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Chapter 11-The Monster

Slade Kolosov's POV

I grinned satisfactorily to myself as I made my way back home. I had managed to soothe things over with Castillo despite the havoc that Barone caused.

I entered my home and was met with a serious expression on Erik's face. "How did everything go?"

"Good. Castillo didn't seem fazed by Barone and we still have our collusion. What's wrong with you? Mira pissed off with you again?"

Erik sighed before pinching the bridge of his nose. "No. But I learnt something that you might not like."

I scowled, "What?"

"How well do you know Miranda?" Erik started and I tensed, where the fuck was he going with this? "She's Mikael's school teacher." I stated blandly and Erik shook his head.

"Yea. But it turns out that cop, Dylan was right. Mel or Miranda is Alexi Barone's younger sister."

I stared at him dead serious. If it was anyone else other than Alexi Barone, I would have called bluff but the dead seriousness of Erik's tone assured me he was anything but joking. "Are you pulling my leg?"

Mel couldn't be Barone's sister could she? I mean, would it not be obvious to me? "No. I'm afraid not. Mark found her wallet left in his car when he dropped her home. And in it, her driver's licence with her full name on it. Miranda Camilla Barone."

What? Could Mel have fooled me along? No, she didn't seem like the type to be involved in a gang. She screamed of pure innocence. "So? Having the same name as Barone doesn't mean anything." I defended and Erik sighed before pulling a stack of papers from the table. My chest tightened and my eyes narrowed.

"I knew you would say that. That's why I asked a buddy in the police department to do a little digging about Miranda. And here." He handed me the papers and I glanced through them. My grip on it getting tighter and tighter the more I went through them.

"Fucking hell." I breathed out as I looked through the reports. "I ran her car plates and it is said that an Alexi Barone had purchased it. What more proof do you need?" Erik continued solemnly.

Did Alexi knew how much of an effect Mel could have on me, thus she was there to distract me? Was that why I was so drawn and intrigued by her? The feeling in my chest got tighter and I couldn't believe it.

The woman I had unidentified feelings for was the enemy. Could life get any more fucked up? Did Mel truly even see me as a friend or as a source for information and entertainment?

Could Mel have known about these so called feelings for her and used them to exploit me? Rage burned in my veins and I wanted to lash out at anyone or anything that was in front of me.

"What are you going to do?" Erik questioned and I clenched my fists. "I don't know." I gritted out.

Erik eyed me cautiously before trying to calm me down, "Look, think rationally about this. We could use this to our advantage. If she truly is a spy, we could feed her false information that she would relate back to Barone. This could work in our favour. Don't do anything to screw this up."

I said dangerously. "I'm fucking Slade Kolosov. I don't have to bloody answer to anybody, not even to you Erik." My tone was low and seemingly calm but Erik could tell there was a storm brewing and I was about to lash out.

He nodded and raised both his hands submissively in the air and shrugged, "Of course. Where are you going?" He called out when I brushed past him as I turned to leave.

"To get my fucking answers." I gritted out through clenched teeth and Erik tried to block me, "I don't think you're emotionally calm for this-" I shouldered him off and ignored him.

I was going to get my answers and nothing would stop me.

***

Miranda Barone's POV

"Tell me honestly. Are you Alexi Barone's sister?"

I frowned in confusion, "Yes, why? How do you know him anyway?"

Slade narrowed his eyes before shutting them. "What's going on? How do you know Alexi anyway?" I questioned and Slade handed me my wallet. "Where did you get that?"

I was confused. What was going on? Slade clenched his jaw before lunging towards me and backed me against the wall. He leant down towards me and scoffed, "If it hadn't been for your carelessness towards your belongings, I wouldn't have known until it was too late."

"What?"

"Your wallet. Mark found it with your driver's licence in it. Guess what it said? Your full name. Miranda Barone. Fucking hell, I should have known."

I frowned in confusion, "What is so bad about my name?"

Slade sneered, "Come on, stop playing around. Was it you or was it Alexi's idea to seduce me?"

I gaped at him before glaring, "What are you talking about? Seduce you?" I breathed out disbelievingly.

Slade scoffed before he said nastily, "Or did Alexi send you to me to spy on us? Because that would certainly explain how everything is going wrong for us here in the Russian Mob."

I gaped at him, "What are you talking about?"

"STOP DENYING IT!" Slade roared as he threw a punch to the side of my head against the wall. I flinched and shut my eyes, terrified. "Just admit that you were here all along to get information from me." He spat.

"Why are you bringing my brother into this? He did nothing wrong. He's just a casino owner! And I did absolutely nothing to get this sort of reaction from you." I yelled getting angry.

Slade scorned before slamming the wall again until the paintings on them rattled. "Just a casino owner? Stop acting ignorant!"

"You and I know he is a gang leader of the Italian Mafia. So. Stop. Denying. It." Slade gritted out as his fists clenched. Alexi? A gang leader? There was no way that could be. My brother was a freaking pacifist.

I glared at Slade, "Thats the stupidest thing I've ever heard. My brother is not in the Italian Mafia nor is he the leader of it."

Slade barked out a laugh before continuing darkly, "Him? I expected this sort of treachery from Alexi Barone. But you Miranda? I didn't. Who knew you could be such a sly cunning deceitful little bitch?"

My throat closed up at his hurtful words and my jaw worked, but I couldn't say a single thing.

He continued, "And the best part? I fell for your nice innocent girl act. You played your part very well I'm afraid. I guess it does run in your family, the treacherous gene."

"Or maybe, you're just one of Alexi's whores. You may not even be his sister. Just one of his whores that does his dirty work. Like seducing his rival."

I tried to say something. I really did. But it seemed like my brain wasn't working and so was my throat. I couldn't believe that he was saying such cruel things. I wanted to defend myself and my family but for the first time in my life, I didn't know what to say. All I wanted was to block out what Slade was saying.

"You know, I've been trying to find any of Barone's family members to get back at him by killing them. But there wasn't any to be found. The fucking best part? His sister was under my nose the entire time." Slade let out a chilly mocking sneer and stared me down.

I stood firm and met his gaze strongly. I wasn't going to cower in front of him and show him that I was weak. I was a Barone and my mother had said that nobody could make you feel anything you don't want to.

I didn't deserve to feel this way, thus I wasn't going to let Slade continue treating me this way. "My brother and I have done nothing to receive this sort of verbal assault from you."

Slade seemed to grow even more enraged at my response before he slammed me against the wall and I flinched. This time, Slade's right hand wrapped around my throat as if to choke me. Slade clenched his jaw, "I should kill you. I really should." 

"Then why don't you?" I challenged and Slade narrowed his eyes, his hand was still around my neck but he didn't attempt to choke me, instead his grip slackened and he stepped back. "I can't." Slade seemed bewildered and stunned by that admission that came from his lips.

Me? I was relieved but I couldn't believe it. Slade Kolosov, a man I treated and trusted as a friend had wanted to kill me. I gaped up at him and Slade seemed like he couldn't even believe what he just did. I stood up shakily, determined to not let Slade see how much he affected me.

He shut his eyes before opening them and he added, "You know the absolute best part? I actually considered you as a friend." He finished mockingly and that did it. Up till now, I didn't know how to react. I was overwhelmed by everything that had just happened.

But now, the floodgates opened and my eyes welled up with hurt and angry tears. What I felt was betrayal, hurt, sorrow, indignation, anger, and heartbreak. Heartbreak not because I had fallen for him. But because I had been stabbed-not literally- in the front with knives by someone I trusted.

Finally a tear fell as I met Slade's glare strongly, "And to think that I actually thought you weren't such a monster even though I've heard all the terrible stories about you." Slade flinched at my words and he seemed lost for words at my response before I continued quietly, "Get out."

"No."

I grew freaking angry and annoyed and irritated and anything that came to mind about being pissed. "I mean it. Get out of my house and out of my life." I said firmly and trembled. I was so close to losing it and falling apart. I didn't want an audience when that was going to happen.

"You don't mean that." Slade seemed so sure of himself and he seemed to forget that he tried to kill me earlier. My lower lip began to tremble and I knew I was going to fall apart.

"Yes. I do. GET THE HELL OUT!" I screamed and threw a vase in his direction. Slade stepped back to avoid it and I took the opportunity to slap him on his left cheek. The sound of my slap echoed in my house and it left a bright red handprint on his cheek.

Slade seemed stunned by my slap and I continued to throw my stuff at him. 

"Get. The. Hell. Out. Of. My. House!" I screamed and threw something in his direction at each word interval. Slade kept stepping backwards to avoid my throws. Pillow. Candle. Mug. Photo frames. TV remote. Pillow again. And finally when he was almost at my door, I pushed him out and slammed the door shut loudly before locking it.

I sunk onto the floor as I finally fell apart. I felt hurt and my heart ached from the cruel words he had spoken. Gut wrenching sobs escaped from my body and I couldn't contain them. No one had ever said such hurtful words to me before and neither have they tried to kill me. The people in Chicago were right.

Slade Kolosov is and will always be a monster.

***

A/N Hello! I hope that this chapter is what you've all been expecting. I was pretty fearful about posting this as I was afraid that it might not meet up to any of your expectations. BUT I hope it does! Comment to let me know what you think about this chapter. I LOVE reading all of your comments.

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Dedicated to DiyaMond for her lovely comment in the previous chapter.