Taking out the small white box from my pocket, I popped it out and put one pill in my mouth, so the stress would go away. Exhaling a deep breath, I asked, albeit calmly this time, “The bastard still lives?”
“I couldn’t kill the kid,” the hired killer I had found during my last trip to Russia answered, his voice slurring, probably from drinking, as he had love for an expensive cognac.
One, two, three, four, five.
“You told me you followed them to headquarters and had a perfect plan to kill them. How come he’s still alive?” Jake was a liability I didn’t need. The little shit didn’t even try being friendly with me, and Vivian didn’t need him in her life.
“FBI and FSB worked together on this case, and that psycho stole them. I had no chance.”
The screen of the phone cracked in my hands. I reached the end of the field, my eyes studying the water in the lake.
Crystal blue, just like Vivian’s eyes that held so much love and patience for the people around her.
“I will do better next time,” he slurred again, but I disconnected the call, thinking of a way to off him. I had no doubt he would talk.
Looked like my trip to Russia had to be moved forward. And I needed some changes to my plans.
The wait was over. Radmir and his offspring would forever come between me and Vivian, and since she wouldn’t willingly leave them, she left me no choice but to bring her pain.
I needed to get her back to me before the monster inside me awoke and wanted to hurt her. I would hate to see her beautiful face pale and shredded in pieces, lying down on some dump where I usually left them.
Yes, I needed to hurry.
Fury poured from every pore of my body as I pushed open the massive oak doors to Vasya’s office. I walked inside as he spoke on the phone and drank his whiskey. The animal heads and guns scattered all over the walls created an aura of power and distaste, while the red curtains along with the black leather furniture gave off a brothel vibe. I hated his design.
Vasya raised his brows at me and spoke into the phone. “We’ll finish this tomorrow.” With those words, he hung up and leaned into his chair, our stares colliding. “Radmir, where was the knock?” Although amusement peeked through his voice, it was still stone cold. No one had the right to come into his office without his permission, but I didn't give a fuck.
My woman was stolen from me, and he had allowed it. He could go fuck himself with all his rules and traditions.
“Where were you when the FBI came for my woman?” Narrowing his eyes, he threw the glass on the carpet. It rolled under the couch, and he stood up, plastering his palm on his massive, oak table.
He said in a deadly tone, “She was a liability.”
My hands fisted as I snarled, “She is my woman!”
His mocking laughter echoed through the room. “Stop this nonsense, Radmir. She was an American who you screwed for the last two months. I’m not going to have cops sniffing in the brotherhood and creating problems, just because you found a permanent hole to use.”
A red haze of anger blinded me, and with a roar I moved toward him as he gasped in surprise. My hands wrapped around his neck, and I pulled back my arm and punched him square in the face for daring to speak about Vivian like that.
Vasya wasn’t a weakling either. He kicked me hard and delivered a blow to my liver that shot pain through me. He pushed me to the side, but I held on to him tightly so we both tumbled on the floor, smashing several crystal vases as they fell from the table onto the floor.
Heavy footsteps snapped me from my frenzy as strong hands separated us, hauling us up as we both breathed heavily. Dominic held me, his eyes wide in shock as he shook his head, so it probably meant Yuri was behind me.
Of course.
The pakhan’s enforcers to the rescue.
“Let me go,” Vasya ordered, and Dominic immediately responded as the pakhan came closer to me, blood dripping from a forehead wound and his skin darkening under his bruised eye. “Only because you are my nephew, will I spare your life.” A few more members entered the room, and I could hear muttered curses. Vasya grabbed my hair, pulling my head back, and since I had several guns pointed at my head, I couldn't move. Not because I was afraid, but because I didn't want any of those kids to get in the way.
Vasya might be the pakhan.
But I was the one who had raised them and valued their life, probably more than they did.
“You will stay part of the brotherhood. You are no longer a sovietnik. Is that understood by everyone?” he asked the members, and after a beat, they must have nodded, as satisfaction shone in his gaze. “Get him the hell out of here.” He grabbed a tissue, wiping his wound.
“If you think this will stop me from going after my woman, you are mistaken.” My hoarse voice snapped his attention back to me.
“Do whatever you want, Radmir. But you no longer have my protection or my means. You won’t get far without those.”
