Page 70 of Bratva Queen

“I wanted to killyou. But I thought… no. Let me rather show you how it feels to be kicked out of a life that was supposed to be yours, and watch your brother take it all for himself instead.”

“No!” I threw a punch but the fucking weasel stepped back and out through the cell gate, smiling from behind the bars when they shut closed with a loud bang.

“I’ll come visit. Maybe… in a few years? When I have Isabel as my wife, Maxim looking up to me as a father figure, and Stepan owing me his entire empire. I’ll be the goddamn bratva king. Yes, I think that’s when I’ll come to rub it in your face, just like you’ve been doing to me for years, you selfishpodonok!”

I roared with anger, banging against the bars and pushing my arms through to reach for his throat. The guard’s gun came from the side and slammed down against my arm, breaking the bone.

“Aaah!” I cried out and pulled my arm into my chest.

“Slither back into your corner, Aleksei. You’re done.”

Chapter28

Isabel

Five Years Later

Istood at the window of my office, staring out over the perfectly groomed back garden with my cigarette between my fingers. I didn’t smoke every day but, since I’d never developed a love for alcohol, it was the lesser evil on days like today.

It had been five years since Aleksei was killed.

I wore a knee-length black dress that hugged my body; with sleeves that ended at my elbows. On my feet were black Jimmy Choo stilettos and around my neck a red chiffon scarf that was swept over my shoulder and down my back. I pulled on the cigarette, releasing the smoke slowly out, not moving an inch.

I’d gotten the call from Lev. Aleksei was sent here, to Saint Petersburg, to find a new drug supplier—since we’d ruined his trust in Martin—and never returned. Within the week Lev was here himself, sent to work with the Koslov bratva to find him. They never did.

I spent the past five years searching for him myself, using the connections and man power I’d built up. I looked for the supplier he was supposed to meet. But nothing ever turned up. Gregori helped me. He was heartbroken over his brother’s disappearance and while I kept him at an arm’s distance, he’d been a comfort to both me and my son.

“Mama?” Maxim’s voice sounded behind me. I turned around, looking at my fifteen-year-old son and seeing the likeness of his father more than ever before. His black hair, his dark eyes, the cut of his jaw. At least the blood of Aleksei was still here, with me. “Are you okay?” He asked.

Of course, I’d never told him about his father. He believed that his father died when he was still a baby, so he didn’t know the significance of today.

“Yes, baby. Come here,” I said, holding my arm out. He stepped into my embrace. “I love you.”

“Yes, yes. I love you too,” he said, rolling his eyes with a smile. “I’m heading to school.”

“Alright. Be safe. You have your knife on you?”

Maxim looked back at me, “Yes, Mama. And I know how to use it. I just wish you’d tell me why I need it in the first place.”

I dragged on the cigarette, then put it out in the ashtray. “In due time, Max.”

* * *

I walkedbetween the alleyways in Saint Petersburg city center. I wore a heavy coat, a thick cashmere scarf wrapped around my head and neck, with large sunglasses covering half of my face. I knew there were men looking for me. Men from the still existing Koslov bratva I’d been trying to eradicate from this city for years already.

Without Alek’s help, I didn’t know as much as I used to about the inner workings of Stepan’s organization. Lev gave me as much intel as he could, but without actually being in the Saint Petersburg ring, he didn’t know much.

There was someone here—their main supplier—calling the shots that I just couldn’t find. Martin no longer supplied them; he crawled away into a drug den and apparently hadn’t left since. I still used him as a supplier for my ongoing business, but it was no longer helping me weaken Stepan.

I looked up and saw the man I was searching for leaning against the alley wall and staring out onto the street.

“Hey, you,” I said.

He looked my way and smiled. “Oh, hello there, beautiful.”

“Come here.” I lured him into the darkness and like a hungry puppy, he came. He waltzed over, getting closer to me while I pulled my glasses off. This was why I’d chosen to do this particular job myself. Men became much easier to fool when approached by a good-looking woman.

He looked me over and held his hands out to the sides, whistling like he was impressed. “I don’t usually deal to the elite, but I can help a dame when she needs it—”

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