Page 2 of Paved in Venom

Roman tried to keep her home, but she wasn’t having it, and he finally just gave up. Matvey didn’t seem to mind her company, and it was better than him having to be up there all by himself. We visited him as much as we were able to, but there were still times when none of us could be there, and that’s when Alina was more than happy to fill the gap.

After Lev and Vitaly leave to get the food, Alina watches Matvey dig around in his backpack. The hood of his sweatshirt is up, covering most of his face as he rummages through his stuff. He’s insecure about his scars, but they’re slowly getting better. He’ll carry them for the rest of his life, though. When he holds up the small paperback book, Alina lets out a squeal and jumps up, running to him with a huge smile on her face.

“You found it!”

He gives her a small smile, which is way more than anyone else ever gets, before he puts it in her small hands. She hugs the book, and then surprises the hell out of all of us by throwing her arms around him. Since the fire, Matvey doesn’t like to be touched, and I can see his body visibly tense when she throws her arms around him. At first, touch was excruciating for him, he couldn’t stand to have even a thin sheet on his body, but then things switched and it began to hurt him more emotionally than physically. His dark eyes meet mine, and I know he doesn’t want to hurt her feelings by pulling away, so he doesn’t. He returns the hug and pats her back, and when she pulls away, I see the look on her face. Even though what she feels for him is a little girl’s crush, she’s completely smitten. I doubt she’ll ever look at anyone else like she looks at him.

“Thanks, Matvey,” she says before sitting down on the floor next to his chair and opening the book he bought her.

“You’re welcome,” he says in the voice that’s now gravelly from the smoke inhalation he’d endured. If Vitaly hadn’t heard his screams from his own apartment, Matvey would’ve died that night along with the rest of his family.

Roman and I mess around with my new iPad until the others get back, and as soon as they stroll in and I see Vitaly’s smug grin, I know that Matvey and I have lost the bet. He holds up the receipt with her phone number written on it.

Vitaly points his finger at us. “You two assholes lose. You should’ve never doubted the strong pull I have with the ladies. They can’t resist me. I tried to tell you, but you wouldn’t listen.”

Roman and Lev laugh and start digging through the bags of food. While Matvey and I wait for what’s to come, Vitaly smiles and looks between the two of us.

“Okay, I’m feeling generous tonight. You two lost, and I’m sure it’s a mistake you’ll never make again and that you’re both sorry for doubting me.”

I roll my eyes at Matvey, who looks less than thrilled at Vitaly’s I’m so generous speech.

Vitaly continues, “So all you have to do is admit the truth.”

We both look at him, waiting.

“Just admit that I’m the sex god of the group.” He wiggles his fingers, like he’s beckoning forth the praise from our lips. I snort out a laugh while Matvey shakes his head.

“I take offense to this,” Lev says from the couch. “Just for the record, I do not believe that Vitaly is the sex god of our group.”

Alina laughs and raises the book to cover her embarrassed face.

“Come on,” Vitaly says with a huge grin. “Just tell the truth. That’s all I’m asking.” When we’re still silent, he says, “And you did give your word that you’d pay the price if you lost the bet.”

He knows he’s got us. We did give our word, and between the five of us, that’s a solemn vow that none of us takes lightly. I look at Vitaly and swallow my pride.

“You are the sex god of the group, Vitaly. I’m sure they’ll write legends about your conquests one day.”

Vitaly’s laughing so hard his eyes are watering. “Your turn, Matvey.”

Matvey groans, but says in his raspy voice, “Vitaly is the sex god of the group. I’m sure women will come from far and wide for the chance to kneel at your feet.”

“And while they’re kneeling,” he starts to say, but Roman cuts him off by throwing a fry at him.

“My little sister’s here, man.”

Vitaly laughs and eats the fry. “Sorry, Alina.”

Alina laughs and grabs the cheeseburger he offers her. We eat and joke around for another couple of hours until I can’t put off going home any longer. I pack up my new bag and tell Roman I’ll be back tomorrow. Lev walks out with me. We both live one floor down, so we take the stairs together since the elevator never works in this shit building. I can hear my mom and her newest husband fighting from the hallway.

“You want to stay with me tonight?” Lev asks. “I mean, my place isn’t much better, but at least my parents aren’t screaming at each other.” He lets out a laugh. “At least not yet anyway.”

“No, I’ll be fine,” I tell him. “See you tomorrow, man.”

“See ya,” he says, unlocking his door and slipping inside.

I unlock mine and brace myself for what’s about to happen. Stepping in, I see the all-too-familiar sight. My stepdad is drunk, again, and he and my mom are in the middle of a screaming match. They barely notice my arrival. I drop my bag off in my room and sit on the edge of my bed. They keep screaming, and when I hear a sharp smack combined with my mom’s yelp of pain, I let out a sigh and stand back up.

I walk into the living room and face my stepdad. He’s not a small man, and right now the alcohol is running strong through his veins and he’s in a rage. I have just enough time to think that this is going to hurt like a motherfucker before his fist hits my face. My mom screams while I yell at her to lock herself in her bedroom. Blood pools in my mouth as I turn to face my stepdad. I manage to get a few punches in thanks to Lev. He’s been teaching me how to fight, and I’ve gotten pretty damn good, but there’s only so much I can do against a grown-ass man who’s twice my size.

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