Читать книгу Shark hunting. Spartacus - Lily Rizk - Страница 2

He was sitting on the edge of a dilapidated but large stump. Once upon a time, it been a handsome century-old pine tree. He sank a straw into his teeth and stared out into the distance. Ahead lay a ravine, and beyond it ran a small river. And behind him, across the field, stretched the village where Spartacus had been born and raised. His hair, a little sunburnt, was sticking to his forehead from the sweat. And stuck to his forehead, and his broad, tanned back, as if smeared with oil, shimmered in the faint rays of the morning dawn.

After a jog along the confusing and dusty roads and a short workout at the makeshift bar, the young man gave himself a little break. Although his stomach was already rumbling with hunger, but he was no hurry to go home. Solitude with nature was his favorite thing to do. Especially in the early morning, while life was still awakening around him. No one interfered with dreaming, making plans, solving questions, and healing his soul. He sat with his heated body exposed to the soft breeze of the departing summer. Thoughts and dreams carried him far beyond the horizon. Absorbed in his thoughts, he did not notice someone approaching him.

– How long are you going to sit there? – the squeaky voice of his stepfather's son. Hardly move his fat legs, he reached the outskirts of the village.

– What do you want? – Spartacus, without turning around, said in his bass voice in contrast to his voice.

– What's up… my father's calling, he's got something to do.

– His jalopy broke down again? – Spartacus interrogated, putting his feet down on the ground.

He grabbed his shirt from the nearby bush, where he had hung it before. And throwing it on his shoulder, with a leisurely step went in the direction of the river bank.

– What can I say? He said he was in a hurry, urgent business. – said guy followed him.

– Okay, I'll soon, Stepka, – he answered, – I'll have a swim in the river once and then go back. But you go. Or you'll drown again if you get into the water.

– Well, teach me to swim, Spar?! – The boy begged in a frustrated voice.

– Later, there is no time now.

Stepan saddened his head, turned away and went back muttering to himself, – always so, no time, no time…

Upon reaching the edge of the shore, Spartacus took off his old jeans and underwear and quickly entered the water. Reaching the depths, he jerked and after a few meters swam out with a soft moan of bliss. His flesh, warmed by training slowly began to cool in the chilly waves of the small river.

Robust torso, firm muscles, and hawkish gaze of gray eyes. Many girls in the area drove mad. Everyone was trying to get his attention. And women, some older ones, craved it with undisguised desire.

His mother kept trying to keep the huntresses away from her very handsomely son as best she could. But they still managed to make contact with him.

With it, he was also involved in underground fights there. His mother sometimes treated him for weeks after fight. And no amount of her tears or threats could dissuade him from the dangerous occupation.

– Why did Herman give you this name? – She sometimes wailed as she bandaged her son's wounds. – Do you want to die like him, too?!

– Mom, stop it, it's just a sport. We don't really fight, – he tried to reassure her.

And he don’t leave it, because its business was making good money. But not only that trouble, he had a string of groupies following him around. And he didn't mind.

Sometimes, a pretty young women Vera ask him to help her sort out the wiring at home, and Spartacus not say «no». And work somehow… drags on until morning. Or, for example, Claudia needs help, too. Fixing the furniture… the table is broken! And it's the same story. This is the life they continue to live. Spartacus just can't refuse anyone, because have so kind soul.

– Don't let your kindness bring you a baby in a hem! – scolded his mother.

– What I'm a fool?! – replied the guy to her. Often he ran away from such talk.

– What happened, Uncle Pasha? – Spartacus asked, sitting down at the table.

He had not seen his stepfather since this morning, and their conversation dragged on into the evening.

– After dinner, we'll go away, and we'll discuss it there. – The man answered him. From a large frying pan in the middle of the table he poured fried potatoes into his plate, then reached for a dish of fried chicken.

– May I help Spar? – Stepan asked with his full mouth.

– No, – Spartacus answered for his stepfather, picking up his fork.

– It's not mending, son, – said the man, ignoring his stepson's words.

– So what? – With a worried look at her husband, the guy's mother asked.

– It is a man's business, woman. Don't interfere, we will sort it out ourselves.

She sighed and looked at her son. Spartacus immediately looked up at her and slowly lowered his eyelids, giving her a sign not to worry.

After dinner they went outside. The stepfather sat down on the bench by the gate and Spartacus stood across from him, preparing to listen intently.

– You dream of going far away from here, right? – The man began from afar.

– So?

– The money you're saving from the fights won't even be enough for a one-way ticket, believe me, son. And it's dangerous. Look at your mother, she's exhausted.

Spartacus furrowed his brow in annoyance. «What's he trying to lecture me about?» – he thought, and said aloud:

– What do you have to offer me?

He hesitated, choosing his words, and then said:

– There is a very rich man.

The man waited silently for the rest.

– He has a daughter. She made her father very angry and he chased her out of the house.

– Should we look for her and bring her back? – Spartacus suggested.

– No, on the contrary.

– I don't understand, sorry?!

– We have to teach her father a lesson… – Uncle Pasha spoke softly.

– What do you mean, teach him a lesson? Can you explain it to me normally, without any hints?

– She's sitting here now, in the one house. He threw the girl out, and she got into the wrong place.

– Where here?

– In Volodya's barn.

Spartacus, his eyes widened, stared at his stepfather, whom he had always considered clever and far-sighted.

– You stole a rich man's daughter?

– Why did we steal her?! She came of her own accord.

The guy smiled nervously and shook his head, – No, – he sighed, – I'm not going to be a part of this. Thank you. It's not right for me! – he turned and started to walk away, but his stepfather stopped him by grabbing his elbow:

– Wait a minute, you don't understand. You have to take her home and be a hero. – Said the man, changing tactics.

Spartacus furrowed his brow again and turned around, bowing his head slightly, looking at his stepfather, – Uncle Pasha, are you crazy?

The man sighed deeply and his soft plump chest rose and fell together with his stomach. He pursed his lips as if to himself. – Okay, it's either that or we throw her out in the woods where we found and let her do what she wants! – He finished by slapping himself on the knees and stood up. The guy's stepfather knew exactly where to put the pressure on him to give up.

Spartacus, put his hands in his pockets and stood still, unable to move. And to agree to complicity in an obviously criminal case, resisted with all his being. And to abandon to the mercy of fate, perhaps the unfortunate girl, did not allow his soul.

After half an hour they reached an old house on the edge of the village. Volodyka was Uncle Pasha's nephew and had been absent for months, since he was always working in Moscow. The house was almost empty. Unless it was visited or used by friends or relatives. This time, too, it came in handy.

Spartacus was very angry. And the first thing he wanted to do was to free the girl from her captivity.

They quietly approached the barn and peered through the crack of the wooden door. A light bulb was burning dimly in the room, and a woman's silhouette appeared in the flickering light. The girl was sitting against the wall with her arms around her bent at the knees. Spartacus stared at her, trying to guess her age. Her pitch-black hair, gathered into a knot, revealed a rounded, beautiful face with large dark eyes and long eyebrows. He thought, she was no more than twenty-five years old. Stepping away from the barn, he walked just as quietly toward the gate. The stepfather followed him.

– How long has she been here? – Spartacus asked in a low voice.

– Since this morning.

The guy lifted his head and sighed in relief, muttering words of gratitude to God.

– Give me the keys to your UAZ, – he said, holding out his hand to uncle Pasha.

– Right now?! – with surprise interrogated the man.

– No, we'll wait till the cops come. Come on, – he demanded.

The stepfather put the keys in his open hand, with an unkind look in his face. But he went back without paying any attention. Quietly unlocking the door of the barn, Spartacus entered with his head slightly bent.

At the sight of a tall and strong male figure in the doorway, the girl flinched and got to her feet and started to back away.

– Don't worry, I won't hurt you. – He spoke as gently as possible, holding out his palms. – I've come to take you home.

– Did my father send you?

– Almost.

– What do you mean, almost?

– Your father doesn't know where you are, and I want to take you to him right now.

– Why should I believe you? – she asked.

– Why should I have to get you out of here?

They stood looking at each other for a while. Then she nodded and gestured with her hand for him to move away. Spartacus went outside.

Uncle Pasha disappeared as if he never existed.