Chapter 46
Dominic
Vova glares at me as I pace back and forth. Even looking at the damn cat makes me furious. How could I have been so blind? How could I have been so foolish? I fell for the oldest trick in the book! The enemy sent me a siren, and I welcomed her with open arms.
I couldn’t sleep. Not with all the space between Katerina and me. Not with all the questions swirling in my mind.
My plan was to confront her about everything this morning. In my heart, I was certain there was a rational answer. One that didn’t involve lies. Because my tiger would never. She may stab me, but she’d never betray me.
I was waiting for her to wake up when her phone rang. As soon as she switched to Russian, whispering in a language I don’t understand, I knew in my gut. I knew he was right. She isn’t loyal to me. She never has been.
I didn’t believe for a minute she was going to the park. I know she was going to meet with someone. When my men following her confirmed she was at the park, the relief I felt was immense. I rejoiced in happiness.
Until I got a second call moments later, informing me of her brother’s presence. Pyotr Sokolov. The Second-in-Command of the Bratva. It was a knife to the heart. Worse than any wound I’ve ever endured. Agony like no other.
I would’ve rather anyone else betray me over her. Because I’m not only losing a soldier, but also my wife. My one true source of happiness. Ripped from me. To learn it was all a lie was more than I could endure.
My watch informs me that Nikolai and Katerina are pulling through the gate. With my stoic mask in place, I storm to the front door.
When they walk through, my wife smiles at me. It only worsens the pain. She puts her arms around me in a hug, and I bask in her deceptive passion for one more moment. Then I place my arms around her, restraining her against me.
“Dominic, we need to talk.” Her sweet voice is daggers in me. Each word puncturing me. Paining me. “It’s important.”
“More of your lies, I’d presume?” My harsh words cause her to pull back, but my grip is unrelenting. She’s not getting out of my hold.
“What the fuck, Dominic?” She hisses and stomps on my foot. I don’t even feel it, not over the pain in my chest.
“Detain them in the basement,” I order the waiting soldiers.
It takes three to get Nik and just as many for my… Katerina. Just as many for Katerina. I refuse to be impressed by her fight. It can no longer amuse me. She’s not mine to be proud of.
“DOMINIC! ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY? WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” Katerina’s yells go unanswered, but that doesn’t stop her from shouting and fighting all through the house.
I return to my office but remain in the doorway. I can’t even find reprieve in here. Her spot next to mine mocks me. The desk which holds what used to be a fond memory turns sour in my mind.
No longer able to endure the reminders, I leave.
I can’t find a single room in my house that doesn’t remind me of her.
I end up sitting in my pantry on a chair I dragged in from the kitchen.
Because even the kitchen, a room I never entered before her, holds memories of feeding her blueberries for a late-night snack.
My mind is a jumbled mess. I’m so lost, I don’t even know where to begin.
The best move would be to call Bash and have him do a sweep of everything to see what’s been compromised.
But I don’t have it in me. At least not yet.
When it comes back showing all she’s done, all her disloyalty, it’ll only crush me further.
So, for now, I sit in my misery with only expired chips to keep me company.
My phone ringing interrupts my pity. The unknown caller ID sends a shiver down my spine.
I answer the call but don’t say anything.
“Dominic Montclair. It is Pyotr Sokolov, your brother-in-law,” a deep voice says from the other end. I recognize it, and it pisses me off. How dare he call me after conspiring with my… Katerina!
“What do you want?” I grind out.
“Erm… have you not spoken to Katya yet?” His tone changes to one of confusion. “I thought I gave you enough time.”
“Yes, I have.” I pretend to understand. I want to know what trap they’re planning for me. If I feign ignorance of her betrayal, then I can find what’s really going on.
“What is your decision? Will you help?”
“With what exactly?” I’m truly lost.
“With overthrowing Viktor.” He says it like it’s obvious, but I stagger back.
I suck in a breath. “What?”
“Are you sure you spoke with Katerina? She met with me this morning to discuss the Syndicate’s aid in overthrowing Viktor. He’s gone too far this time and must be stopped.” Fury makes way for confusion. I don’t understand their angle.
“Why should I be interested in Bratva politics?”
“Because he’s breaking your rules.” He says it slowly, as though he’s talking to a child. Clearly, he doesn’t think I understand what’s going on… which I don’t.
“What’s he done?” I need to know. This is imperative. If Viktor’s broken our rules, then the treaty is void, and I can go after him. I can kill him for touching my… Oh.
“He’s human trafficking women from the motherland and turning them into forced sex slaves by the ports.” Pyotr disgust matches my own.
It all clicks into place.
What Roman’s been suspicious of for two years.
What Margot inadvertently stumbled upon.
Their surplus of cash.
Their new merchandise ‘we can’t compete with.’
Their need for more fucking ports.
They’re human trafficking.
I’m sick to my stomach. He’s been doing this for years right in front of us. Countless women have suffered when we could’ve intervened. If I hadn’t told Roman and Bash to pull back from digging, we would’ve found this so much sooner.
“How many?” I grit out.
“Hundreds of women. So many have died. Either from overdosing on the drugs they have them addicted to or… There’s no limit to the number of women in Russia. He’ll never stop unless we stop him.”
My stomach churns. Hundreds of women suffering because of our inaction. It is our duty to those women to step in.
“The Syndicate will aid in any way. Should we reach out to Lorenzo?” The Mafia would never allow this sort of thing and would gladly help overthrow Viktor.
“No! There are few men I trust. Only a handful of my own. I only reached out to the Syndicate because of your connection with my sister. She’s clearly loyal to you.
She even threatened me if I tried to harm you or come between you.
I’m grateful she met with me today at all.
” He lets out a chuckle as if the idea of his sister threatening him on her husband’s behalf is sweet.
He doesn’t know the war machine that she is.
“Why did you meet with her?” I demand as dread settles in.
“So she could convince you to help. I figured it would be easier for me to convince my sister than you, and you’d believe your wife over me, so that’s the route I chose.”
The breath is knocked out of me. This means she didn’t betray me. She isn’t disloyal. She’s truly my wife. She always has been. And Viktor was just trying to separate us.
She needed to talk to me! That’s what she said. She needed to talk about this. She was helping.
Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck!
I have her locked in the basement like a criminal. Like the enemy. I’m treating my wife like a prisoner in her own home.
I’m sick to my stomach.
I treated her like trash. I casted her aside.
I didn’t even give her a chance to defend herself.
I acted as though she meant nothing to me when really, she’s my light.
My fire. When I thought it was all a lie, when I thought I had to end the life I built with her, there was no other life worth living. There is no happiness without her.
“I have to go!” I abruptly say.
“You will help?” he rushes out.
“Yeah. The Syndicate will help.”
I hang up, and race to my wife to beg for her forgiveness.