crushing his kneecap. A bloodcurdling scream ripped from his throat.

"Boss! I-I didn’t know! Please! Forgive me!" he sobbed.

I clicked my tongue. "Forgive?" A dark chuckle escaped my lips. "You think I’m the type to forgive? If I was, I’d be rotting six feet under by now."

His screams were getting annoying. Time to fix that.

I grabbed his tongue, yanking it out as he thrashed in his restraints. With one swift slice, it was gone. Blood gushed from his mouth as he convulsed, eyes rolling back in his head. He fainted.

Coward.

"Keep him alive," I ordered my men. "I’m not done with him yet."

Now, it was time to head to Russia. Xavier would handle things here while I dealt with my business back home. I packed what I needed and decided to find my kotenok.

A small smirk tugged at my lips as I thought about her. She's the light in my darkness. The only reason I haven’t burned this world to the ground. The maids told me she was in the library. Of course she was. My little one loved to read, which is why I built that library just for her.

When I walked in, she was curled up on the couch, completely absorbed in her book. I stepped closer, curious to see what had her so distracted.

And then I saw the page she was reading.

"My breath caught in my throat as he traced my curves with the cold edge of a knife. I was dripping, desperate. He held the blade carefully, gripping the sharp end as he thrust the handle inside me—"

I exhaled sharply.

My kotenok had a filthy little mind.

She clenched her thighs together, completely unaware of my presence. I leaned down, whispering darkly in her ear.

"You don’t have to read this, baby. Just tell me, and I’ll make all your desires come true."

She gasped, her body stiffening before turning around, cheeks burning. "I-I wasn’t reading that!" she stammered, avoiding my gaze.

I didn’t let her escape.

I scooped her up effortlessly, her legs wrapping around my torso as her arms clung to my neck. She smelled like vanilla—soft, warm, intoxicating.

"Time to go, kotenok. And later, we’re going to talk about your book preferences."

I carried her outside, placing her on my lap as we sat in the car. She was still flustered, her body tense. I ran a hand down her back, gripping her hips possessively.

"Now, be a good girl," I murmured against her ear, "and grind that pretty little ass on me. Make yourself come right here, on my lap."

She moaned my name as I guided her movements, her body trembling with need. My kotenok was mine, and I was fucking obsessed with her.

By the time we reached the airport, Emily had fallen asleep in my arms. The car stopped, and I lifted her, carrying her inside.

She stirred awake, rubbing her eyes. "I wanna look around."

Stubborn little thing.

She glanced around, her eyes catching on someone drinking coffee. She swallowed hard.

I smirked, signaling one of my men. Within moments, a steaming cup of iced coffee was handed to me. I placed it in her hands, watching her eyes light up like a child on Christmas morning.

If she keeps smiling at me like that, I’ll sell my soul just to see it again.

"You know, this is my first time flying," she admitted softly. "I’ve never been on a plane before."

I frowned slightly. That orphanage never gave her shit. No one ever took her anywhere. No one ever held her when she was scared. No one, until me.

I sat beside her, gripping her hand. "If you’re scared, you can sit on my lap, kotenok. It’s yours."

She blushed, but I didn’t let her look away.

"Don’t ever hide from me," I murmured. "Not ever."

When the plane took off, she tensed, but I was right there, holding her hand. When the flight stabilized, I unbuckled her seatbelt and pulled her onto my lap. She buried her face in my neck, her breath warm against my skin.

She was my comfort. My obsession. My everything.

And soon, she’d know just how deep my darkness ran.

Author’s Note:

Hey, loves! ♥️ Here’s another dark chapter for you. Your votes and comments mean the world to me, so don’t forget to show some love!

This book isn’t edited, so expect some mistakes. Just enjoy the story and stay obsessed!

Xoxo