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Clutching the pen in hand, I could feel the plastic give a little from my hard grip. “She won’t get away with it, not if I can help it. I’m tired of her ruining everything she touches, if we can't get her on anything then I’ll take care of it myself, personally,” I said sternly.
“No, you’re better than that Ange, you and I both know it.” Unfortunately, he was right, but when push comes to shove, I know what I want and will have to do.
Besides, I have another option, one I don’t want to think about. The card from Nikolai still sat in my nightstand, practically calling to me every night when I would come home and think about my stepmother’s demise. He saidanything, but would what I have in mind be too much? There’s no way he would risk so much for a simple favor.
I wasn’t stupid; I did my research, and had Greg do his due diligence on Nikolai, Nikolai Volkov. On paper and to the eyes of the media he was an owner of multiple high-end, successful clubs and casinos. Also he was known as one of the hottest bachelors in the state of California. I couldn’t agree more to that last statement. Just seeing his pictures from the articles I dug up made me sweat a little. He was downright handsome with his cropped honey brown hair and sky-blue eyes which popped so much against his fair skin and hair. His tall nose had a slight kink in it, no doubt from a few fights, but that only added to his dangerous charm.
I knew not to stop at the surface media though, my father taught me better, and I knew better at this point. Even if I weren’t fully involved in the family business, I still had my hand in the pot for personal reasons. Nikolai Volkov was so much more than what the media portrayed. His name struck fear around the city, just as much as my family’s name did.
The Volkov Bratva weren’t one to be trifled with. I knew about the damage they could do, and I knew about what they did. My family had been in a tug-of-war battle with them ever since they rose up and took over nearly half the city of Nespin, California. Although things have been at a stalemate for a long while since my father took over the Qing Triad, things were starting to go down the shit hole ever since he fell into his coma and my stepmother stepped up.
Nikolai definitely would have the means to execute the favor I would ask of him, but it would be stupid of him to do so in his position. So, his card sat idle in my drawer, for now, and possibly forever. I knew better than to get involved with any mafia activity, even being associated and barely involved with my father’s business was more than I could handle.
I wanted nothing more than to leave it all behind and just live my day-to-day life as a nurse, live a relatively normal life. Unfortunately, it wasn’t simple. Even if my dad never pressured me or pushed the idea of me taking over the triad onto me. Actually, he fully supported me wanting out and helped me before he fell ill suddenly. As a hardened leader as he was, he cared for his children, and even if it wasn’t known, he was done with the mafia life and wanted to retire. He told me he had someone good in mind to take over the business, someone with the same ideals and morals as him, but he never got as far as telling me who, nor had he started the process of transfer.
There was no doubt in my mind that my stepmother had something to do with my father falling ill. She was always a slimy bitch. There was no way she would give up the lifestyle of being the Dragonhead’s—the head of the Qing Triad—wife. She was too used to the luxury the life afforded her, and she was too narcissistic to give it all up.
That's why I turned to plan B. While my father had hoped plan A would succeed, he also wanted me to execute the backup plan in case it didn't.
Tear it all down.
~*~
Finally! My stupidshift was over!
I couldn’t stop my excitement as I rushed to my father’s room a few floors above in the geriatric center of the hospital I worked at. The goons my mother set in place glared at me softly as I approached and went through. They knew better than to mess with me, for now. Even if they were on my stepmother’s side, they still knew better than to pull any shit with me until she said otherwise.
“Heyba, I missed you.” I greeted him with a sad smile as I went over and sat next to him on the bed, taking his limp hand in mine. “I hope this passes soon, and for you to get the peace you deserve.” Whether it be retirement or death, I wasn’t sure what I wanted for him right now. “I spoke with Greg, he misses you too.”
“You wouldn’t believe the crazy shift I had today.” I continued to talk to him for a while, for nearly an hour, just telling him about my day as if he were still conscious and here.
“I’ll see you another dayba. I’m sorry I won’t be able to see you tomorrow. Byeba, love you.” Even though I knew full well what he did for a living, he was still a wonderful father who never gave me anything but the best.
“Lady Qing wants to see you tonight.” One of the goons told me the moment I exited my father’s private room.
“Then she can ask me herself to get the answer she already knows.” Like hell I was going to meet with that woman willingly unless necessary. “Whatever she has to say to me she can do it in a voicemail or come seek me directly.” I’m not her dog who came to her beck and call.
I didn’t say anything more and left briskly after. Although, I couldn’t help but wonder what she wanted as I drove home. The answers were endless. Money? Power? My life?
Honestly, if it wasn’t for my father’s request, or the fact I loved my father dearly, then I would just let her have full run of the damn triad. Unfortunately, both my father and I had the foresight to anticipate how disastrous that would be, although he realized it a little too late. I decided to let her run the place, let her think she’s in charge, but everyone who was none the wiser knew better.
Sighing heavily, I brushed my anxious thoughts from my mind as I made my way up and into my apartment. Standing there at the entryway, I scanned my studio apartment. Something felt off, and it wasn’t because I was paranoid. Nothing was out of place from a quick scan, but it was a gut feeling. I knew better to trust my gut now, and it told me to hightail it out of here.
Unfortunately, before I could make much of a run, or a step, someone grabbed me from behind with a grunt. “God fucking damn it!” I hissed under my breath as I quickly dropped my weight and threw my assailant forward. Swiftly, I gave him a kick to the face before bolting it down the hallway to the exit in hopes to get into my car and go.
“Oof!” A pained grunt left me as I felt the wind get knocked out of me. I had made it just outside the complex and someone tackled me to the ground.
Quickly, I recovered enough to grab one of my pens from my pockets and stabbed it into my attacker’s back, not caring about where the makeshift weapon punctured. Usually, I’d be mindful about avoiding vital spots, but that was hard to do with all the tumbling around we did. All I was sure of was that I didn’t get his heart because I stabbed him well over into the right side of his chest, so unless he was an oddball where his organs were flipped, he’d have a punctured lung at most.
The man let me go, and I scrambled to my feet. “What the...” My car was just right there, but I could see it fading. “Shit...” I could feel it now, a pinch in my leg. Looking down, I could see a needle sticking out of my thigh. The words on the label of the syringe were starting to blur, but I could make out some of it. “K..eta...”
Fuck.
