Page 27 of Shadows of the Past
“Ivan reserved a poker table for the family,” Pavel says with an irritating enthusiasm that makes it clear he considers himself part of that “family.”
I don’t respond, just follow him inside. Ivan and Aleksandr are already seated at a table with a few businessmen.
My adoptive father acknowledges me with a subtle nod, and immediately, I know something’s wrong. He has that look, the one that tells me someone is going to die tonight and I’ll be the executioner.
The game drags on for about twenty minutes, everyone trying to read the room as much as their cards. Then Ivan’s voice cuts through the murmur of conversation like a blade.
“Fiodor, what’s the update on my gold?”
Fiodor, a wealthy oligarch who deals in precious metals and stones, looks up in surprise.
“It’s waiting for clearance to enter the country,” he stammers.
Ivan’s eyes lock onto mine, and I already know what’s coming: this man is going to suffer.
Without hesitation, I pull a knife from my jacket and drive it into Fiodor’s shoulder in one swift motion.
“WHAT THE HELL?! IVAN, CONTROL YOUR FUCKING DOG!” Fiodor screams, his voice breaking through the tense silence at the table.
The murmurs around us grow quieter as everyone waits for Ivan’s response. Calmly studying his cards, he speaks.
“A little bird told me you handed my gold over to the Italian mafia.” He pauses before adding with chilling precision, “And thatdogis my heir.”
How twisted do you have to be to say something like that out loud after years of abuse, after draining every ounce of light from your so-calledheir?
Ivan glances at me again, and without missing a beat, I throw another knife into Fiodor’s opposite shoulder. The spectacle is enough to momentarily distract me from the darkness Ivan drags me into every time we share the same space.
Fiodor’s screams are pathetic now, but his men don’t dare make a move; they know better than to intervene while their boss is still breathing. One wrong step could change everything.
“You have two hours,” Ivan says coldly as he lays his cards on the table: a Royal Flush. “Get me every ounce of gold I bought from you, or you’ll see just how rabid Maksim can really be.”
With that, Ivan rises from his seat, Aleksandr following closely behind him. He gestures for me to join them as they headtoward a corridor at the back of the casino. The noise from the gambling floor fades away as we step into a private lounge.
The room is lined with plush couches draped in velvet, each occupied by women lounging idly, like decorations on display. The air reeks of coconut and tobacco—a nauseating combination after what just happened at the table.
Not this again.
If I turn around and leave now, it’ll plant suspicion in Ivan’s mind, especially with Julia back at the house. The lounge opens into several private rooms for those seeking "privacy" with the girls, but choosing that option would only raise more questions.
Ivan heads toward a couch, predictably settling near two girls who don’t look like they’ve even turned eighteen yet. Aleksandr follows him, so I move in the opposite direction.
I hear footsteps behind me and glance back to see Ilya trailing after me.
“Fix your face,” he says quietly. He’s trying to help in his own way, but what I’m about to do makes my stomach churn.
A woman, probably around twenty-five, stands up to make room for me on the couch. She has blonde hair and wears a tight pink leather dress that clings to her like a second skin. If she leans forward even slightly, it would be as if she weren’t wearing anything at all.
Ilya takes the opposite end of the couch, already pulling a redheaded woman into his lap as she kisses his neck.
For Vera. For all those kids who’ve been beaten, Maksim.
The blonde settles herself on top of me, and every muscle in my body stiffens instantly.
“What’s your name?” she asks in a voice that’s sickeningly sweet.
“It doesn’t matter,” I reply coldly.
My answer doesn’t faze her; if anything, it seems to excite her more. Her hands push my jacket aside, and when her skin brushes against my chest, a shiver runs through me. I close my eyes for just a second.
