The calm night breeze brushed Cassandra's face as she gazed at the city from the balcony, stars enhancing the earth's beauty.
"Are you sure about this?" Andrew asked, tucking one hand into his pocket while holding his red wine in the other.
"Yes, I'm sure. Nikolai is the only way to regain my father's trust. I must kill him!" Cassandra said, pulling the curtains from the room. "Are you just going to stand there and watch?" She raised her eyebrows skeptically. Andrew smiled and walked towards her.
"He's the devil."
"And I'm the monster!" Cassandra replied, prompting Andrew to nod. He helped her tie the curtains together and secure them to the bedpost.
"We're all set, love," Andrew said, dusting off his hands and smiling in her direction.
"It irritates me when you call me that. Get a life, Andrew!" Cassandra grabbed the curtains and glanced down from the mansion, her heart skipping a beat. "If I die, make sure my brother's secrets are exposed, and let my father find another heir to the mafia business!"
She grabs the curtains firmly and, after a moment of hesitation marked by a glance below, she uses them to lower herself down. Her heart races with the danger of the attempt, but she is determined, driven by her mission to ensure she gets on her father's side.
"Isn't she just a headache?" Andrew chuckled, slipping into Cassandra's wig and lingerie. He lay on the bed, draping himself with the duvet. "Definitely feeling like a girl," he giggled, shaking his head and burying his nose in the pillow.
Meanwhile, Cassandra hid behind the pillars of her house, keeping an eye on the security guards who patrolled the grounds as if expecting intruders.
"Who's there?!" a deep voice echoed as Cassandra's phone rang. With a growl of frustration, she hurled tear gas she had obtained moments ago.
The guards screamed in pain, giving Cassandra the chance to slip away unnoticed. She raced from the mansion to the large iron gate, commandeering a nearby tractor for her escape.
Who's there?" the gate men demanded, shining their flashlights on her face.
"Casey!" she announced, glaring defiantly. The tension hung thick in the air as she watched how they whispered within themselves.
"Ma'am, Don Delrico and Don Matthew, ordered that you be locked in!" The gate men all answered in a sync.
"What?! That was two days ago. Now open the damn gate or I'll have your heads!" Cassandra spat venomously. Reluctantly, the gate men complied, and she sped through the gate with a triumphant smirk.
Successfully leaving the Black Estate, she made a call that brought a black sleek range Rover to her.
"If you say a word about what happened tonight, consider yourself my ancestors!" She rolled her eyes, grabbing the keys from the man, who stood by, now close to the tractor.
They both exchanged cars and left to their destination.
Three hours drive and it's past eleven already, working with her GPS, she arrived at the destination.
"Just a little touch of magic," she whispered softly, her voice barely audible. After applying a flawless layer of makeup, she changed into a sleek black leather gown, with fishnet stockings accentuating her legs. The open back of the dress revealed the intricate tattoo of a black rose adorning her skin.
Presenting her access card to the security men, she entered the exhibition gallery, where she knew Nikolai would be. Surrounded by exquisite art, she watched and waited, her senses alert for any sign of danger.
Tonight, there would be no room for error. Nikolai Volkov must not leave this gallery hall alive. According to the intelligence Cassandra received, he had dark, flowing hair, piercing hazel eyes, and a distinctive red lip. Rumors swirled about him, from claims of cannibalism to suggestions that he had made a pact with the devil, sacrificing his heart for protection. Cassandra, honed by training from assassins across various countries, was prepared for whatever awaited her.
"Beautiful," a man beside her remarked, and she turned.
"Hello," she replied, meeting his gaze. Unfortunately, it wasn't Nikolai.
"Jeremy" He smiled, stretching out his hands, which she took. "You're a fan of the arts, huh?" Jeremy began speaking as they walked towards the arts.
As they walked among the exhibits in silence, four men in black suits passed by. Cassandra's instincts kicked in, and she followed them upstairs, leaving the man unaware.
Nikolai Volkov sat in the dimly lit room, smoking and drinking directly from his whiskey bottle. He was shirtless, revealing his heavily tattooed body. On each shoulder, a viper snake was intricately inked, their menacing heads poised as if ready to strike. Near his neck, a small cross stood out against his skin. His right hand was covered in a striking tattoo of a skull, its teeth extending all the way to his nails, adding to his intimidating presence.
As he stood up, exhaling deeply, smoke escaped from his nostrils. His sweatpants hung precariously on his waist, leaving his tattoo and veins exposed.
"Boss, there's an intruder!" his assistant announced, entering the room.
"Hmm. Let's see how fast he can make it up here," he replied, taking a sip from the whiskey bottle.
"I hate to say this, but it's a lady… Cassandra D'Angelo," the assistant continued. Nikolai smiled.
"The same one who killed Marcus, right? Interesting," he said, settling onto his bed, unfazed. "Let her come. I want to see how she plans to kill me."
Cassandra continued climbing the stairs, the hallway growing darker with each step.
She held her gun firmly, guiding herself through the shadows.
"This must be it," she whispered, opening the first door on her left, but the room was empty.
Damn it! She must have gotten it wrong.
Scanning the remaining rooms, she narrowed her eyes, trying to determine where he might be hiding.
Each step she took was calculated, her eyes alert to every movement. Finally, she reached the last door. Exhaling deeply, she cracked it open and slipped inside, surveying the room.
It was dark and stifling.
A smirk crept across her face as she spotted Nikolai Volkov, asleep on the bed, oblivious to the lurking danger.
She drew the dagger from her fishnet, approaching him with care. But just as she aimed for his forehead, he rolled off the bed, yanked her leg backward, and sent her crashing into the bedframe.
"Ahh!" she winced, kicking her legs, which Nikolai promptly caught.
"Sexy, isn't it?" He chuckled slightly through his mask, feeling her legs.
"Get your hands off me!" Cassandra spat, rising to her feet. She swung the dagger while Nikolai folded his arms, watching her with cold detachment.
As she lunged at him, he struck her elbow and neck, twisting her hands and shoving her against the wall.
"I didn't think you were that smart, little bunny," he whispered in her ear. Her heart skipped a beat at the sound of his husky voice.
The strong smell of whiskey overwhelmed her. She managed to turn her face, her eyes locking with his, those hazel eyes piercing her soul.
"Fuck!" She stomped on his foot, twisting her boot against his leg, forcing him to let her go.
Cassandra fell, her hand striking a glass cup, which shattered, leaving her bleeding amid the broken shards.
"Shit. Come here, bunny. Let me treat you first so you can try and kill me later." He pulled her up from the ground, holding her close.
"Get your hands off me, bastard!" She struggled, but Nikolai's grip was unyielding.
Ignoring her attempts to break free, he dragged her to the bed and pushed her down. "Stay put, bunny," he commanded, his eyes locking onto hers.
She wanted to stand up, but an invisible force seemed to hold her down against her will. This man had an undeniable effect on her; his voice alone made her legs weak and her resolve falter.
Nikolai returned with a first aid kit, dropping it on the table. "Hands!" he demanded, but Cassandra didn't comply.
"I'm not that patient, bunny. Hands, now!" he repeated, his tone edged with impatience.
Cassandra hesitated for a moment before reluctantly stretching out her hands to him.
"Good girl," he murmured, taking her hands and beginning to clean her wounds with surprising gentleness. As he applied antiseptic, she winced, but his grip remained steady.
"You should learn to be more careful," he sneered. "Next time, you might not be so lucky."
Once he finished bandaging her, he yanked her hair back, forcing her to look at him. "Now, let's see if you can manage to kill me," he said, handing her the dagger. "Here, take it. Give it your best shot."
Cassandra glared daggers at him, her eyes burning with fury. She snatched the dagger and took a step toward him, her body coiled like a spring.
Nikolai's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Come on, bunny. Show me what you've got," he taunted, rubbing the back of his neck and watching her with cold, predatory eyes.
Cassandra lunged at Nikolai with the dagger, but he sidestepped effortlessly, delivering a swift slap to her rear. "Nice try, bunny," he mocked, "but you'll have to do better than that."
She swung again, but he caught her wrist, twisting her arm behind her back and yanking her hair back. "You fight like a drunk kitten," he sneered, shoving her away.
She stumbled but regained her footing, charging at him with renewed fury. Nikolai dodged her attack, spinning her around and delivering a sharp smack to her backside. "Seriously, is this the best you can do?" he laughed, his tone dripping with condescension.
Cassandra tried to punch him, but he blocked her effortlessly, delivering a hard knee to her stomach that knocked the wind out of her. As she doubled over, he pressed her against the wall, one hand gripping her hair while the other squeezed her butt. "I'm starting to think you enjoy this," he whispered sarcastically in her ear.
She struggled to break free, but he was too strong. Nikolai tossed her to the ground, her dagger clattering away. He stood over her, his expression a mix of amusement and disdain. Cassandra lay there, breathing heavily, blood dripping from her nose and mouth.
He crouched down, his face inches from hers. "Do you know what I do to intruders, bunny?" he said coldly, his hand caressing her cheek before adding painful pressure. "I kill them." His voice was a chilling whisper, leaving no doubt about his intentions.
"Boss, you sent for me," his assistant said, entering the room. He followed Nikolai's gaze to Cassandra, lying on the ground, battered and bloodied.
Nikolai didn't look away from her as he spoke. "Take her away. Lock her up in my room at the penthouse. She deserves a little... special treatment."
The assistant nodded and moved quickly to obey, knowing better than to question Nikolai's orders.
As his assistant carried Cassandra out of the room, Nikolai removed his mask and exhaled deeply, feeling the weight of the evening's events settling on him.
His phone rang, and he picked it up without hesitation.
"Speak, dumb head," he answered curtly.
"Grandpa sent for you, asshole. Be home by sunrise tomorrow," the voice on the other end of the call retorted, its tone mirroring Nikolai's own.
***
"Boss, Cassandra isn't home!" one of the guards reported, causing Matthew to drop the wine glass in his hand.
"What do you mean? Find her, you idiot!" Matthew snapped, his patience wearing thin.
"Her... her tracker indicates..." the guard stammered, struggling to find the words.
"I think she's dead, boss. There's no way she's alive after going to that particular place!" another guard chimed in, his voice trembling with fear.
"Cut the crap already and speak!" Matthew demanded, his voice booming through the room.
"Her location reads she's at Lucifer's Den!" the guard finally blurted out, the words hanging heavy in the air.
"You mean Nikolai Volkov?" Delrico, who was descending the stairs, questioned sharply, his eyes darkening with concern and anger.