Chapter 40
POV Samuel
Fifteen days later
The days passed, and alongside my Bratva men, we scoured every corner of the city. I watch the black smoke spreading across the sky.
We’ve practically torn down entire neighborhoods over the past month in search of clues. Ever since Tatyana was taken by my father over a month ago, I haven’t stopped looking for her.
"Alright, boss, we’ve covered everything on the surface. What’s the next step?" one of the members asks.
"We move to the underground lines." My body is covered in blood. I spend my days searching and torturing people for any valuable lead.
"Understood. Which lines should we check?"
"All of them. We’ll search everywhere. Leave nothing unchecked!"
Every day is the same—we tirelessly search for Tatyana in all the surrounding cities and the farthest corners of Moscow. It’s not easy to track down a shadow. Pavel was a leader who achieved many feats in the Mafia. In his personal life, he was always cruel and controlling. My training was filled with cruelty and death. It’s obvious that he always had a backup plan and a place no one could find if he needed to hide. But I’ll do whatever it takes to find him, even if I have to analyze every grain of sand. Tatyana will soon give birth to my child—I need her by my side.
I want to deny it, but every day I see myself holding the baby, and in that moment, I remember the past—when I was a child and everything I went through. My body is weak. Probably everyone at the mansion has caught some illness, and the search efforts have slowed down this past week, but I will never give up.
"I’ll find you, my love. I’ll destroy everything, all of Russia if necessary, until I have you in my arms again," I think.
***
When night falls, after a shower, I lie down on my bed and stare at the ceiling, feeling the tears relentlessly streaming down my face. I never imagined myself crying or feeling as hurt and broken as I do now. My heart has been crushed, and it feels like it's being pierced by a thousand needles at this very moment.
I get up, walk to the sideboard, and pour myself a glass of whiskey. It has been my companion during these dark nights I’ve been living over and over again, like a cursed movie stuck in an infinite loop. I feel like I’m trapped in a massive spider web, with my arms and legs bound, and the more I try to escape, the more entangled I become.
I close my eyes, and all I can see is Tatyana. How could I live without her here? My child is about to be born—or maybe they’ve already been born—and I’m left with no answers, no news, no clue to lead me to her.
I know I’ve lived an empty life, thinking only of power and killing. When I first saw Taty at the club, it was as if a star had appeared in my dark sky, as if my mind—a never-ending storm, a tempest of pain—had found light.
I hear slow footsteps in the hallway and move to the door, carefully opening it to see who it is.
Luara is walking down the stairs as if she’s stepping on eggshells.
"Where is this bitch going?" I think.
I quickly check my phone tracker, but it’s not showing her real-time location.
"She removed the tracker, that damn woman. No problem—weak as I am, I’ll still follow her," I think.
I swiftly grab my car keys and follow her cautiously without letting her notice me. I get in my vehicle and trail her from a safe distance. I send a message to Iurih with my real-time location. I need him and John to meet me as soon as possible.
I’ll wait for them before entering wherever she’s headed. I need backup—after all, Pavel probably won’t be alone. If she’s really helping him, I’ll have no choice but to kill her too.
***
POV Luara
Many years ago, I learned to live in the shadow of my uncle, Pavel Colt. We were children when he began training us and revealing his cruelty. At first, I was afraid of him, but over time, I began to admire him. I watched him plan extortions, select targets for assassination, and mutilate people, which sparked a sense of reverence in me. All I wanted was to be like him—unaffected by emotions or the actions of others.
It was decided when we were still children that I would marry Samuel and become the wife of the Pakhan. From then on, I followed all my uncle's orders, aiming to become the perfect example of a Mafia woman. Over the years, I learned to be cold, calculating, and unfeeling. Today, I am determined to do whatever it takes to carry out my plans.
A few days ago, when Samuel was on the brink of destroying the city, I had to act—he was getting too close to finding that slut, Tatyana. I did what was necessary and asked Maria to poison all the Colts in the house. Even though Samuel was weakened, he remained steadfast in his search. However, I managed to slow down the process a bit.
***
Flashback
Ten days earlier...
I went down the stairs and headed to the kitchen while Maria was preparing meals on the plates.
"I need you to start putting this in their food," I said, handing her a small vial. "The babies will be born soon, and I need everyone incapacitated."
"How will you get Samuel to accept you when you show up here with the babies?"
"Don’t worry about that, Maria. Your job is just to obey."
"Yes, I know, sorry."
"Shut up and do what I say. Remember, Pavel doesn’t want us here. The search is intense, and Samuel is getting closer every day. I need to bring him down for as long as necessary. I'll claim I’m sick and can only eat soup for the next few days. Do as I say, or I’ll kill you. And another thing, use only one spoonful—I don’t want anyone to die. I just want them weak and increasingly disheartened. The doctor will say it’s just a passing virus, and that’s it. Everything is already arranged."
"Of course, my dear! Your wish is my command."
"You can add it now. Re-prepare those plates! Be quick, time is running out."
That night, I walked off with my heels clicking, while Maria poured a spoonful of the liquid into each meal.
End of Flashback