Page 34 of Embrace of the Russian Tiger

The thought of losing her, of seeing the look of betrayal in her eyes, was almost unbearable. But I couldn’t afford to let emotions cloud my judgment. Not now. Not when everything was at stake.

I set the necklace down on the desk, my mind already turning toward the inevitable confrontation with Nikolai. He thought he could outplay me; thought he could betray me and walk away unscathed.

He was wrong.

This wasn’t just about power anymore. This was about revenge. Katya’s death had shaped me, molded me into the man I was. And now, Nikolai was going to pay for what he had done.

I would make sure of it.

The silence in the room became oppressive, almost suffocating. I couldn’t take my eyes off the necklace lying on the desk, its cold metal gleaming in the dim light. The memories of Katya came flooding back with such intensity that for a moment, it felt as if the ground had shifted beneath me.

I had spent years suppressing that pain, burying it deep beneath layers of control, anger, and ambition. Losing Katya had defined me—it had shaped me into the man I was today. I hadmade a vow, standing over her grave, that no one would ever hurt me like that again. That no one would ever get close enough to break me.

But Nikolai... Nikolai had wormed his way into my life. He had pretended to be a brother, and I had let him. And all this time, he was the one who betrayed me. The man I trusted had stood by and watched as my world fell apart.

And now, I had proof.

The weight of that knowledge was crushing, but the rage simmering beneath it was hotter, more volatile than anything I had felt in years. Nikolai had dared to betray me. To steal from me. To desecrate my sister’s memory.

I would destroy him.

The door creaked open again, pulling me from the whirlwind of fury inside my mind. Mikhail stepped in again, his expression grim. He closed the door behind him, his footsteps slow, deliberate. I could tell from the set of his jaw that he had more to say, something that would only fuel the fire burning inside me.

“Mikhail,” I said, my voice colder than ice. “Sit.”

He obeyed without question, settling into the chair opposite my desk. He had been with me long enough to know when I was on the verge of something dangerous. I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his gaze flickered to the necklace for a brief moment before focusing back on me.

“Tell me again,” I said, leaning back in my chair, though my muscles were coiled tight with barely suppressed rage. “What else did you find?”

Mikhail hesitated for only a second, but it was enough. He was weighing his words, deciding how much he should say. That alone set my teeth on edge. I didn’t tolerate hesitation.

“After finding the necklace in his safe, I went through the rest of his belongings. Nothing overtly incriminating—financial ledgers, personal items—but...” He paused, his jaw tightening.“I found several communications between him and someone named Bianchi.”

Bianchi. The name felt like a sharp blade slicing through my already frayed patience. The Bianchi family had been a thorn in the side of the Italian Mafia for years. Rivals to the core. They were always lurking in the shadows, trying to make a move on what wasn’t theirs. Ambitious, brutal, and hungry for more power. And more importantly—they had always wanted what belonged to Rossi.

The Rossi family had been powerful, untouchable for years, controlling vast assets and territories. But when Rossi was killed, everything came to a halt. But a rumor of him leaving a will came out and that changed the game. The Bianchis had been waiting, circling like vultures, ready to take everything Rossi had left behind. But they hadn’t expected the will to name a sole heir—his daughter. The daughter they couldn’t find. Anna. The daughter they should not know existed.

“And what does Nikolai have to do with Bianchi?” I asked, my tone sharp, demanding.

Mikhail leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice as if the weight of his next words was too heavy to carry at full volume. “It seems Nikolai has been feeding them information. About you. About the Bratva. About Anna.”

My heart slammed against my chest. Anna.

“How does he know about Anna? Answer me, Mikhail.”

“I do not have a definite answer, Maxim. I do think it has to do with that guy that tried to put his hands on Anna, that day of the meeting. The man you demanded had his penis cut off for his actions. He is alive—albeit without his cock. But I saw pictures of him at Nikolai’s home. They were fishing with a bunch of people together. Which means that they hang out. This can also mean that they talk, and perhaps this guy told him that you ordered forhis dick to be cut off because of a woman. A mystery woman who you are hiding here. That’s the connection that I can make.”

I sighed heavily. This is getting out of control very fast.

“What else?”

“Another thing that I found is a photo of Nikolai and Rossi together from years ago. Nikolai visiting Rossi’s home. He must have known about Anna, orofAnna. And when thisdicklessidiot told him that his manhood was cut off because of a woman named Anna who Maxim is protecting so much, it is most likely that Nikolai put two and two together and realized who she is. Now it is his moment to shine.

“One last thing, Maxim. I know you told me that that the note that Anna got in the library might be nothing or might be something. I asked our guy to hack their cameras and pulled history. It was Nikolai who was lurking in the library. He was the one to place the note in Anna’s book.

“He’s been careful. Nothing blatant. But there’s enough there to suggest that he’s been positioning himself to go after you,” Mikhail said, his voice tight. “Bianchi is offering him protection, resources. I also used our hacker, Andrei to learn more about our “friend” and I know that they’ve been in contact for months.”

The necklace in front of me faded into the background as my mind zeroed in on one fact: Anna wasn’t safe. She hadn’t been safe from the moment I’d brought her into this. When I brought her in, she was supposed to be my little toy for amusement and a girl who does not ask questions. I was getting older and more sentimental, perhaps, but there was so much about Anna that just pulled me in. I couldn’t deny it. I lured her into this mess, and now I had to undo everything.

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