Page 135 of Eternal
If he still can’t pay, we’ll take more, a finger, a hand, a life. The order depends on how useful he is to the Bratva.
The cycle repeats, it always repeats. And then we leave him.
“We’ll come back in a week. And if you want to use your hand again, make sure you have the money this time.” My voice is calm, almost bored, as I glance down at him, bloodied, shaking, but still breathing.
I turn to Damir, and see that he’s leaning against the door, knife still dripping, watching me. Head tilted. Smiling? No, not quite, it’s more of a lazy, assessing gaze.
The drive back is silent tonight, or maybe I’m simply too deep in my head…
The city blurs past in a smear of neon and shadows, wind biting at my skin as I cut through the streets. I love it. The rush. The cold sting.
Damir’s beside me, always close enough, his bike growling low next to mine. I can feel him watching me, even with the visor down, he’s always too close, but never quite close enough.
At a red light, we slow to stop, and I glance at him. He lifts his visor, that soft cocky grin is already in place, and I know he’s going to say something.
“You’re thinking too much,partner,” he says.
I snort, shaking my head. “I’d say not enough but whatever.”
“Nah. You think so much it’s starting to worry me.” he presses, tilting his head slightly.
I scoff, but he keeps looking at me like he’s waiting for me to crack a bit. And I do. My lips twitch at the corners, a ghost of a laugh that I can’t stop even if I try.
“I really like your smile,” he murmurs, like I did something rare, something worth marveling at.
He really needs to stop.
I shake my head, but my chest feels warm, he does this, makes me feel lighter without trying, I should hate it, maybe I do, a little, but I don’t want him to stop.
Without warning, Damir’s hand is on my helmet, he lifts my visor up, and his eyes catch mine.
“What are you doing?” I blink, taken by surprise.
His expression softens for a second, the coldness fading, and his voice drops, rougher than usual. “Partner, hasn’t anyone ever told you that you have the most beautiful eyes?”
The words hit me differently this time. I hated them for so long. The way it made me look monstrous as a kid. I stare at him for a moment, my heart rate picking up despite myself, but I can’t stop the laugh coming out of my throat again, louder this time.
Fuck, why is my heart not bored of this man?
“You’re full of shit, you know that?”
He grins, a small, smug smile that makes my stomach flip. “Maybe.” He pauses, his gaze flickering over my face, as if trying to read me. “But I’m pretty sure you’re about to put me up against a wall if I keep talking like this. I might keep doing it because I really like your eyes.”
“You like pain? New kink to add to the list then.”
Damir doesn’t say anything else, but I can feel the change in him, the way his posture relaxes slightly, the way his eyes flicker with something almost amused. “Yes. Please write it down to never forget, it would be a shame. Maybe in a few months we’ll try them together.Team-bonding.”
The light turns green.
Without a word, Damir kicks up his throttle and pulls ahead. I scowl, but my lips tug into a smile despite myself. “Idiot,” I mutter under my breath, pushing forward and following him into the night.
His presence fades first, but my smile sticks for a second too long, like I forgot myself. Then I look down trying to understand why every time he’s kind to me, I feel guilty.
My hands.My gloves covering my sins up, I know my knuckles are stiff, with some blood dried in the cracks. I’ve killed with these hands, too many times to count, and yet, I was just laughing, like I deserve to, like I’m someone who can.
It’s happening again.
I left. Trained. Fought.Hoped.
