INSATIABLE CRAVINGS
Insatiable Cravings – Episode 64
Subtitle; {Loving You Is A Loosing Game}
TAGS: Age-gap, Mafia, Forbidden Love, Drama, Tragedy and Betrayal.
Settings: United Kingdom, Russia and others.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
~ Genevieve ~
As I collapsed onto my living room sofa, a dramatic, exhausted sigh escaped my lips. The bliss of being back home after hours of shopping was pure relief, and I let out a deep breath, feeling the weight of the day melt away.
Julianna mirrored my position on the opposite sofa, yawning tiredly. It was clear today had been long, yet enjoyable.
Well, except for the part where my mind kept drifting back to Dominic. A tad more often than I’d care to admit.
What? Leave me alone, alright? It’s not my fault that I kept thinking about him. It’s not my fault that every time I look around and don’t see Dominic, my heart squeezes in my chest.
I just want him back. It feels as though we’ve drifted so far apart that mending our relationship seems utterly impossible. Wait, I forgot—there has to be an “us” before any attempt at fixing things can even begin.
“You’re doing it again,” Jules remarked, adjusting the throw pillow under her head to get comfortable while her gaze remained fixed on me.
I know that, Julianna!
Feigning cluelessness, I tilted my head in confusion, determined to keep up the act. “Doing what?”
A frown crossed her face. “That. You’re thinking about him again.”
“I haven’t no idea what you’re on about.” I shook my head in denial, but she wasn’t buying it. “Who is this ‘him’ you speak of?”
My best friend’s frown transformed into amusement, and before I knew it, she burst into infectious laughter. “You’re not sane.”
“Ouch,” I replied, throwing a throw pillow at her. It hit her squarely in the face, prompting a dramatic gasp as she jumped to her knees. “Don’t! My hands slipped.”
“My hands want to slip too,” she replied, snatching the throw pillow she was using and hurling it back at me. It struck me right in the face, and she smirked smugly. “Blimey, wasn’t my aim rather good?”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.”
“Don’t be a sore loser, Genevieve. It doesn’t suit you.”
“I am not a sore loser, Julianna.”
The girl I’ve called my best friend for years, the one I consider my sister from another mother, hummed doubtfully, giving me a skeptical look.
“Seriously, I am not a sore loser,” I reiterated. “Because I hardly ever lose.”
Except for that one day when Dominic distracted me from winning the ‘Shoót the bottles’ game against Echo, Blade, and the insufferable one whose name I won’t mention.
It suddenly dawned on me. I was, yet again, thinking about Dominic-related matters. Why did my mind keep returning to him when I should be concentrating on forgetting everything associated with him?
I know it sounds impossible, but if I devote all my mind and soul to it, I have a feeling I could manage. I will forget that my foólish heart fell in love with an emotionally unavailable man and move on.
“Has anyone ever told you that your ego could rival Mount Everest?”
Yes. Sal never lets me forget how massive my ego is; he finds a way to mention it in every conversation we have.
Wait, I did it again.
I buried my face into a pillow on the sofa and let out a groan so loud it could deafen someone. Fortunately, it was muffled by the pillow. I kicked my legs in the air, irritated with myself for yet another blunder.
“By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask you something, Genny.”
I paused my kicking and groaning, lifting my head just enough to glance at her. “What?”
“That man and that lady who came to school to meet you a few days ago—who are they? I’ve never seen them before, and I know everyone you do.”
I nearly laughed at that. It shouldn’t be funny how mistaken she is, but somehow, it is. I know it’s practically a críme to hide things from your best friend; however, it’s not as if I had a choice in the matter.
And if I do tell her, she’ll be even more freàked out by Dominic. I mean, she’s already terrifiéd of him without knowing that he leads the Bràtva. She might even spill the secret, jeopardising Dominic and everyone at the base.
“Genevieve,” she called when I failed to respond.
How could I when I hadn’t thought of a lie yet?
Julianna isn’t someone one can easily foól. She’s far too observant for a lie to slip past her. If I say they’re my friends, she’ll undoubtedly ask more questions.
The decision to try and play it smart struck me, and I immediately replied, “Why? Why do you ask?”
“I don’t know if it’s just me, but they were giving off serious ‘I kíll kittens for fun’ vibes.”
“What? No, they just kíll people, not animals.”
Shock, fear, and uncertainty flashed across Julianna’s face all at once, and that’s when I realised I’d really messed up. I’d truly put my foot in it.
“What?!” she exclaimed.
Think.
Think.
Think faster.
Ah, yes.
“Gamers. They’re gamers. They kíll people in the games they play, definitely not in real life. That would be bonkers—and even maddér if I hung around with them.”
Jules looked at me as if she didn’t believe a word I’d just said. If I were her, I wouldn’t believe me either, considering how much I was rambling. I never ramble.
“Genevieve,” she said cautiously, her eyes scanning my face as she shifted closer. “They are not gamers, are they?”
I couldn’t lie.
“No.”
“They’re bàd people, right?”
“No.”
She let out a heavy sigh, as if my one-word replies were adding to her stress. Julianna then tucked her hair behind her ears and said something that made me freeze in shock. “Gosh, this sounds like the beginning of one of your many dàrk romance novels. What are you going to tell me next, that they work for the màfia? Or wait, that Dominic is their… what do you call it again? Dón, isn’t it?”
Exactly ten seconds passed while I remained frozen in surprise, and Julianna’s blue eyes studied my expression. I tried—I really tried—to school my features, but I couldn’t manage it.
Then, it looked like it clicked in her head. Her eyes widened, her jaw dropped, and a loud gasp escaped her lips. “Dominic is in the màfia?” she whispered, half-yelling.
Oh no, this isn’t going as planned.
“Dominic Morozov, the man you’re in love with, is most definitely not the Dón of the Bràtva now, is he, Genevieve?”
“What? No, of course not.” I rambled, praying to the heavens that she would believe me and drop the subject. “Why on earth would you even think that?”
“Because it’s you. You charge headlong into dañger instead of away from it.”
“I don’t do that.”
“You do. I’ve known you for years, Genevieve, and I’m telling you that you absolutely do. It’s as if you’ve got nine lives the way you’re drawn to dangeroús escapades.”
“Bungee jumping isn’t dangeroús.”
“You’re sidestepping the issue, Vie. Who is Dominic Morozov?”
I sighed, resigned. If anything were to happen, I suppose I’d have to take responsibility for it. Without hesitation this time, I nodded, trying to phrase my words carefully before I spoke.
“You mustn’t breathe a word of this to anyone, not even to inanimate objects,” I warned, my tone firm and serious, pitched low enough that no one else could hear us. “If you do, you’re only inviting trouble for yourself.”
“Don’t frighten me.”
“I’m not. Dominic can be quite… ruthléss when dealing with his… victíms, so it’s best you keep quiet.”
“Victíms? What do you mean?”
“Dominic Morozov is the head of the Bràtva. Those people who came to see me are his móbsters. They’ve been temporarily residing here in the UK for years on a mission.”
The terrór faded from her face, replaced by curious intrigue. Julianna hugged a throw pillow to her lap, balancing her elbows on it as she asked, “What mission?”
I don’t know.
Now that she mentioned it, I suddenly found myself wanting to know exactly what that mission was. What could possibly be so significant that Dominic had to move from Russia to the United Kingdom?
Blast it, this is why I dislike getting curious. It leads me to take on the role of an investigator for a few days, digging for the information I crave. I wouldn’t be in this predicament if Jules hadn’t pieced everything together.
How will I gather this information now, considering Dominic and I aren’t on speaking terms? Well, it’s more accurate to say that I’m not speaking to him. I’ve already told Echo and Blade, who came to my school just before the last exams to check on me and see what was going on, not to come anymore.
It’s not as though I was rude to them; I merely distanced myself with words, creating a significant gap between us. Being friends with them while attempting to move on from their boss isn’t a sensible combination.
Ugh, I detést this.
“You don’t know, do you?” Julianna pressed, and I shook my head in response, hissing. “Well, isn’t that a good thing?”
I turned to face her. “What do you mean?”
How can that be a good thing?
Genevieve King doesn’t like being left in the dàrk about information she wishes to know.
“What if the information could cause destrúction? What if it breaks you, Genevieve? Ignorance can be bliss.”
“You just had me spill everything.” I snapped.
“Yes, I wish I hadn’t. Now that I know all of that, I’m even more frightened of Dominic. No wonder his vibes were always off, brooding and dàrk; I wasn’t mistaken about him.”
“You’re never wrong; it’s like your superpower.”
“I know,” she replied, grinning widely.
“Just as I’m not a sore loser and am always right.”
“No, you’re not.”
I was glad that my keeping secrets hadn’t jeopardised our friendship. Yes, she still looked a tad taken aback, but I thought she would adjust to the information. I certainly hoped she knew how to keep her mouth shut, especially under pressure.
That’s one of the many reasons I hadn’t confided in her until now.
“Well, I know I’m right when I say you and Alessio are in a fake relationship.” I dropped the bombshell I had been holding onto for far too long.
The throw pillow slipped from her grasp as she stared at me, surprised and speechless, mouth agape. I smirked, satisfied with her reaction.
“You two might be brilliant actors to others, but your act was convincing enough for me. I had my doubts about your sudden relationship with someone you claim not to like, so I did a bit of digging. You’re welcome.”
Julianna knew she couldn’t even try to turn it back on me; it was the simple truth. She rolled her eyes, and I chuckled.
“Not funny.”
“Your face is hilarious right now.”
She glared at me, and I winked, causing her to grimace playfully. “Liam’s girlfriend.”
Annoyance washed over me in an instant, and before I knew it, I’d thrown another pillow at her face. She giggled, clearly pleased to have provoked the reaction she wanted. “Not funny.”
I don’t understand why people keep bringing up Liam in conversation. Dominic did it, Sloane did it, even that wrétched dog, Christian, did it, and now it’s my own best friend, the one I trust with my entire heart.
The betrayal cuts deep.
Ugh, even my million followers on Instagram are shipping us. Me and Liam, like some sort of couple. Over my déad body would I ever date him. He’s not my type at all.
My type is a tall man, fair-skinned, with whiskey-coloured eyes, hair that’s wonderfully soft, and lips so kissable, accompanied by the voice and physique of a god. A man named Dominic Morozov, who still hasn’t divulged what his mission here is.
Blimey, I’m thinking about him again.
“Aren’t you Liam’s date to prom tonight?” Julianna asked, still grinning.
Today, during our little shopping spree with the gang—Julianna, Sloane, her dàft boyfriend Christian, and Liam, who joined us today—I was cornered by Liam, who asked me to be his date for tonight’s party. Naturally, I turned him down because, for one, it would give him mixed signals, and for two, I’m still contemplating whether to go or not.
In that moment, all I wanted was to come home and sleep for twelve solid hours.
“No. No, I am not.”
TBC
