Page 11 of Zafira

At that moment, Svetlana knew she was staring Satan in the eye. The evil Lucifer on a rampage to destroy not only those who opposed him but to rip their souls from the depths of their beings.

Svetlana Rebane feared no man... but Luciano Maranzano had become more than a mere human being. He was the devil himself.

Chapter Five

AVV Airpro, chartered cargo service, based at Chi?inau International Airport, Moldova...

The feeling of coming home overwhelmed Bogdan as the door of the Guzun’s Bombardier Challenger 600 private jet opened. Although he had been born in Romania, Moldova had been his home and where he had spent most of his life.

Stepping off the jet onto the tarmac, his heart was heavy with a mixture of emotions. The familiar scent of Moldova filled his lungs, a bittersweet reminder of the life he had once known. Memories flooded his mind, each one a poignant reminder of the happiness he'd had a brief taste of and lost. If only he could say he had been happy here. In all honesty, he had never experienced happiness as a grownup. Correction, he had... until he had been thrown in jail to keep him away from Zafira. Upon his return, all hope for finding love and happiness had dissipated. This time was no different.

As his feet touched the ground, a profound sense of emptiness washed over him. This place, once a sanctuary, now felt like a hollow shell, devoid of the warmth and love he had once cherished. Zafira’s rejection had left a gaping wound on his soul, and though he had tried to move on, the pain lingered like a persistent specter, haunting his every step.

Bogdan’s gaze swept across the familiar landscape, his eyes betraying the turmoil that raged within. The vibrant colors that had once captivated him now appeared muted, as if the world itself had lost its luster. Each breath carried the weight of a thousand regrets, and he found himself longing for the peace that had eluded him for so long.

Clenching his fists, Bogdan fought against the tide of emotions threatening to overwhelm him. He had made his choice, and there was no turning back. Russia beckoned—a new chapter in his life, a fresh start with his son and family. Yet the emptiness in his heart refused to abate, a constant reminder of the love he had lost and the dreams that had shattered.

With a heavy sigh, Bogdan forced himself to move forward, each step a testament to his resilience. The air tasted different, foreign on his lips, as if mocking his attempts to find solace in this place he had once called home. But he knew, deep down, that home was no longer a place but a state of mind—one he had yet to attain.

As he made his way toward the Guzun’s private hangar, Bogdan’s shoulders slumped ever so slightly, a silent acknowledgment of the weight he carried.

Get a hold of yourself, Rusu. You were gone just over a year. It wasn’t a lifetime. Besides, this isn’t home anymore.

Moldova was but a fleeting stop on his journey, a reminder of what once was and what could have been. His destiny lay elsewhere, in the embrace of a new life he had yet to fully seize.

You made that choice before you left. Live with it.

“About time you came home.” Vadim’s voice penetrated his stalemate brain as he entered the vast open space of the hangar. “See, Arian, I told you if there was one person who could get through his thick skull and get him back here, it’s our little sis.”

“That you did.” Arian’s voice sounded like it always did—devoid of emotion, but when Bogdan’s eyes clashed with his, the elation to see him again shone brightly in their depths.

“I have just set foot on Moldavian soil, and you’re pissing me off already,” Bogdan’s deep voice rumbled from his throat as he struggled to subdue the happiness at seeing the two boys again. “And you wonder why I stayed away so long.”

“Bullshit, Bogdan. You’re family, and one never forgets that.” Vadim drew him into a strong man hug. “You definitely won’t. You’re our second Dad, you old coot, and you know it.”

“You can stop feeding me honey, pup. I’m already here,” Bogdan grumbled—as always, he was uncomfortable to be the center of attention and to be faffed over. He loved the Guzun kids; he always had. Apart from Arian, he had been there when they were born, but the life he had lived as a Bratva had taught him to keep his emotions locked away. However, for the first time, it was a struggle to control the lock to the chains that kept his heart intact. Opening the gates years ago to Zafira had only brought him heartache. It had been a harsh lesson and one that had cemented the resolve to never be caught in the same trap again. Andrei might be his son, and deep in his heart he believed it was true, but until Bogdan saw proof of that, even he would be kept at a distance.

“You disappearing on us in the first place was uncalled for, Bogdan.” Arian walked toward him. Based on the gasps of surprise echoing through the hangar, Bogdan and everyone else were shocked to witness Arian locking his arms around the big man. For long moments, Arian didn’t say a word. His voice was filled with emotion when he eventually talked.

“I fucking missed you, old timer. Don’t you ever do that to us again. You can go wherever you want for however long you need, but you don’t just cut off all communication. I need to know that you’re safe. Do you hear me, Tata Bogdan?”

“Fuck, Arian!” Bogdan’s body solidified. It was the one thing he had always envied Viktor from the day of his return and stood witness to the woman he loved holding her son... a son he had wanted to be his. For Arian to honor him by calling him father showed just how strong that bond had been from that first day he had taken his little baby hand in greeting.

“He’s right. You’ve been much more than an advisor to us, and even though you’ve always been a best friend, you also became a father to us. If not for your guidance over the years since Dad passed away, we would never have been able to thrive in the family business as we did.” Vadim gestured toward Vanya who approached them with Andrei’s hand protectively around her waist. “Besides, even Andrei admitted that you’re the only one who can keep our little sis in line.”

“Destul, Vadim,” Vanya said with a sweet smile.

From the look on her brother’s face, Bogdan could see he was struggling to come to terms with the change in her. Gone was the spitting cobra who would curse and lash out at the smallest provocation. Pregnancy had softened the hard shell of the Bratva princess. His heart warmed as she hugged his arm against her.

“Besides, our little boy needs his grandfather by his side.” She looked at Andrei, who nodded after a questioning look at Bogdan. He was caught by surprise since he had believed everyone would already know about the new development. Vanya continued, thereby confirming they had kept the news a secret until this very moment. “His real grandfather.” She all but shimmied on the spot. “Meet Bogdan Rusu, the true and confirmed blood father of Andrei Balan, now Rusu, and the grandfather of our children.” Her eyes glowed with excitement and an emotion that swelled his heart to bursting... pride. “And now truly also my tata.”

“So, Janos Smirnoff was lying all along just to hurt our mother. Blyad’! Such an asshole,” Vadim said.

“Remember, I did my own investigation after he tried to convince me Viktor was my father,” Andrei interjected. “It turns out they did four DNA comparison tests. Only one showed a match to mine. Unfortunately, at the time, the samples were tagged with numbers, and no one could supply names.” He shrugged. “I followed my gut and had DNA tests done using a hairbrush of Bogdan’s after Janos was killed. The results were conclusive. Bogdan is the man who gave me life.”

“So, you didn’t only lie to me about Viktor... you betrayed me that night as well, for a second time?”

The blood in Bogdan’s body chilled at the clipped words floating toward him from behind. It took all the strength he could muster to turn and face the woman who still seemed to have the ability to crush his soul.

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