Page 31 of Scarlet Vows (Yegorov Bratva #3)

Chapter Twenty-Four

ILYA

When I wake early the next morning, the sheets next to me are cold.

My heart plummets as my stomach turns to stone.

For a moment, part of me thinks it was a dream, but there’s the indent in the pillow, the mess of the sheets on the other side. Her scent if I press my nose against that pillow and breathe in.

Alina was here.

We made love.

Had sex.

I suck in a breath and get up, heading to the bathroom and turning on the shower.

Maybe she took off to go back to her room. Maybe she decided to get up early and greet the dawn.

Maybe she regrets every single thing that happened.

Fuck.

“Don’t be a fool, Ilya. What is, is.” Tying myself into knots won’t change that.

Besides, I have shit to do .

I shower quickly and pull on my workout gear. Then, when I’ve got my basic shit together, I look for her.

Even though there’s an odd emptiness to the place, I still look. There are people here, the guards outside, drivers, guards at the gate. Not to mention the household staff.

And Svetlana is always here before the light of dawn, apparently up earlier than even me most days.

I climb the stairs and check Alina’s room. Her door’s open, bed made, just a couple of dresses discarded on it, like she tried on an outfit or two before finding something to wear.

I step in, an invader, and glance at her bathroom. A tube of mascara and all her other things are there. A towel’s crumpled on the floor, and the shower’s still wet.

She hasn’t packed up and left—not that I thought she would—but I don’t think either she or Albert are here.

He’d at least come to greet me if he was. I think he likes me almost as much as he loves Alina.

But even so, I keep searching this floor. Not here. I go down and check out the ground floor, the dining room, the kitchen, and the garden. No one.

Just the sound of the washing machine starting in the large laundry room.

Alina’s gone. So is Albert.

My mind strays. Last night was…

Incredible.

Sublime.

Fucking mind blowing.

And no doubt too much for her. Greedy fuck that I am, I pushed it too far, and now she’s gone. It’s barely light out, and I should be at the gym. It’s piling on my stress that my routine’s off kilter by Alina’s sudden absence.

I’m a monster. I should have known it would be too much and that it’d send her unraveling .

The thoughts keep piling up as I search the rest of the house.

Definitely gone.

I grab my keys and my bag and head to my car. On the way to the gym, I swing by the park and the shelter just in case she’s there.

I could go to Isla’s and…what? Scare her senseless?

Outside the gym, I park and try calling her, but there’s no answer.

My heart thuds hard and heavy, and I feel sick.

Fuck. I need to calm down. Her clothes are still there. Equally important, all of Albert’s toys and food and bedding are there, too. Just the dog, the girl, and the leash are gone.

And…well, unless she has Gus on speed dial, I doubt she’s with the driver. She can drive; she’s got a car.

There’s a whole fleet of cars she could choose from if she’s been to the huge garage.

She could be anywhere.

I decide to text her, knowing my workout time’s diminishing by the minute. Today isn’t a quiet day, work wise.

Me

Alina, I’m here if you want to talk. At the gym, but I’ll be back home in an hour. No pressure.

It’s not much, but when she doesn’t respond, I go in and hit the gym. Hard.

No Isaak today, which I knew, but it means I can push myself, make it all count, and when I leave, my legs and arms are lead, my stomach muscles protesting a little, too.

I head back home and get in the door when my phone vibrates. I race up the stairs to my room to get ready for the day when I see the name .

My heart skips a beat, a bolt of adrenaline shooting through me.

Alina.

Alina

I’m ok.

Me

Whatever you need, it’s okay. We can hit pause, pretend last night didn’t happen. Whatever you want, I’m okay with. I just need to know you’re okay. I need to know if you’re not.

I suck in a breath and wait.

Alina

I really am ok. Walking Albert. We’ll talk later.

I frown.

She’s been walking Albert for well over an hour?

And her response is so short that it doesn’t fill me with much hope.

Alina’s okays are sometimes not okays. And I don’t have a clue which one is which.

I know her car isn’t here. Trouble is, I don’t remember moving it here. We may have. But while the move all happened recently, all of the stuff that happened? An avalanche. I didn’t pay attention to her car because I want what Demyan wants—her with her driver.

So again, maybe she got Gus up and here early with her trusty driver speed dial. Maybe she took a car, or her car was here. Or maybe she took Albert out for a mega-long walk.

The last option I can’t see. Albert loves walks, loves to run around. I’m pretty sure it’s up there with him practicing his sad eyes to get food, bed stealing, and napping.

Yeah, I can see them going on a marathon walk for a few hours.

When I’m dressed in one of my black suits, I go to the study, leaving the door open. I have a large coffee courtesy of Svetlana by my side as I work, watching and listening for Alina’s return.

Melor comes in. We talk, and then he gets to work.

And still no Alina.

I grow more anxious by the minute, and when I have to leave two hours later, she still isn’t back. I don’t think anyone could understand the willpower it takes not to call her, not to rip apart Chicago to find her.

But I don’t. Trust is a two-way street. I need to trust her if she’s going to see I’m someone who’ll be there, give her space.

I have to get rid of the thought that she knows me and should know that.

This isn’t about knowing me; it’s about understanding something on a deeper level.

Besides, I need to give her the space I promised. And I do want her to have space to process things. Last night was huge.

I leave a note for her, telling her I’ll be back later. Then I go down to where Melor waits for me. We have some Belov business, and then I have to meet Pavel for Yegorov business. My day is full.

My phone buzzes as I cross the foyer. But it isn’t Alina.

Santo

I hope you’re ready for action, Belov. Time to strike against Simonov is here.

He’ll be at his club tonight after closing time.

Intel tells me he’s finalizing a weapons deal.

All his senior men will be present. Just so you know, Abram Simonov doesn’t trust his men so he always attends these meetings.

I’ll send through all the relevant details.

My heart clenches.

Me

Got it. Good work.

Santo

Always. We’ll talk in a bit.

“Who was that?” Melor asks, studying my face. “Not your pretty wife.”

“You wanted a solution to the Simonov problem? I’ve got one.”

“And?”

“Move our meeting back an hour. Tell them it’s unfortunate, but it can’t be avoided. Send them a fruit basket or a severed head. I don’t know, something they like.”

For a second, his eyes bug, but then he chuckles. “You’re joking.”

“Please don’t send people fruit baskets or a severed head. They’re an ally, so just apologize for me. And if they can’t do later, then I’ll make it up to them later.”

He nods and then frowns. “Why can’t we make the meeting?”

“The bar we own that Aleksandr always had bigger meetings at?”

He nods again .

That’s a tradition we’ll be ending today, but I keep that to myself. Fuck that nasty old man.

“Gather our army there, Melor. I’ve got something to say.”

“I’m on it,” he says. “I’ll have them all there in half an hour.”

“Anyone who doesn’t make it or is late is out, understood?”

“ Da .”

It’s too early for vodka, but the bottles are out, shot glasses poured, and I’m on my third. I’m nowhere near affected by it, apart from the warmth in my belly. But I’m aware of the theatrics of this game, and a strong leader will drink with his men no matter what the time.

Plus, we’re Russian. I’d have black bread and the trimmings out, but they don’t have any here.

I’m pouring my new shot when they come in. Melor joins me and downs a few shots, then he, too, fills his glass and waits. The men eye the drinks, take one, but don’t drink from them.

Not yet.

Though I can see a few want to as a “fuck you” to me.

No one is late, though a few stragglers turn up right on time.

I wait until the doors are closed and the men fall silent.

“Like it or not, I’m your pakhan. By right and by birth. What I’m not is my grandfather, but I’m just as strong as him. You’ll find I’m a proactive leader, and I refuse to sit back and wait for our enemies to strike.

“I’ve learned the Simonov Bratva started this altercation in the hopes we’ll either cave, do a deal, or start a war. But they don’t expect a precision strike. We’ll be attacking the Simonov Bratva tonight and take out Abram Simonov.

A murmur runs through the crowd.

I hold up my hand to silence them. “He isn’t liked by his men. He’s unwilling to trust and unwilling to put his neck where his mouth is, preferring to send them to the slaughter. I don’t believe in slaughtering my men. I stand with them. I fight with them and for them.

“I trust them. Tonight, we’ll send a clear message to their bratva and their allies and others who might wish to cross us that me and my bratva are not to be messed with.”

I hold up my glass, and Melor does the same.

“Za zdorovyye!” I cry.

“ Za zdorovyye !” Melor shouts.

And the men cheer, “To your health!” back in Russian.

Everyone downs their drinks, and then more vodka flows.

I quiet them all down.

“You need to listen to me,” I say, switching to Russian completely, “and listen well. I didn’t have much family growing up, but what I had, whether by blood or through bonding friendship, I held it to the highest degree. Family is lifeblood. It’s loyalty. It’s having each other’s backs.

“You’re all my family now, and each and every one of you is important. We form a machine, a family, a bratva that’s strong because of loyalty and brotherhood. Of trust and honor. Thank you.”

A cheer rises up, and Melor pats me on the back as they all talk amongst themselves.

“They are impressed you have real balls, my friend. And even more so by your willingness not to hold back to be one with them. This, they will not forget.”

“I hope so.”

He checks his watch. “We can still make the meeting. They pushed it back, eager to meet with you. But it’s up to you.” He nods at the men. “They will be ready for tonight. Trust.”

I hope so.

As we leave, even as my tension over Alina remains, I hope I’m finally earning their trust.

I’ll find out for sure tonight.