Dear All,

I am finally able to update this story and with this chapter, I would like to wish you all a Happy and Serene New Year :-)

I am sorry for the long wait, but please be sure and aware that I have NOT lost interest or inspiration in writing my stories: it simply was a very busy and tiring moment, which led to no free time for my beloved writing. However, here is a new chapter and I really hope you will enjoy it, as you will see it contains rather strong moments.

I will be looking forward to reading your reactions and comments about this rather striking chapter, which really leads us toward the very end, as you know I love your comments!

I would like to thank all of you for your endless and incredible, amazing support, love and energy: you are all amazing! So I dedicate this chapter to all of you and in particular to dear ChrisAlbert as a sincere and big thank you for your interest, support and for comments and votes: THANK YOU!

A picture of Roman (--> handsome model Luke Armitage that vaguely reminds me of the image I have of Roman, as you might know it's not easy to find the perfect fitting face) and then a song that has a rhythm fitting the emotions of this chapter.

I really hope you'll enjoy it and once more: HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU!

ENNA POV – IRELAND:

When Cillian left I did not know what to think about discovering him in possession of Roman's picture and I had no idea how I managed to act relatively calm around him and my sister. I couldn't involve her into this, because if what I feared was correct, then she'd better stay far away from our friend. I still couldn't believe he had a picture of Roman and mostly, I couldn't understand why he lied to me in such blatant way. Something crossed his face as we looked at each other the moment he caught me with the photo in my hands and my greatest fear was that he understood I knew Roman.

Of course, he realized that I know Roman, because the shock was yes momentary, yet so wild and painfully evident on my face that there was no chance he had missed it. I should have covered my reactions and feelings better, I should have forced myself to hide it, to...how could I have done it? It was the last thing I had ever imagined. My friend involved in a world that could get him killed without many compliments and then, what actually really shocked me was to discover that he was cooperating with people that with all chances were trying to kill my love. The look on his face as he eyed the picture was what made me grasp the excruciating truth.

This could not be possible: my best friend couldn't be involved with people wanting to eliminate my Roman.

I rubbed my hands over my face and pressed the heels of my hands on my closed eyes, trying to fight my emotions, for this was more than possible. I had to accept the fact that Cillian was part of that dangerous world for reasons I couldn't possibly guess and he stood, in a way or another, against my love. I sunk my hands harder in my eyes trying to suppress the tears I felt forming in them. Somehow, I felt terribly silly for crying and I had to stop it.

This was the worst nightmare, because if I had to choose between Roman and Cillian I had neither doubts nor regrets in saying that I would always and only choose my Roman.

I sighed out loud and slumped on the chair of the kitchen where I was alone, as Ciara had gone to bed, and then I felt a hand on my shoulder and when I turned around the concerned face of my dad stared at me with tired eyes. He must have understood that something was off with me because I knew it was almost impossible to conceal something like that in front of him.

"Enna, why don't you tell me what happened and why you looked like someone had just ran over you with a train at full speed?" he spoke with quiet, yet rather tensed voice and he sat beside me. "Is it related to Cillian?"

My eyes widened in surprise and almost shock not because he had guessed the reason for my tension and worry, but because his voice spoke as if he was aware of what I feared. I searched in his face and with one hand I covered my eyes as I felt more silly tears forming in them. Everything was becoming so complicated and completely out of my grasp and I hated to feel completely helpless and lost. Because in that moment I felt entirely and unavoidably lost: Roman was in Kiev probably alive but I had no certainty of that and I didn't hear from him since he left and I began to worry more each passing day; my dear friend had confessed his love to me and then deliberately lied about a picture of Roman. Not to mention he was involved with dangerous and violent people. I was also lying to him but thank God, I was not lying to my family.

Yes, I felt completely lost and completely empty.

"What do you mean, dad? Do you know something about Cillian?" I asked back with almost trembling voice.

He took a deep breath and then released a long and clearly nervous sigh, going to take my hands in his and smiling at me in a way that somehow broke part of my heart. What had my friend done? Why did he have a picture of Roman? Cillian couldn't be involved in the same world of my love, because it was simply impossible. Why would he do that? Why?

I had to stop with these useless questions, because I already knew that it was possible and it was a very hard truth I had to accept.

"I should have told you about this before, but I didn't want to burden you in the past days, after what happened with that bastard that finally rests where he deserves to rest: in Hell." He shook his head as if wanting to chase some thoughts away and then refocused his eyes on me. "It is not very easy to say this and it won't be easy for you, I am very sorry son."

I sadly smiled at him, because it was obvious that the same applied to him: it also was very difficult for him to understand it and he couldn't accept it. His eyes set hard on me and he began to explain me what he knew and the more he talked, the more I felt like crying. I couldn't believe at that, even if I had already guessed it.

"The day that Roman got shot, you know he came to me for help and then I drove to your place to take you here. Before leaving, when you were asleep in bed, he approached me in the kitchen and informed me about Cillian." He swore under his breath and then shook his head another time, closing his eyes a brief moment. "Roman told me that he had seen Cillian the day he was supposed to meet with some people and clearly the tool is involved with bad and dangerous persons. I doubt he deeply understands the danger he got involved with, but that's not my problem. My issue here is that you should stay away from him as much as you can; from what I understood from Roman, these people wouldn't think twice before killing someone and I don't want you involved in any problem of this sort because of him. Roman didn't involve you and no bloody way I will let that brainless tool get you into some bloody mess. I don't know the details because he obviously didn't tell me, but I can guess pretty well and I am sure so do you. It doesn't take a genius to make the obvious math: he was together with the same people that wanted Roman dead."

The last words hit me in such a way that I felt real, physical pain. I had already suspected that and the confirmation coming from my father made it more real, heavier and more hurtful, because he was right and because I had been right in making that connection. If Roman had seen Cillian the day when he then disappeared for a few days because hunted by some hit man and then shot, it was evident that my friend was siding with people that had tried to kill my love.

This was the worst nightmare I could ever dream of.

Roman knew about Cillian and he hadn't said a word to me...why? I tried to collect my thoughts about this, but I was so confused about everything and then I realized that I didn't care about Roman not telling me about this, but I just found impossible to understand my friend.

Why getting involved with such people?

I was right in reading Cillian's expression. I shook my head and shut my eyes close trying to process what I had just learned and confirmed: this indeed was the worst nightmare I could ever experience on my skin.

"Enna? Enna son are you OK?" Dad squeezed my hands harder, but also very gently, communicating to me with that gesture his deep worry.

"No," I admitted with a mere, feeble whisper. "No, I am not OK." I paused a moment, keeping my eyes shut and then I opened them, staring at my dad. "Why would he do that? Why would Cillian get involved with such people? He doesn't need money, because his family is very wealthy and he is a professor at the university: how is that possible? And...and..." my voice trembled violently as I tried to speak more and as words didn't come out, I took a deep breath and then continued, "and how can he side with those people like nothing? Dad...they surely want Roman dead, because if he saw Cillian that day when..." I stopped talking as my voice raised and my dad only nodded, also at loss of words.

"I am not sure, but when I asked Roman he said that Cillian had a rather bad vice: gambling. Apparently, he lost a lot and got involved with the wrong lads and I can only guess he must have accumulated quite the bloody dept."

"What? Gambling?"

"Roman told me very little, almost nothing and he wasn't sure whether telling you was a good idea or not. He was afraid to upset you or don't know...don't blame him, son. I understand why he thought of saying nothing to you. He didn't think you wouldn't be able to accept the truth and take it. I believe he wanted to see if he could do anything to get him out of this mess, this is my guess and..." I interrupted my dad.

"I cannot blame Roman because I comprehend why he did it. I simply cannot blame him and yes, I believe you are right: my love probably thought he could solve this or somehow help Cillian, but I am afraid he is beyond help."

"That's precisely what I believe, Enna, so stay away from him. I have a bad feeling chewing my guts about this and for the love of God, please stay away from him."

"It won't be easy," I said, knowing it was true and my dad's face darkened at that, his features hardening. "I will obviously try to avoid him, but to be honest I would like to know why he did this. It cannot be only because he gambled too much and accumulated a large debt; I believe there is more than that."

"Enna, I mean it: do not try to confront him about this, because at this point, I don't know that lad any more. At this point, Cillian Flannery is a completely and bloody stranger to me, because never in my life I would have imagined him capable of this. I am not judging him, son, he can do whatever he pleases with his bloody life, but we both knew him as a fair and honest lad. This clearly has nothing to do with honesty and fairness. Roman is also another dangerous man, no doubts, but at least he hid nothing from you and from us as family. He risked a lot in order to get you back from that bastard and I will never forget what he did for you. I respect that man in spite of his life and what he does and I respect him because he has always been sincere with us."

Dad was right in everything and yes, my love never tried to hide his real identity. He only avoided getting deep into details simply to protect us. My Roman always wanted to be entirely open and sincere with me, letting me the chance to decide whether I could take his real identity and life. And I loved him profoundly for his honesty and for his lack of selfishness, because dad was right in saying Roman had risked in saving me from Michael.

"Alright dad, I promise you that I will try to avoid him as much as possible." My promise obviously did not satisfy him completely, but I had a feeling that Cillian himself would try to contact me. "Tomorrow I should go back, because I'm fine and nothing shows on my face; at least nothing that I cannot conceal with a touch of makeup. I really cannot stay here longer, as Priya told me they are struggling and anyway, I can't hide here forever."

"I know that," he replied with tensed voice. "You can leave tomorrow morning with Ciara and then I will visit you in a few days." I smiled at his words and only nodded. "Son, we should go to sleep, you especially."

"Yes dad, you are right. We sure need to sleep."

But truth been told, I feared to close my eyes in the darkness, because it felt as if it would throw me into a nightmare that had no ways out.

                                                                           *****

Ciara had not missed my not very cheerful mood of yesterday as we drove back to Dublin, but she didn't press for questions and she probably related it to the fact that I hadn't heard anything from Roman since he left for Ukraine. I know my sister was sharp and very perceptive, but she also was very sensitive in her rather peculiar and special way, which meant she knew when to keep her usually loud remarks for herself. I couldn't bring myself to share the hard truth with her, because I definitely didn't want to involve her in this. They were not as close we were and obviously she had detected something, which meant she would stay away from our friend without questioning the problem.

I was probably being a tremendous hypocrite, but my friend was now scaring me. Roman had not frightened me when he confessed about this life and when he explained part of what he did; he had not scared me when he killed Michael in pure cold blood. Yet, Cillian now did because it seemed like I didn't know who he really was and because I had a feeling that he was not ready to face the risks implied.

As soon as I stepped into the salon, Priya bombarded me with questions first about my father, repeating over and over how sorry she was for not having managed visiting him. But it was good that work kept her so busy, as she would have realized what actually happened. Then she put me through a third degree about my appearing not in good shape, fearing something else was possibly worrying me and her questions gave her away: it was clear that Cillian had talked to her about something and probably, asked about Roman. He perhaps wanted to ascertain whether I really know him and whether I had sentimentally involved myself with such man. She asked more than twice about my feelings, saying she wanted to make sure she had no ass to kick and that worried me even more.

It wasn't easy to lie to her, but it was all I could do and all I had to do.

The day passed fast and it gave me no real time to think or dwell on my fears and issues, given we were overly booked and we miraculously managed a great number of customers. Our manager indeed was as terrible as ever in his job and once more I hoped to soon find the means to take over the salon. I finished with a client that simply wanted the haircut fixed and I was very grateful when he tipped us generously; however, I had to lately politely refuse his invitation for a drink. He was not gay, as we already saw him with girls, and I believe he somehow saw me as another girl. I sighed when he left, thinking about Roman and about the fact he at first understood I was a man, only he thought I was an angel.

My Roman...I missed him so much that even thinking about him was painful.

As I waltzed to another customer, the door of our salon opened and I heard the cheerful voices of Priya and Sarah in greeting the person that stepped inside the shop; my heart stopped in my chest when I slowly turned around and my eyes stared at the face of my friend. He looked at me with an expression that I had never seen before and I swallowed down slowly, feeling my throat suddenly very dry. I felt cold and I felt afraid by the look in his eyes.

I couldn't believe that my dearest and most beloved friend was now scaring me, but I couldn't deny how my skin felt cold as his eyes set on me.

He wisely did not approach me immediately, as I forced myself to smile at him as naturally as I could muster given the circumstances, mostly to not raise more suspicion in Priya and in my co-workers. I pretended to busy myself with the client's hair and then after having composed the mess screaming in my mind and in my heart, I went to greet him with a very brisk hug. Avoiding him there would have only called for more questions and I was starting to get tired of having to answer questions after questions.

"Enna, I am happy to see you're back at work. I take your dad is now completely fine, right?" I nodded for I didn't trust my voice. I swallowed down silently another time and forced another smile on my face as I went to say something.

"He is the same as before," I munched out and Priya eyed me carefully, surely detecting something off with me. "What are you doing here?" The question came out before I had the time to stop it and it resounded slightly hard and reproachful.

"I wanted to see you, simply to check whether everything was grand with you and your dad," he answered and his eyes clouded with many emotions: guild, worry, anger, fear, and much, much more.

"We are good, thank you." I went to turn around to see to my client, but he grabbed my arm and I almost flinched. I have no idea what helped me to avoid making it too visible. "What is it?"

"I need to talk to you and you also need to tell me something, Enna," he said very quietly and I studied his eyes and nothing could help me in understanding why he did what he did. "Babe, I..."

"Don't call me in that way," I said too severely and his mouth grimaced at the tone of my voice. Priya approached us and I composed my face, but she read the tension between us and unfortunately, not knowing what the real problem was, her normally helpful touch did not benefit the situation.

"Enna sweetie, you didn't eat anything since this morning and you are the one that hasn't yet had lunch, so why don't you go together?" she suggested while throwing a pointed look at me and I refrained from scowling at her. She had no idea about the real problem and she meant it good, thus I felt bad for how much I wished to stick a huge brush in her mouth to shut it. Yet, in that moment it was precisely what I craved to do.

"Yeah Enna, let's go, I'll buy you lunch," he also suggested it and I felt trapped.

Avoiding him too openly was going to generate an endless stream of questions and aside that, was going to generate doubts in the people around me. I also needed to understand whether Cillian was aware with whom he got involved and that they meant to kill the person I loved more than my life. So I nodded and went to grab my coat and bag, telling the client that my colleague would take perfect care of her. He opened the door for me and let me step outside first. I controlled a shiver as I felt his hand on the small of my back, but as soon as I was on the street, I took my due distance from him.

"What do you want to talk about?" I immediately fired out with barely measured voice.

"You know about what and you don't need to pretend ignorance with me. You know the man in the picture and yesterday I went to see Priya, asking her more details about the stranger that helped you that night at the club, when your ex showed up drunk. The way she described him made it clear that the stranger you had sex with is the same person: are you out of your mind, Enna?"

"I don't know what you are talking about," I said with resolution, almost challenging his expression and his eyes, but he grabbed my arm another time and with more strength and I couldn't avoid flinching and trying to free it.

"Enna, you are in love with a bastard that has no scruples in killing people and that is the bloody right hand of one of the biggest and most feared mobsters in Ukraine. Do you understand it?"

"What I cannot understand is how you know all of this and why you lied to me yesterday."

My answer left him without words for a moment, but he recovered immediately, attacking Roman more.

"It doesn't matter how I know it, but the man you think you love is a violent and ruthless bastard named Roman and he is fucking feared in the entire Kiev and in the bloody entire Ukraine, do you get it now? That bastard tricked you and you just fell for him like some naïve little kid. This is beyond my understanding." His voice grew harder and more aggressive, as a couple of persons turned to look at us.

"Lower your voice," I told him in a hiss and he understood me because he calmed apparently and then halted his walk. "You honestly want to eat?"

"We can grab a sandwich and eat it in the park. With this temperature, I doubt many people will be there." He rested his eyes on me and what was in there gripped at my heart painfully. I had to talk to him and understand why he did it and try to convince him to get out of it, if that was still possible. "Please, I just want to talk to you and nothing more. I know you can't reciprocate my feelings, but I do love you Enna more than anything else and I'm worried about you. This man is dangerous and he will hurt you."

Cillian knew nothing about my love and he couldn't imagine how wrong he was about my Roman.

"He will never hurt me, you don't know him," I replied with my voice sounding sad and I rested my hand on the side of his face. "You should mostly worry about yourself, Cil. And yes, let us talk a moment."

We found a bench that was not very exposed and that was placed in a quiet corner of St. Stephen Green's Park and nobody was around. It was very cold and as I looked at the sky, I saw heavy, grey clouds that seemed to bring snow. The wind was less restless and harsh than usual, so sitting out on a bench was not that bad; but my heart was heavy and I still couldn't completely look at my friend in the eyes without feeling fear and a sort of anger I never experienced before.

"Why, Cillian?" That was the first question I made as we both sat down. "Why?"

"You blame me but you seem fine knowing what that bastard really is," he hissed and I had to look twice at him to recognize my friend in him. "Are you out of your mind, Enna? How can you love that man? He deceived you and he's dangerous and bloody violent: doesn't it scare you? He killed people and he works for..." I halted him by throwing a very hard and disappointed glare at him.

"Do not call him in such way. He never deceived me, for he was sincere with since the first time we met. I know who he really is and I know what he does. Differently from you, he never hid anything from me."

"Are you even listening to your own words?"

"No, are you listening to yourself?" I replied with poised voice. "How can you not see where the real problem is? And can you try to explain me why you decided to get involved with such world? Are you aware of the risks?"

Cillian observed me in silence for a while, as if lost in deep thinking and then he lay back on the bench, resting his shoulders on it and staring at the sky with empty eyes. My friend had no idea of the risks he was taking and I could remotely imagine how Roman felt when he discovered Cillian's involvement. Of course he didn't want to tell me about this and I loved him even more.

"I began to play poker and other games that led me to more gambling. At first, I won a considerable sum of money, but then I started to lose more and more, until I reached a point where I had to ask my parents for help. I found an excuse to explain the amount of money and I paid it off the first time, but I kept playing and of course, I kept losing more fecking money. Some people contacted me when I couldn't pay a huge debt and I don't know what to say, if that was luck or not, but they proposed me to help them in some deals and I did it to pay my debt off." He let out a dry chuckle and never once looked at me. "You have no idea baby...the money that I got back for that deal...I could play more and I could afford whatever I wanted."

I think my heart stopped beating and I believe my blood turned into ice at his words and at the tone of his voice. Was this person sitting beside my real friend?

"In what were you involved?" I dared to ask, fearing to hear the answer.

"I think you can guess by yourself," he quickly replied and I took a deep breath.

Cillian was involved with drugs and possibly with much more. Cillian was a professor...he taught to young students and he...he was...he was dealing with drugs. How could he do that and how could he live with that? Roman found himself in such situation at a very young age and never lied to me about that; my love told me that he wasn't directly involved with prostitution and drugs as a personal choice, meaning that he had his own principles. Roman could be yes ruthless and could kill in cold blood, but he was completely different than Cillian: this was my love's world and he knew the consequences of his acts, he knew the risks and knew how to deal with them. Cillian was...I couldn't bring myself to end the sentence.

"Why, Cillian?" I whispered and that simple question triggered his temper, because he seized my wrist strongly and the grip almost hurt. "Cillian, you're putting your life in a considerable danger and please think about it and get away from it and..."

"What so special about that man, ha? Tell me why you don't mind what he does and who he is, but you mind me. Tell me why!" He demanded with thundering and angered voice and I tried to move away from him, because for a moment the memories of Michael's vicious craziness crowded my mind. "You are fecking scared of me..."

"Yes, now I'm scared of you and you are hurting me, let go of my wrist," I ordered and he hesitated a moment, for then regaining his sense.

"Forgive me, Enna. I didn't mean to hurt you or to be a tool. I'm just..." He sighed out loudly and rubbed his temples. "I just can't understand what you found in that man. He's a monster and I think you have no real idea of what he's capable."

"I know what he does and who he is: he has never lied to me. He always told me the truth about himself and what he deals with."

"So what he does is grand but what I do is not? You're being a hypocrite, Enna."

"No I am not. Roman never pretended to be someone else he is not and he is always been completely honest with me. He has his values and principles."

"What the fuck are you talking about? He kills people, he's fucking involved with mafia, he's a murderer and he deals with prostitution and drugs. Is this the man you love?"

"You know nothing about him and I don't owe you any explanation. You cannot judge without knowing him and you Cillian, you are a professor! You always hated these sorts of things and now? Now you're making money by getting involved with drugs? What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with you, Enna! You are defending that bastard that has no qualms in cutting someone's throat open. He's famous for that, did you know this?"

"I know everything about him. I know who he is," I replied with firm voice and he paused to look at me, thinking about something and after a minute or so his eyes widened in evident shock.

Oh dear...had he made the connection? I was dreading this moment because I feared Cillian hadn't bought the excuse of my father's sudden illness and I knew he had seen the shadows of the bruises on my face.

"He killed that bastard, am I right?" I said nothing to that and then I got on my feet, because my lunch break reached its end. "Enna!" He grabbed my wrist once more and he also got up, staring down at me with storming eyes. "Answer me," he demanded, but I said nothing.

"You are mistaken, Cillian. Michael committed suicide," I replied drily, because I'd rather die than betray and expose my Roman. "My lunch break ended and I must go back, because you saw that we are very busy and I cannot leave them alone."

He kept holding my wrist and then he shook his head, with a sad expression in his eyes that almost broke my heart, as it was directed at me. I freed my wrist and grabbed his jacket as pure terror took hold of my entire body and mind.

"I feel really bad for you, because you love someone that soon will be killed."

"What do you mean?" I barely whispered, feeling my voice far, far away. "What do you mean?" I insisted grabbing his jacket with both of my hands, as I felt my knees shaking and my mind going completely blank. He reached for my hands with his and I felt nothing. Only cold and only undiluted terror. "What do you mean?" I asked another time, hearing my voice as a distant tremble and almost tasting my tears.

"Enna, that man you seem to love so desperately has counted hours. I am sorry, but he must die."

I fell on my knees and the tears began to roll down my face, as I breathed so heavily that I thought I lost my mind as the pain caused by those words hit me cruelly.

ROMAN POV – KIEV, UKRAINE:

I ducked behind the corner and cursed quietly as Anton and I barely avoided a whole magazine emptied on us. The dogs involved some people passing by the street in order to get us and I could see the victims lying motionless and possibly dead, their blood spilled out. The problem wasn't much their death, but mostly what that implied and triggered: boss Boris always tried to avoid involving civilians in our business and deals, because that would have created more problems with the police, who could not simply stand aside and watch citizens getting shot on the streets of Kiev. We sure bribed some very generously, but there was a part we all needed to play accordingly in this game. I have always agreed on keeping things under a certain line and limit, because it made our business easier and smoother. Less people to pay off and fewer witnesses that had to be eliminated according to the situation.

Now, these bastards shooting in the streets during daylight and clearly wanting to declare to everyone in the city that a war between rival groups was taking place was something that really annoyed me. They wanted to publically undermine our boss's authority and reputation and this was something they sure hadn't thought about by themselves.

Ruslan was behind everything and I recognized his twisted and blood-lusting mind in how they moved around: whenever he had the occasion to act viciously against someone unable to defend himself, he would take great pleasure. He was a raging dog that had to be shot down, but he wasn't stupid, as he let those bastards expose themselves while he stayed covered and got his ass safe. But this wasn't going to last for long time, because my patience had already gone and Anton for sure had a score to settle with him.

Yes, Ruslan and for sure that woman, whose game seemed to be more dangerous.

"I'm tired of this shit, friend," Anton groaned at me as he fired against them, taking one down.

"So am I." I peeked from behind the wall and then studied the surrounding. This wasn't an ideal place where to settle our business for we didn't need extra witnesses; my time was short and I couldn't take care of everything, but apparently this time we had to play along. "We need to get the hell out of here," I said and he arched a brow as mute question. "I'll play around with them, if it's what they want and let us see who has a better aim."

"You're crazy as fuck, Roman."

"I am tired of hiding behind a corner and I need one of them for a nice talk." Because this felt as if they were playing the cat-and-mouse game and I could not stand it. It looked like they were trying to make us lose time and distract us, as if they had to buy time for something, and this I did not like. I couldn't guess it and same applied to Anton and we both kept our senses alerted and our guard up.

"It won't be easy and you know it."

"It won't be very easy, yes, but you enjoy playing this game?" I asked as I charged my weapon.

"Son of a bitch," Anton threw back at me with a lopsided and shady grin. "Go on, friend, you know that I'll always watch your back." I nodded, because he was possibly the only that I could entirely trust, without the slightest doubt.

"They lost their leader last week, as you might remember," I commented with a dark smile and he chuckled, remembering how we dealt with the official leader of this Chechen group.

I found the right person to use and under our care, he let go of a very interesting piece of information regarding a weak spot. It didn't take as much as I had feared to lure their leader out and cutting the head of the snake, proved to be a good choice. Now they behaved like enraged and rabid dogs in search of immediate vendetta, without first considering how to properly hit us. Yes, Ruslan was pulling the strings behind them trying to use them to get us killed, but he was smarter than that and I knew he was probably buying time with this, because this shooting around was just a waste of time and energy for both sides.

And this was what exactly worried me: buying time for which reason?

This useless exchange had to end and we had to find the right connection to Ruslan and to that oligarch, as I had a feeling that he wouldn't stand beside that woman if properly and convincingly threatened. He had to be clever than that, if he had reached such position in quite short time, and he sure knew that he stood little chances against Anton and me, for our reputation was well known.

Also, I had to find out how deeply that Cillian person was involved and if he had a way out, but I doubted it and if what I suspected was right, I had to inform Eamon to warn my angel. That woman was deadly dangerous and she hadn't yet exposed herself nor revealed her cards completely. This was something else that left me feeling restless. We didn't know what to entirely expect from her and of what she was capable daring...but I believed she was ready to sell her soul to the Devil.

I tightened the grip on my weapon and took a deep breath to enhance my concentration and focus and then, aware of Anton being right behind covering my back and taking care of what he had to, I stepped out of my hiding spot and began to aim at those rabid dogs. Enough was enough. A bullet scratched me on the arm and another on the leg, but I felt no pain; I felt only satisfaction as our bullets were clearly better aimed and as they dropped down under our charge.

We kept two of them alive enough for us to make some questions and when we're done with them, they bravely faced their fate by not begging for mercy as they met their end.

                                                                                                    *****

They gave us a very useful piece of information that obviously was a trap to get us both down, as now it was evident that Anton was alive and I could only imagine how this enraged that damn traitor. But I was ready to take the risk, for we needed to get our hands on Ruslan to better understand what else had been planned. I also had to get a hold of that the right hand of the oligarch involved, because he sure knew much more and he was going to bring me right in front of the needed persons. These cronies had no idea who Cillian Flannery was and of course it was in such way, because that man was directly involved with the boss's wife. She was still in London, from what Anton could get, but we planned to get her back to Kiev.

"I am going to get that bastard's head," I told Anton and he just nodded, smiling at me in evident excitement, for he also had a score to settle with him.

"Don't get all the fun for yourself, brother: leave me my fair share," he replied and then his phone rang and we both cursed as we saw the number. Calling us like this meant one thing only: problems.

"Anton, are you together with Roman?"

"Yes boss, are you safe and well?"

"I sure am all in one piece, but the same cannot be said about my son Maksym."

"What do you mean?" Anton asked eyeing me with a tense expression and I already knew the answer before our boss spoke. They got his son to lure him out and by the tone of voice he used at the phone, I was afraid they succeeded in their intents.

"They killed him and got his head to our usual place. I got the message from a man and I am here. They will pay for this, as a matter of principle."

"Boss," I took the phone from Anton. "Do not expose yourself, because you know it's what they want you to do."

"Enough is enough, Roman. They have dared too far and what mostly disgusted me in this, is that that whore of my wife is behind this: she had the guts to get her own son killed. I have to get her head to settle this down."

Anton and I shared a quick look, both thinking the same. This woman indeed had already sold her soul to the Devil and we could only imagine that nothing would stop her aside a bullet straight in her head.

"Boss, we'll be right back," I said and with that I ended the conversation. "You go back first, Anton. He cannot be left alone, because I know him well and when his honour and respect are touched in such way, he'll want to personally take care of the matter."

"What do you need to do?"

"I need to get my hands on someone close to that woman and to the oligarch. I need to get some information out of this mess and we'll have to take care of that bastard later." Anton cursed out loud and then shoved his gun in the holster under his jacket. "We cannot handle everything at the same time."

"I know," he hissed. "I really can't wait to get even with that son of a bitch."

I only smirked, as we both shared the same feeling about Ruslan.

As Anton drove back to make sure that boss Boris was out of considerable danger and to cover his back, I got to where those dogs had their headquarter and I raised hell in there. They had taken down the boss's son and dared to play around with us? Well, they were going to pay for that and the least I could do, was to return the compliment. Exactly like I told Anton, they were leaderless, for now it was clear that they hadn't completely recognized that traitor as real leader and I doubted they would recognize that woman as such; but something told me that she wasn't directly involved with them, because she sure left it all in Ruslan's hands. Easier for her, because sure as hell she was going to betray him.

I drove out those rats by simply giving them what they wanted: myself and the chance to open my throat. I smiled as I stepped inside the building after having taken care of the two guards standing at the entrance, having left my gift there for that bastard. I shot without thinking twice, aiming at every possible part of their bodies: head, chest, guts, limps...whatever could take them down and I shot and advanced with such ferocity and determination that left them momentary disoriented and I sure didn't wish to give them the time to recover and strike back.

I took them down one by one, like you eliminate cockroaches, and I showed them no mercy. I might have wasted bullets and I might have taken fewer extra risks that could be normally avoided, but I did not care. They had to get down and I had to get them out of the way, for we faced threaten from too many different fronts and, as the boss said, enough was enough. I shot the last one without killing him, since I had already planned to keep this one alive; he searched for cover during my assault and then I remembered where I saw him: he was the right hand of their deceased leader. Another snake's head to cut off and before that, another possible interesting source of information.

Once more, my methods proved efficient in making people loosen up their tongues and whisper the right words and names. I laughed dryly as I gave him the death he deserved by my knife, letting him die by suffocating in his own spilled blood. Bastards in every sense of the word. They had their own agenda and they weren't as stupid and clueless as Ruslan and that woman thought, given they planned, from what I understood, to betray them once our boss was down so to take over his turf in Kiev. Of course they didn't plan to share or stay under Ruslan's command and surely he knew it. Well, I saved him the pain in the ass to get rid of them in a way and in another I took the pleasure to take down the dogs that without doubts were behind Anton's attack.

I had a name I needed and a bit more than expected: they were spying on that woman and they saw her in the company of a foreigner with dark curly hair and with beard. Fuck, no doubts that foreigner was my angel's friend, Cillian Flannery. They have been seen together in London in the past days and they decided to use this fact to take her down and get the oligarch at their side; too bad that man probably already knew and cared little about this, but perhaps, he would be easy to turn him against her if properly "convinced".

Yet, that man directly involved with that woman...Fuck. This was bad.

It complicated things and it threw me in a state of worry never experienced in my entire life. What had that woman planned for him? She wanted all for herself and I was ready to bet she would eliminate Cillian at the first, convenient chance. That man had better not involved my angel in any way, or else I would really deal with him personally.

They were lover with all chances or something like that and that was what worried me. She was known for her abilities in manipulating people and I was glad I had said nothing to Enna about his friend, because what would have happened if for some damn reason that Cillian Flannery would suspect Enna of being involved with me?

Fuck!

He had no idea how deeply he got himself in this shit and he had no idea that he stood no chances of surviving this war. He knew nothing about me and I hoped with all my heart that nothing or nobody would whisper him the wrong word, for I feared he would be the short tempered type of person acting impulsively and without thinking about the consequences. He was involved too deeply in this mess, which meant I could not pull him out or save his neck; if anything, I might be forced to actually get rid of him before he did something very dangerous and stupid. I contemplated the idea of flying back to Ireland, but it wasn't exactly possible and when I went to take my phone, in order to call Eamon, it rang before I could dial the number.

"Roman, we're in deep shit," Anton groaned at the other side of the phone and I understood what was going on.

"Be right back, you take care of the boss."

When I drove back to our quarters, I tried to dial Eamon's number, but I received no reply and calling him like this was already very risky.

Fuck.

I closed my eyes a moment and prayed to a God that probably wanted nothing to do with a man like me, but at least my prayer was aimed to save and protect an angel, my angel.

ENNA POV – IRELAND:

I wasn't sure how many days passed since the day Cillian told me about Roman's decided death, but I still felt that my love was alive. It wasn't anything I could logically explain, but he felt alive and well and that was all it mattered to me. I checked my phone that had rung for the umpteenth times since the morning and I casted it back in my pocket; Cillian was trying to contact me and I didn't want to talk to him. There was nothing he could say that would make me feel better or like I had not lost my dearest friend, for he no longer was my friend. The way he said those words made me see a different Cillian and it hurt me to a point that for a moment I thought I died.

When I walked back to the salon, the trace of tears and the sick paleness on my face couldn't be concealed and Priya sent me many questioning looks that I brushed away with a quick shake of head and gesture of hand. Sarah and Dave didn't ask for anything.

Now I was staring at reflection of my face in the mirror and it looked terrible. Yes, my Roman was alive and I had no doubts, but for how long? What was happening in Kiev? I didn't dare asking to Cillian, because he had hurt and lied to me in a way that made it almost impossible to forgive. I walked out of my bathroom and reached the bedroom, where I collapsed on my bed. Dad came to visit the other day and he was now spending some time with Ciara, as I honestly felt the dear need for some time alone; I told him about my confrontation with Cillian and what he said and I begged him to inform Roman. He replied that a man like Roman surely knew what was waiting for him and that calling him would sort nothing out. He was right of course and of course my love knew the risks he faced, but it still didn't help me in feeling better.

My father left me alone only because he clearly understood that I would never want to see Cillian ever again. His betrayal was too deep for me to comprehend and after I calmed down from the other day, I realised that he hated Roman. It was clear in the way he pronounced those horrible words, as he felt no remorse or guilt in saying that.

I sighed and swallowed down the knot in my throat. The phone rang another time and I went to switch if off, but the number of Priya appeared on the screen and I realized that I couldn't avoid her any longer. I had to prepare an excuse to explain the present situation between Cillian and I, but as soon as I answered the phone, she only asked how I felt.

"Enna, please let me in, I am here with a good bottle of wine and I simply want to cheer you up," she told me on the phone and I smiled at her words, but I halted a moment.

"Are you alone?" I asked with hesitation, because she could be capable of tricking you with good intent.

"Yes sweetie, I'm alone, so will you let my gorgeous ass in or not?" I giggled at her jovial and cheeky voice, so I went to open the main door of the building to let her in.

But as she walked the stairs, I heard another pair of shoes walking on it, and my heart froze in my throat when the face of Cillian showed up in front of me. My eyes immediately shot to my friend and I knew that they reflected the anger raging in me in that moment, as I felt betrayed by her actions. She meant it in a good way and I had no doubts about it, for she wasn't aware of the real problems between us, but sometimes she had this trait that tended to force people in confronting their issues and right then this trait of her only proved very troublesome and unwanted.

"What's the meaning of this?" I demanded as I stared at both of them feeling like I was burning for the emotions thundering in me.

"You two need to talk, because I cannot stand to the side and watch you two fighting for whatever reason you might have. I know how stubborn you both can be, but now you must talk," she replied firmly and I shook my head.

"Stay out of this and I don't remembering asking for your help," I said harshly, knowing I was being unfair toward her, but it couldn't be helped. She widened her eyes in complete surprise and then shot a hard look at Cillian, wondering what might have made me so mad at him.

"Cillian, what the hell have you done to him?" She asked and he fired back the same answer I gave her before.

"Stay out of this, Priya. This time it's between Enna and me only."

"I have nothing to talk about with you and now, leave. Both of you. I don't want to see you and I don't want to talk to you, unless you are here to say that you realised the huge mistake you made and that you did your best to repair it."

"You're the one out of mind and you should be the one seeing it. You have no idea what kind of man you love," he barked out and my eyes shot completely wide in fear he would say more.

"Cillian!" I warned him, but he went to talk more. "Drop it and leave."

"No, I will not leave unless you hear more of me and, if you will close that door, I swear to God that I will stay here and keep talking and knocking on your door until your bloody neighbours will call the Garda."

"What are you talking about?" Priya stepped between us and shot her eyes first at me and then at Cillian. "What's the meaning of this? Is he talking about that man...that Ro.." I stopped her before she could complete the name.

"Priya," I said quickly. "I'm sorry, but please this time stay out of this. Do it for me and do it for yourself. Just trust me, please." I almost begged her, feeling a wrong sensation crawling down my back and stirring some sort of instinctive fear.

"Enna?" She asked with pale and nervous face, her eyes mirroring my worry and also my fear. "What's going on? You can trust me, sweetie."

"Please, go back home and..."

"We need to talk, Enna," Cillian insisted with stronger voice, once more grabbing my arm in a way I didn't like and that made me visibly flinch. Priya didn't miss it and was surprised to see me reacting like that, finally seeing that something wasn't right with our friend. But...could I still call him a friend? No, I could not.

"No, you don't need to talk to him and you were dishonest to me, Cil. We'll leave him alone now, as he asked. Let's go," she said planting her burning and intense, dark eyes on him, challenging him to do differently, but he did not listen. Dear me, why had he involved himself with those people?

"This is none of your business and I will talk to Enna, no matter what." He was clearly losing his temper and the last thing we needed, was alarming my neighbours, for I doubted he would have left easily. And what if he had something to tell me about my love? What if he had news about him? I closed my eyes a moment and took a deep breath, trying to list the possible dangers implied in talking to Cillian. He has always been my best friend and he never did anything to me, so what could happen if we talked? Maybe he would finally open his eyes.

What could happen of bad by simply talking to him? We were in Dublin and nobody knew anything about Roman and I; nobody knew we loved each other. Yes, Cillian did, but he has always been my friend and he wouldn't betray my trust and friendship in this way. At least, I hoped so.

"Fair enough, Cillian. We will talk for five minutes only and that is all."

He seemed to calm down and they gave me the time to grab my coat and scarf, as outside the temperature had dropped down considerably and snow menaced to cover the city. Priya followed us and I knew that once this was over, she would press for further questions, but I decided to consider that matter later. We walked to a nearby park, because with Cillian's state of mind, a public place would only attract too much attention on us and I felt safer because my other friend was with us.

We walked for a bit and then suddenly stopped as a hard voice with an accent that reminded of the one from Roman froze my blood. I turned and a scream died in my throat as two men stood there in front of us, one of them pressing a knife on Priya's neck.

"Look who we have found here," one man said with thick accent and the other didn't reply, probably not speaking a word of English. "Cillian Flannery, right?" My heart stopped and for a moment I thought fear had paralyzed me on the spot. "Answer or we open her throat nicely."

"What do you want from me?" Cillian replied with a voice that betrayed deep panic.

"Nothing much from you, but your pretty girlfriend is the one we want."

I said nothing to those words and only felt painful cold wrapping its fingers around my throat, my heart and my mind. My eyes stared at the blade pressed against my friend's neck and I thought of a way to get her out of here, but I could think of none.

"What do you mean?" Cillian asked now less frightened. "Ruslan...you must be Ruslan." I heard the panic and dread returning in his voice and I kept there staring as if trapped in some dreadful nightmare without way out of it. What could I do to get us out of here?

"If Olena is right, your woman will be the key to take that son of a bitch with the stars down," he replied with dark and sick amusement and I felt like screaming. He meant Roman.

No....no....what has Cillian done or said?

"What do you mean?" He asked once more, placing himself between those two men and me. "Leave him out of this. Just take that bastard down and end this bloody mess."

The man did not reply immediately and, when a sinister smile formed on his lips, I went to yell at Priya to get out of there as I tried to throw myself against him, wanting to create an escape for my friend. But...he did strike faster than I could act and before I could realise it, my friend dropped down on the ground with her throat slashed open and her blood spilling out.

"Noooo!!!" I screamed out of mind, "Nooo...Priya!!!" I screamed more and I thought my heart had broken because I felt so much pain in that moment that I was sure I had lost my sanity. "Priya!!!" I cried out more and tears blurred my vision as I went to launch myself on the man, but Cillian stopped me and a gun froze us.

"One move and you're dead." He turned to the second man and spoke in a language that was Ukrainian with all chances and while I uncontrollably sobbed and cried, staring at the lifeless body of my best friend and seeing what had happened to her because of us, the man that spoke no English tied my wrists. "You are coming to Kiev with us and not a word, or else your families will be the next to go."

I collapsed on my knees at the side of my friend and touched her warm blood...no...She couldn't be dead, she couldn't be dead...no....nooooo...the pain was so strong that it felt excruciating and I couldn't stop crying.

It couldn't be possible, it couldn't be possible, it couldn't be possible!!!

Noooooo!!!

I was harshly dragged back on my feet and the barrel of a gun was shoved against my back.

"Not a word, did you understand me?" I said nothing and did nothing; I only stared at the lifeless body of my friend lying on the ground. And then my eyes shot suddenly full of anger and resentment to the person that used to be my friend.

"What have you done, Cillian?" I hissed at him with so much, never experienced rage that my body trembled and my blood almost suffocated me. "What have you done?" I screamed and a ferocious blow hit me in the face, but I felt no pain.

"Not a word, I said."

What had Cillian done? What??? He had gotten Priya killed and then led those persons to me, so they would use me to take Roman down. No...no...this could not be possible...no! What had he done?

And...what could I do to save Roman and avoid being used against him?

ROMAN POV- KIEV, UKRAINE:

The boss had exposed himself to a considerable risk, but it had gained us to catch the same man I wanted to hunt down before and we now knew where Ruslan really was. I shot the rat in his head and his body collapsed on the floor like an empty sack. Blood dripped out from my arm, but I felt nothing, as his words played once more in my mind. I stared at the corpse and then I looked back to Anton; what this dog told us before about that woman and about that bastard had frozen my blood for a moment.

Ruslan had flown to Ireland, apparently because he wanted to take care of those small fries, but I doubted that was the reason and I concentrated my thoughts on my love. I felt that my angel was in danger and I had to call his father to warn him.

Fuck.

This was worse than what I have thought and there was one reason only for Ruslan to fly to Ireland and it was to take care of that man, Cillian Flannery. I took a deep breath, wanting to regain the necessary calm and concentration, for my mind had to stay focused and sharp, considering how to act later. Cold anger spread through my body and gripped my heart mercilessly as awareness hit me: I should have killed that damn Cillian when I had the chance, because now he might have involved my angel into this without realizing it.

If he did so and if he was still alive, he had numbered days because there was no way I could ever forgive him for tangling my angel in this world and getting a sadistic bastard like Ruslan after him.

Fuck.

I should have killed him when I had the chance to do it and get this mess over.

I kept staring at the corpse and decided that I had to contact Eamon without wasting any time and somehow inform him about this possible threat, because something in my guts told me that this could lead to something very bad and at the moment I couldn't really just leave and fly to Ireland, to make sure my angel was safe and protected.

I wished to call Enna and hear my angel's voice more than anything else, for I missed him and I feared for his safety, but it was not the wisest idea. I had to stay focus and keep my mind cold. Right now we were dancing on the edge of an extremely sharp knife and the smallest mistake meant instant, painful death. Yes, I had to stay focused and cold-blooded; if my angel was really in danger as I feared, this was the only way to save him.

Anton shook his head and then out of spite and deep anger for having wasted time in searching for Ruslan, he unloaded his entire magazine on the dead man. The good thing from this dead bastard was that we finally had the ultimate confirmation that that big dealer stationed in Ireland wasn't directly involved in this, as only some small rats got interested in this deal. Once I was done with these dogs, I was going to make sure the right word reached that man's ears and then, the fate of those vermin was going to be held rightfully in his hands.

"So you were right about that big shot, my friend," Anton said and then his eyes stopped on my face and he creased his brows "What's bothering you?"

"Nothing," I replied without letting my personal emotions betray me by altering the tone of my voice, but I knew I had probably slightly slipped before and my worry possibly quickly showed on my face. "We must decide how to act now and whom to strike down first. I swear that I cannot wait to open Ruslan's throat open."

"That son of a bitch is surely causing us a lot of pain in the ass and I never thought he could be so fucking cunning. In fucking Ireland he had to fly to," Anton swore loudly and I went to walk away to meet our boss, but he stopped me by placing a hand on my arm.

"What is it?"

"What about that foreigner he told us about, the one that apparently fucks this bitch whenever she is in London? They have been seen together and he might be someone that needs to be taken care of and I can do it."

"No, I will deal with him," I replied quickly and his eyes searched my face.

"You can trust me, Roman, you know this," he said with firm voice, staring directly into my eyes.

"I know I can trust you: why you tell me this?" I understood why he spoke those words, yet I asked.

"Because I think there is something personal bothering you and I don't want to leave you alone in this mess, but maybe it's something you cannot tell me, correct?"

"Yes, I cannot say more because there is a person I cannot involve as I would rather kill myself than involve this person. I need to deal with that man named Cillian myself."

"Got it, brother." And then I stopped him a moment and he arched a brow in a mute question.

"Is your person safe and out of this mess?" I enquired and he simply nodded. "Good," I replied and when he walked ahead of me, I took my phone out and dialled Eamon's number, who replied immediately with a voice that made me want to open that bastard named Cillian's throat with my bare hands.

"Roman I was about to call you. Enna has disappeared tonight and they found that friend of her, Priya, dead in a park. Her murder is already in the news and they cut her throat open. They talk about some drunkard, but I know it's not the case. Enna isn't at home and he's not answering to the phone. Same for that bloody tool." I said nothing for a few seconds. This is why they wanted to buy time and distract us. Fuck. "Roman?" He said with harder voice and I closed my eyes a moment. I had been right and they were trying to use my angel to get me down. They could kill me for all I cared, but involving my love and soul changed things completely. "Roman?"

"I heard you," I only said and then I took a deep breath. "I will get him back to you safe. You have my word." With those words I ended the conversation as there wasn't much to discuss about. I knew Ruslan's methods and most of his reasoning. I knew he would not touch Enna until he deemed him useful and that meant, until he could shoot me down.

I was going to kill him very slowly and very painfully, and then I was going to take care of that woman that dared to involve my love, for I could guess it was her doing. At last, I was going to eliminate my angel's friend, hoping my love would find the force to forgive me.

And if they planned to use Enna against me in order to lure boss Boris out and make me choose between them, they were going to make a huge mistake and learn where Roman with the Stars stood.

They should have not involved my angel. They should have not touched the only person I loved.

This marked the beginning of my personal war and they were all going to pay.

Author's chit-chat:

What are your thoughts, emotions, comments and reactions after having read this particular chapter?

Perfect title for the chapter, right?

We can all see how the end is approaching faster and faster.

The picture of Roman chosen for the chapter perfectly seems to fit the last sentence of the chapter, don't you agree?

Who expected this to happen? The death of Priya, Enna kidnapped to Kiev and much more. What will happen next? Will Roman manage to save his angel and also shield his boss from this mess? What will happen to Cillian? He sure has not a bright future ahead of him.

I really hope you enjoyed it and if you did, let me know with your comments and votes :-)

This week I will update "Loving You is Forbidden", FOR REAL (!!!), so stay tuned!

Lots of Love, Magic and Meows,
-TheWitchAndTheCat-