Page 78 of Claimed By the Pakhan

“It was me,” admits the guard, his boots scuffling on the metal floor as he walks on. “He made me beat her.”

I register the words, but my head is scrambled. The bastard is under oath to protect Fia, and yet the first chance he has, he busts her lip and knocks her unconscious?

The lightning bolt explodes, my fist speaking the words my mouth is unable to.

I thrust the guard into the shipping container wall, grabbing his arms, shoving them above his head. Pinning him a long glare, I introduce my fist, punching him straight in the face. He smashes into the container wall, squinting as he looks at me, blood rushing from one nostril.

“He was going to kill me,” says the guard, struggling to contain the nosebleed. Blood drips, his hands coated red. “He put a gun to my head and gave me no fucking choice.”

“There’s always a fucking choice. While you work for me, you follow my rules.”

Something shifts on the guard’s face, the broken nose forgotten about. “Perhaps I no longer want to work for you,bratan,when you marry a liability and force us to protect her. Your Bratva is doomed.”

His words claw under my skin like bugs, sending me forward again. I punch the bastard, chaos exploding when my other men arrive at the scene, shoving me away from the guard.

I shoulder them off.

“Being pinned down by your own men is a new low,” chuckles Luka, stepping up into the container. Shadows curl around him, a knife fixated in his trembling hand. The sharp blade glints silver in the faded lights, capturing my full attention.

Dread weighs down on me, pressing me closer to the earth. I have never won over this feeling before. It takes me as its prisoner every time, and while I learn to escape, building myself back up, returning stronger, I can never be truly free.

My muscles cease up. Breathing hurts. Taking one step forward feels like an impossible task. I focus on the knife in Luka’s hand, the glinting silver turning into a carousel of images, my sister smiling up at me like I’m her inspiration; the adornment in Fia’s eyes during the charity fundraiser, like I meant something to her.

The memories finish with me locking eyes with Luka.

“Surprisingly,” he begins, “Fia was very compliant. She followed me without a fuss.” He narrows his eyes, the corner of his mouth twitching. “She still wanted to save Chloe, even though her friend went behind her back, teaming up with me.”

“Why would she do that?”

“Because nobody likes you, Emil.”

“You think I give a fuck?”

“To an extent, yes. Think about it. Everyone you have ever loved has left you,” says Luka, folding his arms over his chest.

The hard expression written across his face suggests concern, but everything has been manipulated. Nothing was ever fucking real to begin with, simply because happiness was never meant to stick.

“We could rule the world, you me and Alexander,” says Luka, pouting in sadness, almost like he’s grieving a dream. “We still can rule the world, if you open your eyes and see how much power the three of us possess."

“Power doesn’t come from hiding in the shadows, my friend.”

“You’re wrong,” says Luka. “Power is in the hands of those who are behind the scenes, unsuspected. We could join forces with Alexander, dominate both the United States and Canada. Everybody in the underground will have us to answer to. As powerful influences, we’ll be able to access the best weapons, the best politicians, girls…”

I grind my jaw, restraining myself from lashing out, needing to hear Luka out. He’s finally revealing the mask, exposing his true intentions. I want all cards laid out on the table before I kill him, making his death all the more satisfying

“You might think you want Fia, but you’re unable to separate your head from your cock. Do yourself a favor and fuck a new girl. Pussy is all the same, a man’s biggest distraction. Women were brought onto this world to test men. Only the strongest resist temptation and survive.”

Anger coils through me. He’s invalidating not only my wife’s life, but other important females in my life, like my sister, my mother.

Perhaps he has a point. Me being unable to protect the females in my life could be God's way of speaking to me, guiding me down the path that was always meant for me. I kill innocent people by trying to be someone I’m not.

I curl my hands into fists, electricity on the brink of exploding. Registering my innate nature doesn’t mean I should join forces with Luka and Alexander. Both have been feeding off me like vampires for years, hiding in the shadows, using my power to build their own.

I burst into laughter, shaking my head.

“Hilarious, I’m sure,” comments Luka, watching me from the other side of the container.

A sharp gasp diverts all our attention to Fia. Her eyes snap open, circling around the room as she works out her surroundings. Sweat breaks out on her brow, coating her face, painting her in an ethereal light that only increases the anger boiling inside of me.