Chapter 112 Chapter 112
Chapter One Hundred and Twelve
Dimitri's POV
It had been twenty-four hours since Irina and Nikolai left.
And I was losing my mind.
I stood in the nursery, staring at the empty crib. The room was still perfect. Still ready for a baby who was no longer here.
"Dmitri?"
I turned. Sergei was standing in the doorway. Mikhail must have told him. This man who had chosen to be loyal to me despite having his own territory.
"What?" I asked. My voice sounded hollow.
"You need to eat something," Sergei said. "You have not eaten since yesterday. Mikhail informed me."
"I am not hungry," I replied.
"You need to keep your strength up," Sergei insisted. "If we are going to get them back…"
"How?" I interrupted. "How are we going to get them back, Sergei? I do not even know where they are!"
My voice was rising. I was losing control.
"We will find them," Sergei said firmly.
"When?" I demanded. "In a month? A year? How long will Irina have to suffer before we find her?"
I grabbed the mobile hanging over the crib, ripped it down, and threw it across the room.
"Fuck!" I shouted. "FUCK!"
Sergei did not flinch. He had seen me lose control before.
"Dimitri," he said quietly. "This is not helping."
"I know!" I replied. "I know it is not helping! But I do not know what else to do!"
I sank to the floor and put my head in my hands.
"I should have fought," I said. "I should have killed Alexei when I had the chance."
"You would be dead," Sergei pointed out. "And Irina and Nikolai would still be gone."
"At least I would have tried," I said bitterly.
Sergei walked over and sat down beside me on the nursery floor.
"We will find them," he repeated. "Mikhail is already making calls, reaching out to contacts. Someone will know where Alexei took them."
"And then what?" I asked. "We storm his villa? Start a war?"
"If that is what it takes," Sergei said simply.
I looked at him.
"Why do you stay?" I asked. "After everything. You know Alexei is stronger than I am. He has more guts. Why didn't you go to him? Why come to me?"
"Because you are a good man," Sergei replied. "And good men deserve loyalty."
"I do not feel like a good man," I admitted. "I feel like a failure."
"You are not a failure," Sergei said. "You are a man who lost something precious. But you will get it back."
I wanted to believe him. I really did.
There was a knock on the nursery door.
One of the guards appeared. A younger man. I had forgotten his name. Because he just got here a few weeks ago.
"Mr. Volkov?" He said hesitantly.
"What?" I snapped.
The guard flinched but held his ground.
"I... I think I can help you, sir," he said.
I stood up, eyeing him. I almost laughed. "Help me how?"
"I can go to Mr. Alexei," the guard explained. "As a spy. I can report back to you. Tell you how Mrs. Volkov and the baby are doing. Give you information on his operations."
I stared at him, surprised. "You would do that? Why?"
"Because it is not right, sir," the guard said. "What he did. Taking your wife and child. It is not right. I have only been here for four weeks and I know you're a good man."
"You could be killed," I pointed out. "If Alexei discovers you are spying for me."
"I know the risks, sir," the guard replied. "But I want to help."
For the first time in twenty-four hours, I felt a spark of hope.
"What is your name?" I asked.
"Petrov, sir," the guard replied.
"Petrov," I repeated. "You would really do this?"
"Yes, sir," he said without hesitation.
"But there is a problem," I said. The hope was already fading. "I do not know where Alexei took them. We tried to follow his car, but we lost them outside the city."
"I know, sir," Petrov said. "But I have an idea."
"What idea?" I asked.
"Mr. Alexei will need to hire more staff," Petrov explained. "Now that he has a son to care for. He would want more guards and servants."
"So?" I asked.
"So there will be a hiring," he continued. "Men looking for work will be brought in."
I was starting to understand. "You want to pose as a guard looking for work," I said.
"Exactly, sir," he nodded. "I can apply, get hired. Then once I am inside, I can watch over Mrs. Volkov and the baby and report back to you."
My jaw dropped.
It was brilliant. Absolutely brilliant!
"That could actually work," I said slowly.
"It will work, sir," Petrov said confidently. "I am sure of it."
I walked over to him and looked him in the eye.
"If you do this," I said seriously. "You will be putting yourself in incredible danger. Alexei is not a forgiving man."
"I understand, sir," he replied.
"And if you are discovered," I continued. "I may not be able to save you."
"I understand that too, sir," he said.
"Then why?" I demanded. "Why would you risk your life for me?"
Petrov met my gaze steadily. "Because you are a good boss, Mr. Volkov," he said. "You treat your people with respect. You pay fair wages. You care about us."
He paused.
"Mr. Alexei does not," Petrov continued. "I have heard stories. About how he treats his staff. How he beats them for small mistakes. How he uses them and throws them away."
"You have heard stories?" I repeated.
"Yes, sir," he nodded. "My cousin used to work for him. Until Mr. Alexei broke his arm for dropping a glass."
Of course Alexei treated his people like garbage.
"What happened to your cousin?" I asked.
"He left, sir," Petrov replied. "But he still has nightmares."
I nodded slowly. "So this is personal for you too," I said.
"Yes, sir," he admitted. "But it is also the right thing to do. Mrs. Volkov does not deserve what is happening to her."
I felt my throat tighten with emotion.
"Thank you, Petrov." I said.
"I have not done anything yet, sir," he replied.
"But you will," I said. "When does the hiring start?"
"Word on the street is that Mr. Alexei's people will be in the city tomorrow," he said. "Looking for new guards and servants."
"Tomorrow?" I repeated. That was so soon.
"Yes, sir," he confirmed. "Mr. Alexei moves quickly."
I nodded. Of course he did.
"Then we move quickly too," Sergei said from behind me. "I will get Petrov everything he needs. New identity papers, a backstory, and references."
"Thank you," I said. And he smiled.
I turned back to Petrov.
"Are you sure about this?" I asked one more time.
"Absolutely, sir," Petrov said without hesitation.
I clasped his shoulder.
"Then go," I said. "And bring me back information about my family."
He nodded. Then he left with Sergei to prepare.
I stood alone in the nursery again.
But this time, I did not feel quite so hopeless.
Petrov was going to infiltrate Alexei's villa. He was going to watch over Irina and Nikolai.
And I could bring them home.
I walked to the window, looked out at the estate grounds.
"Hold on, Irina," I whispered. "Help is coming.”