Page 68 of Unholy Matrimony

“Good, you will continue to do as you are told. You will continue to be Lev. You will kill whoever I say. If you decide, you don’t want to listen. They will die. Then you will have no reason to fight me.“ He is silent.

“Don’t worry, Leonid. I have her in very capable hands. A young doctor by the name of Ivan Malenkov was very willing to help. I believe you are familiar with him, no?”

I chuckle, aware of their acquaintance. Though I am sure that his little wife never mentioned that the neighbor boy who turned doctor used to grope her. If she had, Leonid surely would have killed him. “Honestly, he was very excited about the opportunity to keep her…occupied for the time being. How could I refuse?”

“Net5,“ his voice shakes with anger and a hint of fear, “you wouldn’t let that happen to her. Father, he will rape her. I could see it all over his face when he touched her.”

“Well, you better fall in line and do exactly as you are told. Maybe I can lessen her suffering. Though, I cannot guarantee he hasn’t already raped her. There have been many screams coming from that room. Your pious little wife has been calling out to God, not in a good way, Leonid. She screams for her “Lev“ to come save her.”

Leonid yells and throws something. I can hear glass breaking.

“Ty kusok der’ma! YA naydu tebya, i prekrashchu tvoyu zhizn6‘.“ he yells through the phone.

Laughing, “Well then, you better find me, Leonid. I don’t know how generous I will be with how long they live.” I end the call.

I can hear Kalina continuously screaming from the basement. At first, she would call out to God, then to her husband. I would rather not watch Ivan rape her. What he does with her is his business.

As long as she stays alive until I end her life, anything goes. I know my son will find us. It’s just a matter of when and if he finds us quick enough for them to survive. I am not naïve enough to think that the other men will help him. I have a small group of loyal men, the rest of my men are loyal to him.

They will follow him.

He has always been a leader. He was born to lead. His wanting a family was something I never saw coming. I never saw him changing his ways.

I take a seat in the armchair and light up a cigarette. I wonder if Leonid will even consider his Dedushka’s dacha as our location. His little hideout, where the three of them would do their dirty work. Close enough to watch his movements, but far enough that he would need to be tipped off. I take a long drag on my cigarette and lean back in the chair. I listened to the sounds of my son’s wife screaming, waiting for him to find me.

1. son's

2. bitch

3. Are you listening to me, asshole?

4. yes

5. No

6. You piece of shit! I will find you and end your life

Chapter thirty-one

Four Weeks Later

Leonid:

Books are scattered everywhere on the floor of my office as I sit here.

Papers scattered everywhere.

Empty bottles of vodka sit on my desk. I clutched a bottle of Stoli in my hand, the envelope from our ultrasound in the other.

Four weeks and the only lead we have is that Ivan is back at work at the medical office. Oleg found out that he took three weeks off, and he has just returned. Ilya is trailing him and as of now, he has only gone to his apartment and the medical office. I am biding my time, but Ivan will die. I will be the one to take his life. Part of me is terrified that because he is back at work, Lina may be dead.

Where is moy prekrasnyy Tsvetok1? My heartaches something fierce.

Tears start to form in the creases of my eyes as I flip the envelope over and stare at it. I raise the bottle to my lips and take a long swig. I put it on the desk and grab my knife, flicking it open. The paper tears and I pull out a picture of our baby. I toss the knife onto the desk and grab the bottle, taking another drink. Tears fall down my face as I flip the ultrasound over.

“Zdravstvuyte, mama i papa! YA malen'kiy mal’chik.2”

A syn3..

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