Chapter Seventeen
Roman’s POV
“Konstantin is here to see you.”
At the mention of the name, I understood the urgency. This meant business, and I needed to treat it with every priority.
“Take him to my study. I’ll be with him shortly.”
Stepan walked out, and I shifted my gaze back to Liza. I didn’t want to leave her alone.
Nonetheless, I kissed her head gently and gave her hand a light squeeze.
The room had a strong smell of old books with a blend of gunpowder. Konstantin was already seated. His silence didn’t strike me at all because I knew he wasn’t the kind who enjoyed the exchange of pleasantries.
“How’s she holding up?” He asked. I nodded and walked to take my seat so I could face him.
“She’s recovering. But she’ll be fine.”
“I have some reports on the shooters who ruined the ceremony,” my ears sharpened to listen to what he had to say.
“Italians. They were hired through a cutout, and I believe that the money came from one of Arkady’s missing accounts.
It’s a crazy turn he’s making. Trying to clean up his mess with someone else’s bullet. That’s fraud.”
“To hell with them all,” I hissed. “I’ll make them pay for what they did to Liza. For ruining my wedding.”
“I believe there’s more to be found,” Konstantin uttered as the chair turned to the left and right as he moved.
“Dig deeper. As long as we have a lead on this, we’ll follow it up with all seriousness.”
“Of course. It’s all under control.”
“Don’t forget to freeze every asset of Markov that’s still in the hands of the Lobanovs.
If we get careless with that, a lot will still go wrong, and it’s best we handle this in order.
No matter what we do, we should not be on the suffering end.
Let’s make them pay.” I said to Konstantin, knowing how brutal he can be, and his half smile said it all.
He was just the right man for this kind of job because, although he had his own issues, he wasn’t the kind of man anyone would mess with and go free.
I hated how Arkady still stood tall after all the commotion he caused.
All my public charities were crumbling, and more money was being lost. Liza’s condition was my major concern.
It’s a shame that her father’s poor actions harmed her this deeply.
That type of man doesn’t deserve to see the breath of morning, I thought.
He deserved to see everything he owned taken away from him, and I’d enjoy watching him burn to the ground, helpless and without pity.
For all I cared, the report was more good news to me, and I was glad that it came sooner than I expected it to.
Konstantin didn’t stay for long. We shook hands right before he left, and he told me to expect the next report in a short time. Already, my hopes were high, and I trusted him to do whatever it took. From victory to victory, that was the motto we’d chant after all this was over with.
I returned to the room and took my place on the chair beside her. Her eyes were still closed shut, and I observed how she breathed in and out. I kissed her forehead again and stroked her hair with a gentle touch. She looked so innocent.
And while I gazed at her, I reminisced on the first time she came in, all grand and posh.
Fearless and brave. She hated that I kept her hostage.
She made lots of demands that I knew I could meet.
I liked the fact that she was stubborn and knew how to strike a good deal on her own terms. Although I didn’t enjoy the trouble, I missed her trouble because it was the best kind.
Liza wanted freedom more than anything in the world.
She wanted her peace of mind and most of all, attention.
“I promise you, Liza,” I uttered in a calm whisper. “You will always be safe with me.”