Page 92 of Lilies from Hell

“I’m not in the mood for your bullshit,” I say, fixing my eyes on the two of them. “I have a meeting with him tomorrow.”

“What are you going to do?” Denis asks.

“Negotiate,” I reply with a grim smile on my lips.

If he doesn’t accept my proposal, I will get rid of him. My offer guarantees his death, but it will be much less painful. I owe him that after all the months he helped me flood Mexico with drugs.

“Negotiate? You make it sound so easy. Norman won’t accept anything you propose. All you’ll achieve is starting a war with those who are left out,” Sergei murmurs with a sigh.

He’s not wrong. As soon as I get rid of him, my father will find out, and nothing good will come of it. That’s why I need her with me, under my fucking roof and right under my nose, but I know she won’t just accept it.

“No one messes with her, let alone threatens her. End of story.”

“Let the war begin, then,” Denis mutters with a singsong voice as he leaves the living room.

“Just when I have someone paying to have my head. Very convenient.” I ignore Sergei’s words, twirling a pen between my fingers before speaking.

“Have you heard anything else about it? You can ask Polina to help you out.”

“No. But I have something that might interest you.” I frown as I look at the photo he took on his phone. It’s a cafe. My eyes focus on the woman and my features harden with rage.

“We have her downstairs…” he murmurs, letting the words fall almost fearfully. His Adam’s apple moves as he swallows and he looks back into my eyes. “She’s in the main room. I didn’t know where you wanted us to take her.”

“Leave her where she is,” I say as I slip out of the room and head to the bedroom, feeling terribly tired. I barely slept last night.

I strip off my black tee and shoes and collapse onto the mattress. The peace and quiet only lasts a couple of hours before my heartbeats start to echo unpleasantly in my ears.

When I can’t take it anymore I get out of bed. I put my boots back on, grab the leather jacket hanging on a chair, and ride into the darkness of the night on my Iron 883 at an illegal speed, the wind hitting my bare skin.

I get out of bed, knowing that I won’t be able to get back to sleep anytime soon. I think I’m alone until I hear my father talking to someone else on the phone at the kitchen door in a very low voice, almost a whisper.

“How come you’re up so early?” I turn around and soon see Jason’s big, mocking smile.

“I wonder the same about you.”

“I’m going to the gym for a while,” he says, flexing his biceps to show off his muscles, making me laugh. “Are you coming?” He asks, taking a sip from his water bottle.

“It’s seven in the morning.”

“To have muscles like these, you have to suffer. Besides, there’s hardly anyone there now.”

I bite my lower lip hesitantly until I finally agree, knowing it wouldn’t be a good idea after yesterday. My body still hurts and I haven’t fully recovered my ability to walk, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.

“Let’s go,” he says with a broad smile.

“Already? Wait until I get dressed, at least,” I say.

“I see you’re dressed.”

“I mean putting on something to go to the gym. Or do you want me to go in a miniskirt?” He clicks his tongue in exasperation.

I leave the kitchen and go upstairs to my bedroom. My teeth dig deeper into my lower lip as a way to endure the sharp pains that shoot through my muscles every time I move.

The coffee I drank has completely eliminated all traces of sleepiness, and the memories of last night will haunt me all day long. The desire to have his hands on my skin, adorning it with pain and crimson red, is what drives me most to go to the gym. Seeking the pain of muscle soreness as a way to replicate what happened on that island. I miss having his hands on my body.

Sitting in the car, Jas looks at me with suspicious eyes and an amused smile playing on his lips.

“Are you okay? You walk funny.”