Page 56 of Veil of Shadows

“You should’ve stayed hidden, Viktor,” Lev said, voice dripping with venom. He stepped forward, casual as a cat toying with a cornered mouse. “You’ve really screwed up this time.”

Viktor’s jaw clenched. “Leave her out of this,” he growled.

Lev’s smirk was a dagger to the gut. “Oh, Viktor... still pretending you’ve turned soft. But we both know you’re just a dog trying to outrun its master.”

“Get out while you still can,” Viktor warned, his grip tightening on his gun. “This ends tonight.”

Lev’s laugh was cold and hollow. “You don’t get to decide how this ends.”

Alyssa moved to Viktor’s side, her weapon trained on Lev. But Viktor held up a hand. This was his fight. He had to end it.

Lev’s smile vanished as he lunged, his knife flashing in the dim light. Viktor dodged, barely, the blade grazing his arm. The sting was immediate, but it only fueled his rage. He slammed into Lev, their bodies crashing against the walls. Every punch, every kick was filled with years of betrayal and loss.

Lev’s taunts came between breaths. “She’s not worth it, Viktor,” he spat, swinging wildly. “You think you can build a new life with her? You’re fooling yourself.”

But Viktor wasn’t listening. He drove his knee into Lev’s stomach, sending him stumbling back. “Everything I’ve done,” Viktor growled, “I’ve done for her.”

With a final burst of strength, he disarmed Lev, the knife clattering to the floor. Viktor pinned him against the wall, his breath ragged. The fight had drained him, but he wasn’t about to give Lev the satisfaction of seeing him break.

“Run back to the Bratva,” Viktor hissed, his voice like ice. “Tell them they’ll have to go through me to get to her.”

Lev’s gaze was burning, but he knew he was beaten. With a sneer, he shoved Viktor away and staggered out of the cabin, disappearing into the night.

The silence that followed was deafening. Viktor turned to Alyssa, her eyes wide, her breaths coming in quick bursts. He pulled her close, burying his face in her hair.

“It’s over,” he whispered, though he knew better. It was only the beginning.

“Are you sure?” Alyssa asked, her voice shaky but hopeful.

Viktor nodded, pulling back to meet her gaze. “We’re free now. Let’s get out of here.”

Without looking back, they grabbed what little they had and slipped into the dark embrace of the forest. The night swallowed them whole, the danger behind them—at least for now.

But in Viktor’s heart, he knew the Bratva would come. They always did.

Tonight, though, they had won. And that was enough.

For now.

Epilogue – Alyssa

The distant crash of waves pulls me from sleep, their rhythmic murmur like a whispering tide. Morning light filters through the thin curtains, casting golden streaks over the room’s whitewashed walls. I turn over and see Viktor beside me, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. His brow, usually furrowed, is relaxed, and for once, he looks... peaceful.

Careful not to disturb him, I slip out of bed. The cool tiles send a pleasant shiver up my legs as I tiptoe toward the balcony. The moment I step outside, the salty breeze kisses my face, bringing with it the scent of the sea and the faint aroma of freshly baked bread wafting from the town below.

The villa clings to the cliffside, overlooking a turquoise expanse that stretches endlessly. I lean against the railing, letting the sun’s warmth seep into my skin. From here, the town is waking up. Children’s laughter floats up from the cobbled streets, mingling with the cheerful chatter of vendors setting up their stalls. This little corner of the world is a paradise—a far cry from the darkness we clawed our way out of.

The sound of the door creaking open breaks my reverie. I don’t have to turn to know it’s Viktor. His presence is like a shift in the air—something magnetic, something that grounds me.

“Couldn’t sleep?” His voice is a gravelly whisper, still thick with sleep.

I shake my head, smiling as he wraps his arms around me from behind. His stubble brushes against my cheek when hekisses the side of my neck, and I shiver despite the warmth of the morning.

“Good morning,” I murmur, resting my hands over his.

He doesn’t respond right away. I can feel him breathing me in, his chest pressed to my back, as if he’s anchoring himself to this moment. “I didn’t think we’d ever find this,” he says quietly, his lips brushing my ear. “Peace.”

I turn in his arms, looking up into those dark eyes that have seen so much. “Neither did I,” I admit, reaching up to trace the scar on his jaw, a reminder of battles fought and survived. The way he leans into my touch, closing his eyes for just a second, tugs at something deep inside me.

---