VAS (The V Games Book 3) Page 3

  “She’s not safe here and you know it,” Vas hisses.

  Vlad turns his fiery gaze on me, and I flinch. His features soften as his brows pull together. “Darya, is it?”

  I give him a small nod.

  “Until the results of your DNA come in, I can promise your safety,” he vows.

  “And then what?” Vas snaps. “If she’s not, you throw her back to the goddamn wolf?”

  Using the Lord’s name in vain causes me to wince. Vlad notices it and steps closer. When he reaches out, I try not to cower. He’s not trying to hit me. It’s as though he’s marveling at my existence. Vlad strokes his finger down my cheek, a small, rare smile tugging at his lips.

  “You look like her,” he murmurs.

  Her?

  “We’ll take care of Darya,” Irina says from behind us. “We’ll make sure no one hurts her. Right, Vlad?”

  Vlad’s features turn fierce as he regards his wife. Love glimmers in his eyes, and I find myself relaxing in Vas’s grip. Emptiness dwells in his father’s eyes. But love? I’m not used to seeing such an unfiltered emotion. Love is what the Lord teaches us. Love is what I crave.

  “Vas,” a woman says from behind Vlad. She peers around him, and I recognize her as Diana Volkov, Vas’s sister. “Put the girl down.”

  “Diana,” he snaps. “She’s not safe here.”

  “She will be,” Vlad bellows, conviction dripping from his words. “We’ll put her up in the room next to ours. Nowhere near my father’s wing of the estate. You have my word, Volkov. I won’t hurt a hair on her head. Now, I’m asking out of courtesy for my wife—your sister—and not demanding. Don’t make me demand it.”

  “Until you find out she’s not your blood,” Vas challenges. “Then what?”

  Vlad’s jaw clenches. “We’ll deal with that when the time comes.”

  “No,” Vas belts out. “We deal with it now. I want your word. If she is not your blood, allow me to come for her. Don’t send her back to your father. Give her that mercy. Give me that mercy,” Vas pleads.

  Irina steps over to Vlad and grips his elbow. “We promise,” she says on behalf of her husband.

  He’s stiff, but nods. “I can give you that.” His lips quirk up in a smirk. “For a price.”

  There’s always a price I’m learning.

  “Name it,” Vas growls.

  “You train my next V Games fighter.”

  “Done,” Vas says easily. Then he looks down at me. “You’re going to be okay staying here. My sisters will ensure it, I promise.”

  With everyone’s eyes on me, I want to bury my face in his neck and hide. No one has ever cared for me in such an intense way without wanting anything from me in return. I’ve only ever been told what to do and forced to do it.

  “What is it you’re thinking, Darya?” Vas asks. “Don’t be afraid to tell me.”

  Swallowing the nerves caught in my throat, I nod.

  “May I be given clothes?” I whisper. “Clothes that cover me from the eyes of others?”

  “Hell yes,” Diana says coolly. “You’ll be given clothes and toiletries and food. You’ll be given privacy and safety. Most importantly, you won’t be treated as an animal.”

  Vlad nods and reaches for me once more. He removes the clasp of the collar around my neck and tugs it away. It’s gripped tightly in his fist, and I can’t help but smile at the freedom from it.

  “Thank you,” I say, sighing gratefully.

  Lord Jesus Christ our God, please let this man be my brother.

  It takes everything in me to set Darya to her feet and watch my sisters guide her away. But I do it. I saw the way Diana implored me with her eyes. My oldest sister is smart. She plays this game both in and out of The Games better than any of them. I’m new to their world, and though I may be vocal, sometimes I have to keep my mouth shut—a necessary strategy for the bigger game I’m playing. I didn’t expect any of this, so I had already set other options into motion. When Yuri paraded Darya around at Diana’s victory dinner with a fetish tail hanging from her ass, I knew it was time to get her out, or I was going to gut Yuri from groin to gullet in front of everyone and get myself killed for the price of such a betrayal. I had to be smarter, and I was, but none of that matters now. If she’s Vlad’s sister, everything changes.

  As soon as Darya is gone, Vlad exhales and his shoulders slump. So often, he’s poised and powerful. Right now, he’s damn near broken. I glare at him and cross my arms over my chest.

  “You said she looked like her,” I clip out. “Who’s her?”

  His eyes lift to mine and he scrubs his palm along his jaw. “My mother.”

  Relief floods through me. If there’s an inkling of hope that she’s indeed a Vasiliev, I’ll cling to it. That blood running through her veins means safety. The Vasilievs tend to look after their own. Especially Vlad. He treats Irina like a delicate flower. I’ve seen the way he speaks so fondly of his brother, Viktor. And while he clearly hates his own father, he respects him and adheres to their rules. If Darya is one of them, Vlad would take care of her. Unlike Vika, Darya doesn’t have her own agenda. She’s not playing games. She’s an innocent in a world of sinners.

  “I want access to her,” I tell him. “You want me to train your fighter, then I will. But I want access to check on her. Call her if I want. See her whenever I want.” I won’t fucking budge on this. This is the in I’ve needed. She’s not Yuri’s property anymore.

  “Nothing will change regarding your access to this family,” he says coolly. “Being related to my wife has already gained you a key to our kingdom. As long as you don’t abuse your privilege, I don’t see why anything will change.”

  I let out a relieved breath. Because of Irina, I’ve been allowed to come and go as I please to see my sister. In return, I’ve been able to see Darya. Something about her has always called to me. Her beauty and innocence, maybe. A victim in a world of harsh perpetrators. That innocence reminds me of my mother. I’ve had the urge to protect her since the moment I laid eyes on her.

  And, fuck, it doesn’t hurt that she’s so goddamn beautiful.

  Big, deep honey eyes. Soft, supple pink lips. The darkest lashes fanning over her apple cheeks. A wild mane of chocolate brown hair with strands of gold woven in. So beautiful and delicate. Like an angel. Worthy of not only protection, but worship. I could worship her every night from my knees, kissing every part of her.

  “Vika fucked up,” Vlad grunts, jerking my thoughts from the one I wish I were fucking to the one I am fucking.

  “What?”

  “You were a little preoccupied with Darya, but in case you missed it, Vika was outed for orchestrating Niko’s death.”

  No way I missed that, or the roaring, growling, charging bull named Veniamin Vetrov.

  “Will he kill her?” I ask, unable to hide the concern on my face. She’s a cunt, but I’ve been fucking her cunt for months so to wish her death is even too harsh for a sinner with my track record.

  His fiery eyes flash with amusement. “No. That would be too easy. Ven will punish her accordingly.”

  “You trust him not to kill her?”

  “I trust him not to fuck her,” he says, narrowing his eyes at me, insinuating he knows I’ve been doing just that with Vika. “I trust him to teach her a lesson. My sister deserves everything she has coming to her. He won’t kill her. She’s still my sister after all.”

  “Unlike your other sister,” I retort, dragging the conversation away from the fact that I’ve been fucking a married woman out of boredom. “Darya deserved none of the punishments your father doled out.”

  Vlad’s jaw clenches and he walks away from me over to a small table where a decanter of golden brown liquor sits. He pours two glasses, then hands me one.

  “She may not be my sister. Let’s not rush to judgment,” he says, his voice icy and cruel.

  Ignoring him, I take the glass and knock back the liquid fire, then pin him with a hard stare. “Humor me and tell me what you think about your father if she truly is your blood.”

  His features harden, and his knuckles turn white as he grips his glass nearly hard enough to break it. “If she is blood, she will be taken care of. That is all that matters. You know the life of our fathers, Vas. The way our world is.” A wildness in his eyes tells me otherwise, though. It’s enough for me. To see the hate and vengeance burning in his stare. All that directed at his father. Vlad may not want to show his hand to me, but I can see it anyway. His poker face is shit these days. I blame my sweet sister and her big pregnant belly for that one.

  “Good,” is all I say. I may be vocal, but I sure as fuck know when to keep my mouth shut. Calling Vlad out on his hate for his father does nothing positive for my position.

  “How did she end up here?” I find myself asking. Is no one else curious that she may be their kin and just happened to end up here?

  Vlad’s pulse jumps in this throat, his jaw tightening before he says, “My thoughts exactly, my friend. Not by accident I’m sure.”

  “Come,” he grunts. “I need to sign some paperwork with Veniamin. It would seem my father has bargained myself into primary shareholder of The V Games. As it should be.” He stares at me for a long moment. “It would behoove you to stay on my good side, Volkov. Train my fighter. Be compliant. One day, when our fathers have been buried in the cold earth, it will be us who rules all of this. And when that time comes, I need someone I can trust. Just because you are my wife’s family means nothing. Trust comes from experience and action. I’ll need to see it for my own eyes.”

  I grit my teeth, but nod. “You’ll have the best damn fighter,” I agree. “Diana kicked ass and she learned from yours truly.”

  “Diana did well,” he agrees. “I want my new fighter to do even better. As primary First Family, I want to secure our place.”

  “My father won’t like me training your fighter,” I warn. “He’ll want me training one for the Volkovs.”

  “Your father doesn’t have to know,” he says lowly. “This is an agreement between gentlemen. And let’s not forget your father gave up his shares. Maybe he won’t submit a fighter.”

  “It’ll get back to them that I’m training your fighter,” I argue. “Your wife doesn’t exactly keep secrets well. And because he gave away his shares, he will want a fighter to prove his worth even more.”

  He chuckles, and it throws me for a loop. “Tell him what he needs to hear,” he says. “Tell him you’re only helping me in order to see Irina. Make him believe it if you need to. But when you’re here, training my champion, I want all your energy and effort. I want to win.”

  “Don’t we all?” I challenge.

  “When we want to win different things, I think there are times when there is more than one winner.” His grin is wolfish. “Ven has won the darling little Vika, and I’m sure he feels quite satisfied over that prize.”

  And I’ll win Darya.

  He pours us another round. “Cheers to gentlemanly agreements and wins for the smart ones in our world.”

  “Cheers,” I grunt.

  “Sign here,” Vlad says, smugness in his tone.

  Ven scribbles his signature on some paperwork all while holding a squirming Vika by her throat. She curses and screams and claws at his arm. No one rescues her. No one tries to undo the mess she’s put herself in. For a fraction of a second, I worry she’ll out me for my help in poisoning Ven’s dad, but she keeps that tidbit to herself. When her golden eyes pin me, I know it’s because she thinks I can save her.

  Another game.

  Another move.

  “Hang in there,” I mouth to her.

  Hope. I give the poor girl hope. Her eyes glisten with tears, and for a second, I feel like the biggest dick on the planet. Vika is horrible, but she’s nothing like her father. I’ve seen the way she belittles my sisters and talks down to her husband, but I’ve also seen a side of her others don’t. I’ve seen her vulnerable. I’ve seen her cry. I’ve held her some after sex when we’ve had the opportunity. Gone would be the crazy viper; I’d be holding a scared little girl. She’d never admit to that, but I felt it.

  “Vas,” she sobs. Her eyes plead with mine when she should be begging her husband for help, not that he would come to her aid. Niko was his brother too.

  I look away from her. I can’t be everyone’s motherfucking knight in shining armor. I’m not a knight. I’m not made of shiny silver and bravery. I’m tarnished and deceptive. I slither through the weeds of this world seeking my own apple to sink my teeth into.

  She screams as Ven hoists her over his shoulder and carries her out of the house. Rus sidles up beside me, and grunts, “I’m divorcing her.”

  Lifting a brow, I chance a look at him. “Oh?”

  His eyes narrow at me. “I suspected she was cheating on me. The whore,” he sneers. “But to have a hand in the death of my own brother? Unforgivable. She deserves whatever Ven dishes out to her.” He knocks his shoulder into mine as though we’re buddies. We are not fucking chums. “Who knows, maybe he’ll let you have a go at her when he’s done. She fucks like a cold, dead fish, but her ass is tight.”

  It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him I know her ass is tight and she’s anything but dead when she’s screaming my name—that I can get her to purr like a motherfucking kitten. Ruslan probably can’t tell her vagina from her ass, the dumb fuck. It helps knowing he’s a two-pump chump. Vika was more than happy to compare our bedroom abilities. Or in Ruslan’s case, lack thereof. Instead of jabbing him when he most surely deserves it, I smirk.

  “I’ll pass. I’m not into sloppy seconds,” I say, my voice low and deep with insinuation. Meaning, I fucked your wife on your wedding night. Those juices running down her thighs when you got her to the bedroom were from the way I made her come over and over again. Fucking asshole.

  His nostrils flare and his cheeks above his horrible attempt at a beard redden. “Excuse me. I’ve got some business to tend to.”

  Like running his father’s empire into the ground.

  See you later, punk.

  I tip my head at him and walk over to Vlad.

  “Where’s Yuri?” I question, my expression cool.

  “Nowhere near Darya,” he assures me.

  “If he hurts her, I’ll kill him.”

  Our eyes meet, his flickering with rage at my boldness.

  “If she’s my sister, he will not hurt her,” he grits out.

  “And if he does?”

  “Then I’ll kill him first.”

  Smirking, I grip his shoulder, and say, “Good doing business with you.”

  I slip out of their massive home and find Diana by Ven’s car as she frowns at him. Ven has put Vika in the trunk, but can’t seem to get the lid shut because she keeps poking her fingers out. Diana has her grip on his arm, urging him not to slam it down on her fingers like he so clearly wants to. She leans down and whispers something to Vika. Vika’s fingers disappear, and they get the trunk closed.

  “I’m headed home,” I call out to my sister.

  She turns and rushes over to me for a hug. I squeeze her tight. I was alone for so long with no family. Having these sisters was the best thing to ever happen to me. My bear hug is unyielding. I lift her off her feet to spin her around. My always serious sister giggles, making my heart squeeze in my chest.

  “You think she’ll be safe?” I ask as I set her to her feet.

  She looks up at me with ferocity in her blue eyes. “Irina won’t let anything happen to her, Vas. I know this with all my heart.” She bites on her blood red lip, then whispers, “Is she the one you spoke of from before? The one your heart belongs to?”

  God, that was months ago. I’m surprised she even remembers me saying that.

  “I just want…” To protect and hold her. To kiss away her pain. To hear her soft, sweet voice whisper words only meant for me. I want to be her not-so-shiny knight in armor fighting her battles and winning her heart. “I just want her to be happy. Safe.”

  Diana beams at me and stands on her toes to kiss my cheek. “You’re a good man, Vas. Don’t let them ever change that about you. I love you.”

  I pat her on the top of her head and grin. “Love you too, sis. You better get going so little Vika doesn’t suffocate. I don’t know how much air she has in there.”

  She laughs. “He won’t kill her.”

  Arching a brow, I challenge her. “You sure about that?”

  She pats my shoulders and nods. “Vika is vile. She has done some awful things. But I won’t let him kill her. Ven can take his punishments out on her, but…” she trails off and looks away. Desperation and terror wash over her features. It was the same look she had in The Games when the monitors fixated on her face. “She’s a victim in some ways. And in the darkest times of my life, she was there—in all her awful glory, but she was there. Because of that, I can’t turn a blind eye. Trust in my abilities to keep that big Vetrov in line.”

  The engine roars to life, and he beeps the horn impatiently.

  “One day, we’ll take down the bad ones.” Like Yuri and my father and fucking Rus Vetrov.

  “Of course we will, sweetie,” she says in a chipper voice, although her features scream violence. Such horrific violence on such a pretty face.

  I chuckle and wave my sister off.

  Tonight, I’ll get some rest, and then tomorrow, I’ll begin training Vlad’s fighter. I’ll also be stealing every opportunity I can with sweet Darya.

  She’s mine.

  My heart thumps inside its cage.

  I’ll make that final move eventually and bring her to my side where she belongs.

  The room is much larger than the one given to me before. Way bigger than I need. A giant, four-poster, mahogany bed with rich, navy-blue fabric draped across from each corner in a canopy is situated in the middle of the room. Near the large, picturesque window are two chairs and a table. The chairs are cushioned and look comfy. Simply sitting there by the window at night, staring up at the lovely moon, seems like a glimpse of heaven.

  Perhaps this is a gift from God.

  A reward for a test I’ve somehow passed.