Page 34 of Den of Thieves

“To this day, I don’t understand the hold you have over me,” he said, more to himself as she bathed his body. “It is more than lust or love. My fucking soul is on edge, ready to explode from my chest when you are out of reach. That can’t be normal.”

Karina shrugged. “Saba says our souls match.”

That made sense. His hands tightened on her waist and spun her around so fast he almost missed her look of surprise. There would be time for cuddles and heartfelt goodbyes later. Vladimir slid home with a hard thrust. There was no time to be gentle or soft.

Because, as much as Vladimir hated to see Karina go, he had no choice but to watch her walk away in a few hours. He didn’t need to see her tears to know they were there. And he didn’t want Solynchnka to see his.

Vladimir set a frantic pace. Karina widened her stance; eager to take everything Vladimir had to give, and he gave it all. His fears. His love. His promise that this will not be their last time fucking in this magnificent shower.

When he finally pulled out of her, Karina complained they needed to shower again. He watched as she busied herself putting more soap on the loofah. She dropped the bottle of body wash twice before he took it from her. When Karina finally met his eyes, they were as red as his.

Vladimir opened his arms. Karina’s wet tears warmed his chest. He shut off the water, wrapped them in a towel, and carried her to bed.

Fuck the damp sheets, he thought, pulling the blankets over them. They could shower again later. Her cries tore at his chest, but he held her still until she quieted.

“What will I do without you, Solynchnka?” he whispered into her hair.

Karina answered his question with a light snore. She’d cried herself to sleep. He was content to let her rest while his mind whirled.

He was no stranger to this world. Being the King afforded him countless privileges, but he hated not being able to shield his family from danger. Sending them away was the only way to guarantee their safety. Vladimir stared at the ceiling until it was time for Karina to wake up in the morning.

Their words were minimal as he helped her pack for the safe house. They whispered quiet I love you’s before she rode off in The Beast to pick up his sister from her penthouse.

Vladimir stood at the door long after the gates closed, watching her taillights disappear behind the stone walls. He hoped like hell he wouldn’t forget how she felt in his arms.

Act II

13. “Ribbon in the Sky”

-STEVIE WONDER

The days following his wife’s departure were harder than Vladimir imagined. Karina was his everything. Her contagious laughter brightened his world, and their children’s antics made him look forward to coming home every day. He even missed Aksana and all the crazy she brought to his doorstep.

Sending them away was for the best, even if it was the hardest thing he’d ever had to do. He would not let them become trapped in the clutches of evil.

Speaking of, things have been quiet from the enemy. With every spare resource tracking down Osvo’s location, it was only a matter of time before the Bratva got answers.

Vladimir figured it was as good a time as any to secure his most powerful ally yet. Vadim Savonov. A distant cousin on his mother’s side, Vadim, was a wild card. He was a recluse and unpredictable on the best of days. Many steered clear of Vadim, as his wrath knew no bounds.

Vadim had Bratva secs under his leadership on three different continents. An impressive feat for a man that rarely left his castle in Ostashkov, a small town in northeast Russia.

The plane ride to Vadim’s castle was a quiet one. As unusual as his cousin could be, the people of Ostashkov were even more wary. Their distrust of anyone who was not native was swift and sometimes deadly. This ideology was not new.

Ostashkov survived many wars throughout its long history by staying neutral to the chaos. Since then, the locals have banded together to protect their way of life by keeping outsiders out. Hell, they barely trusted the Kremlin.

If you weren’t born in Ostashkov or had a blood relation, you were not allowed entry. Vladimir’s men were put off by this and Dimitri hated every time Vladimir left to visit, but he was safe as long as Vadim was alive—and his money continued to flow throughout the town.

Vadim’s castle stood proudly on a cliff overlooking Ostashkov. The stone walls blended seamlessly into the jagged rocks along the shoreline. It was dark, brooding, and oddly beautiful, just like his cousin.

Vladimir frowned at the lack of staff upon his arrival. They were very respectful, if weary every time he visited, but always nearby if he needed something.

Today, the halls were quiet as Vladimir walked inside. Steam rising from a pot in the kitchen indicated there was at least one person working.

A crash drew Vladimir’s attention to a door around the corner. He peered inside, but couldn’t see much down the darkened stairway. Yelling prompted him to make his way down. He stayed quiet on his way to the cellar. There was no telling what or who set Vadim off this time.

Vladimir expected to see a broken wine bottle on the floor that someone paired with the wrong cheese, not all eighteen members of Vadim’s housing staff strung up like cattle along the walls.

“You take me for a fool. That my kindness is a weakness. No more!”

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