When it's time for souls to meet, there's nothing on earth that can prevent them from meeting.

RUTHLESS SINS SERIES 5 | THE LOST KING

PROLOGUE – EIGHT YEARS AGO

PAVEL

Tahimik lang akong nakaupo sa mesa at nilalaro ang hawak kong folding knife. Nagtaas ako ng tingin at nakita ko ang kapatid kong si Dmitri na sige ang kumpas sa harap namin. Nakapalibot sa mesa si Dad. The famous businessman Aleksander Botkov. Beside him was our mother, former model and beauty queen Ayena Turgenev Botkov. There were other people sitting with us from this table. Mostly our parents' friends who kept on coming everytime my mother got bored and decided to threw another party.

I am fed up in this kind of parties. It was always the same. Same activities. Gambling. Selling of illegal guns, drugs. Women. There were lots of women being sold to men in this place. My mother knew about it because she was the one supplying those women to these men. Foreigners and locals from different places. If the price was right, they can even do other things to these women.

I looked at their faces. These men who didn't have any soul and would do anything to get what they wanted. I looked at my father. I looked at my brother Dmitri.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror in front of me.

I didn't see any humanity in me anymore. The horrible things that I did...

I looked at my hand playing with the knife. I remembered last night, I just used this to kill someone my brother told me to kill. His former business partner that my brother got irritated to because Dmitri lost in their poker game and the asshole business partner bullied him.

I remember the plead that I saw from his eyes. What was his name? Al? Alex? Alexis? Yeah. That was it. Alexis Quintanar. A restauranteur. He crossed the line last night. He brought up something that shouldn't been brought up that cost him his life.

What I did, after their poker game, I waited for Alexis inside his car. I hid at the back and when he went inside, I slit his throat and left him to die. I told our men to dispose the car and body. I knew people would look for him but knowing that man to be always out of the country, people won't miss him. I could get away from this crime easily.

I grew up in a family full of illegal works. At a young age, our father taught us how to be a killer. To be a survivor. Both Dmitri and I were sent to a boot camp where we could learn basic and advance survival techniques. I remembered the training. I almost died in there and I was begging my father to bring me home. He didn't. He said, the moment I finished my training there, I will be a complete man when I go home.

Now, at the age of twenty-four, I am a soulless killer. I gave no mercy to people who double cross our family. I am loyal to the organization that I grew up with.

The Red Odessa.

I looked at Dmitri who was laughing right now. I smiled too. My brother, we were very close. Tonight, was his celebration. Tonight, was his night. Because my father just announced that he was the new head of The Red Odessa.

And I am happy for him. Kahit kailan hindi naman ako nakaramdam ng inggit kahit na nga alam kong mas paborito siya ng daddy namin. Vocal naman si daddy doon. Kahit si mommy. Me, I am just the fucking middle child who was like a ghost in our family. Makikita lang kapag may kailangan. Well, ganoon din naman kay Katarina. Ang bunso naming kapatid. Pero rebelde ang isang iyon kaya ipinatapon ng magulang namin sa Russia.

"I would like to propose a toast."

Napatingin ako kay Dmitri dahil siya ang nagsalita noon. May hawak siyang baso ng alak na nakataas sa ere. Ang mga tao naman sa paligid ay ganoon din ang ginawa. Tumingin sa gawi ko ang kapatid ko at sinenyasan akong ganoon din ang gawin. Napahinga na lang ako ng malalim at dinampot ko ang baso ng alak at itinaas din sa ere.

"Tonight, is an important night for me. For my family. For our organization, The Red Odessa. I am thankful to my father," tumingin pa si Dmitri sa gawi ng tatay namin at kita ko ang pagmamalaki sa mukha nito habang nakatingin sa paboritong anak. "Who gave the best to all of us. Trained us to be like this and gave me the opportunity to show my strength and capability to be the head of Red Odessa."

Palakpakan ang mga taong naroon. Nanatili lang akong nakatingin kay Dmitri nang tumingin siya sa gawi ko.

"And to my brother," sinenyasan niya akong tumayo at lumapit sa kanya. Umiling na ako dahil ayaw ko naman na sumali pa sa spotlight niya pero matindi ang pagpilit ni Dmitri. Nang hindi ako tumayo ay siya na ang lumapit sa lugar ko at pilit akong pinatayo tapos ay pumunta kami sa harap. Inakbayan pa niya ako. "My brother Pavel, who is always there for me." tumingin siya sa akin. "We will lead The Red Odessa and we will be the most powerful organization within the families."

Muli ay palakpakan ang mga taong naroon. Humarap sa akin si Dmitri at hinawakan ako sa batok para talagang magka-level ang mukha namin.

"We will fucking rule them all, brother. We will be the beasts in this game." Pagkasabi niya noon ay ininom niya ang laman ng basong hawak at yumakap nang mahigpit sa akin.

Nang humiwalay siya ay ang ganda talaga ng ngiti niya.

"I am proud of us," sabi niya sa akin. "Magagawa na natin lahat."

Natawa ako. "Let's just stick to our plans. The guns and the drugs and we are not going to hurt women and children."

Kumumpas siya sa hangin at sinenyasan akong sumunod sa kanya at naglakad kami paalis sa banquest hall. Lumabas kami sa veranda.

"There are so many businesses that we could take. The Yelchin's oil distribution is getting bigger. Sidorov's heroin empire is getting it's mark too. Kurnirov..." napakibit-balikat si Dmitri. "He is slow in his game. Mas mabilis umandar ang mga drugs ni Arseny. And the Rozovsky's..." napatawa ng nakakaloko si Dmitri.

"Why don't we just focus on our business? We don't need to get involved with those families. We don't want to break the rules. For so many years, the families in the organization are doing business quietly." Sagot ko.

Kumumpas sa hangin si Dmitri. "And where is the fun in that? Boring iyon. Now that I am on top, I will make sure that all those families will kneel before us. Fuck the truce. Truce is for cowards and we are the Botkov's. They should be afraid of us."

Napailing na lang ako at itinuon sa ibang lugar ang tingin ko habang ininom ang laman ng baso ko. Nakita kong may kinawayan si Dmitri at nagpaalam sa akin na may kakausapin lang. Tiningnan ko ang mga iyon. Grupo ng mga nakilala niyang mga anak-mayayamang durugista. Siguradong i-score lang ng drugs ang mga iyon. Nakita ko din na lumapit si mommy sa mga ito. Ang ganda ng ngiti ni mommy at mayamaya lang ay ilang mga babae ang lumapit sa gawi ng mga ito. Napaikot ang mata ko. Aside from drugs, there were getting women too. Siguradong mapupuno na naman ang mga kuwarto dito sa villa. Mapupuno na naman ng mga halinghing. Nang mga sigaw na hindi ko na minsan alam kung dahil pa ba sa sarap o nasasaktan na. I got used to it. I got numbed in this kind of scene.

Sumenyas ako sa isang waiter na malapit sa akin at humingi ako ng refill ng alak. Hindi pa rin ako umalis sa puwesto ko dahil ayaw ko nang bumalik pa sa loob. Mayamaya ay aalis na rin ako dito. I'd rather go home, plunge in my pool and relax. I was thinking of whom to call so I won't get bored tonight. Hanggang sa makita ko ang isang babae na naroon sa kabilang dulo ng veranda na may hawak na baso ng wine. Red wine ang laman.

She looked so young. Fresh actually. Fresh and innocent. She was wearing a white off shoulder dress. Her hair was messy on her head. I always saw this kind of hairstyle to those models that I had dated. I remembered they called this... a messy bun. I wonder how she would look like once I removed the pins from her hair and let it loose to her naked body.

I cleared my throat. I felt it became dry when I saw the woman moved and I saw her beautiful face. Fuck, she was very pretty. I had dated and fucked pretty women too but this one... she was different. The innocence on her face was like promising a never-ending ecstasy. My dirty mind was already playing scenarios inside my head. Her face was distorted, her mouth was opened moaning loudly and screaming my name while I was fucking her hard.

Agad kong sinaway ang sarili ko sa naisip ko na iyon. Jesus. What the fuck was wrong with me? I just fucked someone last night after I killed Alexis. And if I wanted to fuck someone, I could easily get one inside. I could choose from my mom's roster of women. Most of the time, they were the ones offering themselves to me. I didn't need to fantasize to some random girl that I just saw in this party.

I continued to look at her. Napangiti pa nga ako nang makita kong tinitingnan niya ang wine glass na hawak na parang ngayon lang siya nakakita ng ganoon. Kitang-kita ko ang amazement sa mukha niya habang nakatingin doon. Inamoy pa niya at natawa ako nang umasim ang mukha niya. Ilang beses pa siyang huminga ng malalim at inamoy-amoy iyon tapos ay tuluyang uminom sa hawak na wine glass. Napahalakhak na ako nang makita kong naibuga niya iyon at hitsurang sukang-suka sa natikman niya.

Napatingin siya sa gawi ko at agad akong napatigil sa pagtawa. Pinilit kong magpaka-seryoso dahil nakita ko ang pagkapahiya sa mukha ng babae. Itinaas ko na lang ang hawak kong baso sa kanya at uminom doon.

Halatang uneasy na siya dahil sa napahiya. Doon na ako lumapit. Sigurado naman ako na bisita siya dito. Kung sino-sino naman kasi ang invited nila daddy na laging may mga bitbit na mga plus one o minsan plus ten pa nga.

"Didn't like the wine?" Sabi ko nang makalapit sa kanya. Mas maganda pala sa malapitan ang babae at mas bata siyang tingnan sa malapitan. Baby face pero ang katawan, matured na matured na. Nagmamalaki ang mga dibdib na gustong kumawala sa suot niyang off shoulder dress. Ganito naman kasi ang mga tipong babae ng mga clients ni mommy. Mas bata, mas gusto ng mga lalaking iyon. But definitely, this one was not among my mom's women. Ngayon ko lang nakita ang babaeng ito.

Hindi siya sumagot sa sinabi ko. Nanatili lang siyang nakatingin sa hawak na wine glass.

"How about white wine? It's more subtle. The Cabarnet Sauvignon must be too strong for you." Sumenyas ako sa dumaan na waiter para ipakuha siya ng ibang maiinom pero pinigilan niya ako.

"I-I am okay." Pilit na pilit ang ngiti niya sa akin. Halatang kinakabahan ang babae at ilang beses pang napahinga ng malalim. Mayamaya ay tumingin siya sa hawak kong baso. "H-how about that? What is that?"

Tiningnan ko ang hawak ko. "This? Scotch. On the rocks."

"Can I have a taste of that instead?" pilit siyang ngumiti sa akin.

Gulat akong napatingin sa kanya. "Are you sure?" Bahagya pa akong lumayo sa kanya. "How old are you first? If you are under eighteen, I am not going to allow you to have a taste of this or any liquor in this party."

Nakita ko ang kalituhan sa mukha niya. Halatang nataranta. Umawang ang bibig pero agad ding tinikom iyon.

"I-I'm nineteen." Kabadong sagot niya.

Napabuga ako ng hangin sa relief. Thank God she was not a minor. Hindi ako makukulong.

Gusto kong pagtawanan ang sarili ko. Mas nag-alala pa ako kung makukulong sa pagpatol sa menor pero hindi ako nag-aalala sa tuwing pumapatay ako.

"All right, here." Iniabot ko ang baso ng scotch sa kanya na kinuha naman niya tapos ay ibinigay sa akin ang hawak niyang wine glass. "But let me tell you that it is stronger than-"

Hindi ko naituloy ang sasabihin ko nang walang sabi-sabi niyang ininom ang laman ng baso. Gusto ko siyang pigilin pero ginawa lang niyang tubig ang laman noon. Ako na nanlalaki ang mata ay nanatiling nakatingin lang at gulat na gulat sa ginawa niya. Napainom nga ako sa hawak kong wine glass.

Hindi agad makakilos ang babae nang maubos nito ang scotch. Tingin ko ay napatulala pa at hitsurang masusuka. Hitsurang pinapakiramdam ang pagbabagong nararamdaman sa katawan.

"W-wait. Wait. Are you going to puke?" Nag-aalalang tanong ko.

Hindi siya sumagot at parang susuka talaga. Lumayo na ako sa kanya pero dumighay lang siya ng malakas at nahihiyang tumingin sa akin. Napatakip siya ng bibig. "S-sorry."

Natawa na lang ako habang napapailing at uminom sa hawak kong wine.

"Are you a Botkov? The head of Red Odessa."

Tingin ko ay umepekto na sa kanya ang alak na nainom. Biglang naging at ease ang kilos niya at pumungay pa ang mata habang nakatingin sa akin.

"Yep," tumatangong sabi ko. I wanted to brag this time. I wanted her to know that she was lucky that a Botkov was talking to her even if I didn't know who was with her. "How about you? Whose plus one are you?

"Oh," tumawa pa siya. "I-I am... I... with..." natatawa siya kahit walang nakakatawa. Halatang lasing na.

"Is this your first time to drink?" Natatawang tanong ko kasi nakakatawa talaga ang mga inaakto niya.

Humalakhak siya ng malakas. Hindi na nahihiya. "Yes! I-I feel... it's like..." muli ay natawa siya at tumingin sa akin. "Audrey. My name is Audrey."

"And you are drunk, Audrey." Natatawa pa ring sabi ko at muling uminom sa hawak kong wine glass.

"I... I am... And... let's go fuck." Walang anuman na sabi niya.

Naibuga ko ang iniinom kong wine. 

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