endless danger for the people close to me. Just being in my presence put Victoria in danger, and by proxy, Nikolas too.
I try not to let guilt bring me down.
I don’t have any time to be self-pitying or wallow in my feelings. That’s not who my father raised me to be. He brought me up to keep a level head and remain composed.
I march upstairs, and I take a seat behind my desk, logging into my computer and opening up the folder where I store all of the recordings of the cameras around the house. This is where I sat and watched Daniel talk to Victoria in the library, where the two of them conspired against me.
If that moment taught me anything, it’s that I can’t quite trust Victoria, even now. She could’ve finally found enough evidence on me to turn me into the FBI. This could all be over any minute now. Everything: my life. My business. My Bratva.
As I scrub through the videos, I locate her earlier in the day. For most of the morning, she and Nikolas eat and watch TV, but after she cleans up the kitchen, she heads to the front door.
Then someone steps into view, and I tense up.
It’s Brahim Shehu.
I’d know that bald head anywhere, that thick, unkempt beard. And suddenly, it all makes sense.
Brahim and the “CPS worker” who attacked Victoria, the one who got away right as I came home, before I could get a good look at him. They’re one and the same. He’s been watching me, anticipating my every move.
And now he’s come to take what’s mine.
I fast-forward through the conversation that they’re having, and watch as she backs up into the foyer. Then Brahim puts his gun on the table. Victoria seems shocked by this, but she doesn’t make a run for it. They talk for a while longer, then he grabs her, and they head out.
He came here, into my home, took my woman. That fucking bastard. I’ll skin him alive as soon as I can get my hands on him.
But I have to find him first. Victoria is not safe. I need to track her down and find out where she is, where he’s taken here.
I call Timofei and explain quickly what’s happening. “Get everyone on this. Unless they want to deal with me, every last one of my men needs to be on the lookout for her.”
I race to the bottom of the stairs, where Niko is looking around in confusion.
He turns around and stares up at me with big eyes. “What’s wrong, Uncle Matvei? Where’s Victoria?” When I don’t say anything, he tugs at my hand. “Where’d she go?” he asks again. “Did she leave me like Mommy did?”
I see it instantly, and it damn near breaks my heart. To Nikolas, this is just another woman in his life that he’s going to lose. Another woman that loved him and looked after him, snatched away from him Nikolas loves her.
I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to see the other truth: I love her, too.
She wouldn’t have left him here alone—not after what happened with the burns he gave himself—if she had a choice. Brahim would’ve taken Nikolas, I’m sure of it, but he didn’t know because she didn’t give him away. She risked her own life for his.
How could I not love the woman willing to sacrifice everything for my family?
“You’re not going to lose her, Niko,” I tell him, setting my jaw. “I swear.”
I call in Miron, who shows up five minutes later, the tires of his car smoking, and instruct him to guard Niko. “Kill anyone who tries to come in,” I warn him as he races into the mansion.
“Yes, sir,” he says, his eyes set hard. “If anyone comes, I’ll take Nikolas to the safe room.”
“Good,” I reply. I clap him on the shoulder. “Trust no one.”
I’m just about to leave, but before I can go, Nikolas comes running back with something in his hand. He gives it to me, and when I flip it over, I see what it is.
It’s his father’s switchblade.
I squeeze my hand around it and look up at him. I don’t know how he got it again, but it doesn’t matter right now. I pull him close and hug him tight, my eyes never once leaving Miron’s. He needs to understand the severity of this. He has to know that Nikolas must be guarded with his life. Miron nods once, and I know that