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And I won’t be doing this alone.

Knowing this day might come, I’ve been watching, waiting, and toying with the who, but it’s going to take certain skillsets. People no one look twice at. People that have the same goals as me. And people with networks that ensure this works.

It will take time and patience, but I’m the best of the best for a reason, and I’ll only be bringing in the best.

Nothing can be rushed. Nothing can go wrong. No one can know what’s going to come, even if it takes years to get in place.

No mistakes.

The Bratva Butcher’s days are numbered. Like Timur Belov’s for daring to go after Ilya and Mila. A small thrill slithers down my spine at the thought of seeing Ilya again.

Will he want to try and kill me after our last meeting? I almost hope he does. It will be so much fun to take him down again and hear that sexy voice once more.

5

ILYA

ONE YEAR LATER

“Ilya, we’ve found him,” Oleg announces as he steps into my office. “He’s waiting for you in the warehouse.” He has a dark, almost feral smile on his face. This is his favorite part of his job.

“Good.” I grab my gun from the desk drawer and follow him out.

I slow when Mila comes through the door, her face streaked with tears. Behind her is her exasperated father. Seeing my niece upset doesn’t sit right with me, so I narrow my eyes at him. He glares back at me. “Mila,” I say as she tries to rush past me up the stairs.

At fourteen, almost fifteen, my niece has grown up far faster than I would like, and despite what happened two years ago, she’s seemingly been getting along well. Other than mocking the lack of freedom we allow her. She may hate us for it, but I will never let anything happen to her again. I’ve ensured my enemies and allies know that.

Now, she goes to an all-girl private boarding school in Switzerland where she’s protected at all times by the best. I forgot that her two-week spring break was here.

“I hate you all,” she screams, more tears gathering. “I hate the Bratva, and I hate this stupid life.” She sprints up the stairs. My housekeeper follows her, her weathered face a mask of sympathy. Good, Lidiya will console her.

My brother looks like he wants to punch something.

“She wants to go on a school trip over the break with her friends from school,” he says, with a sigh. “And I’ve already told her no. The problem is that she asked me in front of her friends when I got there to pick her up, and I had to look like an asshole by telling her no again. Apparently, they had something big planned. All of them tried to gang up on me, tell me that their fathers were letting them go, even with their bodyguards. She argued with me the whole way home. Do you know how long that fucking flight is?”

That, I do. I’ve been on the receiving end of her tirades on those flights. Not even threats calmed her down.

“Where was this trip planned to?” While I understand my brother’s overprotectiveness, I also understand Mila’s social standing is important to her. It’s a delicate balance. We might have been able to make something work.

“They wanted to go to Milan. Some sort of fashion thing going on there. No fucking way was I letting her go into enemy territory. I don’t care how many guards there are,” Zakhar spits, arms crossed over his chest.

I nod. “Offer to take her shopping to all the best stores here instead. Buy her something she wants that’s expensive and you normally wouldn’t let her have. That usually stops the tears.” Really, teenage girls aren’t hard to understand. Buy them pretty things and let them spend money.

I pity the man she marries. Whoever he is will have to have a large amount of funds to keep up with her. Not that I would allow anything less.

“I’m still considering it,” Zakhar mutters, but I can tell he would rather stab himself in the eye than spend hours in the luxury brand stores. He takes me in, slowly straightening when he realizes the gun in my hand. “Where are you going?”

“The men have found Abram. I’m going to handle things. Are you coming?”

His eyes brighten. “Fuck yes. I’ll text Lidiya and let her know I’ll be out. Maybe when we get back, Mila will have calmed down a bit.”

Not likely, but I let my brother keep his delusion. With Mila, it’s more likely she’ll find a clever way to piss us off that won’t be easily tied to her. I’m proud of my niece, but she’s also a giant pain in the ass.

I’m still not sure where she’s learning this shit, but whoever is teaching it to her, I’m going to enjoy subjecting them to a long, slow, and very painful death.

When we reach the warehouse, anticipation thickens my blood. These are the moments I enjoy most. Sitting behind a desk with paperwork is the most hated part of my job. I love to get my hands dirty as much as possible.

The moment I step inside, a scream bounces off the walls. Not a normal scream. One of intense pain. Followed by a feminine one. What the fuck? Why is there a woman in here? And where the hell are the guards?