◆ Pain, The Gift Nobody Wanted ◆

× WARNING! GRAPHIC NSFW CONTENT BELOW INTENDED FOR MATURE READERS ×

◆ MAGNUS ◆

Three million euros didn't get me what I need.

Quite surprising. Almost every human I came across in this lifetime had a price. But, like Ilya said, both Stefano Falco and his son brainwashed Niccolo too well.

Or Niccolo thought I'd pay triple that amount. Down payment. Insurance. Just so he could pay off his parents' debt. That kid couldn't stomach the thought of his family's mangled corpses being burnt to ashes, contrary to what Ilya had been saying.

Those Russians liked to own people. If Niccolo wasn't lying to me, then he also didn't know the exact amount.

I glanced at the numbers on my screen.

Niccolo sent my half-sister's number the other night. But it's a dead lead. Not that I expected the opposite. An old and unused number.

Perhaps he warned Mykaela days before to change her number again. Even the email address he'd sent me—supposedly hers—did not contain useful information pinpointing her exact location now.

The other hackers had no good news for me yet. Useless imbeciles. Couldn't even find her on social media. Bunch of failures. A total waste of my time and attention.

One good explanation: Niccolo himself had been minimizing and cleaning up her digital tracks. Possibly throughout the past year. The Falco heir might even confirm it just to gloat.

With a grin, I rang the kid's number again. I sat back and counted the dull rings. Stefano's son should be in Italy, still, close to his family—his safety net.

Before the seventh ring, silence filled the line. Then spoke a familiar baritone. "Who's this?"

"Magnus." I got up from the swivel chair when he didn't respond. "You guys found Stefano yet? "

"No."

I almost grinned. "Any updates from Archambault's team?"

The guy sighed briefly and took a moment. "None. What d'you want?"

I almost chuckled. This kid's attention span and phone etiquette needed some improvement. But I doubted he cared. "You're still looking for your dad?"

"What do you care?"

Clueless losers. I wanted to laugh. But I shouldn't annoy him. He might believe I'm taking sides now.

"The shit d'you want?" Maximiliano Falco sighed again. "I told you I'm not telling you where she is."

"Okay. Then I suppose Ilya's guys will take care of it." I walked out of my office and checked the time. My wife should be on her way home now from the charity auction.

Maximiliano kept his mouth shut for a while, most likely thinking of the right thing to say. Or my reply scared him to some extent.

"How's your cousins?"

"Alive and none of your business."

"Ricchar and Cloe back in the estate now?" I held back another smile. "In Mariangela?"

"No."

"Quick question. That old labyrinth still there?"

Another silence filled the other line.

"Nicco said Ricchar didn't get rid of it."

"What do you care?"

"How big is it?" I prodded. "Just out of curiosity."

Maximiliano scoffed. "Why does it matter?"

"Sniff around."

"What?"

"Bring enough security. And guns." I walked down the stairs and put on my headset, trying to sound nonchalant. "Don't be conservative. You'll need 'em."

"Guns? Why?"

"Thank me later."

"What?" The kid faked a laugh.

"Just a hunch that might be useful. Archambault and his team are too busy pushing paper. His bosses, too, I imagine."

"I'm hanging up," he muttered. He sounded more annoyed now. A female voice in the background was whining about something in Italian. "My head's killing me."

"Migraines again? Are you back in rehab yet?"

The Falcos' firstborn fell quiet before he cleared his throat. "Nicco told you? Or Ricchar?"

"None of the above." I chuckled. "My nose is just sensitive at times. Like Ricchar's."

The kid turned mute again.

"Depends on the weather and the date."

"What?" Now he sounded as if I talk bullshit. "Did Ilya call again?"

"To ask about Mykaela? He might soon. Patience isn't one of his best traits." I took my other phone out of my pocket. Evonne just sent me a message, saying she's a few minutes away. I smiled at her sweet greeting.

"Tell him I don't negotiate with drug lords 'cause I got better shit to do."

"I'm sure you do." I let out a laugh. "How's rehab?" I waited for the familiar beeps from the other line, but the kid didn't hang up. Yet. I grinned and glanced around my quiet office. The couch smelled of my wife's perfume; she liked reading paperbacks in here while I worked. "Listen. I know a great doctor. Specializes in the same field. Her patients these days are mostly opioid junkies."

Maximiliano didn't speak for a moment, most probably shocked that I knew the kind of drugs he was using to ruin himself.

I didn't care for his health or his long-term plans. But the kid's obstinacy and self-will somewhat impressed me. Must be why my sister fell head over heels for him. "Should I send her number?" I suggested.

"Just get to the point. My mother's waiting for my call."

"Say hi for me. Wish to meet her soon. How's Eleana doing?"

"Good. Don't call this number again." He cut the line.

◆

"I sent someone to find her in New York."

"That so?"

"He'll find her." I sat on the bed and leaned against the cold wall. "Give it a few days."

Ilya scoffed on the other end. "It's been months. I sincerely doubt another week would make any difference."

I restrained a sigh and massaged my forehead.

Standing by the large closet, barefoot and watching me, Evonne frowned while slowly unzipping her figure-hugging dress, shining like the fabric was made of pure silver. She looked stunning from head to toe, like always, and she'd look even more breathtaking without the dress. She wasn't even wearing that much makeup.

I always preferred her bare face. I grinned as she watched me, the concern narrowing her lovely blue-gray eyes. "She changes her number practically every month. But I'm sure she's still in New York."

"I know," Ilya muttered, sounding disinterested now. His hoarse voice sounded weaker than I remembered. "Next time I call, tell me things I don't already know."

I gripped my thigh and tried to keep a straight face. "I'll find her. Be patient."

He scoffed again. "Stop making promises you can't keep."

Of course. The grump's in a shitty mood again.

"I'm calling Vlad. He just got out. He'll find Sofija in no time."

"Who?" As in Vladamir Romanoff, one of his best hitmen? Why a hitman? I clenched my fist, my back flat on the cold wall as I tried to keep a straight face.

Ilya cleared his throat. "Vlad's in America."

"Since when?"

"Married a teacher in Pennsylvania."

"A teacher?" I grinned.

My wife leaned in, only wearing lacy scanties now. Her eyes stayed focused on me. I stroked her smooth face as her delicate hand caressed my naked chest. She straddled me now, her minty breath and soft skin warmer than usual.

"But he was in prison?"

"Moron sold his guns to the wrong fool," Ilya muttered.

"All of them? Is he a convert now?"

He only sighed at my joke. "He'll find Sofija. He'll call you."

"Alright." Call me? "Talk soon."

So he expected me to pay the guy with my own money, and he called Mykaela "Sofija" again. The medicines and treatments must be messing with his brain now. Or he was just feeling more sentimental than usual.

"Bring her here when you find her."

"I don't need another reminder," I said before he hung up. I tossed my headset and phone onto the nightstand before Evonne could ask who it was on the other line. "How was the party?" I gripped her soft thighs, her warm hands cupping my face.

They smelled of her favorite lotion. "Ilya called you again?" she murmured to my lips. Evonne pouted, clearly still worried.

"Yeah. Just grouchier than usual."

"Maybe, he thinks, he won't last another week."

"I hope so." I chuckled and brushed a quick kiss on her pink lips.

She teasingly licked mine, her soft mouth tasting of malt, citrus and peppermint. An unusually arousing mix. "Did you miss me, sweetheart?"

"Why wouldn't I?" I combed her shiny hair away from her face. "I missed your smell and your mouth."

She smiled and laughed softly, her eyes centered on my lips. "You were gone barely two and a half days."

"Felt much longer." I kissed her again. I wrapped my arm around her lower back till her small nipples pressed onto my chest, her crotch warming up on mine now.

She was at a party. With a few friends and a lot of strangers. A rarity. She'd been looking for distractions lately. Her work didn't really demand much of her time.

It was something I preferred. Not seeing her for a few days already made me antsy. Must be paranoia mixed with oxytocin. And dopamine.

Perhaps she wanted to distract herself more often, so she would stop dwelling on the fact that she still wasn't pregnant. Like last month, another phantom pregnancy crushed her hopes. So far everything she felt's just another frustrating case of false alarms.

"Darling, stop."

"Hmm?" I pulled away to look into her eyes when she sighed. "What's the matter?"

"You're overthinking again."

I smiled and stroked the perfect curve of her waist and hips. "Sorry, my love."

Evonne frowned again. Then she embraced me, placing her head on my neck, my chin touching her hair now. "Stop worrying about everything."

"I should tell you the same." I feigned a blithe tone as I sniffed more of her scent. My gut wrenched at the smell of blood emanating from her scalp. Not fresh blood.

Her head looked fine. She didn't have any open wounds. It's the distinct scent her scalp gave off whenever her body's starting another menstrual cycle.

Shit. We failed again. I failed her again.

"What's keeping your beautiful mind busy now?"

"Did you miss me?" I muttered while hugging her to me, distracting her. But mostly myself.

"Yes. I thought you wouldn't be back till next week."

"I wanted to see you."

She giggled and pulled away. Her pointed nose scrunched up while her manicured fingers stroked the skin beneath my underwear's waistband.

I kissed her as the frustration clawed against my chest, taunting me to swear and hit something. I wouldn't break the news yet. No. Not tonight. The disappointment and sadness would only make her cry herself to sleep.

"Same. Missed you, sweetheart." Evonne hugged me and whispered sweet nothings to my ear after I ripped her tiny, lacy underwear off her soft and perfect derriere.

"Can we stop talking now?"

◆

"Did you call Stefano Falco's son again? Maybe he'll eventually talk if you tried convincing him one more time."

"Yes. Called him before you replied to my text."

"And?" My wife squinted at my curt reply. She's lying on her back, catching her breath, fully exposed despite her velvety lavender robe which she'd left open to let my eyes feast on her nudity. The long sleeves covered her arms, but not much else.

"We talked for a minute." I caressed her smooth thighs touching mine with my hands keeping them spread open.

Evonne held my knees, watching me. She's waiting for me to elaborate while some of my seed dripped out of her tight and pinkish folds, reminding me of the bad news awaiting us. Her legs hadn't stopped trembling yet.

I hoped my assumptions wouldn't come true. Seeing her sad and disappointed again might push me to bring up surrogacy too soon. There's a 90% probability she would cry during that discussion. Then she'd feel like "a useless wife and a complete failure" again. I'd rather not broach the issue until next year. But I'd promise her we'd see another fertility specialist if need be.

"You're still hard, darling." She grinned shyly and stroked my shaft as my back leaned against the wall. Her sweet cum still glistened on my skin.

I smirked as I wiped the wet and warm liquid off my lower abdomen. "That was just the first round."

"Okay."

"What d'you mean 'okay'?" I squinted at her.

"I can take another round." She giggled, her lustrous dark hair splayed on the covers. "But tell me what you two talked about."

"I asked if he found his dad."

"And?"

"No luck."

"What else? Did you ask him which school your sister goes to?"

"No. Essentially, he just told me to leave them the fuck alone." I feigned a short laugh. Well, it wasn't like the girl would want some of Ilya's drug money.

"He's overprotective of her," she murmured. "But why not let her finish school in Italy?" Evonne sighed while her lazy gaze focused on my lower anatomy.

"I'm not sure, sweetie." I stroked the inside of her thigh. "I suppose her mother wanted her back in New York."

"Maybe."

"I think I know what his abilities are."

"Abilities?" She perked up and grinned. "He's got more than one?" She propped her weight, her elbows pressing onto the covers.

"I felt something when I shook his hand the second time. In Nice."

"Really? Tell me."

"He might have an unusually high pain threshold."

"What?" Her eyes narrowed. "How do you mean?"

"Like Alex. Maximiliano can easily absorb other people's energy. Sometimes in exorbitant amounts. He could be telepathic, too."

"Really? That's quite...a special combination."

"I'm not sure whether it has something to do with his mother's ability. Or if he got it from his father's side. I heard Stefano's into hypnosis."

"Really? Huh. Well, I mean," she muttered after rolling her eyes. "He looks like the type who enjoys controlling other people."

"The kid probably feels pain more profoundly than other vamps. It could be why he got addicted to pain medication." I shook my head lightly. "I'm surprised he's still walking after all the drugs he's tried and abused for years. His breath smelled like a stash of pills that day."

"Oh dear..." Evonne made a face and tutted. "Did you tell him?"

"No."

"What else did he say? Tell him about it. Maybe Dr. Rasmussen can help him."

I grinned. "If I bring it up next time, he'll just tell me to fuck off."

She feigned a laugh, her fingers combing her hair back.

"But I suppose he's trying to get better now. I told his cousin to convince him to get treatment." I leaned forward to touch her hips again. "You look tired."

"Just a little." She smiled and sat on my lap, seeming excited to straddle me again. "One more?"

"Please." I grinned. I got hard again when she slowly licked my earlobe and the side of my neck.

She held my hands as they squeezed her backside, her slick folds now rubbing against my shaft. I teased her wet slit with the tip over and over till she gasped and started throbbing again. "Don't stop. Don't stop." She gripped my shoulders and moaned loudly when I thrust into her heated sex, her muscles tightening around me as I quickened my pace. "Cum inside me again."

◆