Fractured (The Volkov Mafia Series Book 3) (21 page)

I can’t watch as Damien, takes his frustrations out on Ivan. There is more to his pent up anger than what this guy did to his brother, he’s now standing in front of him his blade in hand as he stabs it into his side, his blood starts pooling instantly as the blade retracts, he then proceeds to stab his other side with a sick smile plastered on his face, his relief at getting vengeance is evident in his actions.

“I am done with you now, I’m happy I will see your last breath.” As he whispers the last words Damien stabs him in the neck then steps back, watching as the blood spurts out of the wounds, His breathing is harsh as he tries to gasp for every last breath, his hands still restrained behind him so he is fighting the binds to try and stem the blood flow but is no good. It’s too late he is choking on his own blood; his eyes are wide with fear as he takes his last mangled breath. 

“Pack our stuff and let’s get out of here, I want to watch it burn as I leave.” He says to me, nodding I take the blade from his hands and give it a wipe before putting it and the hammer back in the bag. Damien is still stood staring at him when I have the stuff packed and ready to go.

“Come on Damien it’s done, over. They won’t hurt your family again, you kept your brother safe, he is recovering well. Let’s go home.” I say to him trying to pull him out of his thoughts, he looks defeated.

“You know nothing; I may have saved one brother but I am about to lose another.” He says through clenched teeth, it’s heartbreaking to see him like this, how can I try to reassure him that I will always have his back no matter what?

“Look Damien you’re my brother yes, maybe not by blood but certainly in every other way, I will always be there for you no matter where life takes me, you need me you call me.”

I say to him trying my best to reassure him that if Camilla and me go, he will always have me. I’m only ever going to be a phone call away. No matter where I am.

“That’s where you’re wrong, you are my brother even in blood. I overheard my mother last night telling Faith and Cami that she is your mother, that she had to watch as your father brought you up and she wasn’t allowed to love you. Do you know how much that hurt me, I had a brother all those years and they kept it from us,” he shouts at me “and now I am going to lose you” he whispers. I’m still reeling from shock at his statement, all those years my dad led me to believe that my mother died at my birth, that’s why he couldn’t go back home. Lilly is my mother. All those times growing up when I needed a mother, he hid it from me.

I push past Damien, and head out of the door of the house. I spy my father at the SUV, I march straight up to him. Shoving him in the chest, his back lands against the back of the vehicle,

“IS IT TRUE?” I scream into his face. His one-word answer cuts me deep. Lies and betrayal.

“Yes” is all he says in a little voice. I don’t feel my arm reeling back, it’s not until I see him slump against the car that I realise I punched him in the face.

Cami

The ringing of the phone pulls me from my sleep, I turn to answer it and see Malc’s name on the screen.  I let out a breath as relief runs through my whole body. I quickly slide the screen across so I can answer pulling the phone to my ear so I can hear his voice.

“Hey Cami, it’s Damien.” His husky timber pulls me more awake; I sit up clutching my chest, panic pulls at me, why is Damien calling me? Oh god what’s happened to Malc?

“Damien, what’s happened? Where’s Malc?”

I say. I don’t even try to hide the worry in my voice.

“He’s ok Cami, he’s been shot in the shoulder, but it’s being tended to as we speak, I just wanted to give you advance warning that he knows about my mum being his mum and he’s not in the best frame of mind regarding it. I think he wants to go home when we land and not to the house, I will get him to call you when he is able to. We’ll be home soon. I’m going to call Faith now and bring her up to speed, it seems we have an extra house guest.” I don’t even get chance to respond as the line goes dead. I throw back the covers and head straight towards Faiths room.

I hear her on the phone so I knock gently, waiting for her to respond, I hear her steps as she gets nearer to the door.

She pulls open the door and tilts her head, telling me to come in, holding up her finger to indicate that she will only be a minute.

I make my way to her bed and perch on the edge. Listening intently to the one sided conversation.

I hear the words,
what’s her name? How awful and what happened?
Damien must answer all of her questions as she just nods her head and puts the phone down telling him that she loves him, and will see him soon.

“They have a girl called Emma with them, they found her tied to one of the beds while a man was raping her. Apparently she was kidnapped while on holiday, and they have been keeping her ever since, making her submit to any of the members that wanted to take a shot at her.”

My heart lurches in my stomach at the thought of anyone else going through anything like that. I only had to endure the pain once I dread think what she feels after all she has been through.

“Oh god Faith, what are we going to do? We have to help her.” I can’t stand the thought of someone else being hurt at the hands of a man.

“We will Cami, we will bring her back to life.” She says to me in a soft caring tone, one that cuts straight to my heart because if I hadn’t run, she would have been there with me from the beginning, helping me, giving me everything I needed to heal.

“What do we need to get ready for their arrival?” I ask her. Wanting to help out anyway that I can.

“Nothing that needs to be addressed right now Cami, lets grab a bit more sleep. Our men are safe and coming home and that’s the most important thing right now. Everything else will fall into place, you’ll see.” It’s nice to see her back to her old self, she has bloomed since she has been with Damien. She has become a strong wife, a wonderful mother, and she is fearless in her pursuit of happiness. Something that one day I hope I get to have with Malc, being comfortable enough in my own skin that I don’t give a rat’s arse about people looking at me. Maybe one day. All I need to work on right now is Malc, Charlie and me.

“Ok, well I’ll just head back to bed then, will you wake me when you get up so I can help?” I say to her, as I get up off the bed and head towards the open door.

“I will Cami, and don’t worry, he is safe, sleep well.”

“Night, Faith.” I say as I close the door behind me, and heading back to our room.

Climbing into the bed I snuggle down and try to fall back to sleep, my mind is wide awake now playing everything over in my head again, wondering how bad Malc’s shoulder is. Wondering what this Emma looks like. If she needs medical attention. The first thing I am going to do when I see Malc is hold him, it must be such a shock finding out that Lilly is his mum and that Damien is his brother. All of those years lost, even though they grew up together.

I drift in and out over the next few hours, tossing and turning, every time I hear something I think that they are here, but then I realise that’s it just wishful thinking. Something that Damien said keeps running through my mind. Why would he want to go home? Why would he not want to talk to his Dad and Lilly together? Let them tell him the story of how it was and why it happened the way it did, it broke my heart when I heard it. He must know that sometimes you have to release the ones you love. He let me go

because at the time he thought it was best.

I don’t want him to push away the people that love him most. I have been down that path and it’s not the way to deal with things. Running and hiding from you problems only makes it worse.

Malc

My shoulder feels numb at the moment the nurse that patched me up was brilliant she shot me so full of stuff, that I didn’t know my head from my arse.

We’re on the plane with only about thirty minutes until we land in London. I’ve had it out with my Father he told me his version of events and I felt for him I really did. I would be the same if I had to watch the love of my life with another man, but I’m angry and hurt. I want to lose myself in my wife and have her tell me it’s going to be ok, because right now I don’t see how it will be. Damien is furious with Lilly, I mean, mum. I can’t get used to it. It doesn’t sit right with me. Maybe it’s too fresh in my mind and with everything else that’s going on it’s like an overload; my brain just won’t process it. That was what the argument was about in the hotel, the one I overheard but couldn’t decipher.

We are all sat on the plush seats of the private plane, all lost in our thoughts. The girl we rescued, Emma is sat on the seat furthest away from every one with a very baggie top on and a blanket pulled up tight around her.

We’re taking her back with us so that she can get the help she needs and the time to recover before going back to her family.

It’s not long before the fasten seatbelt sign comes on and we prepare to land. I can’t wait to be out of this sardine can, the atmosphere is stifling, sucking every last bit of air out so I can’t breathe.

We land and load up into the waiting cars ready to take us back to the house. This will be the first time I see Lilly since I found out. I don’t know what I will say or what I will do, but right now I just want to pick up my family and go home.

The house is quiet when we arrive, it’s still early in the morning. We all vacate the cars and pile in through the doors I catch my dad’s eye as I let him lead the way his head is down in defeat; he knows nothing will be the same again. Trust has been destroyed, memories have been tarnished.

How can you move past that? I hope we can. I’m not saying we will become one big happy family spending every Christmas around the fire singing, but I at least hope, for common ground.

The girls are waiting just inside the door when I step through, Faith has a look of pure sorrow on her face, but not my girl. She bounds through the throng of people and leaps into my arms, wrapping her arms around my waist I grip onto her with my good arm, and wince inwardly a little when she catches my shoulder, pulling back a little she peppers kisses all over my face, whispering,

“You came back, you came back” Over and over again. I kiss her back savoring the feel of her wrapped in my arms. She drops herself down to the ground and looks up at me, I love how small she is against me.

“Are you ok?” she asks me not a hint of pity in her voice.

“Not here babe, lets go talk.” I tell her, gripping her hand and attempting to pull her away from the crowd.

“Malcolm, we need to talk.” My stomach churns at the voice and my heart skips a beat. I turn around to look behind me and Lilly is stood watching me.

“I don’t know what to say right now, give me some time, I don’t want to say something I will regret.” I tell her, my voice changing as I try to push down the emotion. I look at her and give her a small smile, hoping it eases her guilt, and that’s all it is guilt.

We are sat on the bed and my head is resting on her lap, she runs her fingers over my shaved head and I love every moment she is doing it.

“I always thought my mum died, that’s what he told me. What do I do Camilla?” I say through my tears.

“Ssh, its ok Malc. You’ve been given a second chance just don’t stay angry forever. You know the circumstances. What else could she do? She thought she was keeping you safe but close, loving you from afar. That’s why she always made time for you, fed you, read to you and always wanted to listen to you. Charlie now has a proper family, he has a grandma, an uncle and auntie. Anya is his cousin, your niece. Damien is your flesh and blood and so is Alek. Don’t waste precious time by not embracing them. Some people never get a chance to love their families but you do, I’m not running. I’m in this for the long haul, with help we can be happy Malc, just make the leap with me.” Her words settle around my heart, I shut my eyes and cry a little harder into her lap.

Later that day I go in search of Lilly, Damien and my dad.

I had a shower with the help of Camilla, well she washed, I licked. Then we moved to the bed, and let’s just say my cock still feels rubbed raw, she rode me like a damn cowgirl. And I loved every damn minute of it. After the past 72 hours or so, all I wanted was to feel her wrapped around me like a furnace, feel her explode on top of me, it was sheer bliss.

But the one place I needed to go, I need to go alone. I had to sit and talk it out with Andrew let him know what’s been happening. Telling him he has a grandma, and a whole family unit that love him and miss him, and are so sad that they never got the chance to meet him. I leave his grave with a clear head knowing what I need to do. Life is to short, losing Andrew proves that.

I find everyone in the kitchen; the sounds of chatter die down as soon as I walk in.

“Can we talk?” I say to everyone, looking at them I see mixed emotions. Damien shows relief, my dad shows panic, and Lilly shows heartbreak.

They all nod as I stride to the table and take a seat. I have a better idea now of what I want to say. Camilla helped me understand a little more, I still feel hurt, but not as angry. Would I have done this same if the roles had been reversed? Yes, I would have done anything to keep her in my life even if I had to suffer every day to do it.

“Damien, this changes nothing between you and me I have always counted you as a brother, and I will always be your number one.” His eyes hold a mischievousness to them.

“So you’re not leaving then?” he asks, hopefully.

“No I’m not leaving you, but certain things I won’t do anymore. We can discuss that later, that okay?” I ask him, wanting his opinion on the matter as his means more to me that I would like to admit, but I won’t tell him that.

“I have known for years that they love each other, and I understand why, but yes I am ok with it. You know I love you, always have, now if you tell anyone I said that, we will be having words. This mushy lovey dovey shit is so not me.” His answer is honest I can see it. I have known the man since I was born. I think I know him better than he knows himself sometimes. He gets up and leaves the table, kisses his mother on the head and shakes my dad’s hand, leaving us to continue alone.

“Dad, I am angry and hurt that you didn’t trust me enough to share this with me, but I do understand. If it was Cami, I would do exactly the same. I am not saying we will be back to where we were, but we can try, I need you and your grandson needs you.” He gets up and clasps me into a hug. I feel the splash of his tears hit my scalp and I try to dash mine away. “I can’t ask for more, I am so proud of the man you have become, I love you Malcolm.” He murmurs against my head, stepping out to leave Lilly and me alone.

“Do you love him?” Well that’s not really the first question I had in my mind, it just kind of slipped out.

“Yes, I do. Since the day we conceived you, I fell so hard for him, I am still falling.” She looks at me when she answers and I can see it in her eyes. It’s the same look I have whenever I think or talk about Cami. It’s the look you have when you find the other half of your soul, the one that completes you and makes you want to get up each morning for them. Makes you want to try so hard to keep them smiling, happy and if you have a bad day that you’re the one there getting them through it.

“I don’t want to sound like a stuck record but I have to say my piece, at first I hated you when I found out.” I see her visibly flinch at my words, I can’t stop, I need to say my bit then I can draw a line under this whole thing, and we can start living our lives.

“Then I felt numb, empty inside like you didn’t love me enough or want me, but I know what you went through, well what you have said I can’t imagine what we didn’t see when you were behind closed doors. He was a monster and I get that you lived in fear. I can only say I will try. I will take one step at a time and one day as it comes, but I will never not let you have your grandson, even if I can’t make the leap fully, he will know who you are to him.” I say to her, the tears are now flowing. I watch as Lilly gets up from her seat and walks over to me, cupping my cheeks she uses her thumb to wipe the tears away. I can smell her perfume. It’s comforting, what you would expect your mum to smell like, love and lavender.

“I always loved you Malcolm, from the moment I saw you, when I held you for the first time you stole a piece of my heart. I understand that you’re suffering and all I can say is that I’m so sorry. I will live with that pain until my dying breath, but if you will let me, I will show you how much I wanted you, I will never make you feel unwanted again.” Her words are heartfelt, the pain is wrapped around every note and she doesn’t push for me to reply. She drops her hands and heads out of the door.

“Ok, mum.” I whisper to her retreating form.

I hear the hitch in her breath as she leaves the kitchen, and for the first time since I came home I feel like I can breathe.

All I have is hope for the future; I have the love of my wife, the heart of my son, and the respect and love of my family. What more can a man ask for?