Klara Volkov

location      :       wildflour     bakery. 

he’s on the side waiting for his drink to be done , ever since carmen had gotten hooked on the cold brew with the cold foam on top . he hears the drink order and instantly grabs it but clashes with another hand , turning he sees the blonde and he takes a step back ❝  looks like i’m not the only who has great taste . ❞ he says with a small smile spread on his brims ❝ go ahead , take it . i’m not in any rush .  ❞ 

«   closed    starter    :   @klara-volkov​   »

Klara knew that too much coffee was bad for her but she found herself lagging and in need of coffee by the afternoon, otherwise she could keep to her busy work schedule. Occupied with her phone, thumbing through the news-feed looking to see if anything had been written about recent events yet, she didn’t notice her hand reach for the same coffee as someone else until their skin brushed. Tearing her gaze from her phone she looked up at the stranger, a warm smile working on her face. “Great taste and a true gentlemen, it appears you are a rare breed these days.” 

The Black Rabbit was always Klara’s favourite venue in Oceanside, it fit into her taste and aesthetic perfectly, plus she found herself disturbed significantly less. Turning the rocks in her whiskey around, she sat reminiscing about the events that had unfolded over the past few days and the destruction she had caused. It made her crave more excitement in her life. Sipping the last of the whiskey, she let her eyes leisurely make their way to the bar where she was greeted by a familiar face. “Not often I see you behind this bar,” she mused, a smirk dancing across her features as she used her index finger to push the glass towards him. 

Currently, Klara night was on the top of the most eventful nights of her life and she knew there was still one more obstacle to overcome before she could end the night. The last person on her list to talk to was the man who had been panicking texting her to see where she was and concerned for her safety, completely oblivious at what she had just done. Walking down the hallway, she opened the door to the security, poking her head round the door. “Sorry, late night at Isaak’s. I should have told you,” she smiled trying to reassure him everything was okay. “I hope you didn’t worry too much about me?” It was a pointless question, she had read in his texts that he was worried about her being alone just after the attack on her brother, but she wanted to defuse any questions that may arise from him.

Still mentally and physically drained from staying at the hospital while Vasili had recovered, Isaak was dragging ass that day. He had plenty on his plate, including a personal meeting with his father that wasn’t bound to go over well. In order to prepare himself he sat in his home office, smoking a cigar and drinking some scotch, waiting for Klara to arrive with some news she wanted to relay. At this point he had been hit with so much bad news that he craved even a semblance of some good. No sooner had he finished off his drink, Klara knocked on his office door, to which he answered with “Заходи” in Russian. “So you’ve said. Have a seat and spill. This better be good news because I have to deal with the dragon himself tonight and I’m already feeling rather uptight.” Boy if that wasn’t an understatement! Leaning back in his chair as he puffed on his cigar, he patiently awaited his sister’s news. The two hadn’t had their usual pow-wows lately, mostly because of how attentive he’s been to Vasili. 

Klara felt her hands start become sweaty, as her nerves and anticipation of her brothers reaction caused her heart to beat faster. Of course, she knew her brother would not chastise her decision too seek revenge, more she was scared that he would be anger that she had not sought approval. Acting out of line in the Volkov family came with consequences and she had been on the receiving end once or twice. “I may have dealt with a situation,” she stated, taking a seat across from her brother. Icy hues locking onto him as she tried to find the words to phrase the actions she had taken. “I saw an opportunity to strike back the Scorpions and I took it, currently Gerard is laying in an alleyway,” she paused, trying to gauge his reaction, “barely holding onto life. In the morning he will be found and have no recollection of who left him in such a state.” Crossing her legs, she sat waiting for his reaction.

Conducting business in the Black Rabbit had become a norm for Klara, due to the music playing it made it hard for people to eavesdrop in on the discussion that was taken place. So she had texted Logan to meet her there, wanting to talk to him about a problem she was concerned with but also probe into how much of the situation he knew about. Pressing her glass to her lips, she scanned the entrance waiting for the familiar figure to enter. When he did, she let a small smile spread on her lips as she raised her eyebrows at him. “Thank you for coming, it appears we may have a common problem that needs to be resolved quickly.”  

+

“Only family and our closest security.” Which had been her initial thought after the poisonings at the Gala, but even Diana lost sight of the necessity in recent weeks. Particularly where a certain man had been concerned, but it was a mistake she never intended to make again. “I don’t doubt our ability to look after ourselves, but additional firepower never hurt.” Too many cooks in the kitchen was, in fact, far better than the alternative. If anything, the Scorpions recent actions proved that the Volkov family were far too lenient and rising up in greater numbers might be the first step at striking back. “How are you?”

“I only trust family, Ryan and Aeva,” she stated. Everyone else was on a list of indecision, threats were all over Oceanside and she had no intention on letting someone easily gain the upper hand on her. So for now, her suspicion was laid upon anyone who could strike against the Volkov family even those who had served in the Vipers for years. “I’m okay, just don’t want to be followed and watched all the time.” Being free from marriages for the past few years was a blessing, so now she had security following her or watching up on her made her feel trapped all over again. “How are you though dearest cousin?”

It felt like no one seemed to admit their nicotine habits to themselves, or they had a lack of regard for whenever they saw him with a billow of smoke under his breath. It was enough to tempt him to end the habit. He watched her diligently, the way it all slid off her body like she was marble. She was cold enough to be, when she wanted to. She was elegant just like it, but the wrong tumble, and she’d crush whoever was in her way if she were to shatter.

Redhead. It was a feature he wouldn’t give much mind to had she not left an impression, and it seemed that it was a quality she’d grown a reputation for. Scarlett, was it? He wonder if she’d known the trouble of getting stains like that out of linen instead of sunscreen. However, Lottie had to clip his wonders. They received a strike sharper than a bullet by her delivery. This wasn’t a matter of whether or not he knew her, but an accusation. There was no question, only whatever fact Klara had pieces together. 

“I’ve been busy,” He admitted. After all, Lottie’s pay didn’t just come from the crimson and bleach of whatever the Volkovs slid towards him, but whoever with a good enough paycheck and a dark enough shadow. He didn’t beg for work, and busied himself whenever it was slow.  “But not like that, much less with a girl. What’s she got to cause such distain, hmm? You’ve done something to her father? It’s bad form to jump to conclusions so quickly if that’s where that blood is from. I never pictured you to be so violent, Klara. Is she next, then?”

Klara pursed her lips, as she listened to him as he tried to figure out the puzzle that was what she had done prior to her standing in front of him. It amused her as she watched, the metaphorical cogs turn in his head as he tried to piece the evidence presented to him together. A laugh escaped her as she heard his conclusion, rolling her eyes she turned to face him, enjoyment painted across her face as she studied his clueless one. 

“You’ve really have been.” Any reassurance from him, fell flat as jealously coursed for her veins serving only to fuel her anger towards him more. Insecurities in the second eldest Volkov were rarely exposed, but when it came to romance they shone through in her expressions and actions. Dating and relationships were a foreign concept for her, having never been allowed the freedom to choose. It left her doubting why anyone would pick her, why anyone would willing get close to her.

“Why so many questions?,” she mused, walking towards the fireplace and flicking the ashes off her cigarette. “Did the girl not tell you what I did? That I’m a monster.” A part of her thought that Lottie would be the one to sympathize with what she was forced to do, not help someone seek revenge for her past forced actions. “I thought you’d understand what I was forced to do.”

While Lottie’s profession was rooted in blood, whether it be a lusting for its shed or threatening it, he had never liked the sight of it. It was messy, and it stained. It’s splatter and it’s spill stayed on you indefinitely unless you washed it away. It clung to skin and thread, holding itself taut against you so that piece of you would be stuck in those moments of violence until you had the nerve to purify it away. The sight of her in it only reminded him of how much he hated a mess, and yet, how intact she seemed beneath it.

The flame of the cigarette illuminated his face, and the slight furrow of confusion at her accusation as he did. Smoke was blown right at the window where he had entered, the way it was pulled away by the night breeze aiding in his reasoning to once again line his toes right up against the line so many would never dare to cross.

“Isn’t it your security’s place to tattle on you to your brothers?” He asked, once again taking note of the crimson that had seeped into her clothes. Lifting a finger that was around the cigarette towards her, he moved it up and down in the air slightly to gesture the wreckage she wore with grace. “I’m certain my job is to that for you. Who deserved a personal beating from Klara Volkov?”

Normally Lottie’s presence was welcome, she often found herself enthralled by their conversations and watching the little nuances in his mannerisms, but tonight seeing him stood in her bedroom with a lit cigarette only fueled the rage that was still in her system. The fake oblivious look on his face, spurred her need to prove herself, no longer wanting to be considered weak and unintelligent. Turning her back on him, she pulled the hoodie off, discarding it into the fire place before igniting the flames that would burn the evidence away. Bare feet padded across the hardwood floor, as she closed the space between them her gaze now fixed on his with a coldness and dis-attachment for the man she once considered her confidant. Plucking the cigarette from his hands, she placed it between her lips, taking a drag as her eyes scanned his features. For the longest time, she had been deeply attracted to him wondering if there was a world they could be happy, now she found it painfully arrogant as she envisioned him with her step-daughter.

“Tattling to my brother is never an issue,” she stated, trying to keep her voice even as best she could and keeping her accent at bay. The light of the cigarette made the bruises and cuts that littered her knuckles shine as the blood desperately fought to congeal against her movements. “Your job is to serve the Vipers, have you forgotten that in your foray with a redhead?” 

Rolling the cigarette between her fingers, she spun round, lifting her blonde curls over her shoulder, revealing the concealed zip of her scarlet red dress. Trust in him was non existent, but she knew he wasn’t foolish enough to try anything when her house was swarming with security guards. “There is no evidence to uncover, no witnesses dead or alive know what happened in her fathers final moments.”

It had only been a few hours since she left Gerard in an alleyway, bleeding out and hopefully with no memory of the attack. After going home and discarding of her clothes, she made her way over to Isaak’s, wanting to inform her brother that revenge for Vasili had been dealt. Standing at the door she pressed the buzzer, muscles still sore and fatigue starting to set in from the physical exertion. Giving a polite smile to the familiar bodyguard, she made her way towards Isaak home office. Her heart started to beat faster in her chest as she stood at the door, fist ready to rasp at the door. She was unsure on how he’d react to the news that she had gone rouge, not waiting for orders or plans from higher up. Swallowing hard she knocked the door and waited for her brothers voice. Once she heard the familiar sound to enter, she opened the door. “I have something to tell you.”

Home was the first stop for Klara after leaving Gerard in the alleyway, she had pre-planned for the security system to be down for an hour beforehand so she could slip past Ryan and not be questioned about where she had been or why she was covered in blood. Sneaking into her own house was something she had done many times when married, so knew the perfect place to scale the back fence where she’d drop down obscured by the bushes, from there it was easy to reach her bedroom window. When she reached the window, she noticed that it was already jimmied open and her adrenaline started to course through her veins as she realised who was currently in her room. Opening the window she sat down and threw her legs over the sill, instantly laying eyes the familiar figure of Lottie stood waiting for her. “You need to leave” she stated, untying her blooded shoes, not wanting to ruin the hardwood floor. Having seen Lottie interacting with Scarlett at the beach then hearing from sources that the two of them where seen at his place of work, trust in the Hitman had plummeted and she questioned his loyalty. Jumping down from the window sill, she crossed to the fireplace, tossing the shoes in. “No doubt you’ll feed this escapade back,” she bit, icy hues trained on him as she slipped off the black joggers that concealed her red dress. “Be pointless to, as you’d have to confess to breaking into my home,” her Russian accent became more prominent as anger rose in her. 

Confrontations and loud voices always had a habit of drawing attention and Klara was grateful when she turned round to see the familiar face of Aeva filled with concern for what she had just witnessed. Explaining the whole situation, wasn’t going to be easy but she knew that Aeva was trusted among her family members so knew she could vent. “That was my delightful step-daughter,” she mused, taking a step towards the exit and gesturing her to follow. As she walked through the hospital looking for a more secluded place to discuss the events that had unfolded, as well as the history that led to it to transpire, she tried to think of the most logical way to explain it. Once outside she sat on a bench, positioning herself to face Aeva. “I’m okay before you ask, I am use to the hostility that girl has and her foul temper.” 

“Yeah, probably from all the other husband’s you had before that you killed off.” she quickly spoke back as she watched her stepmother pull through on the dramatics. There was no doubt that Scarlett knew there had to have been men before her father who fell for Klara’s ploy. There wasn’t a way for her to look the information up seeing as she hadn’t know her step-mother’s true last name for the longest. Now though, seeing as her next of kin was in the hospital, she could easily go home and look up any information she could find on her, maybe even hire a PI. Rolling her eyes once the other had tried to insult her for her job level, Scarlett’s arms crossed over her chest as she tried to reel in her anger. The insults didn’t bother her, no, see Klara had no idea why Scarlett chose to do what she did. The fact that she claimed it was all of her money that was she was using to get Scarlett through these things was what made her angry. “My father’s fucking money, not yours.” She corrected before laughing, actually laughing at the next comment to come from her mouth. “Intelligence obviously didn’t run on your side of the family seeing as my dear step uncle went and got himself stabbed.” Hands dropped now as she shook her head at the following comment, useless? “You took the only family I had left away from me you rotten bitch.” her voice had escalated now, hands moving quickly to try and push at the other woman’s shoulders to either knock her down or get her steps away from her. She didn’t care which. “Nothing I do that’s against you is useless, but you—you Klara are fucking pathetic and a fucking murderer. Fuck you, and fuck that whole family.” she’d backed herself up now before moving to turn down the same hallways she had come from and head to the break room. Doing anything else in her state wasn’t going to be good for her.

Everything Scarlett said and did only served to satisfy Klara more, it was clear that she had gotten under the redheads skin causing her to react with anger to her words. A smirk painted itself onto her face, as she looked at the stepdaughter bemused by the way she was acting and the words coming from her mouth. The petite naive girl had no idea who her family was, what they did nor how powerful they were. So hearing her insult the Volkov’s intelligence, caused a mocking laugh to escape her. Scarlett was now becoming a spectacle for all to observe, an out-hand of child having a temper tantrum in her place of work. As Klara felt her hands press against her shoulders she lent into them, goading the girl on and wanting to feel the sting of a slap. No words passed her lips, as the smirk on her face only grew at the others annoyance and the now physical act of aggression. Her eyes were full of enjoyment and laughter as she shook her head, taking a step back from the force of the push. Scarlett was now a toy to play with, she had found the way to wind the key and make all the entertainment she wanted. Klara brushed her shoulder off, turning her attention the the nearest witness, false tears decorating her eyes. “Children will never be grateful for anything will they.” 

“You are not the first one to tell me that, and the more I’m told the more I believe you all,” she nodded along, even smiling at the thought. To be one of very few who could keep him together, the way she felt the electricity whenever she was around him—he was her soulmate, she knew it without a doubt. To really think on it made her happier than she had been in a while. Her smile faltered at Klara’s mention of moaning though, eyes looking to the floor for a moment. “Moaning? You heard moaning in there? Like, what people just laying in their rooms moaning?” she shook her head like it was a crazy thought before she continued. “I can understand that, though I do wonder what kind of thoughts you’re having.”

The answer to the question about what type of thoughts she was having was a long and complicated one, her mind was occupied with the attacks on her family that had taken place. Every waking moment she found herself trying to recount what had happened at the Gala or the beach, trying to find the missing clue that pieced everything together. It frustrated and annoyed her that the Gala was still an unsolved and the assailant was possibly lurking round every corner. Also her thoughts delved into plotting revenge for her brother and dealing the Scorpions equal amounts of damage. Turning her icy hues back to Irina, a false smile worked it’s way onto her lips in attempt to reassure her that everything was well. “The moaning is from patients demanding more food or anything, some of them are bored I think,” she stated. The next sentence was one she contemplated for a second before letting it pass through her lips. “Just hoping my brother is okay and trying to figure out who is responsible for hurting him.”

“ evenings not ruined at all. “ he expressed, raising his hand as if to shoo that notion away before he reached for his glass. “ really, and truly. “ the warm smile still present on his lips as he brought his wine to them and took a drink, before giada he’d never really been much of a wine drinker, but the Italian in her brought it out of him, and he more often than not found himself ordering a glass of red with dinner, tonight had been no exception. his expression turned slightly somber when she admitted to it feeling a little swollen, his brows pulling together. “ those things are dangerous. the beauty isn’t worth the pain. “ he’d have to remind gia to be more careful next time she wore those things. 

he nodded along as she stated she needed to get home, there probably wasn’t much she’d be able to do with just one shoe and she didn’t seem like the type to have superglue on hand. “ maybe skip the shoes, opt for some slippers and get some ice on that. “ motioning towards her bare feet, a glint in his eyes and a smile returning to her features as she turned away. “ don’t forget to elevate. “ he reminded her before she reached the door. that was the first time he’d ever given medical advice, but he’d sprained an ankle a time or two, and he could vaguely recall being yelled at by a nurse to do the same thing.

the smell of his food drew his attention away from the restaurant door that swung closed behind her and it didn’t take long for the blonde to be all but a distant memory as he returned to eating his dinner and enjoying his relaxing evening after the long day. he was about to call for a third glass when he realised he was feeling the effects of what he assumed to be the first two. he knew he was getting old, but never would he have thought glasses would do him in so easily. still, with a hearty chuckle, he unsteadily pushed back from the table and stood up. “ damn age, got me out here being a cheap date. “  his words slightly slurred to the waiter as he handed a few crisp bills from his wallet. 

it wasn’t without a bit of a scene that he made his way out the door of the restaurant, brushing off the wait staff that hovered like hawks as his body sagged with each step. “ i’m fine, i’m fine. don’t ya worry, i won’t drive. “ words muttered as he ditched his keys and began digging around for his cellphone in his pocket, continuing to stumble along the sidewalk. he just needed to call a car, get their driver to come fetch him and stop him from being a bumbling drunk and making a complete fool of himself. 

it felt like he’d only taken a step and he wasn’t sure how his assumed driver had gotten to him so fast, someone at the restaurant must have made the call. but the arm and added support was a relief to his increasingly weary frame. “ christyou’requicklikemagic” a string of mumbled syllables as he let his head hang, his chin pressing to his chest as he let them lead the way. the full effect of the drug that had been slipped into his drink hitting like a freight train. 

Klara couldn’t believe her luck, when the drugged Gerard referred to her as his driver. He was so blissfully anywhere of the danger he was in, she had planned for a small out of resistance not complete compliance as she directed the man round the streets of Oceanside. With her head hung low, demeanor that off a drunkard he was practically unrecognizable to the few people the passed.

Since the attack of Vasili, the streets had become deserted as the city was gripped in a turmoil of fear of an unknown assailant that they deemed responsible for the poisoning and stabbing. Therefore guiding the weakened Gerard round was done in an empty setting, which she was grateful for as she started to struggled under the weight she was supporting.

The spot she choose was was one out of sight and a stones throw from where Vasili was left for dead by the family Gerard as deeply entangled in. The niceties where now over, as she steered him into the alleyway pinning him up against the wall. Sliding her fingers under his chin, she forced it up so that their eyes would meet.