Chapter 7

seven

Phoebe

I'm walking down the steps from my general chemistry laboratory class when I bump into Abby. She's grinning madly at me, and I raise a brow at her.

"Sorry, it's just, right now, you're that quiet, shy girl, but when we get home, you're going to turn into this badass bitch in leather. I just love the transformation." She smirks, and I try to match her giddiness but just can't.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not ungrateful for all I've learned from my grandmother and uncle, but sometimes I wish I was still that na?ve little girl, who didn't know evil in the world exists, and her mother still puts her to bed.

"I never used to be like this, Abs. I was that quiet, shy girl until I lived with Athena." Abby gives me a sad smile.

"I know, but think of it this way, if you weren't this badass bitch, then what happened a few months ago would have been worse."

I smile at her, giving her a side hug, and then drag her toward my car to stop this conversation. Her nightmares return when she talks about them, and I'm not going to be there tonight to help her through them.

I have twenty-four hours to reach my destination and scope it out without being seen. My uncle supplied a plane for me and made sure my Harley Davidson is waiting for me at the airstrip. I only kept the Buick to keep up the pretenses.

Abby and I get home half an hour later, and I go pack. I don't have classes tomorrow, so it's not too bad, but Abby will stay behind because it's too dangerous. I won't risk her. She comes into my room, helps me pack a bag, and takes it out to my car.

She gives me a tight hug and says, "Go kick some ass."

I chuckle, get into my car, and head to my uncle's plane, just outside of town, on an old airstrip that hasn't been used in years.

Five and a half hours later, we're landing in New York. Once business here is done, I'll be home in California for a few days, and then I'll have to return New York to fulfill the contract Uncle gave me last week. I just want to have some fun first. I smirk.

I get off the plane, strap my bag to the back of my bike, and check my watch. It's 11 PM. The meeting is tomorrow afternoon. Oliver was shitting himself when he told me. I shake my head. What the fuck was I thinking, letting someone like that take my virginity? Fucking glad I didn't.

I power up my baby and rev her with a grin on my face. I've missed my bike. I only use it for missions. She's matte black, has dark purple shadow painted on the tank, and it matches my personality; dark with color hidden on the inside.

I speed away from the hangar, and head to my uncle's house in Brooklyn. Colin will meet me there.

Forty minutes later, I'm pulling up to the iron gates, and the guard lets me in. Colin is waiting for me by the steps. I grin when I see him, and, instead of a bear hug like I usually get, he tells me off like I'm ten years old again, making me chuckle.

"Where is your helmet, ángelos ?" He has a scowl on his face, his dark brown eyes full of worry.

I shake my head and get off my bike. I head toward him and hug him tight. "I'm fine, Colin." He squeezes me tighter while lifting me slightly off the ground, and I smile. I wish he were my father. I often wished my mother hadn't loved my father so much, but she did love him, and she didn't stray.

"How was your flight?" he asks.

"It was alright. So, what do I need to know for tomorrow?" I get right into it, making him chuckle.

"Christian is bringing his second in command and fifteen men. Damian and Alexandr are both going, and Alexandr is currently at the Preziosa with his mistress Candy, who owes twenty thousand dollars to the cartel for drugs, mainly cocaine. I'm unsure if Alexandr knows, but I have proof that she's swiping money from Russian businesses from his phone. Your father is still going tomorrow, but your sister has decided she wants to attend as well." He smiles at the last bit, and I end up grinning, making him chuckle.

"Tomorrow will be fun."

He nods. "Indeed, your uncle has also called; there are three men caught up in trafficking. They've targeted children between the ages of three and six on the east side of Brooklyn from the Bratva, but Damian is unaware because these men are low on the food chain, except for Grigoriy. He's a sovietnik and the front runner for finding the young girls or boys in group homes. The two lower-level men, unknown names, picks up the kids, then takes them to the meeting point for the Mexican cartel to pick up."

My face turns to fire. Fucking kids ! Seriously? I look at Colin, and he nods. After I anonymously provided the Bratva with the information about their missing kids, I said I'd give them one week to find their traitors, but I won't be able to, and Colin knows this. He hands me the files to go through.

I put my bag in my bedroom, and then I spend an hour and a half going through the files, before I head out to scope out the warehouse. I look at my watch. 1:30 AM. Fifteen hours to go.

After returning at 7 AM, I get a quick nap and some food, before going over my plans again for the fifth time. Colin watches me; he will only intervene if he thinks it's necessary.

I get ready with two hours to spare, knowing they'll all get there early to check the place again. When I was there before, several men came and went, checking for traps.

I leave my hair down, and wear my leather pants and crop top with biker boots. I make sure I have knives in both boots, and my handgun with a silencer in the back of my pants. I place four throwing stars in the safety pocket on my top, before I look in the mirror and smirk.

"Let's party."

Forty-five minutes later, after I've hugged Colin goodbye, I arrive at the warehouse. Men are everywhere, just like I predicted. Still, after watching them for a few hours, I know none of them will look behind the warehouse to the right-hand side of the building, because it's a tight fit. After leaving my bike in plain sight, to distract them, I slowly make my way over, chuckling, while I stay out of sight. Then I climb the thin ladder I placed there last night. Once on the roof, I crawl, and get into position near the skylight. I already cut around the glass last night, so all I have to do is throw the rock and smash through it. It should break easily.

Twenty minutes after I'm in place, Christian and Mihai arrive, and move to the shadows. I roll my eyes; how predictable. Five minutes later, my father, his most trusted guard, Peter, and my beloved sister enter. I squeeze my hand into a fist, trying not to reach for my gun. The fucking bitch is selling me to pay off her habits. When Colin told me that, I fucking snapped and broke my favorite table at my uncle's house, which happened to be the only fucking thing I liked there.

Ten more minutes go by, and in walks the Volkovs and Sergi, who, let's face it, is basically a Volkov as well. I stay hidden, waiting for one of them to ask where Christian's informant is. Yeah, informant . New information Colin provided. Oliver told me he was approached, not that he as the one to reach out to them . The dick-less, spineless bastard is so getting his neck split open when I see him.

Finally, after going back and forth, Alexandr asks where Christian's informant is, and they start looking around for him. I smirk and grab the rock before getting to my knees, and smashing the stone through the glass. It breaks easily. I get to my feet, push myself over the edge, keeping my legs bent, and land perfectly crouched. I smirk, then straighten, my eyes going straight to Alexandr, ignoring everyone else in the room, but keeping them in my line of sight.

I keep my voice cold, showing him who I really am.

" Geia sou, agápi mou , missed me?" My father and Selene suck in a breath, knowing what I just said, while Sergi stills, and by the looks of things, his brother also recognized what I said, but as usual, Alexandr still hasn't learned my language. He looks at his brother with wide eyes, and I decide to play with him a little.

"How's Candy today? Still tucked in nice and cozy in the hotel room you bought her at Russo's hotel. Or did you drop her off at work where you like to fuck her regularly?" I smirk. Does it hurt that he took a mistress who happens to be a coke-headed stripper? Yes, it fucking kills. Am I going to let him know this? Hell no, plus it didn't fucking help when I tried to move on. Not only did I not feel anything down below for the guy, but he turned into a spineless weasel who preferred dick.

Christian laughs, now out of his stupor, and I turn toward him with a cold and calculating smile.

"Fuck," I hear Alex mutter.

Yeah, you fucked up, you dickhead.

"Well, if it isn't the infamous Phoebe Adino." Christian states happily.

"Well, a little birdy says you've been after me." I spread my arms wide, holding them out. "Here I am! What are you going to do about it?" I smirk, baiting him, and his smile disappears, not liking me challenging him, especially with all these men as witnesses. Just when I hoped I'd have fun, he lifts a finger in the air, and a beast of a man comes running toward me from the left. I hear one coming from behind me, while another comes out from the shadows behind Christian. I smile wide, making him furrow his brows.

Finally, let's bring the Angel of Death out to play.

Time to show everyone who they're fucking with!