Page 35 of Embrace of the Russian Tiger

The Bianchi family had been searching for any access to Rossi’s assets for years. But everyone knows that the will that Rossi left is ironclad—Rossi had made sure of that. Everything went to his daughter, no one else.

The Bianchis had been unable to touch a cent of Rossi’s fortune because they just couldn’t, and they did not know that Anna existed. They’d tried every avenue—bribes, intimidation, but they couldn’t uncover the truth. Until Nikolai opened his mouth. This filth.

My knuckles turned white as I gripped the edge of the desk, the cool surface doing nothing to calm the storm roaring inside me. Nikolai. Feeding information to everyone. Bianchi of all people. He had been playing both sides, worming his way into the cracks of my organization, into Anna’s life.

I had thought I could protect her by keeping her close, by keeping the truth from her. But now, it was clear that Nikolai had outplayed me, and Anna was in more danger than I had ever imagined.

“He’s been playing both sides,” I said, more to myself than to Mikhail. The pieces were falling into place, each one more damning than the last. “He wanted to play me for a fool.”

Mikhail said nothing, but his silence was agreement enough. Nikolai had been slowly positioning himself, feeding information to the Bianchis, getting closer to Anna while I’d been too focused on my own plans.

“He’s a dead man,” I growled, the cold fury that had been simmering inside me finally snapping free.

Mikhail didn’t flinch. “What’s the next move?”

I sat back, forcing myself to think clearly. I couldn’t let the rage blind me, no matter how much I wanted to rip Nikolai apart with my bare hands. This needed to be handled strategically. Calculated. Nikolai thought he could outplay me, thought he could betray me and walk away unscathed. But he was wrong.

I would tear him down piece by piece.

“Keep watching him,” I ordered, my voice hard. “I want to know every step he takes, every breath he draws. And keep aneye on Bianchi. If he’s involved, we need to know how deep this goes.”

Mikhail nodded, his eyes dark with understanding. “Understood.”

He stood to leave, but I wasn’t done. There was more. More that needed to be addressed before we moved forward.

“And Mikhail,” I said, my tone softening just slightly. “I want no mistakes. When we strike, it has to be clean. No loose ends.”

He paused at the door, glancing back at me with a look of steely resolve. “It will be done.”

When the door closed behind him, the silence returned, heavy and thick, but the tension in my chest remained.

There was no coming back from this. Nikolai was playing a dangerous game. One he thought he could win. But he didn’t know me anymore. He didn’t know the lengths I would go to destroy him.

I had lost Katya. I wouldn’t lose Anna.

My hands clenched into fists, the cold fury in my chest settling into something far more dangerous—something deadly. Nikolai’s days were numbered. I would see to it personally.

I had built an empire on vengeance. And now, it was time for Nikolai to feel the full weight of that empire crashing down on him.

I would make sure he regretted every lie, every secret, every moment of betrayal. And when it was over, there would be nothing left of him. Nothing but ashes.

CHAPTER 16

Ihad to know the truth, no matter what.

The words echoed in my mind, over and over, as I quietly slipped through the darkened mansion. My breath came in short, shallow bursts, every step heavy with the weight of what I was about to do. The text message still sat on my phone, the words burning a hole in my thoughts:

I know he didn’t tell you everything. Otherwise, I would have heardabout it. Come outside. 11 PM.

I stared at the screen, my stomach twisting in knots.

Maxim wasn’t telling me everything. And despite knowing I was betraying Maxim’s trust by sneaking out like this, I had to go. I had to know.

A knot of guilt tightened in my chest as I stepped out into the cold night air. The mansion loomed behind me, dark and imposing, and for a brief moment, I hesitated. This wasn’t just about the message. It was about Maxim. I was betraying him by leaving, by searching for answers he clearly didn’t want me to find. But how could I stay when I was drowning in secrets?

I pulled my coat tighter around me and walked quickly down the street, glancing over my shoulder every few minutes. Mypulse quickened with every step, the anticipation building in my chest like a ticking bomb.

What if this was a mistake?

---