Chapter 14: Daniil

Time seemed to have frozen, making everything around me happen in slow motion. There she was: Vivian Kennedy, my milaya , tucked in the front passenger seat of the police car. She was glaring at me, fury etched into her features. There was hatred in her eyes and also a hint of hopelessness, causing her to bite her lip and furrow her brows. Of course, she'd feel hopeless. I'd just destroyed her little plan to escape. It must have really hit her hard since she was so close to freedom.

I stood there, my stomach roiling and my hands balled into fists.

She had the effrontery, the nerve , to deceive me for as long as she had. What was she thinking? That she would get away with it? Did she not know by now that I was inescapable, that I always got what I wanted?

She was a girl with balls—I knew that—and it was one of the many reasons why I was drawn to her. But I had to admit: This stunt was something that I didn't see coming. It was such a surprise—a somewhat pleasant one. It was rather brave of her to try to escape the monster that had her bound. It was admirable.

Vivian had fooled me for almost a week.

Now, I was starting to feel that rage return. I'd let down my guard for a split second, and she'd taken advantage of my kindness. She'd exploited it and tried to flee when faced with the first opportunity. What this meant was that she'd been planning this for a while now, maybe even since the day she'd realized her new reality.

All that sex, those great times we'd spent together in bed, were all fake?

Fuck!

Inside, I laughed wickedly, a mix of anger and admiration filling me from head to toe.

Good one, milaya . You're not just a beautiful model; you're also an actress.

I thought she deserved an Oscar for her marvelous and outstanding performance. It wasn't easy to fool a mafia boss like myself, so her deception was something I found all the more infuriating. I was supposed to have seen this coming from a mile away because nothing ever caught me off guard. I was always prepared for anything, expecting the worst and hoping for the best. However, in her case, I'd completely let go of all my training and years of experience. I had to hand it to her; she did well winning my trust.

History would never repeat itself ever again.

How did that saying go?

Once bitten, twice shy.

She'd taught me never to lower my guard and always listen to my instincts.

What if I hadn't owned half the city, including law enforcement? I would've lost her forever.

I gritted my teeth and tightened my fists at the mere thought.

She was an extension of me now; I wouldn't let her go—never. Her defiance and desire to run away from me was like a game, a game I would love to play. I would play to win, and when I did, I would punish her however I deemed fit.

While I stood in front of my mansion, the anger still simmered beneath the surface, but eventually, the amusement won out. I couldn't help but chuckle to myself, thinking how futile her efforts were.

Poor girl. She had no idea what she was up against. I was the master of this game; I was the one calling the shots. Besides, I'd seen this movie before, and I knew it ended how it always ended; she'd lose, and I'd win—rinse repeat. Same old, same old.

A man of my caliber ought to have eyes and ears everywhere, the law enforcement included. She should've known that, but I guessed she hadn't.

Peter must've been friendly with her when he'd found her wandering the streets. He always had the effect with his innocent looks. But that dirty cop was one of the worst of them.

She was like a sheep surrounded by a pack of wolves, and I was the alpha.

I waited patiently for her to step out of the vehicle, but she was just sitting there, glancing around. She was obviously cooking up something; her mind must've been thinking of ways to escape, but there was no way she'd leave the compound this evening. She was surrounded with nowhere to go. What other choice did she have? She was caught, and now, she would have to face the consequences of her folly.

She frowned at me from within the car, but I didn't care. She was back to me now, and that was all that mattered.

I squinted as she continued to glance around the compound.

She was a brilliant woman; I knew that for sure. The fact that she was looking around meant that she was up to something. She was clearly calculating her next move.

It seemed ridiculous, and I smirked at the absurdity of it, but then again, I was a bit curious to know what she was planning. She'd almost succeeded once, after all.

Vivian was subtly studying her environment, and like a detective, she seemed to be mapping out a plan in that innovative mind of hers.

What are you up to, milaya ?

Whatever she was scheming would be useless. She was back at my place, and there was nothing she could do about it. Yet a part of me still admired her resilience. She wasn't one to give up easily, and I loved that she was a fighter. Even when the odds were against her, she was still fighting. She wasn't finished yet; there was a flicker of determination burning in her eyes. It was both hot and infuriating at the same time.

Don't underestimate her. She's capable of doing anything just to elude you. She knows you're mad at her, and she would do anything to get away. You let down your guard once; don't do that again.

That was true. It wasn't a good idea to underestimate one's opponent in any game. This was a game; I was the master, and she was the pawn—or so I'd let myself believe.

You keep forgetting this girl is different. She's a smart one. If you overestimate yourself, you will lose her. Act now, Daniil. She's planning something.

Indeed, she was. But what plan would possibly work? She was on my turf, and my men were everywhere.

I took gentle steps forward and locked eyes with her.

"Step out of the car!" I commanded.

She looked me dead in the eyes, her entire body shaking. She was anxious about something, maybe whatever she was about to do.

I'm telling you, she's about to do something drastic.

Peter, the officer who had brought her to me, opened his side of the door and had almost stepped out of the car when she immediately, with a fierce cry, unleashed all her pent-up energy, kicking the door with every ounce of strength she possessed. The officer, caught off guard, stumbled out of the vehicle, his eyes wide with surprise.

Vivian didn't hesitate; she grabbed the door handle and yanked the door shut behind him. The slam echoed through the air, a loud crack that seemed to reverberate through every inch of the house.

I told you she was up to something.

My heart leaped into my throat as I watched her launch herself into the driver's seat without losing a nanosecond, almost moving too fast for me to process. Her hands grasped for the keys, still dangling in the ignition.

She seemed anxious, her nerves frazzled, and it was almost like I could hear the sound of her heart pounding in her chest.

I was too impressed to even give any commands.

Vivian jammed the key into the slot and turned it with a vicious twist.

The engine roared to life, a mighty growl that seemed to match the ferocity of her own spirit. Vivian's foot slammed down on the pedal, and the vehicle surged in reverse, tires screeching in protest as they bit into the pavement.

She's getting away!

The officer's shout of outrage was lost in the din of the engine, his arms flailing wildly as he stumbled backward, his wide eyes fixed on Vivian with a mixture of shock and fury.

This all happened within seconds, and all of my men were handicapped, waiting for my orders.

She was fucking brilliant, driving that car in reverse like an expert. I heard the tires screech as she spun the car back around and zoomed out of the compound.

"She's getting away, Daniil," Andrei said, standing by my car.

"She's a hot one! She fucking stole a cop car! Who steals a cop car?" Peter approached us, amazed by her fiery spirit. "The car has a GPS system, so finding her shouldn't be a problem."

She's smart. She already knows this, and she's going to try to do something about it. Move now!

"Let's go!" I ordered my men. "She must not get away." I got into my Porsche with Andrei in the front passenger seat.

I revved my engine, loving this thrill.

"This should be fun," I said right before I zoomed the car out of the mansion.

My Porsche was faster than a police vehicle, and in no time, I spotted her on the busy road.

With my fingers tight around the steering wheel, I smirked and put my foot down.

Soon, the world around me became a blur, a kaleidoscope of colors as I chased after her in the streets.

Vivian was relentless, and while my car was faster, she seemed to be driving a lot smarter than I was. She had the ability to neatly maneuver her way through the streak of vehicles, and somehow, she managed to stay ahead of me.

"She's good," Andrei confessed.

I was supposed to be better, and now the fun was gradually fading away because she was proving to be a formidable foe.

Two G-Wagons belonging to my men sped past me and were catching up with her when Vivian, with a precise move, swerved her car abruptly into a side street. My men, moving at such speed, didn't anticipate the sudden change and had already sped past. Before they would slow down, she would already be far down this new path.

I got there and took the same turn; she was still in my sight. The others were catching up behind me.

I accelerated onward, my engine roaring like that of a car racer on the track, and within seconds, I caught up with her. We were both driving side by side, and I wound down my window, glaring at her.

She glanced at me, and the next thing I knew, she'd put on the brakes, and her car slowed down, allowing me to drive forward.

"Shit!" I banged my hand on the steering wheel and looked through the rearview mirror, trying to change up and turn the car around.

Her car spun around, and with deadly precision, she passed in reverse through a small street, driving backward.

"What the…?" Andrei mumbled in shock.

I was equally shocked and surprised.

I didn't see that coming.

He chuckled. "What is she, fucking Vin Diesel?"

I cast a stern glare at him, and he composed himself. With a sense of determination, I joined her down the street.

Bonnet against bonnet, we drove forward while she was still driving backward. I stared at her, impressed by her moves and resilience but at the same weary of this game.

Once out in an open street, her car's tires screeched against the asphalt as she spun it back around and accelerated onwards.

Refusing to back down, I pressed on, increasing my speed. Each time I almost caught up with her, she always found a way to ditch me.

Ahead of us was a ramp, and she didn't seem to be slowing down. Below was a body of water. Did she not know this?

"No, no, no…." The words burst out of my mouth in a rush, an unfamiliar sense of dread coiling in my stomach and freezing the blood in my veins.

"She's not…." Andrei turned to me. "You don't think she hates you enough to take that jump, do you?"

We were both shocked that she wouldn't slow down, doing little but gaping ahead. I felt fear creeping into my heart for the first time in forever.

Vivian was relentlessly approaching the steep incline leading up to the bridge.

"No!" I yelled, speeding up behind her.

Vivian hurled toward the ramp as she crested the top, and her car immediately became airborne, soaring over the water below. Time seemed to slow down, and I watched with a dropped jaw as her car sailed through the air, clearing the water with mere inches to spare.

Moments later, she landed with a splash on the far side—unscathed.

I slammed on the brakes, my car screeching to a halt just shy of the ramp.

It was official now; she was the craziest woman I had ever met.

"I see why you love her so much," Andrei said, clearly impressed by her moves.

A few minutes after we drove around to the other side, we were able to track the car somewhere on a lonely street.

My men encircled the car, but the driver didn't seem eager for an escape.

"It's not her," I said to Andrei as we both stepped out of the car.

I got to the car and opened the driver's door; it was a wasted man with a bottle of beer in his hand. With a frown, I pulled him out of the car even though he could barely stand.

"The girl who was in this car, where is she?" I raised him by the collar.

He was mumbling something and occasionally belching, so I couldn't make out what he was saying.

"Where is she!" I barked at him, and he became sober for a minute.

"I…I don't know—she just gifted me the car and took off with a man," he replied.

"A man ?" At this point, I was filled with rage, my knuckles whitening as they clenched the man's collar.

Even if there were a part of me that would've made her punishment lesser, I'd bury that part. This was a low blow, and I wouldn't take it lightly.

She knew the car was being tracked, so she ditched it and ran off with another man.

Fire was swelling up inside me, burning me inside out, and I balled a fist, boiling in silence as I thought of the many different ways to make that man suffer.