God of Vengeance

The sound of heavy coughing caught my ear when Nikolai finally allowed the nurse to check his vitals. Mia sat across from him, watching carefully as I excused myself. I closed the door softly behind me, careful not to make a sound, walking on the tips of my high heels.

Levitsky was sitting in front of Jeremy’s room, elbows resting on his knees, coughing again—clearly trying to suppress it. He had refused to get checked until he knew Volkov was safe, and though I refused to be impressed, I couldn’t deny his loyalty. He hadn’t left Jeremy’s side since the rescue.

Not once—except to update that silver-haired waste of space.

That detail irked me to no end. And I couldn't help asking myself the same question over and over again: Why did he leave Jeremy for her?
He didn’t need to comfort her. Yes, he had barely said anything besides the actual facts, but still—he could’ve left her in the dark. He didn’t have to.
No matter how I thought about it, it made no sense. Obviously Jeremy hadn’t been in any state to give him that order, so why go out of his way just to give her peace of mind?

I loosened my fists when I realized how tightly I’d clenched them.

Stepping closer, I saw his eyes flick briefly toward my shoes, his shoulders tensing.

“I’m in no mood to have any conversation with you, printsessa.”

I swallowed, ignoring the small hiccup in my chest when he called me princess in Russian, and walked away for a moment. I heard him breathe out like he’d dodged a bullet, but the joke was on him.
I came back only a few moments later.

“Hey, dog.”

He drew in a deep breath through his nose, his posture tensing immediately. When he refused to look at me, I gave his black Italian shoes a light kick. They were covered in soot and dust. He owed me new heels now.

He let his head hang for a second before finally looking up.

“I told you—”

“Drink.” I shoved a bottle of water toward his face, my tone sharp with annoyance.

“Your coughing is getting on my nerves.”

His lips parted slightly in surprise, and when his gaze met mine, I quickly turned my head away as if bored. Before I could yank the bottle back—or throw it at his head—he snatched it from me. I stepped back, arms crossing.

The silence that followed was filled only by the sound of him uncapping the bottle and drinking. I caught myself staring at the way his Adam’s apple bobbed with every gulp, then traced the path of a droplet sliding down to his mouth. Our eyes met for a split second—one that sent an electric shock through me.

I cleared my throat, nodding toward the door. “How is he?”

Levitsky took another quick sip, coughed once to test himself, then answered.

“Better. He needs to rest. Annika is with him.”

“Mr. Volkov—”

“Doesn’t know.” His eyes locked onto mine. “And it should stay that way.”

I rolled my eyes. I might love a little drama, but involving the parents? That was a golden rule: never. I was nosy, not stupid.

Another fit of coughing overwhelmed him, harsher this time, dragging a groan from his chest as he touched his side. I couldn’t stop myself from stepping closer.

“God, will you just get checked already?!”

He shook his head, coughing still, trying to drink again.

“Water isn’t going to magically scrub your lungs clean, you know?”

When he finally swallowed, he leaned his head back against the wall, eyeing me with a slow, irritating smirk.

“Careful, printsessa. I might think you’re worried about me.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks, and his mocking gaze only fueled it. Instantly, I threw my hair back, jutting out my hip, reviving the bad bitch in me.

“Worried about you?” I laughed like he’d said the most ridiculous thing.

“Never. I’m worried about my future husband. Hard to protect him if you drop dead from a lung collapse.”

I had the petty pleasure of watching his smirk die when another fit shook him, worse this time.

I clenched my teeth, swallowing the words that wanted to spill out—Go to the damn doctor already. My pride was bigger than my empathy. I refused to fuel his Maya-cares-for-someone-other-than-herself theory.

Just then, Jeremy’s door opened, and his little purple-dressed sister stepped out. Her eyes immediately shot daggers at me, but softened when they landed on Levitsky.

The man stood instantly, all business.

“Ilya…”

“Miss Annika, do you need anything?”

“Yes. For you to finally get checked!”

It was almost funny—the way she thought she could give orders with her short legs, glaring up at him like a giant.

“I’m fine, Miss An—”

“I don’t want to hear it, Ilya. Please go to the doctor. Now. It’s a direct order from my brother.”

Levitsky’s gaze flicked past her, trying to confirm with Jeremy, but Annika quickly pulled the door tighter shut.

“If you don’t, I’ll tell my brother myself and he’ll punish you. Are we clear?”

He sighed, stifling another cough before finally nodding.

“I won’t be long.”

Annika told him to be thorough, to take as much time as needed. He gave her a respectful nod before leaving—without sparing me a single glance.

And that burned.

Why did he obey her so easily, when I had to practically drag him to care for himself? Why was her voice more worth listening to than mine?
I want to just brush it off, as Annika was his Boss' little sister, but I saw how he talked with Mia too. And even a stranger like that little boring rat from before. 
One might think I shouldn't care so much, but it wasn't about caring - it was about the principles.

I wasn't stupid - I knew that I wasn't the favorite girl in the mansion.
But I didn't needed to be liked by my own guards and especially not from a dog like Levitsky.

He was supposed to respect me!

I turned to Annika when said bodyguard disappeared around the corner, nodding toward the door.

“How is he?”

She glanced up at me with pure disgust. You’d think I’d be used to those glares by now—she wasn’t my only nemesis. She was just the shortest.

“Good.” Her smile was fake, her voice even faker. “He’d be better if you just left.”

I rolled my eyes. “My brother is here.”

“Oh right. I always forget you have the capacity to care for someone besides yourself.”

That stung—but she’d never know. She’d never know that I cared for her too. She’d never know that I still did, even now.
But I’d sooner eat my favorite Dior bag than admit it.

“Oh, I do,” I crooned, leaning down with my hands on my knees, as if speaking to a toddler.

“And I’ll take very good care of your brother once we’re together, my dear sister-in-law.”

Annika slammed the door behind her, stepping right into my space. Her bright façade vanished. God, she hated my guts.

“Over my dead body, you stupid bitch.” It was almost ridiculous to hear profanities out of her mouth.
She smirked, but her eyes stayed cold.

“We both know no one likes you. You weren’t made to be loved. People only listen to you because your sister can’t talk, Maya.”

Her words hit like blades. She looked me up and down as if I was dirt beneath her shoes.

My jaw clenched, teeth biting down so hard I tasted blood.

“God chose the wrong twin to punish. How unfair.”

Then she flipped her hair and slipped back inside, slamming the door.

My fury flared, but guilt and sadness buried it under a weight I knew too well.

People only listen to you because your sister can’t talk, Maya.

Memories spilled in sharp echoes:

“Look at Mia, she’s so smart—you could learn from her.”

“Oh, how adorable! Mia is singing, so outgoing and sweet.”

“No, that must be Maya. She’s the quiet one. Where’s my little girl Mia? She’s so much brighter!”

“Maya, you need to speak up. Look at Mia—so communicative. People can’t read your mind.”

“God, it’s so easy to love Mia! She’s like the sun!”

My body trembled. My eyes burned.
I grabbed the first thing my hands landed on—an empty coffee mug abandoned on a chair.
When it shattered against the floor, shards flying in every direction, my heart rejoiced in watching something break that wasn’t me.

People only listen to you because your sister can’t talk, Maya.

.

.

.

Too. Bad.

Now they’ll have to listen.

To me.

Only me.

I drew a deep breath, closing my eyes, savoring the crunch of ceramic under my heels as I walked away. Passing a nurse, I smiled faintly.

“Miss Volkov dropped a mug.”

Back inside Nikolai’s room, forcing a smile was harder than I’d admit. Especially when I saw him cupping Mia’s cheeks, squishing them together like he used to when we were kids. She giggled like she always did, laughing breathlessly.

He never did that to me —not without me ending up in tears, feeling stupid, ridiculed, when we were younger. I’d begged him to stop.
And after seeing how much fun they had together, I regretted it.
Now, watching them, I wished someone would hold my face like that and smile at me the way he smiled at her.

Mia swatted at his hand, whining, while Nikolai only laughed and ruffled her hair.

Finally, they noticed me.

“Oh, Maya—where were you?”

I shrugged, perfecting my smile as I stepped closer.

“Just checking with the bodyguards. How are you feeling?”

He rolled his eyes.

“I told y’all I’m fucking fine! Takes more than that to break Nikolai fucking Sokolov.”

He winked, and despite myself, I smiled for real.

“Landon King,” Mia signed furiously.

We were pressed side by side, identical heads against Jeremy’s office door, eavesdropping on the men of the mansion as they talked about the fire. Jeremy was back on his feet and ready for revenge. Ilya was better too—not that I cared, but he was in the room as well.

After some ugly business with the younger King brother, the conversation turned. Apparently, the root of all this chaos was his cousin with the god complex.

“We have to do something,” Mia signed, just as footsteps approached.

I yanked her aside as the door swung open. Our cousin and brother strode past. We plastered ourselves against the wall, quiet as shadows. Not our first time. Honestly, they were smart to kick us out during “secret” meetings.
Once, I’d crawled through an air shaft just to spy on Jeremy and his guards. Not my proudest moment—but it helped me slip Nikolai in so he could ruin Jeremy’s business.

And I loved ruining his plans. 

My motto was simple: Be in his business until you become his business.

Mia tugged at me, urging me to leave, and I nodded. But as soon as she darted down the hall, I jumped into the nearest corner. Guards passed by, and thankfully Mia didn’t have time to notice I’d stayed behind.
She texted me, and I lied—told her I’d gone the other way and would meet her in her room.

Once the hall quieted, I crept back to the door. I wasn't done yet.

“They fucked with the wrong guy,” Jeremy hissed. Footsteps echoed, pacing.

Levitsky’s voice followed. “Boss? What about the girl?”

Jeremy stopped. “What about her?”

“What if he is involved with her?”

Silence. My breath caught.

“Just keep your eyes on her.”

“Yes, Boss.”

Footsteps again—this time close. I barely had time to move before Jeremy called out.

“Ilya.”

I froze, heart pounding, listening to him near the door.

“Keep Maya away. I can't have her risking anything”

I turned and immediately rushed to the next corner, hoping that it were my heels thrumming in my ears and not my heart.

I convinced myself that the reason I was wearing sneakers and an oversized sweater, sneaking behind a bodyguard - who was supposed to be watching a certain British girl like a hawk- was simply because I didn’t like when people decided over my head and tried to keep me out of things.

I wasn’t being reckless—just provoked

No Jeremy, and especially no Ilya Levitsky, would keep me from any information I wanted and needed to know.
Nobody had the right to decide what I could or couldn’t know. Transparency was survival
It was a survival skill, the reason I came this far in my life.

I literally only bought these sneakers to be able sneak around. That’s what they were made for weren’t they.
It’s in the damn name.

And the sweater was Nikolai’s and let’s be serious, he wouldn’t miss it. I doubt even he knows that he has this one with the way he was notoriously ignoring clothing.

I put my hair up into a high ponytail and scanned the trees for a certain white-blonde. It wasn’t easy to follow him here since he'd been on his motorcycle but I had my ways with the guards and I wasn’t following someone for the first time.

Slowly I crept deeper into the forest, careful to not step on branches, even holding my breath.
The forest was pitch black, no moonlight piercing the canopy. I leaned against a tree, allowing myself a little break – and air – before I could organize myself and try to find-

A hand covered my mouth and a body pressed me against the tree when a deep voice whispered into my ear.

“Shht”

I shrieked and tried to move but the body was stronger and pressed me only further into the trunk, hand shaking my head to shut me up.
I trembled.

“You need to watch your back, printsessa”

My heart picked up its pace when I heard the nickname, recognizing him immediately.

He waited, quietly, for me to stop wiggling. He had me in a death grip and when I realized how he pressed his hip deeper into me I realized how much he enjoyed this.
My face felt hot and for some reason it didn’t stop me from moving.

On the contrary, I tried to escape more, pushing my hip more into his until I heard him groan.
And the satisfaction of that sound was unmeasurable. I felt an unknown heat spread between my thighs.

Suddenly, he turned me by the hand on my mouth and pushed me roughly back into the tree, my head bumping against the trunk painfully.
“You better behave, Sokolov, or we have a problem!”

I tried to kill him with my eyes but that only ignited the fire in his.
So I tried a different tactic and licked his palm.

There it was again, a low groan when he pulled his hand back like he burned his hand.

“Careful”, he hissed.
I tried to suppress my breathlessness, instantly putting a mask on.

“Oh hi dog. Out for a stroll?”

“You tell me - does a bitch enjoy midnight walks?”

“Oh I don’t know, I didn’t see that British waste of space yet”
I glances around theatrically.

“Shouldn’t a dog be more ... I don’t know – attentive?”

Ilya wrapped his hand around my throat, pressing just enough to burn. His hatred radiated.
“I knew you were eavesdropping. You'll need these sneakers more often if you want to spy on us, printesessa”

I clutched his wrist.

“How dare you touch me with your filthy hands?! If Nikolai hears –“

“If Nikolai hears you’ve been sneaking around, listening to my conversations with his best friend, rubbing your ass against bodyguards—guess who’s in trouble then?”

I bit my lip. His eyes flicked down immediately, betraying him.

He loosened the grip around my throat only to push his thump under my chin, moving my head up slightly to look at me closer.

“You even put on make up for this?” He scoffed, his voice dripped with disdain. “You’re still incredibly ugly”

The crack in my heart felt like the crack I wished I’d hear in his skull when Nikolai smashed it.
He pressed his thump onto my lip, releasing it from my teeth.

But before I could retort, a sound nearby snapped his attention. He pulled me tight against his chest, spinning us into a bush, covering me with his body.

How did he smell like fresh rain and leather and – I took a deep breath.
A hint of Vetiver.
He smelled like an Asian rainforest. Like a storm. I knew because we had a family trip to Indonasia when we were younger.

I only realized that I closed my eyes when I opened them, looking straight into his ice-blue ones.
He looked almost confused, searching.
When we heard another sound we instantly crouched down.
Ilya signed me to stay quite when he slowly stood up, checking for his surrounding.

Only when he breathed out I dared to whisper.
“Is it fake Elsa?”

“She is safe with Boss”

I furrowed my eyebrows.

“I didn’t ask if she was safe”

“You didn’t. But I know it bothers you”

I jumped up to look into the same direction only to see that we were indeed not watching Jeremy’s boring interest but men I didn’t know. I couldn’t see their faces, only that they were talking.

In the middle of the forest, in the middle of the night.

I wanted to comment something but then saw how concentrated Ilya was watching them. Not like he was following orders – more like he was on a personal mission.

He looked, vengeful. Unhinged.

Ilya’s whole posture was tense, his hands balled into fists. It only lasted for a few seconds before he turned to me pushed me back down.

“You need to leave, Sokolov”

I decided that I rather have him call me printsessa in that mocking tone, instead of Sokolov. It was worse than the Miss in front of it. But I had a feeling, that now was not the time to discuss that.

He wasn’t here on Jeremy’s account. Jeremy was with that girl.
He was here on his own. And my gut told me that he shouldn’t.

“I don’t know how”, I said before I stopped myself.

Ilya blinked at me for a moment.

“Don’t fuck with me, Sokolov, you always know your way out of a situation”

“My way out was a little more dramatic and extra. You know, interrupting your little stalking and scaring that tee drinking lump away – but since she’s not here…”

He stood up, watching over the bush again.

“I don’t give a fuck. Leave now”

I huffed and stood straight.
If he wanted to do it the hard way, well.

“Okay then” I turned around the bush, into the direction of the men and before I could take another step, Ilya pulled me back by wrapping an arm around my waist and literally dumping me back into the bush like I was a sack of potatoes.

“I’m warning you, Sokolov, if you-“

“I’ll scream”, I interrupted him.

“What?”, he hissed. I enjoyed seeing the frustrated look on his usually stoic face. It was so rare I wanted to poke and irritate him to no end only to see an expression.

“I said I’ll scream”

“Your brother-“

“Oh please” I stopped him again, whispering sharply. “Go ahead, tell him.”

He pressed his lips together, making a straight line.
“We both would lose, wouldn’t we?”, I pushed.

I stepped closer to him, though there was barely any space. He didn’t pull back.

“You’re not here for Jeremy.”

He didn’t respond. Didn't deny it.

“You’re doing your own thing, right? Something, that no one should know.”

I lifted my finger and slowly stroked down his jaw playfully.
“Wouldn’t it be a little reckless, if Nikolai found out about his best friends bodyguard being disloyal?”

I felt his jaw tense under my finger before he grabbed my wrist and pulled me closer, pressing me against his chest.
He leaned for, making me bend under his stare.

“I’d never be disloyal to Volkov”, he rasped, his breath touching my lips.

I swallowed, but kept pushing. “That’s what you say. But your actions...” I let the words trail off.

I came closer, our lips almost touching.
“My brother is not the talkative type, Levitsky. You should know”

Almost mesmerized, I watched the tall blond in front of me fletch his teeth, like he was fighting against an urge he could barely control. He looked at me with pure hate and a deep, raw desire that was flickering in the far back of his eyes.

“You better back off, Sokolov”

“You better make me, Levitsky”