Second Assault — Bond And Treason —

Chapter 11 - Suspicion

FREDEK

Alexei opens the door and I follow closely. Although I have no intention of standing in his way, I'm still

afraid of how he might react to the situation.

I've never been stupid or ignorant. I know perfectly well how cruel my brother can be if he sets his mind

to it, but he has always been concerned about keeping me out of all that, and I have never witnessed

his power... Until now. I have no idea what will happen once the door closes, and I honestly don't know

if I'll be able to retain Alexei on my own if things get out of control.

—Reiji — he calls, the tone he uses is low, threatening, even though he's not using it with me, it still

gives me goosebumps. I quickly take a position in one of the corners of the small room and watch in

silence.

—Oh, Mr. Magnus — Reiji turns on the chair and greets him with a warm smile —. I was wondering if

you'd come, since I saw Fred waiting outside — Alexei closes the door, passes the latch and the sound

of the lock jamming lets me know that there's no turning back now.

—I want you to get away from the desk, sit down in the middle of the room, and don't speak unless I tell

you so— Reiji's face is immediately disfigured. His eyes open so wide that his eyebrows almost reach

the base of the hair. I can smell the fear in the air and that's something that puts me on guard.

—Did I... Did I do something wrong? — he hesitates, his lower lip trembles while speaking, his gaze

shifts from Alexei to me repeatedly.

—I gave you an order— my brother steps towards him —. Didn't you hear me?— Reiji instinctively

moves back the same distance. His hands go up to the head to remove the headphones, and then I

notice that he is shaking. Well, yes, you should be afraid. Hell, he should be terrified.

He gets up and, very slowly, moves the chair to the center of the office and sits down, with his back

straight and facing the floor. I can see that his breathing is agitated by the rapid movement of the chest.

He plays nervously with the hands on his thighs and from my position, I can see that he is beginning to

sweat.

If he didn't have something to hide, his body wouldn't react that way, and from how Alexei is drilling his

skull with the eyes, I deduce that he thinks the same thing. You could say it's because he's afraid of my

brother, but Reiji has been working for him for a little over two years and I've never seen him react like

that before. Never, and on several occasions he was the receptor of his anger. So his sudden attitude

is very suspicious to me.

—Listen to me carefully, Reiji — Alexei starts walking slowly around the chair —. I'm going to ask you a

series of questions. Depending on the answers I get, you'll be able to walk out of here. Nod if you

understand me.

Reiji moves the head up and down frantically.

—Good — my brother is walking again as he talks —. I have reason to believe that there is a bloody rat

within the organization — he stops when he is behind him, taking his time to light a cigarette and take a

deep inhale, releasing the smoke through his mouth with a heavy sigh —. That rat has been passing on

information to my enemy. Fundamental and critical data about my plans, about men I had undercover,

and about my bonded partner, Xander.

At the mention of his name, I notice how Reiji's shoulders tighten, though he rapidly tries to conceal it

by changing the posture in the chair.

—Because of this, my plans were thwarted, the men undercover have disappeared, my partner has

been kidnapped and as a result of his capture, I had one person killed and several injured. Do you

have any idea how serious the situation is? — placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing —. Nod if

you do.

Reiji shakes his head again in response.

—I'm glad that I'm making myself understood — his face expresses the opposite —. Now, the

questions I'm going to ask you next, are extremely important to me— starts going around Reiji and

stops in front of him again —. If I don't like the answers I'm getting, or if I'm not convinced by your

honesty... — bends down, until their faces are close. Alexei leads a hand inside his jacket, pulls out the

Colt Python Magnum, and points right between Reiji's arched eyebrows —. My big friend here will let

you know. Am I making myself clear? Nod.

Reiji repeats the affirmative gesture, biting his lower lip so hard that I realize he's about to pierce it with

the teeth.

—Good. Don't worry, I'll start with something easy and now I'll need you to answer me with words — he

straightens up and takes another drag on the cigar, now holding the gun to his side —. First question:

Is it true you fought with Xander?

—Yes, sir — Reiji hesitates, although I am not so close to him, I can hear the tremor in his voice.

—The reason? — The false calm that Alexei pretends only makes me more worried. Reiji looks down,

turning his hands into tight fists on his thighs.

—He started it.

—He started it? — he asks in the same calm tone of voice, but raises a surprised eyebrow.

—Yes, sir — he says with conviction —. He began to mock my abilities, told me I was useless, and

endangered the safety of the organization. He told me I was a shoe licker and that I would never fit in.

—You're lying! — I scream before I can control myself. Wrath runs through my veins so fast, it leaves

me stunned for a few seconds. I can't believe what's coming out of his lips. How dare he tell such a

load of lies?

—Silence, Fredek— Alexei warns me, raising a hand in my direction, with the cigar still between the

fingers —. Be quiet, okay? — I press my jaw hard and glare at him, but still, I nod. I cross the arms

over my chest and force myself to stay out of it. Alexei returns his attention to Reiji —. Are you telling

me the truth?

—Of course, sir.

—Look into my eyes, Reiji— slowly raising his eyes until they connect with my brother's —. Are You.

Telling. The. Truth?— emphasizing every roaring word.

—Yes, si... — but before he can finish talking, Alexei strikes his cheek hard with the grip of the gun.

Reiji emits a high-pitched scream in pain and a thick thread of blood begins to slide from the corner of

his lip to his chin, a few drops staining his white shirt.

—You're lying — throws the cigarette on the ground and extinguish the flame by stepping on it —. I'll

ask the question again and hope for the truth this time. What was the reason for your fight with

Xander?

—You— says finally, putting a hand on the affected area, gently rubbing it. I can see his eyes starting to

crystallize and his shoulders shaking as he tries to hold back tears —. The reason was you.

—Explain yourself.

—I told him I was worried about you. That, even though I was glad you had finally found your partner, I

was still afraid he wouldn't be able to make you happy— he slurped up his nose before continuing —.

But then he freaked out and told me to take care of my own business or he was going to kick me out of

The Mansion— I know I was told to keep quiet, but in the face of so many lies, my brain/mouth filter

broke down completely.

—But for God's sake! What the hell is wrong with you?! — I took a step forward, wanting to rip out his

tongue with my own hands... Or maybe make him swallow one of my explosives. But before I could do

anything, Alexei beat me to it.

—I warned you — leaning the hand that holds the gun a little, he pulled the trigger and shoot in Reiji's

right foot.

The sound of the gunshot was so loud that my ears momentarily lost their hearing. But still, the

screaming was even worse. Immediately under the chair, a thick red pool of liquid was created, gushing

out of the wounded foot. Alexei walked over, grabbed a handful of hair, and tilted his head back so he

could see him straight in the eyes. Tears streamed down Reiji's cheeks as he struggled to cope with

the pain.

—Do you think I have the patience and time to go through your fucking bullshit? — Alexei grunts, his

already painful grip getting even stronger —. You better start taking me fucking seriously and tell me

exactly what I need to know— places the barrel of the gun under Reiji's chin —. Do you understand?!—

screams a few inches away from his face.

—Y-yes...

—Speak louder, you piece of shit!

—Yes! — Reiji finally shouts, ending in a sob.

—You'd better— releases him and straightens up again, arms crossed over his chest, gun hanging in

one hand —. Go ahead.

—I've always been in love with you— he bows and holds his right thigh tightly in an attempt to slow the

bleeding from the injury —. Since that day you rescued me... I've always loved you — his low,

trembling voice —. I hoped that one day you would notice me and we could start a life together, you

know? Be happy, have many children. I could continue to help you with the security of the organization,

always by your side.

He raises the face and the expression he has, is one of rage and pain mixed.

—But then he came — he spits with disgust —. At first, I thought you would just use him and have fun,

hanging out and forgetting about him the next day — his jaw tightened and he started crying again —.

But then it went on and on and you continued to frequent his bedroom. Did you think no one knew or

that I wouldn't notice? Do you know how painful it was for me to have to see you next to him every

damn night?!

Alexei remains frozen as he listens, while I am completely horrified by those words. Fuck, I never

imagined the amount of anger and resentment that Reiji's thin body carried inside.

—Then, that day when you confessed to him that you loved him... I knew it — he looked down at the

wound on his foot and took a deep breath before continuing —. I had to get rid of him— my body

shuddered, a chill ran down my spine and my heart felt tight inside my chest. By the gods, Reiji is the

rat.

—What did you do?— My brother demands, yet he does not move, but from the tension in his voice I

realize it is with great effort.

—I made a few calls, until I found the right person— the bastard has the balls to smile even in the

position he's in.

—Who? — although I'm afraid, we both know the answer.

—To your worst enemy and the master of all the nightmares of your miserable little wretch — he rants

with contempt, leaning forward —. Dimitri Zhukovski.

His smile widens and I'm three seconds away from summoning my Omega and letting it feed on him, novelbin

but then: another shot. This time in the shoulder. The impact was so strong that his back hit the chair

and the impulse made him fall backward, in a loud bang on the floor.

Alexei emits a loud, deep grunt that makes the window shake. I notice how his claws, fangs and hair

start to grow, just a few steps away from making the change.

—Fucking son of a bitch!— he roars, as powerful and heartbreaking as I've ever heard him.

Then he pounces on Reiji's weak, blood-drenched body, holding the collar of the shirt and shaking him

violently. I try to hold Alexei by the shoulders to prevent him from killing Reiji, but I can only stop him

temporarily and with extreme difficulty. My strength is nothing compared to my brother's.

—What did he do with him?! — he screams with fury, using his commanding voice as he keeps shaking

Reiji —.Where that motherfucker take him?!

—I don't know! — Reiji answers, his voice gurgling from the blood accumulating in his mouth, trying to

speak despite the pain and fear —. Dimitri didn't tell me where he was sending him, and even if I knew,

I would never tell you!

At that moment and to my great relief, the door opens with a loud bang, and Adrik and Nikon enter,

followed by a couple of henchmen. Seeing the situation, they all jump on us, in a desperate attempt to

control Alexei.

—I'm gonna kill you, you piece of shit! — my brother promises, in an uncontrollable frenzy. His arms

are held by the men and they push him out the place —. If anything happens to him, I swear to God, I'll

kill you! I'll send you all straight to fucking hell!— His face is red with anger, the veins in the forehead

and neck are so swollen that I'm afraid they'll explode.

Barely and with great effort, they manage to drag him out of the Control Room, leaving me with a

wounded Reiji on the floor, screaming and writhing in pain. I was about to approach him, when the door

opened again. The breath is stuck in my throat, fearing it is Alexei, but to my surprise, it is Lev who

crosses over the shattered threshold.

—What the fuck just happened here?! — He points his thumb over the shoulder into the hallway —.

And what the hell is wrong with Alexei?!— Unbelieving, high-pitched voice.

—Long story, Lev. I'll explain everything. But for now... — I'm making a gesture towards Reiji's body,

which is now unconscious —. Help me with this.