Page 2

Ivan

The air in the room is thick with tension, the kind that settles into your bones and makes your skin prickle. I glance around the long table, taking in the faces of the men who command respect and fear in equal measure. The dim light overhead casts sharp shadows across their features, highlighting the hard lines etched by years of violence, power, and control.

My brother, Kirill, sits to my right, his expression as unreadable as ever. Violet, his wife, is beside him, her posture regal, though I catch the faint crease of worry in her brow.

This meeting wasn’t planned, but when someone decides to steal from the Bratva, we don’t wait around. We act.

I lean forward, resting my elbows on the table, my gaze narrowing on Maxim, my closest friend and the one I trust with my life. If anyone can get to the bottom of this, it’s him. The tension in the room thickens as everyone waits for what he has to say.

“Did you find out anything?” My voice cuts through the silence, sharp and demanding. There’s no room for hesitation here.

Maxim’s dark eyes meet mine, his expression as serious as ever. “We’ve traced the source of the breach to New York,” he begins, his tone measured but edged with the frustration I know he’s feeling. “We haven’t been able to pinpoint the exact individual responsible. Whoever did this, covered their tracks well. It’s not just a simple hacker—it’s someone who knows what they’re doing.”

My jaw tightens, frustration simmering just beneath the surface. “New York.” I don’t need to say more. The Prestons. The name hangs in the air unspoken, but it’s on everyone’s mind.

Kirill leans back in his chair, his green eyes narrowing in thought. He doesn’t speak, but I can sense the anger rolling off him in waves. Our rivalry with the Prestons is no secret. We’ve been chipping away at their empire, taking their clients, their power, leaving them with scraps. This move? It reeks of desperation, and that’s dangerous.

“It makes sense,” Maxim says. “We’ve been putting pressure on the Prestons, taking away their biggest clients. They’re losing money, losing face. This could be their way of hitting back.”

“They’re desperate,” Kirill finally says, his voice low and laced with barely concealed fury. “Desperate men do stupid things.”

Violet reaches over, resting her hand on his arm. It’s a small gesture, but it’s enough to keep him from spiraling. Kirill has always been the more volatile one, driven by a need for revenge that never fully left him after our mother’s death. I see that fire in his eyes now, the same fire that’s fueled him for decades.

“We need to move carefully,” I say, shifting my gaze back to Maxim. “If we strike too soon, without all the information, we could miss the real target. We can’t afford that. Not now.”

Maxim nods, his expression hardening with determination. “I’ll keep digging. There’s a trail, faint as it is. If they slipped up even once, we’ll find it.”

“I want eyes everywhere,” I continue, my voice cold. “New York, our clients, the Prestons’ operations—nothing is off-limits. If they think they can steal from us and walk away unscathed, they’re in for a rude awakening.”

There’s a murmur of agreement around the table, but I know better than to let my guard down. The Prestons are cunning, and they’ve survived this long for a reason. This is just the beginning of their retaliation, and we need to be ready for whatever comes next.

The meeting continues, but my mind drifts to the bigger picture. This isn’t just about money—it’s about power, about respect. The Prestons think they can claw their way back to the top by attacking us where it hurts. I’ll make sure they regret that decision.

The thought of Sophia Preston crosses my mind briefly. I’ve never met the girl, but I know of her—Kace’s precious daughter. The rumors say she’s as innocent as they come, untouched by the darkness her father revels in. A weak spot, perhaps? Or maybe just another pawn in this deadly game.

My gaze flicks to Kirill, who’s back to discussing logistics with Maxim. His focus is razor-sharp, his demeanor as ruthless as ever. There’s a bond between us that runs deeper than blood, forged in the fires of our shared past. We understand each other in ways no one else can, and I know that when the time comes, he’ll be ready to do whatever it takes.

Maxim leans in slightly, lowering his voice as he continues to speak with Kirill. “We need to hit them where it hurts, but strategically. The moment we find the crack in their defenses, we move.”

Kirill nods, his expression grim. “We will. When we do, they won’t see it coming.”

The meeting drags on, voices swirling around me as plans and strategies are tossed back and forth. I keep my gaze on the table, my mind elsewhere. The Prestons think they can steal from us and walk away. That’s the problem with them—they always think too small, too much about money, as if that’s all that matters. They don’t realize that this world is built on more than just cash. It’s about power, fear, respect.

I glance at Kirill, his eyes burning with barely contained anger. He leans toward Maxim, his voice low but firm. “We need to hit back. Hard. They took our money, our clients. We can’t let them get away with this.”

Maxim nods, his expression grim. “I agree. We need to be smart about it. If we strike now, without knowing who exactly we’re dealing with, we might just be playing into their hands.”

Kirill grits his teeth, frustration clear in his posture. “Smart? They weren’t smart when they took from us. They were bold, reckless. We should show them what real recklessness looks like.”

Violet places a calming hand on Kirill’s arm again, her voice soothing. “We will, Kirill.Ivan’s right—we need all the information first. Once we know who’s behind this, we can make sure they pay.”

Kirill’s eyes flash, but he doesn’t argue. Instead, he turns to me. “What’s the plan, Ivan? We can’t just sit here and do nothing.”

I take a deep breath, keeping my voice steady. “We won’t. Maxim, you’ll keep digging. I want to know who did this, down to the smallest detail. I don’t just want to retaliate—I want to destroy them.”

Maxim nods, his dark eyes meeting mine. “I’m on it. There’s a trail, faint as it is. We’ll find it.”

Kirill shifts in his seat, restless. “When we do?”

I lean forward, my gaze hard as steel. “We make them regret it. This isn’t just about taking back what’s ours—it’s about sending a message. The Prestons think they can play with us like this, that they can steal and walk away. We’re going to show them just how wrong they are.”

Kirill smirks, a dangerous glint in his eye. “Good. They’ve gotten too comfortable, thinking they’re untouchable. It’s time we remind them who really holds the power.”

Artem, standing near the door, chimes in, his voice deep and steady. “Do we start with their businesses? Take them down, one by one?”

I shake my head. “Too easy. They’d expect that. No, we hit them where it hurts most—right at the core. We’ve already taken their biggest clients. Now, we’ll make sure the rest of their empire crumbles from the inside out. We turn their own people against them, show them that loyalty to the Prestons is a death sentence.”

Violet nods, her voice quiet but firm. “And what about Sophia Preston? She’s a weakness, Ivan. Kace keeps her out of the dark, away from all of this.”

A small smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. “She is a weakness. And weaknesses are meant to be exploited. Not through brute force—no, that would be too crude. We use her as leverage, as a way to get under Kace’s skin. He thinks she’s safe, untouched by the darkness of this world. We’ll show him just how wrong he is.”

Kirill’s smirk widens. “You want to drag her into this? That’s bold, even for you, Ivan.”

I meet his gaze, unwavering. “Boldness is what this situation requires. The Prestons have played their hand—they think money is all it takes to weaken us. They don’t understand that our strength goes far beyond that. We’re going to hit them in a way they won’t see coming, and when we’re done, they’ll wish they’d never crossed us.”

Maxim leans in, lowering his voice. “I’ll start making arrangements. We’ll need to move carefully, make sure there’s no trace back to us.”

“Do it,” I say, my tone final. “Keep your eyes on New York. They’ve hidden well, but everyone makes mistakes. The moment they slip up, we’ll be ready.”

Kirill’s expression darkens, the anger simmering just below the surface. “Of course.”

I don’t hesitate. “No time like the present. Get on with it now.”

A murmur of agreement ripples through the room, but I can see it in their eyes—the hunger for revenge, the need to restore our honor. The Prestons think they’ve won by taking our money. They don’t realize they’ve only set the stage for their own destruction.

I push back my chair, the sound of it scraping against the floor, echoing through the room. “This isn’t over. It’s just the beginning. When we’re done, the Prestons will be nothing more than a memory—a lesson in what happens when you dare to challenge the Bratva.”

As the meeting adjourns, the men and Violet rise from their seats, the tension lingering in the air like the aftermath of a storm. Maxim exchanges a brief nod with me, already focused on the task ahead. I watch him leave, his steps purposeful as he heads out to put our plans into motion. The others follow suit, each with their own role to play, their loyalty unwavering.

Kirill lingers behind, his eyes following the last of the men out of the room. Once we’re alone, he gestures for me to join him in the hallway. I follow him out, the door closing with a heavy thud behind us. The dim lighting of the corridor casts long shadows, making the space feel even narrower.

Kirill stops a few steps away from the meeting room, turning to face me. His expression is serious, but there’s a hint of something else in his eyes—something softer, more reflective. It’s not a look I’m used to seeing from him, and it catches me off guard.

“Ivan,” he begins, his voice low and steady, “I’m glad you’re stepping up. We need that now more than ever.”

I hold his gaze, searching for the meaning behind his words. Kirill has always been the one in charge, the one who’s led us through the darkest times. His presence has been a constant, an unshakable force that’s kept the Bratva together. Lately, something’s changed. He’s pulled back, let me take the reins more and more.

“I’m just doing what needs to be done,” I reply, though I know there’s more to it than that.

He nods, his expression softening slightly. “You are. Since I married Violet….” He trails off, as if searching for the right words. “Things have shifted. I’ve taken a step back. Not because I don’t care, but because I’ve found something—someone—that matters more.”

I know what he means. I’ve seen the change in him since Violet came into his life. She’s grounded him in a way nothing else could. Where there used to be nothing but rage and a drive for vengeance, there’s now something else—a desire to protect, to build a future. It’s made him softer in some ways, but I know better than to mistake that for weakness.

“I get it,” I say, my tone understanding. “You’ve been leading us for years. You deserve to have something for yourself.”

Kirill’s eyes flash with gratitude, but he doesn’t let it linger. “I trust you, Ivan. You’ve proven yourself over and over again. I need you to keep doing that. The Prestons won’t stop with this. They’ll push, they’ll try to find any crack they can exploit. We need to be stronger than ever.”

I nod, the weight of his words settling on my shoulders. “We will be. I won’t let them take what’s ours.”

For a moment, we stand there in silence, the bond between us stronger than words could ever convey. Kirill may have taken a step back, but I know he’s still with me—still ready to fight if it comes to that. And I’m ready to lead, to ensure that our enemies never forget who they’re dealing with.

He claps a hand on my shoulder, a rare gesture of affection. “We’ve got this.”

“We do,” I agree, feeling the resolve harden within me. We’re in this together, as we’ve always been.