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"I'm not letting you go until
you hug me back."

- Jade
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Chapter 46 - Friend In Need

▪️S E R G E Y▪️

"Tell me how bad you want it, baby..."

Natasha's moans echoed against the walls of the empty dance studio while I whispered in her ear. I stood behind her, our eyes focused on the large mirror in front of us, admiring our reflection.

Licking her neck, I urged, "Go on, beg me for it!"

"Oh, fuck, Sergey!"

My right hand was buried between her thighs, the tips of my fingers teasing her clit while I slowly fucked her. We were fully clothed and I wore my usual black suit while she had on a yellow crop top and black yoga pants, the later was currently lowered mid-thigh, keeping her legs trapped.

Natasha's orgasm was close, I could feel it, her body trembling against mine as my left hand sneaked under her top to gently pinch at her nipples. Moments ago, just when she was about to climax, I had purposefully slowed my movements to deliberate, deep thrusts, teasing her.

I know, what an asshole, but Natasha loved me that way!

It was just after lunch and I should be heading to a meeting with Aleksandr. But here I was, fucking my woman, because she had texted me saying that she was horny.

"Go on, tell me how badly you want me, always greedy for my cock!" I rasped.

Never in my life had I ever desired to know how much a woman wanted me, but with Natasha, I needed it like my next breath. I fucking craved everything from her; her love, her attention, her praise.

"Please, Seryozha, I need you so bad! Please make me cum..."

"Anything for you..." I murmured.

With our eyes remaining locked on each other, I increased my thrusts once more, fucking Natasha just the way she liked it. In just a few strokes, she exploded all over me and I soon followed, our moans filling the silence of the room.

Grabbing her towel, I quickly cleaned us up.

While I was fixing my jacket, I noticed her staring at me with a big grin on her face, so I asked knowingly, "What's got you smiling like that?"

Biting her bottom lip, Natasha giggled, "Best five minutes of my life."

"Give me a little credit!" I feigned a gasp and clutched a hand to my chest before adding with a wink, "That was that was at least six!"

Wrapping her arms around my neck, she kissed me, "Thanks for coming to see me on such notice. I didn't mean to pull you away from anything important."

"You're the most important thing to me, Natasha... You know that I'll always be here for you, for whatever you need of me; whether it's to come give you a quickie or to kill someone, I'll always come running."

Natasha's eyes sparkled, "And they say romance is dead."

"What can I say, I love you."

The flush on her face deepened as she replied, "I love you too."

After kissing her some more, I reluctantly pulled away, knowing that Aleksandr was probably wondering where the hell I was since I had felt my phone vibrating earlier. With a hug, I told Natasha that I would be taking her out for dinner later to which she reacted by saying that she could not wait.

Blowing her one last kiss, I ran out the door.

As I sat in my G-Wagon I pulled out my phone and looked at the messages that Aleksandr had sent a few minutes ago.

Aleksandr:
"Where did you disappear to?"

Aleksandr:
"Never mind, from the GPS I can see you're at the dance studio."

Aleksandr:
"You know you're supposed to meet me in less than half an hour, right?"

Throwing my head back I inwardly groaned at the messages. He had been extra bothersome lately, but given everything that was going on with Litizia, I understood.

Letting out a sigh, I quickly began to type out a reply.

Sergey:
"Keep your cock in your pants!
I'm heading your way now."

I figured that he had to have been staring at his phone because he immediately responded.

Aleksandr:
"Oh! You're done already?
Damn, that was quick... 😏"

Sergey:
"Fuck off! 😫
See you in a few."

Inhaling deeply, I drove out of the car park and headed towards the highway, immediately getting lost in my thoughts.

The last three weeks had been intense, to say the least.

After the whole divorce papers incident, Litizia still had not returned home. She had gone to the UK to visit Hannah and Mikayla for a week but since returning to Aelbank City, Litizia had been staying at the Calvetti manor.

Deciding to respect her wishes, Aleksandr had let his wife be, stating that he would not harass or pressure her, wanting her to return when she was ready.

In all honesty, I did not think I would have been so patient.

It was obvious to me that Litizia wanted to come home, she was probably just feeling a bit embarrassed with how she had reacted to the entire thing. At least, that was what I had deduced when Natasha would let me know how Litizia was doing.

Either way, I had told Natasha, had that been us, I would have barged into Dominic's home and escorted her out over my shoulder kicking and screaming.

There was no way I would have let my wife stay away from me that long.

No one could keep me away from Natasha, not Jade, not Dominic, not even fucking Aleksandr himself. If my woman and I had a disagreement, we would hash things out, not torture ourselves by staying apart for weeks.

That was just madness!

If my woman needed me, but was too stubborn to say so, I would be there for her. And I just knew that Litizia needed Aleksandr but may have been too unsure of how to let him know. There was no doubt that Aleksandr needed his wife, they were just going about things the wrong way.

The fact that I could be seen as a voice of reason within this entire scenario was hilarious, since I was famously known for being an asshole.

Natasha changed me, though. For her, I would do anything.

As I approached the meat packing factory, I saw a familiar chrome purple Porsche Panamera parked out by the front gate.

"Fucking hell, what now?" I grumbled.

Jade was not allowed to enter the compound, as per my orders.

At least not until I was sure that she would not physically harm Aleksandr. After everything that had happened in the courtyard at the Calvetti manor, I needed to keep my wits about me where Jade was concerned, especially seeing how upset Litizia had been, I did not wish to take any chances.

Parking my vehicle, I got out and approached, "What are you doing here, Jade? You know you're not supposed to be here. Do I need to call Dominic?"

Her face crunched up at the mention of her husband's name.

It was a low blow on my part, but I really did not have time for any of her twisted games today. My eyes quickly scanned her outfit, wearing a simple top and skirt with her purple hair flowing about her shoulders, it did not seem as though she came dressed to fight.

"We need to talk," Jade said as she walked up to me, closing the distance between us.

Shaking my head, I replied, "Look, if you've come here to yell at me again, spare me the bullshit. I already told you; I don't have control over Sasha anymore than you have over Dom–"

My words died in my throat as I felt Jade hug me.

What the fuck?

Jade Calvetti was hugging me!

Her arms tightened around my torso, while her cheek rested against my chest as she spoke, "I don't regret what I did for Zia, she was a friend in need and I'd do it all over again if I have to. But that isn't what this is about."

"No?" I questioned while continuing to stand still.

It was obvious that my mind was trying to comprehend that Jade was hugging me and as I glanced up at the cameras on the wall, I just knew that I would never live this one down.

"Are you dying?" I asked refocusing on the woman embracing me.

"No," she scoffed.

Furrowing my brows, "Am I dying?"

Jade's body shook as she laughed softly, "No, you idiot! Well, at least not today..."

"Then why the hell are you hugging me?"

Exhaling deeply, she pulled her face back and looked at me, "To thank you, for loving Natasha. She's just been so happy and I know that it's all because of you."

My shoulders raised in a slight shrug, while my arms remained at my side, still confused as to why Jade needed to hug me to thank me. But knowing how much it probably took for her to do such a gesture, I decided not to be a cunt about it and kept silent.

After a few seconds, Jade said, "I'm not letting you go until you hug me back."

Sadistic fucker! I thought.

"I've got all day," she stated, her hold tightening even more.

"For heaven's sakes, woman! Alright alright!" I complained and lifted my arms to hug her, my right hand patting her on the back.

It was awkward to say the least.

When Jade finally released me, she flashed a devious smile, "Now that's over, I'm going to head back home now."

"Thanks for taking care of Zia..."

From the way her green eyes widened; it was clear that I had surprised her with my words. I might act like an ass towards Jade to piss her off, but I knew that Jade was a great friend and that her actions were coming from a good place.

"No problem, I'll continue to guard her with my life," she responded.

"See that you do," I demanded and got back into my G-Wagon.

When Jade drove off, the large gates of the compound opened up, allowing me to enter. After parking my vehicle, I got out and looked at the outer brick walls of the factory.

I knew that there was no safer place for Litizia than within Dominic's home, other than being at Aleksandr's side of course. But knowing that Jade would do anything to protect a friend in need, I could at least relax a bit knowing that Litizia was safe.

Speaking of friends in need, it was time I went to tend to mine.

When I entered Aleksandr's office a few minutes later, I found him sitting at his desk with a glass of whiskey in his hand. He had a brooding look on his face, the expression had been one that was continuously etched upon his features for these last three weeks.

Deciding to cut straight to the chase, I closed the door and said, "You should go and get your wife."

"Well hello to you too..." Aleksandr muttered.

Moving over to his desk, I frowned, "You realise this entire thing is stupid right?"

"Yes."

"So, what the fuck, Sasha, what's stopping you? Go and get her!"

Taking a sip from his glass, "I can't, I told Zia that I'd give her space..."

"It's been three fucking weeks! How much more space does she need?" I did not give him a chance to reply as I added, "And let's be honest, you and I both know she'd not be opposed to you going to get her."

Aleksandr shrugged, "Maybe..."

Fuck, I hated seeing him like this. If something did not happen soon, I just might take Natasha with me and go get Litizia myself.

Briefly closing my eyes, I let out a breath then said, "Okay, so you both over-reacted. Yes, she shouldn't have walked off like that. But you, you should have never let her leave the premises!"

"I know that!" Aleksandr said, angrier with himself than me.

"Fuck sakes, your six-month anniversary is coming up soon! How much longer are you going to let this go on for?"

"I don't know to be honest..."

"Dammit, Sasha! Why didn't you just destroy the damn papers?"

My hand lifted to hastily thread my fingers through my hair, my frustration growing.

From the moment Litizia had walked out the door and driven off, there had been an immediate change in Aleksandr's demeanour. It was clear that he would have rather faced death than live a life without her.

Naturally, I was confused as to why he had not attempted to go get her.

"You stupid fuck..." I whispered.

"Not one of my better ideas, I know," Aleksandr's lips twisted.

My scowl deepened, "I suppose it's true what they say, death hurts less than life..."

He simply nodded at my words, for I knew that the moment Litizia had left his side, Aleksandr had felt a pain he had never experienced before; the pain of losing a loved one. My heart ached for him, but there was not much that I could do to force him into action.

Aleksandr believed that he had no choice but to live with the consequences of his actions and that losing his wife had been his own fault.

Granted, he was not wrong. But I did believe that he could have handled things better.

Leaning back in his chair, Aleksandr finished his drink in one large gulp, clearly enjoying the way the alcohol burnt his throat. After putting the glass down, he briefly closed his eyes while his hands gripped the edge of the wooden desk.

"Fuck, I was so stupid!" Aleksandr murmured.

"That's what I just said..."

I did not know what happened, but in that moment, I felt my irritation at him rising.

Pushing myself away from the desk, I began pacing about the room. I knew that this scenario would seem amusing, the way I was attempting to lecture him, reminding us both of the dynamics of our relationship.

"Seriously though! You're supposed to be the smarter of the two of us! Doing that sort of shit is usually my job!" I stated before I paused to look at him.

"I know..."

With a huff, I continued, my voice full of exasperation, "What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you trying to ruin your marriage? Why would you do something like this? You know that Litizia is loyal, there's no need to test her!"

"You don't think I know that? I suppose the monster in me just couldn't help himself," Aleksandr's tone was sour.

"Not to mention that at the time, Michele was still a threat! Why would you let her drive off on her bike like that?"

Aleksandr stared blankly; he had no answer for me.

It was more than obvious that my best friend was angry at himself. He had done the one thing he had promised never to do, and that was to hurt Litizia. But he had also vowed to keep her safe, and that was one promise he had no intention of ever breaking and in some twisted way, he believed that not going after her was keeping her safe from him.

The fucking fool, I said to myself.

With sudden movements, Aleksandr got up and exhaled deeply while taking off his dark coloured jacket. After hanging it up on the nearby rack, he began rolling up the sleeves of his shirt.

"Where are you going now?" I asked.

Glancing at me, "To finish things off with Michele once and for all..."

I nodded, choosing to remain silent while I watched him exit the office and head down towards the freezers.

Within twenty-four hours of Litizia leaving, I had gone to Detroit and retrieved Michele Lombardo and we had been holding him prisoner ever since.

For the last few weeks, Aleksandr had left him shackled in a dark cellar located in another area of the compound. We had provided Michele with enough food and water to keep him alive and healthy, for he would need his strength for what Aleksandr had planned for him.

The Russian mafia boss had purposefully delayed Michele's torture, knowing that his mind would go crazy with the solitary confinement.

Not to mention he had no idea when Aleksandr would come for him. We would often sit and watch Michele via the hidden cameras in the room. I knew that Aleksandr had been doing his best to hold himself off, the need to have the man's blood on his hands was a strong one.

For the last three days Aleksandr had Michele in the freezer, barely keeping him alive while he took his time stripping the skin from his bones.

Moving back to Aleksandr's desk, I sat down in the chair and opened up the laptop.

From the remote video feed, I watched as my best friend entered into the freezer where Michele was being held.

The bright white lights above shone down on the man's beaten and broken body. Michele was sitting on a metal chair, naked, with his hands and legs dislocated. He whimpered softly when the heavy steel door opened then closed.

I turned the volume up.

"What's that?" Aleksandr asked walking up to him.

Michele's face was unrecognisable, although I supposed it would be seeing as the skin had been stripped from it and the tip of his nose had been cut off.

"I'm sorry... I should have never threatened Litizia's life," he rasped, his voice barely a whisper.

Scoffing, Aleksandr walked over to the wall that held various medical instruments and different type of blades and began putting on some gloves and a large plastic bib apron.

It was interesting to see Aleksandr go ahead with torturing Michele, even though Litizia had asked to be present for it. But I knew the reason why, as much as Aleksandr knew Litizia loved him, he did not want her to see this side of him, at least not right now.

I felt that Aleksandr should have given Litizia the opportunity to see him do this for her, especially given the history between her and Michele. Just thinking about what Litizia's reaction might have been reminded me of the incident with Patel, when I tortured and carved up his men in front of Natasha.

She had looked at me with such love and as my mind continued to think about the way our eyes had locked, I typed in a command on the laptop, pulling up the video feed to the dance studio.

My smile widened as I watched Natasha practicing in front of the mirror. She was so graceful in her movements, so utter beautiful, lost in her own world and I could not wait to hold her in my arms later.

Not wanting to get distracted, I switched the video back to the freezer.

I watched as Aleksandr moved to stand in front of Michele while saying, "The time for apologies is long gone. But I suppose a man like you could never understand what you had. After all, men who say women belong in the kitchen obviously don't know what to do with them in the bedroom."

The man simply whimpered in reply, no doubt mourning the loss of his manhood which Aleksandr had cut off the moment he threatened to fuck Litizia within an inch of her life.

Walking around behind him, Aleksandr lowered the meat hook from the ceiling. Without another word, he buried it into the back of his neck and I must admit, I had been surprised by that for I had not expected him to end things so soon.

Michele cried out; gurgling as his body jerked, blood immediately spewing everywhere. Stepping back, Aleksandr went and pressed a button, causing the hook to raise in the air, pulling the man's body off the chair.

Pulling another chair from the corner, Aleksandr sat back and patiently watched as Michele Lombardo died.

The hook had done more damage than any of his blades could. The sharp steel end had curved into the man's neck and pulled out his carotid, ripping it in two. Michele's blood had poured out easily, flowing down his body and staining the chair and floor below him. The wound bled, weeping scarlet rivers to the ebb and flow in time with a petrified heart, killing him faster than I thought he deserved.

I figured that Aleksandr would remain sitting there for a while, no doubt thinking about Litizia. Closing the laptop, I decided to head down to the factory to oversee some things before checking in on my best friend, knowing that he would need some time alone with his thoughts.

By the time I joined Aleksandr, the once scarlet pool of blood under Michele's hanging corpse had turned brown on the freezer's floor, clotting as if it could still save the man who hung cold above it.

"Feeling better?" I asked.

From the look on Aleksandr's face, I knew that he was most certainly not. When he abruptly pushed out of the chair, his dark blue eyes locked with mine.

There was no judgement in my gaze, I would always be there for Aleksandr, he already knew this. But I still silently reconfirmed that I would always be there for him whenever he needed me to be.

With rough movements, he removed the gloves and apron from his body, throwing them in the direction of Michele.

Aleksandr then walked towards the door, "Have someone clean this shit up..."

I simply nodded and watched him leave.

Turning my attention towards Michele's dead body, I felt like it was an end of an era and deep down, I knew that things with Aleksandr and Litizia would be alright.

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A/N: Only a few chapters left... 😪