Two To Go
Two To Go…
Presley stood outside the room where Odin was being detained for a long time simply staring at the door. Cruz, Anderson and Belkin stood with her, saying nothing but supporting her quietly with their presence.
“I don’t know if I can do this.”
“You’ve confronted him many times over the years, Ladybird,” Cruz said quietly as he rested his hand on her shoulder. “Hell, you confronted him twice in France. There isn’t much more he can tell you today he’s not already told you.”
“Did he say anything when you picked him up?”
“Nothing. He’s been silent. Not a word.” Belkin shook his head. “We made sure his medical treatment continued until he was brought here. There was a physician and two nurses and a physiatrist who worked with him in the ship’s medical bay. He’s still got a long way to go after the damage Liborio caused to him however he’s in pretty damn good physical condition compared to when you last saw him. He’s breathing on his own now.”
“How can I hate and love someone so much at the same time? Why do I love him when he’s never been anything but awful to me?”
“The same way a dog who has been abused still looks for its owner to stroke his fur just one time. We all want to be loved,” Belkin spoke softly as he eyed her carefully. “The thing is, you can become one of those dogs who attacks everyone and anything because of what he’s done, you can continue letting him hurt you while you look for his approval which will likely never happen or,” he took a breath, “you can give him wide berth and treat him as an enemy who doesn’t deserve your time, your energy or you emotions. You can engage if you must, like a cornered dog would but avoiding and walking away from it, are not wrong reactions. You owe the man in there nothing.”
“I know.” She shot Belkin a grin, aiming for levity, “was this your roundabout way of calling me a b***h?” Belkin threw his head back and laughed before hugging her to his side. “Not in a million years would I ever disrespect you in such a way.”
“You’re all coming in with me, right?”
“Yes. We won’t leave you alone with him.” Cruz nodded quietly.
“Anderson?” Presley looked at him
seriously. “Are you going to be able to go in here?”
“I have things I need answers to as well. This may be my last chance.”
“Then let’s do this. Let’s get it over with and then depending on his answers, we’ll move forward with one of the three plans we have in place for him.”
“You do realize option one is unlikely to happen, right?”
“For Marsha’s and Dad’s sake, I want it to be a possibility.”
Option one was Odin gave a heartfelt explanation, promised to repent and change his ways, convinced them all he meant it and he was allowed to live his life with supervision. When she’d proposed it during her talk with Belkin, Rami and Cruz, they’d laughed at her until their sides ached. She still left it on the table.
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Option two was Odin was going to be put to work in one of the Industries owned by Belkin. They didn’t wan Presley to deal with him directly and keeping him alive but living a grueling hard life in a cold environment in. Northern Russia under Belkin’s watchful team was agreed upon. He would be permitted a few phone calls z year to appease Marsha and prove he was still alive.
Lastly, the third option, depending on how vile he was during this interview, was Presley walked out of the room and let Belkin do what he and Rami had been wanting to do from the moment they realized he’d signed his sister off as a trade to pay off a debt to a mob boss. They wanted him dead. Her only request was it be quick, painless and even if it wasn’t, they needed to lie to her and tell her it was.
She was really hoping for option one because she wasn’t sure how she was going to tell his parents she allowed her brother to be taken by Bratva. Yet, she was trying to be realistic. If he was anything like the way he was in the hotel room before Liborio took her, this was going to be a clusterfuck.
As the door swung open and they walked in, she found herself pulling away from Cruz and Belkin, needing desperately to at least appear stronger than she truly was.
Odin was sitting in a wheelchair, his hands and feet strapped in. He appeared gaunt, purplish–blue shadows under his red–rimmed eyes and his skin was still showing signs of the sunburn he’d gotten when he’d been left on the deck of the ship for nearly two full days.
His eyes snapped to hers as she entered and he swallowed, “Presley.”
“Odin.” Her voice was strong, cool and her chin lifted as she felt a stream of strength flow along her veins.
A tear edged the corner of Odin’s eye and rolled down his cheek. “You look good.”
His reaction startled her. “Do I?”
He nodded, “I’m glad he didn’t get you.” He choked on his saliva as a sob bubbled up in his lungs. “I was so stupid. He could have killed you.”
“You said you wanted me dead.”
“I said it because his female guard was there, and she would report it back to him. I didn’t want him to know I asked the men on the boat to help get you out of there.”
“Why Odin? Why would you sell me to him?”
He shrugged, “I’m a horrible human being who is jealous and mean and cruel. Nhave no excuses, Presley. I’m just not a good person. I don’t remember a time in my life when I wasn’t angry, Presley. I’ve always been angry. It sits here,” he lowered his chin towards his chest, “and ferments. There were times in my life when I felt it decrease, or lessen, but it’s always there, under the surface.”
“You had fun with us,” Anderson spoke sharply. “You laughed and played games, hiked, fished, swam and skied with us and you were happy.”
“I was, I can’t deny it, but the anger is always there, ready to erupt and explode.”
“Why did you manipulate us as kids to hurt Presley?” Cruz asked bluntly. “Truth, Odin.”
“I was so f*****g miserable it made me happy to see her miserable too. We have the same parents and yet she’s so f*****g happy all the time and I’m always struggling to get out of bed in the morning. I wake up with a rage and I go to bed with a rage. The more people piss me off, the angrier I get. Those happy, cheerful people who bounce around life like they have rainbows jammed up their arses make me want to stab them in
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Two To Go
the earholes.”
Polec
“Jesus Christ,” Belkin rubbed his face. “You need help. You’re a grown man with all this and you never went to
get help?”
Odin shrugged as if he didn’t know what to say.
“How come you never told me you crushed on me in school and got bullied for it?” Anderson blurted it out, his cheeks red as he stared at his childhood friend.
His own face reddening, Odin avoided his gaze, “why would I? You’re not like me, Anderson. You only like women. I like both, actually, there isn’t much I don’t like. I could f**k a knot in a tree if the tree was pretty enough. I like pretty things.”
Belkin made a choking sound at the back of his throat and Presley shot him a sideways glance. The man was fisting his mouth as if struggling not to laugh. She kicked her foot and caught him in the shin with a warning glance which only made him turn his head away.
“You should have talked to us,” Cruz ignored Belkin’s theatrics as he glared at Odin.
Odin coughed, “when we were kids it was embarrassing. As we got older, I could tell you and Anderson were in your own little circle, and I was orbiting you both. You were both growing more and more successful and it pissed me off more. The more I felt like an outsider, the more outrageous the s**t I started doing.”
“Like f*****g my boyfriend?” Presley asked and Odin’s head swiveled to hers, his eyes bulging. “He confessed.
”
“What the f**k for?” Odin growled angrily. “Seriously, there was no need for you to ever know.”
“I find it funny, you, the man who enjoys seeing his sister hurting and in pain didn’t tell her already,” Belkin tossed his thoughts out.
20
Odin grumbled, “I ended things with him because he told me he was in love with me. He,” he shuddered,” wanted to broach having a relationship with both of us, openly. Like sister wives but with actual siblings and I was immediately realizing how messed up it was. One minute we were having a romp and then next it dawned on me we’d both sucked the same d**k, and I threw up. I literally puked on him and needed to get the hell out of there.” He stared at her, “Presley, we both sucked and f****d the same d**k. I never wanted it to ever come out in a million years. It’s gross.”
“It’s really f*****g gross,” Presley agreed. “Why did you?”
“He came onto me and at the moment I thought it was another way to make you upset. I never took it seriously until he said he loved me and wanted us all to be together and then this image of us all in the same bedroom hit me and if it wasn’t the nastiest thought I ever thought, I’d be lying.” He looked away, “I couldn’t stop thinking of it. I started drinking more then. I started partying more. I f****d and got f****d by the same guy who put his d**k in my sister.” Even now Odin appeared like he was going to puke. “It’s like my d**k a your vag,” he shuddered visibly, “were at the same party and it is not good for me.”
“Oh my god, is this why you still insist she’s not your sister?” Anderson pointed at him. “Because you banged the same guy?”
“Look, I’m sorry, I’m sorry for it all. Almost dying, watching you being carried onto the ship and thinking you were dead, really put a lot of s**t into perspective, Presley. I can’t say I like you because I’ve spent my entire life hating you but truthfully, I hate almost everyone anyway. The only people I can honestly say I don’t dislike
Two To Go
are Cruz and Anderson, maybe my mother, but it depends on the day. The rest of the time, I f*****g hate everyone.” He paused, “but I’m sorry for trading you to Liborio Bartoli, Presley. I don’t like you, but I never wanted you dead.”
Belkin gave a loud sigh, “you were good with her being raped and forced to have his spawn?”
“He swore he was in love with her. I didn’t think he’d rape her.”
“He might have loved her in his own twisted way,” Belkin’s voice was gruff, “but she didn’t love him at all. She didn’t even like him. She was being forced, coerced to do the unthinkable. You sold your sister to be used as a s*x slave and nothing more than a sow for breeding. You deserve to die.”
Odin nodded, “is this why I’m here? You’re going to kill me?”
“Liborio left his entire business, both legal and illegal to me.” Presley cleared her throat.
“No way,” Odin’s eyes rounded, “all of it?”
“All of it. I’m incredibly wealthy now.”
He gave a laugh, “my debt is in your hands now. You’re going to call it in?”
“Nope.” She shook her head, “as much as Belkin would like to put a bullet in your head, I can’t do it. You might not like me Odin but you’re still my brother. Your death would hurt people I love very much. Our father, my mother, your mother, they all care for you very much and while you’re angry and incapable of feeling love, I don’t want them to hurt.” She looked at Belkin, “option two.”
“What is option two?” Odin questioned quietly.
“We discussed whether we let you go live your life freely, let you die and fulfil Belkin’s wish, or we give you an opportunity to rehabilitate.”
“Rehabilitate?”
“There is a smolt farm in Northern Russia, owned by my family,” Belkin shifted his feet. “It is hard brutal work. There is a psychiatrist on site because it is so dismal and wretched work. You will be mandated to work seven days a week. You will attend therapy sessions three days a week. You will live with my crew. You will never be alone. Suicide will never be permitted for you.”
“I think I’d rather the bullet.” Odin whispered.
“In that case,” Belkin smirked, “you’re definitely going to the smolt farm.”
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