Captured by the Bratva (Sharov Bratva #3)

Chapter Two - Kirill

The room is dark, lit only by a single flickering bulb hanging from the ceiling. The smell of sweat and blood fills the air, a grim reminder of the work being done here. I step inside, my heavy boots echoing off the concrete floor. The man tied to the chair in the center of the room looks up as I approach, his face a mess of bruises and cuts. His eyes, though swollen, still burn with defiance.

Dimitri, my right-hand man, stands to the side, his arms crossed over his broad chest. He nods at me as I enter, a silent acknowledgment of our shared purpose.

“Has he talked?” I ask, my voice low and steady.

Dimitri shakes his head. “Not a word. He says he’ll never reveal anything about his boss.”

I step closer to the man in the chair, studying him. He’s from the Black Serpents, a rival gang that has been encroaching on our territory for months now. We’ve been at war with them for years, but lately, their attacks have become more frequent, more brazen. This man knows enough to give us the advantage… if he decides to talk.

“What’s your name?” I ask, my tone almost casual.

The man spits blood onto the floor, his breath coming in ragged gasps. “Go to hell.”

I nod slowly, taking in his defiance. It’s admirable, in a way. Ultimately, it’s pointless. “Dimitri, remind him why he’s here.”

Dimitri steps forward, grabbing the man’s hair and yanking his head back. “You’re here because you messed with the wrong people. Now, you’re going to tell us everything you know about the Black Serpents.”

The man grits his teeth, a low growl escaping his throat. “I’d rather die than betray them.”

I smile, though there’s no warmth in it. “That can be arranged. Before we get to that, let’s try something else.”

I motion for Dimitri to step back, and he does, though he keeps a close eye on our captive. I crouch down so that I’m at eye level with the man, my face inches from his.

“You see, you have a choice,” I say softly. “You can talk, and maybe we can find a way to make this easier for you. Or you can stay silent, and I’ll let Dimitri here continue his work. He enjoys his job, you know.”

The man swallows hard, his eyes flicking to Dimitri and then back to me. For a moment, I think he might break. Then he shakes his head, his jaw set with stubborn determination.

“I’ll never betray them,” he repeats, his voice barely more than a whisper.

I nod, a cold smile spreading across my face. “We’ll see about that.”

Reaching into my jacket, I pull out a sleek, silver knife. The man’s eyes widen with fear as he watches the blade glint in the dim light. Without another word, I plunge the knife into his thigh, twisting it slowly, savoring the sound of his scream.

“Where is he hiding?” I ask, my voice calm and steady as the man writhes.

The man grits his teeth, trying to hold back another scream. Blood pools around the knife, soaking into his pants. “I… I can’t….”

I twist the knife further, watching as his resolve crumbles. “You can. You will. Where is he ?”

Tears mix with the blood and sweat on his face as he finally breaks. “Alright, alright! He’s… he’s at an old warehouse on Fourteenth and Maple. Please, just stop!”

I grin, satisfaction coursing through me. “Was that so hard?”

I pull the knife out, wiping the blood off on his already-stained shirt. The man slumps in the chair, sobbing in pain and defeat. I turn to Dimitri, who has been watching the entire exchange with a look of approval.

“Fourteenth and Maple,” I repeat, my voice carrying a promise of vengeance. “Let’s send the boys over.”

Dimitri nods, a cruel smile on his lips. “With pleasure, Boss.”

I take one last look at the broken man in the chair. His defiance is gone, replaced by a look of utter despair. It’s a sight I’ve seen countless times, yet it never loses its impact. In this world, power is everything, and I always get what I want.

As I leave the room, the door slams shut behind me, cutting off the man’s sobs. Dimitri falls into step beside me as we make our way down the dimly lit hallway. My mind is already working, planning our next move. Victor Ivanov has been a thorn in my side for too long, and it’s time to end this once and for all.

“Get the men ready,” I instruct Dimitri. “We move out in an hour.”

“Understood,” Dimitri replies, already pulling out his phone to relay the orders.

I walk out of the dim room and head toward my office. The contrast between the brutality I just left and the opulence I’m about to enter is not lost on me. I push open the heavy oak door and step inside, the soft click of my boots on the hardwood floor echoing in the silence.

My office is a testament to my success—a large, expansive room with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of the city skyline. The walls are adorned with expensive artwork, and the furniture is all dark wood and leather, meticulously chosen to reflect both power and sophistication. A massive mahogany desk sits in the center, a symbol of the authority that defines my every action.

Dimitri follows me in, closing the door quietly behind him. I walk over to the desk, my eyes catching the glint of blood on my cuffs. I frown, pulling out a pristine white handkerchief to wipe it away. I never allow myself to look anything less than perfect; appearances are everything in this world.

“Dimitri, you mentioned you had some news for me before we got… distracted,” I say, raising an eyebrow as I continue to wipe the blood from my cuffs.

“Yes, Boss,” he replies, stepping forward and placing a handwritten letter on the desk. “This arrived earlier. It’s from Jeff Harrison.”

I pause, intrigued. Jeff Harrison—a name I haven’t heard in a while. An old acquaintance, if you can call him that, from a time when our paths crossed in less hostile circumstances. I can’t help but find it entertaining. Why would old Jeff be reaching out to me now?

I pick up the letter, examining the elegant script. Jeff always had a flair for the dramatic. I sit down in my leather chair, turning the letter over in my hands as I contemplate its significance. The envelope is thick, the paper expensive—just like everything Jeff touches.

I slit it open with a silver letter opener, my eyes scanning the contents quickly. It’s brief, but the message is clear enough. He needs something from me, and he’s desperate.

A smirk tugs at my lips. Jeff Harrison, the multimillionaire corporate titan, coming to me for help. The irony is almost too rich. I lean back in my chair, my fingers steepled as I consider the possibilities.

“What could he possibly want from me now?” I ask, my eyes still on the letter but my mind racing through the implications.

Dimitri stands by the desk, his expression unreadable. “It’s not entirely clear, Boss. He wouldn’t reach out without a good reason.”

“True,” I concede, folding the letter neatly and placing it back on the desk. “Jeff isn’t the type to grovel unless he’s out of options.”

Jeff and I have done business in the past, and we’ve had our fair share of arguments. For a long time, we hadn’t talked. It was fair to say that we weren’t exactly friends. However, we had similar ways of doing business, albeit from different ends of the spectrum.

I wonder why Jeff has broken our long-standing silence. What could have pushed him to reach out to me now? I lean back in my chair, watching Dimitri. “Read it,” I instruct, curious to see his reaction.

Dimitri picks up the letter, his eyes scanning the elegant script. As he reads, his expression shifts from curiosity to something more serious. “It says here that someone is targeting him. He’s scared, Boss.”

I chuckle, a dark sound that echoes in the luxurious office. “Does he want protection from me?” It wouldn’t be the first time a wealthy businessman turned to the Mafia for protection. Our services, though costly, are unmatched in their efficiency.

Dimitri continues reading, his brows furrowing as he processes the rest of the letter. “It’s not just about protection for himself. He said if I lose my life, I want you to protect my daughter. ”

I raise an eyebrow, intrigued. “His daughter. What is this about?”

Dimitri hands me the letter, and I read the words myself, noting the desperation woven into Jeff’s usually controlled handwriting.

If I lose my life, I want you to protect my daughter. She is all I have left, and I trust no one else to keep her safe.

I lean back in my chair, my mind racing. Jeff Harrison is a man who always seemed untouchable, is now fearing for his life. And he’s reaching out to me, a man he hasn’t spoken to in years, to safeguard his daughter. It’s a twist I didn’t see coming.

“What do you make of this, Dimitri?” I ask, still staring at the letter.

“It’s clear he’s desperate, Boss,” Dimitri replies. “For him to reach out to you after all this time, he must really believe he’s in danger.”

“Interesting,” I murmur, tapping my fingers on the desk. “Jeff’s always been a cautious man. If he’s this scared, there must be something—or someone—serious behind this.”

Dimitri nods. “He’s not one to exaggerate threats. If he says someone’s targeting him, we should take it seriously.”

I fold the letter again, placing it back on the desk. “He wants me to protect his daughter. He must be out of his mind.”

“Or out of options,” Dimitri suggests. “Either way, it’s clear he trusts you to get the job done.”

I smirk, the irony of the situation not lost on me. “Hmm. Interesting.”

“It’s a strange world, Boss,” Dimitri agrees. “What do you want to do about it?”

I stand up, walking over to the windows that offer a panoramic view of the city. The lights twinkle below, each one representing a story, a life. Jeff’s daughter—what’s her name again? Violet, I think—must be in her twenties now. If Jeff’s fears are justified, she’s in real danger.

“We’ll look into it,” I decide, turning back to Dimitri. “Find out who’s targeting Jeff and why. Gather information on his daughter. If we’re going to protect her, I want to know everything about her.”

“Understood, Boss,” Dimitri says, already pulling out his phone to set the wheels in motion.

As Dimitri makes his calls, I return to my desk, my thoughts still on Jeff’s letter. It’s not every day that a man like Jeff Harrison shows fear. He’s always been the picture of control, of power. For him to be this scared, the threat must be substantial.

One thing is certain: Jeff Harrison’s world is crumbling, and he’s reached out to the one person he thinks can hold it together.

I can’t help but find it entertaining. This twist in our long and complicated history is almost poetic. I always get what I want, and now it seems Jeff is handing me more power, more leverage, without even realizing it.

“Tell me about Jeff’s daughter,” I say, turning back to Dimitri.

Dimitri pulls up something on his phone, quickly scanning through the details. “Her name is Violet Harrison. She’s twenty-three, has a master’s degree in business and finance, and graduated a year ago. It’s unclear if she wants to handle her father’s empire. Seems she’s never really been in the public eye. She’s kept a low profile.”

“Interesting,” I murmur, leaning back in my chair. “She’s well-educated, but not involved in the family business. Jeff must be worried about exposing her to their world. Why keep her hidden?”

“Could be a protective measure,” Dimitri suggests. “If she’s not in the spotlight, she’s less of a target.”

“Or he could be preparing her for something without the public scrutiny,” I add, considering the possibilities. “If Jeff is grooming her to take over, he’d want to ensure she’s ready without any external pressures.”

“That makes sense,” Dimitri agrees. “It also means she’s vulnerable. If Jeff is taken out, she could be next in line.”

I nod, absorbing the information. “If she’s next, it makes sense why he’d reach out to me. In this world, money can buy a lot of protection, but it can’t buy the kind of ruthless loyalty and effectiveness that the Mafia provides.”

Dimitri’s eyes meet mine, a shared understanding passing between us. “So, what’s the plan, Boss?”

I smile, a predatory gleam in my eyes. “We’ll protect her, of course. First, we need to understand exactly who we’re dealing with and what they want. No one targets a guy like Jeff Harrison without a damn good reason.”

Dimitri nods, already dialing another number to set up the necessary surveillance and intelligence gathering. “I’ll get our best men on it. We’ll have everything we need by morning.”

“Good,” I reply, turning my chair back towards the window. “Let’s see what Jeff’s desperation brings to our doorstep.”

The city below glows with the promise of the night, a landscape of opportunity and danger. Somewhere out there, a threat looms over Jeff and his daughter, and it’s my job to uncover it. It’s a game of power and survival, one I’m all too familiar with.