Devil Woman

Chapter 21

Ivan

"I'm tired, Ivan. I'm so, so tired." Her already weak voice fissured. "I just want to sleep. Good night."

She went silent, and it took me a minute to realize she had hung up. I dialed her number a few more times, but she didn't pick up.

I left her a voicemail and sent her some messages, but I don't know if she received them or not. None of the messages showed that they were delivered. I felt anxious now that she wasn't picking up or responding to me at all.

Surely, she was okay, right? I paced around my bedroom as I replayed our conversation in my mind. She was working out, training, as if she could sense our impending war approaching.

I wonder if she knew that I was the one on the other side of the battlefield. She wanted to know what she meant to me. I told her the first thing that popped into my mind.

'You're my girl, and I care about you very much.'

She wanted to know if I was lying. I wasn't. I would be lying to myself if I told her anything different. She is my girl, and I do care about her very much. More than I would like to admit.

"I haven't cried in years," She disclosed. "Yet, I cried in front of you."

She cried in front of me because she trusted me because she believed that whatever we had between us brought her safety. She opened up to me, not only about this but about her uncle and cousins.

"Why? So you could gauge my facial reactions? Do you need more ammunition?"

I knew what she meant. I played dumb then, but I knew what she was getting at. She was right. Everything she offered me was weapons I would eventually use against her.

It would be blasphemous if I told her she was crazy or imagining things. Nyra didn't get to where she was by being stupid. The time had come for answers, and if I had to use every bit of trust and every secret she offered me as ammunition, I would.

Someone had to pay for Henry, and that someone would be her. I couldn't separate my growing and intense feelings for Nyra and the murder of my partner.

The two were combined, linked, interconnected, and I couldn't comb through them. She played a hand in his murder, and that was the only fuel I needed to bring her down.

"Ivan, I'm not an easy person to bring down. I'm a strong woman, and I've been through hell and back to get to where I am. I've been hurt, betrayed, deceived, and had my heart broken too many times to count. The life I'm leading is mine, and I won't let anyone take it from me. Not you, not anyone. Do you understand?"

I knew this. I knew she wouldn't be easy to take down. I knew everything she went through because she told me, yet I wouldn't be merciful or sympathize with her past trauma. I couldn't. Her words were evident. She didn't trust me anymore, and she hated that she couldn't.

She's led such a hurtful and sorrowful life, and instead of leaving her alone, I was going to attack her. I had to. I promised Henry I'd avenge him, and if that meant taking a bullet from Nyra, then I'd take it gladly.

War is war. War had casualties. Whether that was her or me.... I had to take the chance. I prayed at that moment if it came down to it, that I'd be the one to take the bullet and not her. I don't think I could live with myself knowing I killed this woman.

My heart panged so hard in my chest that I clutched my chest as I worked out my breathing. Fuck. I care deeply about her, and after hearing how heartbroken she sounded, I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep.