Free Valon: What Once Was (Volkov Bratva Book 0) by London Miller Page A

but he still didn’t understand some words and phrases. For the moment, Valon was just glad she was talking.
    “Valon…” he said carefully, purposefully not giving her his last name. Actually, he didn’t know why he was introducing himself in the first place. With the sheer amount of people who called his name a day, she probably already knew it.
    Clearing his throat, Valon rubbed his hand across the back of his neck, looking away from her. “Did you need something when you were…” He trailed off, waving his hand, hoping she understood what he was asking.
    “Just trying to wake you up.”
    He didn’t detect any malice in her voice…and she had a nice voice. Soft. Kind. A change from the barking and the male voices he heard every day.
    “Sorry.” That was the second time he’d apologized. A record, even for him.
    He moved around her to sit at the foot of the bed, all too aware of the way she still kept her distance from him, but after he had nearly choked her to death, he understood why. He wanted to tell her that he wouldn’t hurt her, that he wasn’t like the others…but wasn’t he? Didn’t he step into the Pit countless times to murder people just because someone told him to?
    She was right to be afraid of him.
    Not liking the silence stretching between them, Valon said, “You don’t have to stay on the floor.” He gestured back on the mattress. “I’m not going to hurt you if that’s what you think.”
    Valon just wasn’t built that way. He could hurt people with his fists, sometimes reveled in it, but never a female, and not in that way. Not that he knew how even if he wanted to.
    She only hesitated a moment before she walked the few, short steps to the mattress and sank down.
    He was surprised she was still okay due to the fact that she still didn’t have any clothes and it didn’t look like anyone was going to give her any. It was the least he could do…
    Back up again, he grabbed one of his old T-shirts and a pair of shorts that were probably too big for her, but it was the best he could do for now.
    Tossing them to her, he pointed to the bathroom. “You can change in there.”
    She disappeared through the door, leaving the light off, but when she emerged, he actually felt better.
    “Thank you.”
    Her gratitude made him uncomfortable, and even she looked uncomfortable. Her because she probably thought he wanted something from her now. Him because he didn’t want anything from her. Especially her gratitude. He might be a killer, but he wasn’t so bad that he was going to use a ruse to get something from her.
    Again, they both fell silent, but it took every ounce of self-control for Valon not to ask her questions. Where was she from…did she have any family…was anyone looking for her, or had she chosen to come here expecting something different… But he couldn’t bring himself to ask because not only was he afraid of the answer, but what else could he do about it anyway?
    Sure, there was a train station a few miles from here, but the likelihood of them reaching that place before anyone noticed they were gone was unlikely.
    Valon didn’t know how long they sat there, his thoughts wandering when she finally spoke.
    “You’re really not like them, are you?”
    He wanted to agree with that assertion with every fiber of his being, but he had never been much of a liar, and he wasn’t going to start now.
    “I’m worse.”

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    10
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    Fatos was waiting for him in the kitchen a few days later, smirking when he noticed Valon’s entry. He’d been around far more often now that he was working his way into the Organization. When he’d first shown up, Valon thought he would be glad for his company, but now he had grown tired of his former friend.
    Not because he did anything in particular, but it was just the smaller acts that annoyed Valon now that he was around Fatos far more than when they’d been children.
    One trait about Fatos was becoming