Chapter 44
Dominic
My watch notifies me of a text from Bash confirming the preparation. With one last glance at my sleeping wife, I sneak out of bed.
I know my actions are about to break the treaty. But in my eyes, he broke it first when he hurt a member of the Syndicate. The most important member. And for that, he must pay.
Unfortunately, I can’t kill him without causing a war. It’s the only thing keeping me from doing so.
Finding out about her childhood, of the hell he put her through, his own daughter, almost destroyed me. I was so consumed by anger that I had to lock it up. I had to put on my mask of composure, so I didn’t scare my wife. I was murderous, bloodthirsty. I still am, but now I’m rational.
After a quick debate between tactical wear or a suit, I land on the latter. I’m a man of business; I can threaten while still dressing with class.
It takes all my effort to drive the speed limit on the way to the ostentatious mansion my wife was raised and abused in. How many memories does she have of those halls that are full of pain? Does she even have any good memories? My heart clenches at the realization.
The gate opens as my car approaches thanks to Bash’s hacking skills. When I’m parked close to the front door, I exit and storm the stairs.
The banging of my fists on the wooden door echoes through the night. I don’t stop my pounding until it opens, then I push inside. I storm pass the furious woman who shouts at me in Russian.
“VIKTOR! COME OUT!” I bellow, storming down the hallway.
I make it halfway to his office when he slips out the door. To my dismay, he doesn’t look rattled. He doesn’t even look surprised. It’s as if he was expecting me. His lazy, sinister grin adds gasoline to my fury.
The only condolence I have is that his nose is broken. There are even red marks around his neck. At least my strong, fighting wife was able to land some blows. She was able to fight back just as hard. She didn’t revert back to the scared, small porcelain doll she was under his reign.
I storm towards him and when he’s in arms reach, I throw him against the wall. His neck is trapped by my hand, pinning him. My other arm punches his torso repeatedly. I don’t stop until I feel the crunches of ribs. If my wife has broken ribs by him, then he’ll have broken ones by me.
I lean into him until my face is a breath away from his. I ignore the sick smirk on his face. The look in his eyes as if he knows something I don’t.
“Let me make one thing clear, Viktor. Treaty be damned, if you ever lay a finger on my wife again, I’ll kill you.
I don’t give a damn about the consequences and fall outs.
She is mine. And you will not touch her.
” My voice is so low I barely recognize it.
I punctuate my threat by clenching my fist even tighter as I choke him.
He tries to speak but can’t get words out with my tight grip. I loosen my fists only enough to allow him the air to speak.
“Is that so? So, she’s betrayed me? She’s confessed everything to you? I guess the jig is up.” He raises a questioning brow at me. “And Yelena, calm down! No need to sound up a storm. He can’t kill me.”
I ignore his directions to his maid, who’s been yelling for help. I’ll be gone before the soldiers arrive anyways.
“She told me of your abuse, you sick fuck!” I punch his broken ribs, the reminder fueling my fury.
“Well, I had to train her to be the perfect Bratva soldier. The perfect honeypot. And boy did she do a good job. I mean, just look at you.” His eyes gleam with delight.
Despite sensing the trap, I have to ask. I have to push. All logic tells me to leave it alone, to not trust a thing this man tells me, but my curiosity is my downfall.
“She was never involved in the Bratva. And she’d never be a honeypot!” I snap at him. He’s lying.
“Oh yes, that’s what she told you when you inducted her into your little Syndicate.
She swore her loyalty to you. Spilled all her secrets of betrayal.
The plans of your demise she entered the marriage with.
It’s sad to see such a valuable asset get turned.
” His disappointed words throw me for a loop.
“You’re lying!”
“Ask her yourself.” The confidence in his words, in his grin, guts me.
“Why would you tell me this? Why would you betray your spy in the Syndicate?” The bitter words fly from my mouth. This is it. This is where I catch him in his lie.
“She betrayed me first when she attacked me. She plays only for herself. She’ll take down anyone in her path. She’ll stab you in the back just as she did me at the first opportunity.” Viktor’s calm flickers to fury only for a moment before he sighs. “Inducted into two families, loyal to none.”
Alex’s face appears in my mind, but I push it away. There’s no way she attacked and killed him because he doubted her. His accusations were false. They had to be. I know my wife. I know her. I know her loyalty to me… Right?
My eyes remain on his a moment longer, trying to decipher his honesty. But I can’t tell truth from lie. It muddles my mind.
I hear cars pulling up to the house and take that as my cue. With one last threatening look, I drop him and retreat back to my car.
The entire drive home is spent convincing myself of her loyalty.
The walk through the house is spent questioning everything.
Her peaceful, sleeping form mocks me in our bed, and I can’t seem to join her.
Instead, I shower, and as I do, I recollect every encounter we’ve had. I try to puzzle it all together.
And when I go to sleep, on the opposite side of the bed as her, the distance between us is insurmountable. She sleeps soundly as I wage within myself, wondering if I even know my beautiful, elusive wife.