In the Beginning (Volkov Bratva #1)(94)

When they were gone, Mishca released her, backing away like she was diseased. Mikhail stared her down, but his features were schooled into a mask of nonchalance so she couldn’t get an accurate read on his mood.

“You know more than what I allow, but I am a man of honor and although your father cannot attest to that, he was loyal to me. For that, you will live to see another day. Mishca has sworn to me that you will not breathe a word to law enforcement and for that reason, I expect your loyalty from this moment forward.”

He stood, buttoning the front of his coat. “We will speak again about the journal, until then.” He walked out.

Two beats of silence. Three. Four. And with each one, the room felt smaller as she was left with Mishca. He didn’t move, didn’t speak, but she could see the anger in him. More than that though, there was anguish and she didn’t know if it was for her or Alex. Lauren moved to stand, wanting to leave before he could turn that anger on her.

“Was it worth it?” Mishca asked looking down at his hands.

“Mish—”

He shot out of his seat, getting in her face, but she didn’t back down. “Answer me.”

She held her head up, refusing to recoil from him. “I didn’t mean to hurt you,” she whispered.

“Me?” He laughed bitterly. “You haven’t done anything to me. What about the girl whose life you f*cking ruined? And for what? To avenge your dead father. Understand, he came to us. And for you to be so bold as to confront the Pakhan? You’re lucky I get to let you live!”

It was different coming from him than it was coming from Viktor. Like a physical hit, his words bruised her to the point that fresh tears were stinging her eyes. It took every last bit of her willpower to continue to meet his heated gaze.

Grabbing his gun off the table, she placed it in his hand, wrapping his fingers around it, then brought it up to her chest, holding it pressed against her heart.

“I didn’t do that,” She said surprised by how calm her voice was, but she was just too tired to feel anything more. “Anya did. Viktor did. Do not blame me for your family’s shit. I’m sorry that all of this is normal to you, but let me make something clear to you. Your uncle killed my father because he was having sex with your step mother. If my father owed you money, yea that was his mistake, but he didn’t deserve to die.

“So I should be grateful that you’re letting me live? I don’t need shit from you. Go ahead,” she said jostling his arm. “Do what your family is known for.”

When she let his hand go it took only a moment before he dropped his arm, looking ashamed.

“Laur—”

“I don’t ever want to see you again,” she whispered.

She left him in that room and followed Mikhail’s men out of the manor, taking a deep breath to stop the traitorous tears that were waiting to fall, but she didn’t want to look weak in front of them. Everything wouldn’t be alright, not anymore. He hadn’t pulled the trigger, but it still felt like he had, like there was a giant hole in her heart.

She hated him and hated herself because she loved him, and would never be able to tell him.





Epilogue


“At six o’ clock this morning, the body of Viktor Volkov, brother of renowned businessman Mikhail Volkov, was found in a dumpster outside this local restaurant. Though the responding officers have refused to comment as he how he got here, it is believed that it was a mugging gone wrong…”

It was fitting, karma some would say. But Lauren couldn’t muster the energy to feel anything now that Viktor was dead. He had orchestrated the death of her father, her and Ross’ assault, and practically destroyed every life he touched. Even with all the bad he had caused, two wrongs didn’t make a right, and now Lauren was dealing with the guilt of his murder.

This was Mikhail’s message to her. A warning.

Lauren might not have pulled the trigger herself, but deep down, she knew that by going to the manor, confessing the secrets that had long since been buried, she had killed him.

She was conflicted about it all now that she knew Mikhail and Mishca had nothing to do with it, but did that really excuse it? They knew who she was, who her father was, and though Mikhail didn’t owe her anything, she thought she and Mishca had something meaningful.

Mishca’s words still haunted her. She could still see the residual anger in his eyes, the betrayal that tore them further apart. The worst part? She understood why he didn’t tell her—it was hard to confess something he didn’t know—and she could even understand why he’d screamed what he did. At the time, she hadn’t been thinking about Alex and how this would affect her.

But at the same time, no one had thought of her family.

Lauren shut off the television, cutting off the reporter as she was covering the homicide. It had been months since the confrontation and she hadn’t heard from any of the Volkovs since. For that she was grateful. She didn’t doubt that she would see them again, after all she had something they wanted.

Susan and Ross let themselves into her bedroom, knocking twice on her door before pushing it open. Ross had been released from the hospital some weeks ago, but was still on crutches, his ankle in a brace. He looked better, his color was higher, but he wasn’t at full strength yet. Since Lauren had decided to spend the summer at home—at least until Ross was back on his feet—they had stayed until the semester was over.