𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑃ℎ𝑜𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑥 ✔︎ || 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑑

11

~ ilya ~

"Where is she?" I roared at my men.

I couldn't believe it. That сука had run again. When was the damn bitch going to learn? She couldn't escape me.

After Rina came hysterically to me, saying she broke her oath, I went mad. She couldn't be blamed because I never made clear who fucking Phoenix was. And now she was loose in the open and I had no clue where she was. Who she was with. What if the my enemies had her? What if she was telling them everything as we spoke?

"Ilya!" Aleksey suddenly appeared at the main gates. He wore an expression of surprise after seeing my rage. "What happened? Is it the Italians?"

I glared at him. "No, it's her. The little сука, she escaped again."

All of a sudden, Aleksey laughed. Why the fuck was he laughing?

"Do you know where she is?" I demanded.

"No, yes, maybe? She tried to leave, брат, so I gave her exactly what she wanted," he mused. "She's probably dead along a highway somewhere." [brother]

"WHAT?"

"Ilya, calm down. She needed to die, this was mercy," he insisted, taking steps closer.

"We need her," I seethed, fisting my hands to keep them from flying. He was my second in command but he forgot, I was the Don. And no one even breathed here without my permission.

"No, we don't, she's useless-"

"She could be-"

"What? Who the fuck could this dumb сука be? She's just a witness. We should've killed her in Italy, Ilya," Aleksey persisted.

My vision tinged crimson. He was pushing his limits. "No, Aleksey. I want her alive. And you forget, брат," I said through gritted teeth, "that I am the Don. Do not test me." [brother]

Wisely, he remained silent. Turning away from him, I barked orders at my men to find her. She couldn't have gone very far.

Muttering curses as I went, I stormed into the garage and pulled out of the compound in my Lamborghini. A million thoughts rushed through my mind as I slammed down on the accelerator. The Ivanov Mansion was secluded in the mountains of Petersburg. The only way into and out of the place was a long road that led to town. And that was three miles away.

The skies grew darker, mirroring my mood and the temperature plummeted. I switched on my headlights and there, in the distance, I could spot movement. Was that another car?

I pushed to 200 miles per hour until I reached them.

I found her.

Phoenix lay limp in another man's arms. Hot anger coursed through my veins. What was he doing with her?

I jumped out of the car, storming towards them until I saw a little boy. He looked about seven, perhaps eight. His light eyes grew wide as he saw me approach.

Some of my rage cooled when I realised that the father of the boy was just trying to help her. Aleksey was right. She probably was lying dead on the highway. Wait, was she dead?

Ignoring the man's faint protest, I snatched her into my arms. With my free hand, I felt her face. It was ice cold, but she was breathing. "Fuck!" I pressed my hot cheek against hers and she whimpered. My hands rubbed circles on her bare skin. What the hell did I do?

I quickly lied to the man, claiming she was my girlfriend.

But as I turned to leave, he placed a strong hand on my back and smiled knowingly at me. "я могу сказать, молодой человек. Держать ее в безопасности," he said, before turning to his car with his little boy. [I can tell, young man. Keep her safe.]

Ignoring his foolish words, I opened the passenger door of the Lamborghini and placed her on the seat. Phoenix let out a feeble sound and her hands weakly fisted my shirt in her grasp.

"Phoenix," I grunted.

She lay still, yet her grip was unrelenting. Sighing, I lifted her back into my arms and walked around to the driver's side. I carefully ducked both our heads to sink into the low seat and her bare legs automatically wrapped around my torso. I reached behind me to grab my leather jacket from the back seats and put it around her shoulders. Her chest rose shallowly against my own. Each breath was jittery.

I started the car and made a u-turn. Once we were back at the compound, I carried her in, ignoring the stares of my open-mouthed men.

"Get back to work!" I barked at them, immediately regretting it when Phoenix flinched in my hold.

This time, I got into the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor. Now, I'd keep the little troublemaker in my sight. We'd see if she'd get the chance to escape again.

When I reached my penthouse, I lay her on my bed and covered her in the sheets. She wouldn't leave this room, not now or ever. Not until I knew exactly what to do with her. I couldn't have her wreaking havoc in my mind or my compound, when I had other important things to deal with. Like the goddamn Italians.

Leaving her in the bedroom, I grabbed some clothes and headed for the shower.

I'd deal with Phoenix Vale later.

𝑥𝑜
𝖗𝖔𝖘𝖆𝖛𝖎