Chained Princess

Chapter 13: Russian Baddies

K I A R A ' S P. O. V

I couldn't deny the utter web of utter bullshit I was stuck in. Or maybe, I created the web? Perhaps I was the murderous black widow, sucking blood from the men she sleeps with?

If I was, I definitely didn't feel like that now. Not sobbing empty pathetic tears of lost hope, whilst my child out of wedlock slept soundly in the back. Seriously, how does she do that?

It didn't matter because I envied her so hard right now. That's right I envied my one year old because she was unaware of the harsh realities of the world.

She didn't know about global warming, terrorist attacks, socially constructed conventions. She didn't need to behave in a proper manner or get a job or stress. Instead, she laughed and played and was genuinely happy in her own bubble.

I loved my baby girl, but right now I envied the hell out of her.

Taking a breath, I centred myself. The great looming shadow of my family home cast over the car we sat in, a reminder of my sinful past, and painful memories.

I must have stormed out of that door a hundred times, once it even shattered behind me, revealing a very scary looking Gabrielle Romano on the other end. I left through that door when I went to parties with Tessa, left through it with Tristan for school and when I was kicked out for Aaron.

Because once upon a time I sacrificed everything for him, for love.

I took that great scary risk that everyone said paid off in the end and although I have my daughter, who I wouldn't trade for anything in this world, and a myriad of happy peaceful memories, I also had suffering and lingering pain that would never go away. I also had trauma, it was stupid to say that. I mean men went to war and they returned with trauma, that's deserving of the word, but to me i have trauma too.

To me, I have scars that will never be visible to outside world. To Aaron.

He will never see the permanent scars of the pain he inflicted upon me, but I do. I see it every time I look in the mirror, I hear his soul wrenching words and they destroy them. They carve themselves into my skin and my mind and they destroy me.

In my mind, I'm scarred and broken and damaged and flawed.

Seeing Aaron with another woman, a perfect beautiful stunning woman, brought the mirror out. I wasn't good enough. I hurt him so he hurt me back. Hard.

There was no-one to blame but myself, I shouldn't have lied, but you see Anastasia is not scarred. She's flawless, she's happy and she's never felt pain. Not like I did, not like her father inflicted.

So, I did my job. I kept her hidden, not just because of the mafia and the gang, otherwise I would have cut my family off completely, but because I wanted to save her from pain.

Emotional pain was a bigger b***h than physical at times. She shouldn't experience it yet, maybe I should have let her? However, I took that risk once. It didn't pay off, I couldn't do it again.

A knocked cracked on the window, as sharp as glass, and the sound startled me. Fear spiked inside of me. The cold night had caused fog to blur the windows so all I could see was a dark figure.

I instantly reached for the gun I knew hide under the dashboard. "Bella? It's me." Relief flooded through me and I slowly returned the gun carefully.

Opening the door, I stepped out into the freezing night. Only the natural sounds of owls hooting was carried in the air. Alessi was smiling, but something lingered in his eyes. Concern? Panic? Denial?

Whatever it was, he pushed it aside and opened up the back to gently pick up my sleeping baby. He wrapped his warm hand in my cold one, causing my body to shiver in the wake of his heat, and we trudged in the dark into my house.

The lights were all turned off, and my eyes widened at the clock that read eleven. Had I really been out that long? After fleeing Aaron's, I cried and stopped along the way, then took a pit stop to grab some comfort food and carried on crying.

"You've been sitting outside for a long time." Alessi commented as we finally made it to my old bedroom. He'd already tucked Anastasia into her crib and held the monitor in his hand. "Your eyes are red and puffy, like you've been crying bella. Anything you want to tell me?"

"Three months." I finally said after what felt like years.

Rightfully so, he seemed confused and sat down on the bed. "What?"

"Aaron wanted three months with Anastasia. I gave him that."

"So...after three months you're going back to Italy?" He sounded hopeful, happy and that added another scar. This time, self inflicted.

I sunk down next to him and sighed, burying my face into my hands. "I don't know. I just don't know what to do. What's the right thing, I just don't know."

He set his large smooth hand on top of mine, a product of his special hand cream he used everyday. It made me miss the feel of calloused rough hands, holding and squeezing mine, prying my thighs open, f*****g me.

I wound my eyes shut tight and let all them thoughts dissipate.

"Bella, open your eyes. Bella," He warned and I opened. Stripping myself bare to him, revealing the inner complexity of my f****d up emotional well-being. "So beautiful." He murmured just before his lips grazed mine.

It was soft, gentle, loving. It was exactly what I needed.

Pulling back, he traced the contours of my lips and then the mascara smeared heavy under my eyelids. "What happened?"

"I faced my past...and it broke me." My voice faltered too, and I trembled. Visibly so, that he wrapped me into his arms and held me tight.

"He hurt you again?" There was no anger in Alessi's voice, no surprise. Almost like he knew this would happen all along.

"No." I whispered, chin resting on his shoulder. "We hurt each other, again." Because we were like fire and lightening. Beautiful too look at, however they're volatile, dangerous, unpredictable and too f****d up to ever be put together.

***

A A R O N ' S P. O. V

"You f****d up man. Big time." People normally wallowed in fear under the harsh stare that Tristan was currently trying to pin me down with.

Brushing past him, I shrugged on my leather jacket and scoffed. "I know it might sound bad, but she did a lot worse." In my eyes, lying about my baby was nothing compared to Sasha, who actually meant nothing to me.

"Man, what the f**k? Seriously, you're gonna pull this s**t?" Shaking his head in disbelief, he leant back against my desk, causing the wood to creak.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Hey first of all, get your fat ass off my desk. I just bought it last week, and second, how could you not be on my side right now?"

"Because you have a fiancé Aaron!" He exploded, and soon enough pieces of him were going to be flying everywhere. "You told her that you wanted a fresh start, that you wanted to try again and for some unknown reason she said yes. She said yes, which I thought to be pretty impossible after the s**t you pulled."

I opened my mouth, but he swiftly cut me off. "And yes, she f****d up by leaving with Anastasia but you f****d up more. Hurt her more times than she ever thought possible. Then just when she thinks you can be trusted again, bam...you have a f*****g fiancé who looks like a Russian supermodel."

"Because she is." I murmured. Sighing, I traipsed my head through my hair. "f**k, so how do I get her back?"

"First of all, fix this f*****g mess."

"I don't even know why Sasha showed up or how she even knows where I live."

"Her dad is the head of the Russian cartel." Tristan countered, causing me to still.

"If I end this deal, we won't get the drugs supplied in Russia." The extremity of it all came crashing down me. "It'll cost us millions, and hundreds of clients. The expansion...so what do I do?"

I stared at him wide eyed, like I was expecting him to give me the answer. To tell me the right thing to do because f**k, I was at a loss.

Strolling towards me, he placed his heavy hand on my shoulder and smiled. "Follow your heart Aaron and find out where your priories lay...with the gang, or Kiara?"

With that earth shattering epiphany, he left. Leaving me to revel in the clouded darkness of my own mind.

***

The Ivanov's house was more like a regal castle, that stood, perched, on the edge of a cliff that shouldn't exist anywhere near Manhattan. Even if we were in the rural districts.

I instantly felt aware of the steady stream of guards and loitered in and around the premise of the castle. My own gun felt substantially insignificant in the face of their AK47s. The tragic symbol of a red viper, lay plastered all around the walls and on the vehicles. It even went as far as being worn as a patch on everyone's uniforms, including the maid's.

Mikhail Ivanov was the all mighty and powerful patriarch, his fist clenching tightly around the sliver handle of his knife, and that was whilst he was booming out thunderous laughter.

I laughed as well at the snidely racist joke his son, Andrei, had just made. Falsely of course, the grotesque nature of their causal racial slurs and blatant sexism would make me feel sorry for Sasha, if she was joining in with the raucous celebration herself.

"Sasha." I stated, loud enough that the laughter settled. All eyes became pinned on me, even the guard who eyed me with a vicious determination. Almost wanting me to draw out a gun, just they could murder me themselves.

"Why do you address my daughter, Aaron?" Mikhail had a nasty scar sliced down his cheek, which made even me, shudder in horror. He once told me the story of how he received it, trust me he deserved it. "Talk to me, she has ears that can hear."

Don't f*****g react. Flashing him a smile, I shifted my attention over to him. "I've been thinking about the deal."

"Where you'll marry my daughter?" I nod dumbly.

"Yes but I don't think it would be best to proceed with that." Steam was practically pouring out of her ears, causing Andrei to smirk and lean back in his chair, as though getting ready to witness the shitstorm ahead.

It was silent for all of two excruciating minutes. Then Mikhail reached forward, poured himself a glass of fine aged whiskey and gulped it down slowly, as if examining ever tendril of flavour it had to offer.

"Is my daughter's p***y not good enough for you?" I choked on air. Even Sasha squirmed uncomfortably in her seat.

"I...uh sir we haven't...I wouldn't..."

"You haven't f****d my daughter?" I didn't know whether to take that as an insult or...no insult, it was purely an insult. "Well, this is certainly a surprise. I preceded you to be...how do you say it Andrei?"

Andrei's smirk grew. "f**k boy." I flinched at the word, hating my very existence.

"Yes, f**k boy." Mikhail dredged out with his heavy thick accent. "So, if it's not my daughter's cunt? Then what is the problem?"

"I realise I don't wish to marry. I want to stay a bachelor for a little longer now."

"You realise this means you won't get the drugs supplied in Russia? You won't get the money?" I tensed up, the sound of millions just being flushed away haunted me.

However, then I thought of her. Of the future, of the possibilities...and Kiara's bright blossoming laughter overpowered that sound.

Smiling, I nodded. More certain than ever. "I know, I understand and I'm fine with that. Of course, I would like to still do business with you if possible." He eyed me with sheer curiosity.

"He's lying Papa." Sasha screeched, standing abruptly. "He has a daughter and some cunt. He wants to play happy families with them."

Fucking b***h. I clenched my jaw to reign in the wild untamed anger that followed her insult of my Princess.

Mikhail's eyes turned into slits and he pinned them onto me. "Is this true Aaron? Have you been lying to me?"

"No sir, I recently found out that my ex..." Can't say lover. "Conceived my child after we broke up and I just found out. I want to focus my attentions on my daughter, becoming a father, before being a husband. I just don't think Sasha would benefit very much from marrying me and my daughter is by no means ready to have a step mother just yet." Or ever but again, I reigned it in.

Daunting silence followed by a harsh stare, was quickly interrupted by laughter and clapping. What the f**k? "Papa do something!" Sasha whined.

"Замолчи и оставь нас в покое!" Shut up and leave us alone!" Mikhail's voice thundered, causing even Andrei to flinch.

Seeming unsure, I watched as Sasha retreated into a shell of herself. "But Papa..."

"я сказал сейчас!" (I said now!) She quickly scurried off and Andrei followed, leaving the two of us alone.

"I won't pretend to know your reasons, I mean if it was a son then yes but...anyways, you have my respect for taking responsibility and by informing me directly. My daughter is understandably upset but she'll get over it soon and maybe in the future this deal could be officially signed?" Not a chance in hell.

"Yes, maybe." Standing to leave, I shook Mikhail's hand, feelings the rough callouses scraping against my skin.

"Remember though, no p***y is worth your empire. Even if that p***y is your daughter's." He laughed rambunctiously and I shook with a unsteady, and false chuckle.

I darted out of the dining room as quickly as possible, unaware of a slim shadower figure following me. "I can't believe you're choosing her."

Sasha gripped my wrists with her long pointed nails and squeezed until blood oozed out. I chuckled harshly and wrenched my arm from her grip.

"Sasha I'm sorry for not honouring the deal, but trust me this is best for both of us."

"That w***e won't satisfy you." I clenched my jaw. "She's nothing more than a mistake, a silly conquest you'll get over. Maybe I should just get rid of her for you?"

I looked around, and found us both alone in a dark shady corridor. Then I pushed her against the wall and gripped her chin harshly in my hand.

"Listen to me b***h, don't forget who you're talking to. Don't forget about the power I wield and don't forget about the s**t I'll do if you mess with someone I care about."

I let go of her, practically flinging her into the wall. "Do we understand?"

She nodded, staring at me with the kind of fear I liked to inflict. That only one woman was immune too. "Good." Straightening the lapels of my jacket, I found myself sinking into the role of a dark knight, now ready to whisk his Princess away.

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A/N: I'm curious. What do you think of Kiara in this chapter? You guys saw more of an in depth explanation as to why she left and the pain Aaron left on her.

Also thoughts about the deal?

Do you think Aaron did the right thing?

Also, what did you think of the new characters? Mikhail? Sasha?