Captured by the Bratva (Sharov Bratva #3)

Chapter Twenty-Three - Violet

Caleb looks at me, his curiosity piqued. “Is anybody going to tell me what you’re talking about?”

I take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. “Kirill thinks Uncle Joe has been aiming to take over the company this whole time. Maybe he… maybe he even killed Dad.”

Caleb’s expression shifts to one of serious concern. “Jeff doubted him but didn’t want to believe it,” he says quietly, the weight of the realization sinking in.

Before I can respond, Kirill steps forward, his eyes blazing with anger. “Why didn’t you do anything about it?” he demands harshly, his voice low and dangerous. “Why did you just let Joe remain free to harm Violet?”

Caleb looks taken aback, brows furrowed. “I didn’t have proof. Jeff… he didn’t want to act without evidence. Joe was always so careful, covering his tracks.”

“That’s not good enough,” Kirill snaps, his grip on my waist tightening protectively. “You should have done more.”

Caleb’s eyes flick to me, a mixture of regret and determination in his gaze. “Easy for you to say, swooping in to play savior!”

I squeeze his hand, trying to offer some comfort. “We’ll figure this out, okay? So stop fighting. Please.”

Kirill’s anger simmers beneath the surface, but he says nothing more, his jaw set in a hard line. The tension in the room is thick and cloying.

Just then, Kirill’s phone rings. He pulls it out, glancing at the screen before answering. His expression shifts from irritation to focused intensity as he listens to the voice on the other end. After a brief exchange, he ends the call and turns to me, his face set in grim determination.

“Joe was caught meeting some gang members,” Kirill says, his voice tight. “My men are closing in on him now. I need to get there.”

A mix of relief and anxiety floods through me. “What do you mean? Is he arrested?”

“Not yet,” Kirill replies. “It’s only a matter of time until something happens. I need to be there to oversee it and make sure he doesn’t slip away. You should go home, Violet. It’s not safe for you to be involved in this.”

I feel a surge of defiance rising within me. “This is my family’s matter, Kirill. I need to be there. I have questions for Joe. I deserve to face him.”

Kirill’s eyes harden, his protective instinct clashing with my determination. “Violet, it’s dangerous. Joe is desperate, and desperate men do reckless things. I can’t risk your safety.”

“Don’t you see?” I argue, stepping closer to him. “This is personal for me. He’s betrayed our family, hurt people I care about. I need to confront him.”

Caleb, who’s been watching the exchange with growing concern, swings his legs over the side of the bed and stands up. “I’m not staying back either,” he says, his voice steady despite his injuries.

“Caleb, you’re injured,” Kirill snaps, his frustration boiling over. “You need to rest. You’re not in any condition to be running around, chasing down dangerous criminals.”

Caleb’s eyes flash with determination. “You don’t get to tell me what to do.”

I turn to Caleb, my heart aching with concern. “Caleb, please. You need to take care of yourself. You’ve already been through so much.”

“I’m fine, Violet,” he insists, his tone gentle but firm. “I won’t let you face this alone. We’re in this together.”

Kirill looks between us, his jaw clenched. “This isn’t a game. Joe is dangerous. If you come with me, you follow my lead. No arguments, no questions. Do you understand?”

I nod, my resolve unshaken. “We understand, but we’re going. This is something we need to do.”

Kirill exhales sharply, clearly torn between his protective instincts and respecting our determination. “Fine. You stay close, and you do exactly as I say. If anything happens, you get out of there immediately. No heroics.”

“Agreed,” Caleb and I say in unison.

We find a nurse, and Caleb insists on being discharged despite her warnings. She reluctantly agrees after checking his vitals one last time, and soon we’re making our way to Kirill’s car. The tension is thick as we pile into the vehicle, Caleb settling into the back seat while Kirill and I take the front.

As we start driving, Kirill’s grip on the steering wheel tightens. “I need you both to listen to me and do exactly as I say. No arguing, no discussions. This is serious, and I can’t afford any mistakes.”

Caleb bristles, crossing his arms over his chest. “I don’t like being treated like some helpless child, Kirill. I’m more than capable of handling myself.”

Kirill’s eyes flash with irritation as he glances in the rearview mirror. “Shut up, Caleb. This isn’t about your ego. It’s about keeping Violet safe.”

I can feel the tension rising, my own frustration bubbling to the surface. “Both of you, calm down!” I snap, turning to look at them. “We need to work together, not tear each other apart. We all want the same thing: to stop Joe and protect our family.”

The car falls into a tense silence, the weight of my words hanging in the air. Caleb mutters something under his breath, but he doesn’t argue further. Kirill’s jaw is set, his focus back on the road.

We drive on, the city lights flickering past us, each of us lost in our thoughts. The confrontation ahead looms large, and the only way we’ll succeed is if we can find a way to trust and rely on each other.

I break the silence, my voice tentative. “Where are we going, Kirill?”

He glances at me, then back to the road. “It’s an industrial estate on the outskirts of town. Brunswick Avenue. A lot of illicit things go on there.”

I swallow hard, a knot of anxiety forming in my stomach. “What kind of illicit things?”

Kirill’s jaw tightens. “Drugs, illegal arms deals, you name it. It’s not a place you should be, but it’s where Joe was seen.”

I feel a wave of nervousness wash over me. Caleb reaches out, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder before Kirill can react. “Don’t worry, Violet.”

I can see the annoyance flash in Kirill’s eyes as he catches sight of Caleb’s gesture in the rearview mirror. Caleb looks almost smug, his grip on my shoulder firm and protective. Kirill’s lips press into a thin line, but he says nothing, clearly displeased but accepting my reassurance from Caleb.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. “Thanks, Caleb.”

Kirill’s fingers drum impatiently on the steering wheel. His focus shifts between the road and the rearview mirror, his irritation palpable. The tension is thick, but I’m grateful for Caleb’s presence, even if it does seem to bother Kirill.

Just then, a car swerves out of its lane, nearly bumping into us. Kirill’s reflexes are sharp, and he jerks the wheel to avoid a collision, cursing under his breath. “Watch where you’re going, you idiot!” he yells out the window, his voice a mix of anger and frustration.

My heart races, the near-miss adding to my already heightened anxiety. Caleb chuckles darkly from the back seat. “Nice driving, Kirill. You sure you’ve got this under control?”

Kirill’s eyes flash with rage, and he tightens his grip on the wheel. “Shut the fuck up, Caleb! I don’t need your commentary.”

“Just saying,” Caleb replies, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

I place a hand on Kirill’s arm, trying to calm him. “Let’s just focus on getting there safely, okay?”

Kirill takes a deep breath, his eyes still burning with anger but his focus returning to the road. “Fine. Let’s just get this over with.”

Kirill’s frustration simmers just beneath the surface as he navigates the car through the city streets, but he pushes it aside, reaching for his phone. “I’m calling Dimitri,” he announces, pressing a few buttons on the steering wheel to connect the call via Bluetooth.

The phone rings a few times before Dimitri’s face appears on the dashboard screen in a video call. The background is chaotic, with the sounds of male voices and the occasional barked order filling the air.

“Dimitri, what’s the status?” Kirill asks, his voice tense but controlled.

Dimitri’s image is slightly blurry, but the urgency in his expression is clear. “We’re on our way to the location now. Some of the men are already there, securing the perimeter.”

Kirill’s grip on the steering wheel tightens. “Anything unusual? What’s the vibe?”

Dimitri hesitates, glancing over his shoulder before speaking. “Something feels off, Kirill. I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s an air of tension that’s different than usual. We won’t know more until we’re inside.”

I feel a chill run down my spine at his words. Caleb, who had been muttering sarcastic comments earlier, goes silent, his face losing some of its color. My own resolve starts to waver, mingling with a growing sense of concern.

“What did Dimitri mean by ‘off’?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. I look at Kirill, hoping for some reassurance.

Kirill’s jaw sets, and he shakes his head. “I don’t know. Dimitri has good instincts. We need to be prepared for anything.”

Dimitri nods from the screen, his face serious. “We’re going in with caution. Stay sharp, Kirill. I’ll see you at the scene.” With that, the call ends, and the car’s interior is filled with a heavy silence once more.

I shift uncomfortably in my seat, my fingers nervously playing with the hem of my dress. I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “Maybe I shouldn’t have come along. I don’t want to be a liability.”

Kirill reaches over and places a reassuring hand on my knee. “Don’t say that. I don’t like that you’re here, but you are not a liability.”

I nod, my resolve returning, but I can feel the doubt lingering in my eyes. I’m trying to be brave, but the unknown is daunting, and Dimitri’s cryptic warning hasn’t helped.

As we drive deeper into the industrial district, the buildings grow more dilapidated, and the streets become quieter, more ominous. The darkened windows of abandoned factories and warehouses loom like silent sentinels, watching our every move. The unease in the air thickens, pressing down on my chest.

Finally, Kirill slows the car and parks a bit away from the warehouse where Joe was last seen. He turns to face us, his expression deadly serious. “We’re here. Everyone ready?”

Caleb nods, expression impossible to decipher. Maybe it’s pain, but he looks uneasy.

I take a deep breath, squaring my shoulders. “Ready,” I say, my voice steady despite the anxiety swirling within me.

Kirill’s gaze lingers on me for a moment, a mix of admiration and concern in his eyes. “Stay close to me, both of you. No heroics, remember?”

We exit the car, the cold night air wrapping around us like a shroud. The industrial estate is eerily quiet, the only sounds being the distant hum of machinery and the occasional shout from Kirill’s men. The warehouse looms ahead, its windows dark and foreboding.

As we approach, the weight of the situation presses down on us. Whatever happens next, we’ll face it together. The unknown awaits, and with it, the truth about Uncle Joe’s betrayal and the lengths we’ll have to go to ensure justice is served.