Page 31 of Kidnapped By the Bratva

Chapter Fifteen - Maxim

Kristen sits across from me in my office, his posture tense but composed. Artem and Timur are here too, standing nearby like shadows. Kristen’s eyes narrow as he looks at me, suspicion brewing behind them.

“This wasn’t about the money,” he says, his voice steady, but I can hear the edge of accusation. “Why did you really kidnap Sophia, and why were you after Kace?”

I lean back in my chair, feeling the familiar burn of anger deep in my gut. “This is about my father’s death,” I say coldly, each word heavy with the weight of truth. “Arlo Sharov.”

Kristen doesn’t flinch, but I can see the way his eyes harden. He’s piecing it together. “Kace didn’t kill your father, Maxim,” he says firmly. “I don’t know what you’ve been told, but you’ve been chasing the wrong man.”

My jaw tightens, and I lean forward, resting my elbows on the desk. “The facts say otherwise. The car that was seen leaving the scene of my father’s murder? It was rented by Kace Preston. You think I’m just going to ignore that?”

Kristen sighs, clearly frustrated. “Yes, the car was rented, but not for what you think. We were considering buying a few for operations, so Kace rented it to test it out. We didn’t like it, so we returned it. That’s it. Nothing more.”

I glare at him, my hands curling into fists. “You expect me to believe that?” My voice drops, the anger simmering beneath the surface. “Everything points to your boss.”

He shakes his head slowly, locking eyes with me. “You’re being set up. Kace didn’t do it.”

Before I can respond, Timur steps forward, his face serious. “Kristen’s right. It wasn’t Kace.”

I turn to Timur, narrowing my eyes. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Timur crosses his arms, his expression grim. “I’ve had moles planted among the Italians for months now. They’ve been feeding me information, and what I found… it’s bad. Arlo Sharov’s murder? It was Don Fernando who orchestrated it.”

For a moment, I just stare at him, my brain trying to catch up. “Fernando?” I say, my voice low with disbelief.

Timur nods. “Yes. Fernando set the whole thing up. He framed Kace and made sure you’d come after him. The guy who rented Kace the car, Henry? He was paid off to sell you that story. As soon as he gave you the intel, he disappeared. Left the country the next day.”

The anger inside me flares, and I feel the burn of it in my chest. “Why would Fernando do this?”

Timur’s jaw tightens. “It’s simple. Fernando wants the Russians and the Americans at each other’s throats. If we wipe each other out, it clears the way for the Italians to take over. They don’t want to be second in line anymore. This war between you and Kace? It’s exactly what they wanted.”

I clench my fists so tightly that my knuckles turn white. All this time, I’ve been chasing the wrong enemy. Every move, every decision, fueled by a lie. Fernando had set the pieces in place, watching us fight while he sat back, waiting for us to weaken each other. The rage simmers hotter, and I lean back in my chair, trying to control it.

“This whole time…” I say, my voice barely above a growl. “I’ve been played.”

Kristen watches me closely, his eyes filled with a mix of concern and frustration. “I told you, Maxim. Kace wasn’t your enemy. He didn’t kill your father.”

The realization crashes over me, and it feels like the ground beneath me has shifted. Everything I’ve done—kidnapping Sophia, setting this entire plan into motion—was based on a lie. I have to face the fact that I’ve wasted time, energy, and resources on the wrong target.

“Fernando set this up,” I mutter, anger tightening my chest. “He wanted me to come after Kace. To start a war.”

Timur nods again. “Exactly. Henry’s gone, and Fernando’s sitting pretty, waiting for us to tear each other apart.”

My mind spins, the puzzle pieces falling into place. I feel the weight of my mistakes, but I also feel the cold, calculated resolve that’s gotten me this far. I’m not about to let Fernando get away with this. He thinks he’s won, but he’s wrong.

“This changes everything,” I say through clenched teeth, my mind already working on the next steps. Fernando played me, but he’s about to find out just how much of a mistake that was.

Kristen leans forward, his voice sharp. “Now you know the truth. Kace is dead—he died thinking you were coming for him. So what now, Maxim?”

I don’t answer him right away. My focus shifts to the bigger picture, to the next moves I’ll need to make. Don Fernando just became my primary target. The game has changed, and now, it’s my turn to move.

“I’m going to make Fernando pay,” I say, my voice dark with the promise of vengeance. “I’m going to take my time with him. He’ll regret ever crossing me.”

The room falls into a heavy silence. Kristen looks at me, his face still tight with anger and frustration. Before he can respond, Timur speaks, his voice calm but carrying an edge of deadly certainty.

“Kace’s death wasn’t natural either,” Timur says, his eyes locking on to Kristen’s. “It was planned. An induced heart attack—another move by Don Fernando to cover his tracks. If you carry out a deeper autopsy, you’ll find traces of it.”

Kristen’s eyes widen slightly, his jaw tightening as the weight of Timur’s words sinks in. “An induced heart attack,” he repeats, disbelief flickering across his face. “Why?”

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