The mansion was quiet.
Too quiet.
Inside the master bedroom, Lilith slept deeply. Her small body curled gently under the blanket, breathing softly. She had been exhausted after the fireworks and excitement of the previous night.
She didn't know a storm was coming.
In the garden earlier that morning, Nikolai stood with the members of The Dominion Apex and The Bratva. Everyone gathered around a large table where maps, phones, and weapons were spread out.
They were planning.
Tracking.
Preparing.
Because someone had declared war.
Arina stood nearby, pretending to focus on the strategy papers.
But her eyes kept drifting toward Ethan.
He leaned against a pillar, arms folded across his chest.
Tall.
Handsome.
His dark hair slightly messy.
A faint scar stretched along the side of his neck, like someone had once tried to slit his throat.
Nikolai noticed immediately.
A slow grin spread across his face.
"Looks like someone has a little crush," he teased.
Arina's face instantly turned bright red.
"Shut up," she mumbled.
Nikolai chuckled quietly.
Before anything else could be said, Damian stepped forward.
"Boss."
Everyone turned toward him.
"The weapons were stolen last night. But we got the people who took them."
Nikolai's eyes sharpened.
"And?"
"We traced the man behind it."
A small smirk appeared on Nikolai's face.
"Good."
He stood up.
Immediately everyone else stood too.
They all knew something else.
There was a spy among them.
Which was exactly why they had created this plan.
A trap.
"Bye guys! See you later!" Nimra said cheerfully.
The members of The Dominion Apex began leaving the mansion.
Soon after, The Bratva followed.
Nikolai and his family left as well.
Cars drove away one after another.
Soon the entire mansion became empty.
Silent.
Except for one person.
Upstairs.
Fast asleep.
The tiny girl.
Lilith.
Not far away, a man whispered into a phone.
"Boss… she alone. Nobody here. They all left. Emergency."
A deep voice answered.
"Hmmm."
The man smiled slowly.
It was Arnav.
He stood up.
A cruel smirk spreading across his face.
"Perfect."
Two hours later.
The front doors of the mansion opened slowly.
Ten guards outside lay dead.
Arnav stepped inside with his men.
Gun in hand.
The gun he had stolen from Nikolai's company.
He walked through the quiet hallway.
Then he saw her.
Sleeping peacefully.
"Oh my baby girl," he whispered with a wicked smile.
"Look how cute she sleeps."
He raised the gun slightly.
Lilith stirred.
She yawned.
Then slowly sat up rubbing her eyes.
"Nikki…?" she whispered sleepily.
"Hi baby," Arnav said.
Lilith froze.
Her eyes blinked.
"Who… who are y…y…you?"
He smiled coldly.
"Your worst nightmare."
Her tiny hands tightened around her teddy bear.
"Baby… you gonna die like your Nani."
He stepped closer.
Lilith slowly moved backward on the bed.
"Grab her," Arnav commanded.
"Yes boss."
Two men rushed forward.
"No!" Lilith screamed.
They grabbed her arms.
She kicked wildly.
But they held her tightly.
Arnav stepped closer.
Then suddenly—
SLAP
He struck her face.
Her head snapped sideways.
Her lip trembled.
He grabbed the collar of her jumpsuit.
And ripped it open.
The fabric tore apart.
Underneath she wore a small bra.
Arnav licked his lips.
"This is what I've been waiting for."
Lilith screamed.
But suddenly—
WHACK
Her foot smashed into Arnav's face.
He staggered backward.
The guards tightened their grip.
Lilith struggled wildly.
Then she saw something.
A pencil lying on the table.
Her fingers grabbed it.
She lunged.
STAB
The pencil slammed into one man's ear.
He screamed.
Before the others could react—
STAB
She drove it straight into another guard's eye.
Blood splattered.
"LILY NOW MAD!" the tiny girl screamed.
Arnav slowly smiled.
An evil smile.
Meanwhile.
Nikolai's convoy returned to the mansion.
The moment they stepped out of the cars—
They saw blood.
Bodies.
Dead guards.
Ethan's heart dropped.
"LILY!"
"LILY!" he shouted.
Nikolai's eyes scanned the ground.
Then he saw something.
A torn piece of Lilith's jumpsuit.
His blood turned ice cold.
Then they heard something outside.
Crying.
Nikolai ran.
Everyone pulled out guns.
They rushed into the garden.
And then they saw her.
The tiny angry queen herself.
Lilith stood over several men tied to a tree.
She stomped on them repeatedly.
"Bad bad bad bad bad bad!"
Half the men were dead.
The rest were badly wounded.
And Arnav lay unconscious on the ground.
Flashback
"No!" Lilith screamed.
Arnav had torn open her jumpsuit.
He slapped her again.
"SHUT UP!"
His men pinned her arms down.
Arnav stepped closer.
He pulled out his phone.
"I'm going to record this."
"I'll send it to Nikolai."
"Let him watch how I ruin his tiny wife."
Lilith trembled.
Then he said something.
"I killed your Nani."
"I sent her back to the Almighty just how I wanted."
Lilith froze.
Her voice trembled.
"Y…y…you killed Nani?"
Arnav screamed.
"YES I DID!"
"JUST LIKE YOUR FATHER KILLED MY FAMILY!"
"And now it your turn!"
He leaned closer.
"But first… let me taste Nikolai's wife."
Lilith's eyes changed.
The image of Rhea dying in her arms flashed in her mind.
Suddenly—
Her hand grabbed a knife one guard carried.
STAB
She drove it into the man's eye.
Then kicked Arnav in the chest with full fury.
The same explosive rage her father possessed.
She attacked like a storm.
Stabbing.
Kicking.
Scratching.
"BIG MEANIES!" she screamed.
Soon all the men were down.
Her jumpsuit half torn.
Breathing hard.
She dragged Arnav outside.
Tied him to a tree.
Then sat down on the ground.
And cried.
Flashback End
Nikolai quickly wrapped his coat around her shoulders.
"It okay Bambi."
He whispered softly.
"Batliy got justice for Nani right?"
Lilith sniffled.
"Uh…huh…"
"It okay baby. Come on."
He lifted her gently.
Carried her inside.
"Bambi look at me."
She looked up.
Tears filled her eyes.
Nikolai wiped them away.
He kissed her eyelids softly.
"It okay Bambi."
"Your Nikki is here."
She nodded slowly.
He carried her to the bathroom.
Filled the bathtub.
Gently cleaned the blood from her body.
As he washed her, Nikolai noticed something.
Her body.
Small.
But curvy.
Thick thighs.
Full chest.
Rounded hips.
His breath grew heavier.
He lowered his head slightly.
Then suddenly stopped himself.
"No," he thought.
"She still sixteen."
"She little."
"She doesn't know."
"I have to control myself."
He sighed deeply.
Then finished washing her gently.
He wrapped her in a towel.
Then dressed her in a teal green Princess Tiana pajama set from The Princess and the Frog.
The family waited outside silently.
Nikolai stepped out.
He removed his shirt.
Carried Lilith in his arms.
Wrapped her in a long orange and black tie-dye blanket.
Then he sat down.
And began singing softly.
A lullaby.
"Sleep my love
Hush now my love the night is here
Lay your head and have no fear
The moon is bright above the sky
And I am here right by your side
Close your eyes and drift away
Let the quiet night gently sway
Stars are shining just for you
Painting dreams in silver and blue
Sleep my love the world can wait
Morning will come it won't be late
Rest your heart against my chest
In my arms you'll always rest
Hush now sweetheart calm your mind
Leave every worry far behind
The wind outside sings soft and low
Like rivers in the moonlight glow
If shadows whisper in the night
I'll hold you close until it's light
No storm no fear no lonely sound
Can reach you while my arms are around
Dream of gardens filled with light
Soft white flowers in the night
Golden fields and skies so wide
Where only peace and love reside
Sleep now darling breathe in slow
Feel the gentle night wind blow
The stars will guard you from above
Wrapped in warmth and endless love
If you wake and call my name
I'll whisper softly just the same
'I'm here my love don't be afraid
Rest in the promises we made'
So drift away my precious one
Your day is over your worries done
The night will keep you safe and deep
While I watch over your gentle sleep
Sleep my love my heart my light
Dream beneath the quiet night
And when the morning sun shines through
I'll still be right here loving you."
Lilith slowly fell asleep during the song.
Nikolai kissed her forehead.
"Sleep well my dearest Bambi."
Daria wiped her eyes.
"I feel so sad for Lily… yesterday she made everyone happy… today she hurt."
Brandon clenched his fists.
"I have never been this angry over a tiny girl."
"That bastard will pay."
Meghna nodded.
"Let torture him slowly. For ruining girls lives."
"YEAH!" everyone whispered.
"Shhh," Taran warned.
They looked toward Nikolai.
He sat quietly.
Still humming the lullaby.
Rubbing Lilith's back gently.
Meanwhile.
Cell 222
A man spoke to someone behind the bars.
"Boss… Arnav attacked the Gem. He wanted to rape her. But she killed his men with a pencil."
"Nikolai's guards died."
"She was alone."
"But Nikolai tracking the other six people behind the attacks."
"Arnav will be tortured badly."
"No one in that mansion will spare him."
"Especially her husband."
Behind the bars sat a man.
Huge.
Terrifying.
They called him The Beast.
He watched Nikolai on a monitor holding Lilith and singing to her.
"Aww… so cute," Zhanna joked behind him.
The Beast tilted his head slowly.
"Hmmm."
"When will I be out?"
"One week sir."
"Good."
Back in Russia.
The Devereaux mansion burned with silent rage.
Nikolai gently placed Lilith on the bed.
"Goodnight Bambi."
He kissed her nose.
Then her forehead.
His eyes turned dark.
Outside the room stood Ethan.
He wore a vest.
His hands wrapped in bandages.
His eyes red from anger.
Both the husband.
And the big brother.
Were ready.
Arnav would pay.
The price?
His life.