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Someone once said, “If betrayal was forgivable, the devil would still be sitting next to God.”

I couldn't agree more with this statement, considering my resentment for such acts. Loyalty was key in my line of work; it was the one thing that was non-negotiable.

The Bratva mafia was infamous for many things, one of them being our ruthlessness toward those who dared break the rules of our organization.

Every member of the Tarasov Bratva knew the codes we ran by; they understood the consequences of breaking these codes. The punishment attached to this was always severe. Yet, some of our men still had the audacity to go against the same organization they'd sworn an oath to stand by.

Greed was the principal factor driving them to abandon the Bratva. No matter how many of them were caught and punished publicly, there would still be idiots who thought they could outsmart the organization.

Greedy bastards!

I, for one, never took it lightly with those sick fucks. Anyone who dared snitch on the Bratva would pay the ultimate price eventually.

Tonight, I was on the hunt for one of those Judases amongst us: a man called Arseni.

Arseni used to be one of the Bratva's most loyal foot soldiers, ruthless and a little cunning. His tricky nature was a useful resource that often came in handy for our organization. The man was a master of deceit and could so easily fool just about anyone. He was that good.

With him on our side, we'd infiltrated a number of rival organizations and obtained useful information that gave us an edge over our enemies. He was a tool that made our work look easy.

However, things began to change when pride found its way into Arseni's heart. He thought so highly of himself and believed that he was irreplaceable; hence, he deserved a seat in the inner circle.

There were rules to these things—rules to how we climbed up the ranks—but Arseni believed he'd earned a place at the high table. Of course, I turned him down. He was too ambitious, too proud for his level, and these were the traits, the pointers, that indicated that he wasn't ready to go up the ranks.

He was lucky I entertained his foolish and overzealous proposal instead of putting a fucking bullet in his skull. Arseni had been working for me for donkey years; he'd proven to be loyal and quite resourceful. Therefore, wasting such a tool wouldn't have been a good idea.

However, I turned him down and told him he wasn't ready. And he wasn't.

Arseni wasn't so pleased with being rejected, even though he wasn't stupid enough to have acted out before me. He'd kept his anger and disappointment to himself lest he crossed a line and faced a terrible fate.

Little did I know that my rejection would set that prick down a path of rebellion.

After he left my office that day, Arseni was no longer the man I could rely on. Although his change in attitude was never obvious, I could discern the negativity oozing from him.

It wasn't long after that the organization's finances started to dwindle; our enemies turned out to be a few steps ahead of us every single time. It was as though they knew our plans before we executed them and would always find a way to counterattack.

It went on over and over and this became a serious concern to the organization.

We were losing high-profile clients to rival organizations, investors were withdrawing from us, and our finances were seriously at stake.

It was clear that we had a mole in our midst, and even now, I cursed myself for not suspecting Arseni. I didn't think that he'd be stupid enough to turn against us, but then again, I didn't realize how highly he'd already exalted himself.

My trusted lieutenant, Andrey, did his homework, dug a little deeper, and eventually discovered that Arseni had been the mole all along. This news fueled my rage and made my blood boil.

I was so mad at myself for letting him trick me all this time. Despite his over-ambition, he still had my trust, but the bastard decided to break it. He chose to make an enemy out of me. Wrong decision.

He'd fled the moment he realized that we were on to him.

According to Andrey's findings, Arseni had been selling sensitive Bratva information to our enemies—he'd been selling them our secrets. No wonder they were always two steps ahead of us.

I could only hope that the money he received was enough compensation for his treason. He betrayed the Bratva, betrayed me , all for what? Money, power, influence?

My fingers balled into fists, a spark of rage surging through me as I stood amongst the crowd, eyes scanning the room with calculated intensity.

Waiters and waitresses, dressed in their signature attire, glided through the throng, balancing silver trays laden with champagne flutes and canapés. The fragrance of exotic flowers mingled with the scent of caviar and truffles.

The rhythmic throb of music filled the atmosphere in the penthouse apartment, and the air was charged with anticipation. Guests—the creme de la creme of society, all dressed to impress with their designer attire and dazzling jewels—sprawled across the luxurious space.

Crystal chandeliers reflected rainbow hues on the polished marble floor, casting soft lights that cast warm glows over the guests. A live jazz band performed on a raised platform, entranced the crowd with their soulful melodies.

The music weaved a spell that drew people to the dance floor, but this wasn't my concern. I wasn't here to have fun; I was here to find the one who betrayed my trust, and I wasn't going to leave until I found him.

I shot a quick glance at the diamond-encrusted watch glinting on my wrist, my patience wearing thin. In my mind, I'd cooked up thousands of ways to make that bastard suffer before sending him to hell.

This was personal.

Arseni had not only betrayed the Bratva but also tricked me into thinking he was not a threat. I loathed him for this and couldn't wait to have him in my basement, where no one would hear his screams.

“Here's here somewhere,” Andrey said, hovering at my elbow, his eyes fixed on the guest list in his hands. “It's only a matter of time until we find him.” He raised his head and looked at me.

My teeth gritted in a mix of anger and disappointment. I was displeased with the fact that I'd have to wait a little longer before catching that son of a bitch. But regardless of my impatience, I retained my calm, finding comfort in the horrible things I'd do to Arseni once I caught him.

“Tell the men to stay on high alert,” I said, adjusting my tie, a hand slipping into my pants pocket. My tailored black suit complemented the color of my hair, which was slightly unkempt. “If he's here, he mustn't slip through our fingers.” My expression remained impassive, but a hint of tension rippled beneath the surface.

“He won't,” Andrey said, his voice laced with conviction, eyes flashing with a glint of fury. “We'll find that bastard, Boss—he's not escaping tonight.” His tone dripped with disdain and venom.

Andrey shared in my anger and was just as determined to see that greedy asshole brought to his knees.

As my gaze swept across the room, a peal of laughter caught my attention, and I turned toward the sound. In a moment, my eyes fell on a woman who shone like a jewel amidst the sea of faces. Her blonde hair fell loosely over her shoulders like a river of gold, her sapphire gown highlighting her curvature and hugging her in the right places.

She stood balanced on a pair of black stilettos that accentuated her radiance, a champagne flute clutched between her fingers. She glowed, her skin simmering in the chandelier's soft lights.

This vision of loveliness seemed engrossed in her conversation with a group of other women dressed in elegant gowns.

My brows arched as I stared at this beautiful stranger, and for a moment there, I forgot about Arseni. This woman had captured my attention, and now I couldn't seem to tear my gaze off her. My eyes lingered on her as I drank in the sight of her gorgeous body, wondering who she was.

“That's Rayvn Jenson,” Andrey said as though he'd read my mind, his eyes tracing my gaze. He shot a glance at me before returning his eyes to her and continuing. “Daughter of James Jenson, an American tycoon—one of the most successful businessmen in the city of Chicago.”

A faint smirk lined a corner of my lips as I watched her, enjoying the quiet sound of her laughter. There was something about her that I couldn't wrap my head around, something that had me drawn to her. Was it her amazing body or her sweet voice? I wasn't entirely sure, but her presence was a distraction from the task at hand.

I should be focused, but I wasn’t because she'd stolen my attention. What a smooth criminal!

In a fleeting moment, she looked in my direction, her dazzling smile illuminating the room. Her blue eyes held my gaze for what seemed like an eternity, and I was captivated by her beauty.

There was a subtle flutter in my chest, my stone-cold heart momentarily warmed by her infectious grin.

Our eyes met, and the room fell silent, the world around us melting away. As her blue eyes locked on mine, I felt the weight of her gaze like a gentle touch.

Usually, most people couldn't look me in the eyes, let alone hold my gaze for so long. Yet, this beautiful young woman didn't look away; instead, her stare burned with an inner fire.

Her confidence was admirable, and as we stared into each other's eyes, the air was thick with an unspoken connection. In that moment, everything else faded into the background. Even the room itself seemed to shrink, leaving only the two of us suspended in an ocean of silence.