Slater POV

Having your hands and legs zip tied to a chair sucks. I mean, it isnt impossible to break out of, I could have broken free hours ago. It's blatantly obvious that Leandro and Andrei have yet to deal with someone who shares my specific skill set.

I allowed myself to be kidnapped in order to pacify them, after all, I will be needing allies to help me gain Iris's trust back. I know it won't be easy, not when she feels like I took away the little freedom that she finally had.

So, I allowed her stupid brothers to knock me out and zip tie me to a chair. You would think that they'd use something stronger or at least drug me, but, per usual, they've underestimated their enemy. Although I guess I technically am not an enemy since our families are allies.

I will admit, Leandro and Andrei leaving me here for the past four hours alone with my thoughts has been a new type of torture.

Perhaps I should start doing this in my torture sessions.

Four hours ago, the pair rushed out of the office after Leandro recieved a call, but I have no context. Honestly, I dont really care.

What I am worried about, though, is whether Iris is okay. I know her well enough to understand that she is going to rebel in some way or the other. I think it may be entertaining, actually.

Maybe if I support her rebellion she'll learn to trust me again?

Maybe, maybe, maybe.

I've never been a fan of the unknown, but somehow, I love not being able to predict what Iris will do next. It's refreshing.

Leandro suddenly storms into his office, looking like a five year old who just had his favourite toy burned to ash in front of him by me.

"What's wrong, sunshine?" I mock, internally smirking when he only seems to het angrier.

"This is all your fault." He points an accusing finger at me.

Hold on, what did I do this time? I've been locked in this office for about five hours.

My confusion must be evident, because Andrei strolls into the office, takes one look at me and cackles.

"Iris ran off a few hours ago, took a car and just disappeared. And now that she's returned, she refuses to speak to Leandro and she was covered in blood when she walked in." Andrei finally explains, grinning. Sheesh, I thought that I was a psychopath.

I bet she killed someone. I feel an odd mix of pride and worry. Was she forced to kill or was it a choice she made out of anger? Was she attacked or provoked in some way? Either way, it won't be easy for her.

"She's okay though?" I ask after a beat of silence.

"She's fine, I think." Leandro answers, raking a hand through his hair.

"She's icing you out, huh? You deserve it." I grin. He does, he was an asshole and its about damn time someone did something about it.

"It seems that you're forgetting that we've kidnapped you, kid." Leandro retorts, glaring icily at me.

"Please, I could be out of here in two seconds flat if I wanted to, I'm just choosing to be civil. I want to win you over." Leandro scoffs at my words, looking at me skeptically.

"And why exactly would you want us to like you?" He pinches the bridge of his nose as if he cant believe that we're in this position.

"Well, my fianceè is pretty upset with me right now, it would help to have you on my side. Although, there's not much use for that, she isn't close to Andrei and she's upset with you too. I should've thought this through a bit more. Oh well, this has been enlightening, but I think we're done here, I'm going to go check on Iris." I break the zip ties before standing up and stretching.

I'm really not used to sitting for such long periods of time.

Leandro and Andrei give me strange looks, not even bothering to restrain me again. They allow me to walk off without any further complaints and I make my way to Iris's room before knocking on the door.

"Go away, Leandro." She says, her voice slightly muffled.

"It isn't Leandro, it's Slater, I just... I know you're upset with me, solnyshko, but can I just see if you're okay, please?" I hear a sigh from inside the room before the door swings open, revealing Iris dressed in her pajamas.

She leads me into the room, closing the door behind us. Before either of us say anything else, she wraps her arms around me, pulling me into a hug. I don't waste even a second before my arms wrap around her.

"What happened?" I whisper softly, keeping my arms wrapped around her.

"We went to a strip club to piss you off, and then this guy grabbed me. He didnt think that I'd have a weapon with me or know how to fight, and so when he tried to get me onto the bed, I fought him. And then I killed him. He said that someone named James Young was his boss? And I dont know, I didnt regret it in the moment but I took a life, Slater." She explains, her voice soft and broken in a way that makes my heart ache.

And to think, if you told me a year ago that I had a heart, I might have stabbed you.

"Its okay, solnyshko, he deserved it. But that doesnt mean that you have to be fine with it. If you want, I'll make sure that you never have to kill ever again. But, starting tomorrow, can I please train you?"

"Yeah, I guess so. If it weren't for the knives Mikhail makes me carry, things might have been very different." She pulls away from our hug, stepping away from me.

"Okay, tomorrow morning we'll start training."

"Okay. That doesnt mean I forgive you. Or that I'm any less upset with you. Or that I trust you. Or that I won't do any more stupid things to get you mad." She crosses her arms over her chest, glaring at me.

I cant help the way the corners of my lips tug upwards at her words, and I definitely cant help the flicker of hope in my chest.

"Okay, sweetheart, you dont have to forgive me right away, but I will earn back your trust." I reply, smiling down at the girl who makes me feel like I can finally breathe.

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And another chapter doneeeeee
I think this was important to let you guys see more of Slater.
Its the fact that he wasnt even a character that I had planned until I read the monster trilogy by RK

Also, thank you to Catty for the suggestion on who's POV to write on. I was STRUGGLING.

Lol.

As usual, I don't know when the next update will be. But maybe soon.

I have a family reunion coming up and apparently there's like 500 people that are going to be there.

Out of those 500, I only know 100.

So like.....
Wish me luck?
I'm gonna need it?
I dont even have an outfit?

Anywho, goodbyeeeee