Page 99 of Forbidden Vows

“Ciara Donovan? She’s a crazy, scheming bitch,” he scoffs. “Easily disputed.”

“Well, not really. She’s got a gunshot wound that confirms Kuznetsov’s intentions,” I rebuff. “And I believe that by the time the CPD concludes their investigation, there will also be CCTV footage to back that up.”

Peter Popov scoffs lightly. “Even so, Sergei Kuznetsov is dead. A life for a life. The price has been paid.”

“Not really. You see, I am offended by your accusations that my activities brought the police to our doorstep,” I say, nodding at my brother to play a recording on his phone.

Suddenly, the room goes quiet as we all hear Paul’s voice on the recording.

“9-1-1, what is your emergency?” the dispatcher asks.

“Yes, hi, my brother is in fear for his life. He’s at 233 Sutherland Avenue, on the East Side. Multiple assailants with weapons havecharged into the building. They’re gunning for him. You need to send someone there fast. He’s alone and scared!”

Ilinka gasps, eyes wide with horror.

Andrei stops the recording.

Tension fills the air as all eyes turn to Paul.

“That’s supposed to be confidential,” Paul mutters as his face drains of blood, beads of sweat blooming across his forehead and temples. He knows he’s in deep shit now.

“How did you—”

“It doesn’t matter.” I cut him off. “What matters is that I’m not resigning today. In fact, I’m reaffirming my leadership over the Bratva by exposing the charlatans and the traitors in our midst, starting with Sergei Kuznetsov and Paul Mattis. My brother has already served you all with compelling evidence regarding his treachery and his machinations, not to mention the financial damage that he has caused to his own businesses.”

“Resign,” Max Abramovic insists.

I cock my head to the side, visibly amused. “Did you know that there’s a RICO investigation actively looking into your activities in Lincoln Park, Maximilian buddy?”

“They have nothing on me.”

“They do now,” I reply.

As if on cue, the door opens. In walk a dozen FBI agents, waving their warrants around.

I nod to Peter next.

“You’ve been running some shady dealings down in Bronzeville that I chose to close my eyes and ears to for far too long, Peter. That also ends now.”

“Dmitri Sokolov,” one of the agents declares, cuffs already out. “Get up. You’re under arrest.”

“Under what charge?” Dmitri gasps, downright enraged, while the other agents promptly arrest Max and Peter.

“Little Village,” I remind the Sokolovs. “That dirty family secret you thought nobody knew about? I knew about it.”

“Anton, what are you doing?” Ilinka asks me, genuinely alarmed. “Turning on your own like this? Handing us over to the Feds? Are you serious?”

“I’m not handingyouover to the Feds,” I tell her.

With their rights read and their wrists cuffed, Max Abramovic, Peter Popov, and Dmitri Sokolov are escorted out of the room by the FBI agents. Their supervisor gives me a curt nod. “You’re good, Mr. Karpov. Thank you for holding up your end of the bargain,” he says.

“To my surprise, it was a pleasure doing business with you,” I reply with a cool grin.

Once they’re gone, there’s a lightness to the room that wasn’t there before.

Max’s second-in-command, Sasha, looks rather confused and scared. Peter’s son, Perry, is just as distraught, already on the phone texting their lawyers. Dmitri’s twin sister, Iulia, gives me a slight nod, though she’s working really hard to keep her fury in check. She understands what just happened.

And so does Ivan Fedorov, who starts laughing wholeheartedly. “So, is that it then?” he asks me. “Those of us who betray you go to federal prison? You’ve clearly got the FBI in your pocket now. Is this a show of force?”

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