Chapter 28 Blood and Betrayal
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Dimitri's POV
Three days had passed since we buried her.
Three days of darkness. Three days of emptiness. Three days of rage building inside me like a storm waiting to explode.
I stood in my office, looking out the window at the garden. At the fresh mound of earth under the oak tree.
My Irina lay there.
Ivanov entered without knocking. My guards knew better than to wait for permission these days.
I had made a vow to eliminate Ivanov for shooting a dart at me. But Mikhail had pleaded on his behalf. He was one of my skillful and most trusted guard. Why kill him when I can work him to death?
"We have searched everywhere, boss," he said carefully. "Every warehouse, every safe house, every contact. Alexei Volkov seem to have disappeared completely."
"Then search again," I said without turning around. "Search harder."
"Boss, we need a different approach," Ivanov said carefully. "We cannot find him if he does not want to be found. But we can make him come to us."
I turned to face him. "How?"
"Cut off his resources," he said. "Alexei needs supplies. Food, weapons, money. Everything comes through the underworld. If we control the underworld, we control what reaches him."
A slow smile spread across my face as the understanding dawned on me. "You are right."
I walked to my desk and pressed the intercom. "Gather all my men. Now."
Within minutes, my office was filled with guards. They stood in rows, their faces stern.
"From this moment forward," I announced, my voice cold and authoritative. "Every shipment that leaves our territory will be searched. Every cargo will be detained. Every supply truck will be stopped and inspected."
The men exchanged glances but said nothing.
"We are looking for anything that might be going to Alexei," I continued. "Food, medicine, weapons, money. I do not care what it is. If it looks suspicious, you bring it to me."
"Yes, boss," they said in unison.
"Question everyone," I added. "Merchants, drivers, suppliers. Someone knows where Alexei is hiding. Someone is helping him. Find them."
Mikhail stepped forward. "What if the other families complain? This will affect their business too."
"I do not care," I said coldly. "Let them complain. Let them protest. Until I find Alexei, nothing moves without my permission."
I dismissed the men and they scattered immediately to carry out my orders.
Over the next few days, chaos erupted.
Every port was locked down. Every warehouse was searched. Every truck was stopped at checkpoints.
My men questioned merchants ruthlessly, they even killed some. They detained suppliers. They confiscated shipments.
Nothing entered or left the territory without being inspected first.
The other families noticed immediately.
Their businesses came to a stop. Their shipments were delayed. Their profits suffered.
And they were not happy about it.
"Let me see how Alexei would survive," I muttered to myself as I reviewed the reports. "Let me see how long he can hide when his resources run dry."
Mikhail entered with a worried expression. "Dimitri, we have a problem."
"What problem?"
"The other pakhans," Mikhail said. "They are gathering. They want to meet with you tonight."
"Let them come," I said without blinking. "I will tell them the same thing I told my men."
That evening, black cars pulled up to my estate one by one.
Don Petrov, Don Sokolov, Don Kuznetsov. All the major families in the region came.
They entered my conference room with angry faces and sat around the large table with their arms crossed. These were men who were old enough to be my grandfather.
I could feel the heat as I walked in.
I stood at the head of the table, Mikhail stood beside me.
"Gentlemen," I said. "Thank you for coming."
"Cut the pleasantries, Dimitri," Don Petrov snapped. "You know why we are here."
"Your blockade is destroying our businesses," Don Sokolov added. "Our shipments are being delayed. Our profits are suffering!"
"Our partners are threatening to work with other territories," Don Kuznetsov said. "This cannot continue."
I looked at each of them slowly. "I understand your concerns."
"Then end this madness!" Don Petrov shouted. "End this blockade and let us return to business!"
"No," I said simply.
The room erupted immediately. All of them started shouting at once.
"This is unacceptable!"
"You cannot do this!"
"We have businesses to run!"
I let them shout. I let them rage.
Then I raised my hand and they all fell silent.
"My brother killed the woman I loved," I said. My voice was cold and deadly. "He took her from me. He murdered her. And now he is hiding somewhere like a coward."
The dons shifted uncomfortably.
"The blockade stays," I continued. "Every shipment will be searched. Every cargo will be detained. Every supply will be inspected."
"For how long?" Don Sokolov demanded. "How long will you punish all of us for your brother's crimes?"
I walked around the table slowly and looked each don in the eye.
"Someone is helping Alexei," I said.
"Someone is supplying him. Someone knows where he is hiding. And until I find out who, the blockade continues."
"This is insanity!" Don Petrov stood up. "You are destroying the entire underworld because of a personal vendetta!"
"Sit down," I said quietly.
Don Petrov hesitated, then he sat.
"I am not asking for your permission," I said. "I am not asking for your cooperation. I am telling you how things will be."
"And if we refuse?" Don Kuznetsov asked. "What then?"
I stopped behind his chair, placed my hands on the back of it and leaned forward.
"Then you will be my enemy," I whispered. "And we both know what happens to my enemies."
The room fell silent. No one moved. No one spoke.
"I am not unreasonable," I said, straightening up. "Help me find Alexei and the blockade ends. Your businesses return to normal. Everything goes back to the way it was."
"And what if we cannot find him?" Don Sokolov asked.
"Then you better hope he makes a mistake," I said. "Because until he does, nothing changes."
I walked back to the head of the tabl
e and placed both hands on the surface.
"My brother thinks he can hide," I said. "He thinks he can kill Irina and face no consequences. He is wrong."
I slammed my hand on the conference table. The sound echoed through the room like a gunshot.
"Until you bring me Alexei's head on a plate," I said. My voice cold like ice. "I will not stop."