Page 65 of The Russian Pakhan's Forced Bride
Taking slow steps towards what had been the table some of the men were apparently sitting at, something white and far too clean-looking catches my attention.
With a gloved hand, I reach for it, finding a card with no name or signature on it. Instead, scrawled in Cyrillic reads:
Bold of you to continue stealing what’s mine, Pakhan…
I don’t need to read a signature to know exactly who it’s from.
The corners of the card bite into the leather of my gloves, but I can only stand there and stomach the implications while they burn on the way down.
He knows.
Maxim surely knows Victoria is my wife now, as do many others. Even if flaunting the new marriage was my retaliation, it suddenly feels like a misstep.
But at the same time, this was inevitable. I needed to know the truth.
And now I’ve got it.
“What did you find?” Mikhail asks, tone still somber as he and Ivan approach.
Wordlessly at first, I hand him the card, still barely maintaining my quiet rage.
After a moment, I murmur. “I’ve married Viktoria Nikolaev after all.”
Mutual surprise moves through both of them while they meet my gaze, taking the time to truly wrap their minds around it.
“You’re certain of it?”
Forcing out a breath, I pull my glove off and scrub a hand down my face. “This is the clearest confirmation I’ll ever receive…Victoria has to be his sister…and now he knows.”
“And this is his big retaliation,” Ivan murmurs, filling in the blanks.
I nod, jaw tight from holding back. “This is likely just the beginning. I have every reason to consider this a declaration of war. He’s going to try and get her back, one way or another.”
Grim looks cross at their faces, but neither of them objects. The whole thing is rather cut and dry.
After a moment, Mikhail reins himself in. “What now?”
My eyes rove over the scene once more while I consider what’s ahead of us. “This place needs to be gutted…no evidence left behind. Identify these men and contact their families. Tell everyone to be on alert for anything coming our way.”
They both nod before dispersing, getting right to it.
As the tasks are delegated and the clean-up begins, I stand there with my hands in my pockets, unable to move just yet.
Maxim has never been one to show much remorse. But this…even this seems beyond him.
He slaughtered these loyal men for nothing more than to let me know the game is just picking up. He wanted to let me know he’s well aware of what I’ve done.
Nikolaev wants to get his sister back, but that isn’t going to happen.
I damn well won’t let it.
Chapter 22 - Victoria
Nothing could ever prepare me for the way my life is about to change even more than it already has.
I didn’t know how to react when the doctor congratulated us, confirming my suspicions. I managed to muster up a smile despite the uncertainty that stopped me from fully embracing the news.
But of course, I didn’t miss the way Roman’s eyes lit up. How he seemed genuinely happy.
