Page 40 of Embrace of the Russian Tiger

"If you’re lying to me," I said, my voice deadly calm, "I’ll come back. And next time, you won’t walk away."

Vittorio nodded quickly, his face pale as he tried to regain his composure. "We’re not lying. We wouldn’t... we wouldn’t cross you, Maxim.”

“You already did when you decided to invite Nikolai into your little sandbox. Let me tell you something, Vittorio: I will make sure that your business suffers because of this. You will be grateful that I let you keep your lives. I do not guarantee that you will be able to keep your business.”

I gave him one last cold stare before turning and walking out of the room, my mind already focused on the next step. Anna was somewhere in that godforsaken place, and Nikolai had her.

The drive to the docks was a blur, the adrenaline pumping through my veins. I didn’t need to give orders—Mikhail knew what to do. I was surrounded by men who feared me, men whoknew better than to question my authority. But this wasn’t just about authority anymore.

It was about revenge. About retribution. And about saving Anna.

When we reached the warehouse district, the tension in the air was suffocating. My men moved quickly, silently, surrounding the area with ruthless efficiency. But my mind was focused on one thing: Nikolai.

As we approached the first warehouse, I could feel the familiar burn of fury rising inside me. The cold, controlled rage I had perfected over the years. The same rage that had fueled me when Katya was taken from me. And now, the same rage that would tear Nikolai apart for what he had done.

Mikhail was at my side, his face unreadable as he handed me a gun, his movements swift and professional. "We’re ready," he said quietly.

I nodded, my grip tightening around the weapon as I stepped toward the door.

"Stay close," I ordered, my voice low and deadly. "And kill anyone who stands in our way."

We stormed the warehouse, the sound of gunfire exploding around us as my men took down Nikolai’s guards with ruthless precision. I moved through the chaos like a shadow, my eyes scanning the room, searching for Anna.

And then I saw her.

Tied to a chair in the center of the room, her wrists bound, her face pale but defiant. My heart stopped for a moment, the surge of relief almost overwhelming.

But then my gaze shifted, and I saw him.

Nikolai.

Standing behind her with a gun pressed to her head, a smug smile curling on his lips.

"Maxim," he said, his voice oozing with arrogance. "So glad you could join us."

Nikolai’s grin stretched wider as I took a step closer, my gun raised, my focus locked on the bastard holding Anna at gunpoint. His arrogance was palpable, the kind that only someone with nothing left to lose could display. But I had seen men like him break. And Nikolai would be no different.

"Maxim, Maxim..." Nikolai’s voice was thick with amusement, his eyes glinting with a sick pleasure. "You really don’t know when to quit, do you?"

I said nothing, my jaw tight as I fought to keep my fury in check. Anna was trembling in his grip, but she didn’t break eye contact with me. She was scared—I could see it—but there was still fire in her. That fire was what kept me steady. For her, I would remain in control.

But Nikolai wasn’t done. He leaned closer to Anna, his lips brushing dangerously close to her ear as he spoke, loud enough for me to hear.

"You think this little girl matters to me? Or to you? She’s just another piece in the game, Maxim. Just like Katya was."

My heart lurched in my chest at the sound of her name. The fire inside me ignited into an inferno, but I forced myself to stay calm, to keep my hand from shaking as I aimed the gun at his head.

"You don’t get to say her name," I growled, my voice cold and steady.

Nikolai’s eyes lit up with perverse excitement, and he chuckled, his hand tightening around Anna’s throat as she flinched. "Oh, but I do. You see, Katya and I... we had a little history, didn’t we?"

"Shut up," I snapped, the rage bubbling just beneath the surface.

"Why?" Nikolai sneered, taking a step back with Anna still in his grip. "You don’t want to hear what really happened? You don’t want to know why your precious little sister ended up floating in that river?"

My blood ran cold, and my finger hovered over the trigger. He was pushing me, testing my control, and he knew it.

"Oh, no," Nikolai said, his voice low and almost gleeful. "I was there, Maxim. I watched it happen. Hell, Imadeit happen!”

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