CHAPTER FOURTEEN
DMITRY
My phone buzzes and my gut twists instinctively. I know it’ll be him.
“You’re playing a dangerous game Dmitry Rushlakov. If my son isn’t home by tonight, I’ll have no choice but to send my men to bring him home instead.” Volk growls down the phone and snarls a threat.
“If you want this piece of shit, come and get him yourself. You don’t scare me Volk.” I chuckle making sure he hears me. I know exactly how to frustrate men like him. Then I deliberately address him by his birth name, “Mikhail Zorin.”
I pace the room until I’m standing in front of Nikolai. He sits bound to a chair. I pull the gag from his mouth and slap him hard across the face and he lets out a grunt.
“Hear that?” I ask Volk, knowing it pains him to hear the son he cares for—the son he loves, in danger.
“He’s your brother, Dmitry. Your own flesh and blood.”
I chuckle at his words. “You hear him, don’t you?” I ask a second time.
“I hear him. And you hear me too. He’s your brother.”
“I only have one brother, and you killed him, why do you think I’m doing this? I want Pawel’s body back,” I say and step closer to Nikolai.
I raise my hand and slap his face harder this time using the back of my hand, causing him to grunt louder. “Tell your father how much you love him; this may be your last conversation.” I raise my voice loud enough for Mikhail to acknowledge my threat.
“Dmitry, Dima, come on now, you’re both my sons ... release your brother and we can put all of this behind us, we can bond, father and sons. You could have it all, an entire empire and army at your disposal.”
His words make me laugh, and I push the gag back into Nikolai’s mouth. I don’t need to listen to this pig whimper any longer.
“You really think I’d ever want to be a part of your brotherhood?
You disgust me. I want my brother’s body, are you fucking listening?
You remember what I did to your other son, what’s his name?
Oh, Vlad, the one I impaled with a shotgun.
Oh, the irony.” I laugh. “You fooled everyone into believing he was Nikolai. It proves how little blood means to you—you sick motherfucker.”
“That was Vladimir’s choice. Don’t ever question my loyalty to my sons. Let him go, Dima. You don’t want the heat this will bring. You wouldn’t want anything to happen to your dear old grandpa? You know how easily farms go up in flames.”
He’s fucking threatening us, Dima. No one will ever touch our grandpa. No one will ever threaten his life. Fucking pig.
“I’ll return Nikolai to you in so many tiny fucking pieces you won’t be able to tell which part of his body it is, not even his shitty tattoos will help. Do we have an understanding?”
“I understand, now tell me where you are and we can resolve this little disagreement,” he replies, and I smile as I detect a nervous wobble in his voice.
“I know you won’t come alone, but the more men you bring, the more death there will be. Go check your mail locker on Road Rebrovich.”
I eyeball Nikolai as I address his father, he stares up at me with both fear and hate in his eyes.
“I see you’ve done your research; the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree.” Volk clears his throat.
“Fuck you, I’m nothing like you. Follow the instructions. Come alone or bring an army. It doesn’t fucking matter to me. What matters is you bringing Pawel’s body. I won’t accept anything else.”
“And what if I no longer have his body, Dmitry? What if I already disposed of his remains?” He asks and I know he’s trying to hurt me—he’s trying to fuck with my mind.
“I suggest you find him. I’ll see you soon, Mikhail,” I say and cut the call.
Fuck, what if he’s not bluffing? What if he really has destroyed Pawel’s body? What if there’s nothing left?
What if he goes after my grandpa?
I’ll fucking kill every member of his family if he does.
I leave the room and go back into the hallway where Artem is leaning against the icy-blue wall.
My heart pounds, head spins, vision blurring with fury.
“I need you to make sure my grandpa has security, can you ask Miroslav to send some of your guys to the farmhouse?” I ask in what feels like a plea for my grandpa’s protection, for my grandpa’s life.
Allowing someone else to take responsibility for my grandpa’s safety doesn’t feel right, at all. It’s my job to keep my family safe but right now, I need to be here. I need to do this. I need closure for us all.
“Dmitry, don’t worry. We know how Volk operates. We’ve already got it covered. Your grandpa is safe now.”
“What do you mean, safe now? Did he send men to the farm?”
“Miroslav took your grandpa to one of our safe houses ... temporarily ... until we resolve this situation. Your grandpa is a legend, Dmitry. Don’t underestimate a Ropes commander like Lev.” He pats my back and smiles.
“I appreciate it, but you didn’t answer my question. Did Volk send men to my home?” I grit my teeth—I know his answer has the potential to infuriate me and send me into a rage that no one would want to witness.
I know my grandpa was not to be messed with, but I also know he’s older now, and bratva members like Volk’s men don’t play by rules, they don’t care that he’s alone or that he’s an old man.
“He did, but our men were already present, and the situation was resolved immediately.” Artem assures me and places his hand on my shoulder.
My chest burns as I squeeze the words from my throat. “And my grandpa, did anyone ... did they ... harm him?”
“They intended to, but our brothers stopped them as they tried to enter the house.”
“I’m going to fucking destroy this piece of shit.
I’ll tear his beating heart from his chest and force him to watch as I crush it, but not before I torture his precious son and force him to watch.
” The venom and true darkness I know I’m capable of floods my veins and seeps from every pore as my tongue spits my psycho.
“Dima, this is dangerous, please let The Ropes deal with it, let’s go to your grandpa.” Natalia pleads with me, her face tells me all I need to know—she’s worried, she’s scared.
My girl should never feel this way.
“He’s a fucking dead man,” I say and secure my pistols in my waistband.
No one threatens my family, no one goes after my grandpa, no one makes my girl fearful.
I’ll tear these motherfuckers limb from limb and mutilate their bodies until they’re nothing more than a mush of meat to feed to the pigs.
Dima, get out of your head, you’re doing it again. You need to focus.
Yes, Dima, we need to focus. Get it together.
Ignoring the chaotic voice inside my head, I listen to the calm one instead, and I pull myself together.
“Artem can you have a couple of your men take Natalia to my grandpa at your safe house?” I ask and rest a hand on his shoulder.
Asking another man to keep my girl safe is something I never imagined I’d do but I don’t want to subject her to the violence I know I’ll carry out. She has enough trauma to last her several lifetimes.
“No, Dima. I’m not going anywhere. We’re in this together, remember, just like we always have been. I’m not leaving your side.” She grips my arm and squeezes it. Her dark eyes look into my soul and beg me to let her stay.
It’s moments like this that remind me she truly is my ride or die.
“Okay, but you need to stay safe.” I tell her and pull one of my pistols from my waistband. “No second guessing yourself, no questions, no hesitation. You shoot any man you think is a threat, do you understand?” I place the pistol against her palm, and she clasps her fingers around the handle.
She looks at me and takes it. It’s the first time she’s held a gun since taking her mother’s life, but she doesn’t flinch. She handles it with confidence, smiles and nods.
“Do you think I’ll need extra bullets this time?”
“I don’t intend on you needing to shoot anyone. They’d be foolish to try anything here. But I feel better knowing you have it, just in case.”
I take the hair tie from around her wrist and sweep her hair behind her ears then tie it back into a ponytail.
She looks up at me, and I cup her chin in one hand and kiss her soft peachy-pink lips.
“Dmitry, sorry to interrupt but my guess is we have twenty minutes before shit goes down.” Artem informs me, and two more Ropes members join us.
“I’m ready,” I say then turn my attention back to Natalia. “I still think you should wait in a safe room, I’d never forgive myself if I couldn’t protect you and something happened....”
“Dima.” She cuts me off. “I told you I’m with you. We’re in this together.” Her eyes are determined as she pushes her shoulders back, fixes her stance and taps the pistol against her palm.
What in the Bonnie and Clyde has my girl turned into? I don’t know if to be impressed or alarmed. She’s fucking glorious.
I admit defeat. I know this is one battle I won’t win. “Okay but you listen to every last word, you follow me, you stay behind me, at least until they’re both captive.”
“I want to punish Nikolai, I want to hurt him, for real this time,” she says as a smile creeps across her face only to be instantly replaced by a fierce anger.
I stare at her in admiration.
Look at you. I guess shooting your mother in the head unleashed something in you too my sweet Little Sparrow. You make me so fucking proud.
“What?” She asks.
“I don’t know if I’m excited or fucking terrified of what you’re becoming around me, but I’m proud of you, Natalia. Your wings are growing, your claws are sharp, you’re soaring, my sweet girl,” I reply, kiss her cheek and take her hand.
We walk back into the room where Nikolai remains tied to a chair. Natalia walks toward him and stops a step in front of him.
She leans forward and pulls the gag down freeing his mouth, but before he can speak, she holds the pistol firm and forces it inside the hole that belittled her, the hole that spouted abuse and hatred at her for years.
“Now who has the control you held over me?” She asks with ferocity in her voice.