Bend For Him (Volkov Crime Family 1)

“Nice place,” I said as Robin came in behind me and shut the door.

“Okay, Leo, okay. You got me. You got me.” He held up his hands as he turned to face me. “We can talk about this.”

“Sit down.” I gestured at the couch.

He hesitated then sat. “Look, man. I’m hurt, okay? I don’t know how long I got left, okay?” He lifted his shirt and showed me a bandage on his side.

“That from when I found you sucking Maksim’s dick?”

He grunted. “It’s not like that. You don’t get it, man. You don’t get it at all, okay? You act like you know everything, but—”

I smacked him in the face with the end of my cane. His head whipped back. I don’t think it hurt him much, but it sure as hell surprised him.

“Keep talking like you’re in charge here and I promise, I’m going to hit you harder next time.”

He took a breath and nodded. “Okay, Leo. What do you want?”

“Why did you do it?”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me.”

“Maksim had something on me. That’s how it started. He knew where my mother lived, told me he’d kill her if I didn’t talk to him. So I talked to him, and he made me an offer. Said if I gave him information about Hedeon and the crew then he’d give me money and power in the Volkov family. More money and more power than Hedeon could ever give me.”

“So you turned your back for fucking money?”

“And my mother.” He shook his head and took a few breaths. “I swear, it was about my mother. The power, that’s whatever. That’s something I could use but didn’t need.”

“You dumb fuck. You fucked yourself, you know that, right?”

“Leo—”

“Listen to me,” I said, my voice a growl. I stepped closer, the gun pointed at his head. “You have one chance to survive this.”

“What do you want?”

“Maksim. I want Maksim. Tell me something that’ll save your life, Enrico, and maybe I’ll let you walk away.”

He stared at me without speaking. I heard the reggae playing outside. I heard something glass clink off concrete. Maybe the girls dropped their bottle.

“Okay,” he said. “Okay. Maksim. I can give you Maksim.”

“How?”

“His house. He’s got another place.”

Robin laughed. “That’s not true. I don’t know about another house.”

Enrico looked at her and I saw the loathing flash across his face. “What the fuck do you know? You were barely a part of that family. They didn’t tell you—”

I hit him with the cane. This time, I put more force into the hit. He grunted and pawed at his cheek.

“Talk to her again and you die.”

He looked up at me and I could see the anger there. But the fear was stronger.

“I’m not lying,” he said. “He’s got another place where he takes the girls. In South Philly, Marvine Street, 2829 Marvine Street. He never brings guys, doesn’t want them to see him get up to whatever sick shit he’s into. If you hit him there, bring half the crew, you’ll get him.”

“That’s bullshit,” Robin said.

“Scope it out. See for yourself.” Enrico held up his hands. “I’m not fucking lying.”

I stared at him and didn’t speak. I could feel my pulse beat slow in my chest. I hated this motherfucker, hated him more than anything in the world.

But there were witnesses outside. Those girls saw my face. They saw Robin. If I killed Enrico, someone would come after me. The cops would come looking.

“Here’s the thing,” I said, keeping my voice soft and cool. “If you’re lying, it won’t matter to you, right? Because I’m either going to let you live, which means you’ll run out of here and head for Mexico or Europe or wherever, and you know I can’t and won’t follow. Or you’re not lying, and you’ll still run. So I can’t really trust you in this situation.”

“I’m not lying,” he said. “I know I fucked up. I never should’ve turned on Hedeon and the crew like that. But I’m not lying.”

I held the gun pointed at his face. “And you know what? I don’t really care either way. Because you’re a traitorous motherfucker and I don’t care what you had to say.”

“Leo—”

I pulled the trigger and blew his brains out. His head snapped back and he slumped down. Blood oozed out all over the couch.

Robin turned away and covered her face.

I spit on Enrico. The piece of shit deserved that.

“Come on,” I said. “We’ve got to go.”

I limped to the door.

Robin said nothing. Just followed.

I left and headed down the stoop. The two girls sitting nearby were still there and stared at me as I made my way gingerly down the steps.

“Uh, hey,” the one called out. She had short brown hair and a round face. “Was that a gunshot or something?”

“Fireworks,” I said. “Guy in there likes fireworks.”