Chapter 45 Chapter 45
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Irina's POV
Mikhail was not surprised that I was alive, his face showed no shock, no confusion. He must have known, he must have figured out that Alexei had faked my death. He walked past me without even looking at me, his eyes were fixed on something behind me. I turned and saw Alexei standing there, frozen, his face showed emotions I had never seen before. Shock, panic, and fear, real fear. Mikhail was the only man the Volkov twins feared, the only person who could make them feel small and powerless.
"How did you find me?" Alexei asked, his voice was shaking slightly, trying to sound confident but failing.
Mikhail did not answer with words. Instead, he moved forward quickly. The movement was so fast it was just a blur. He landed a hard slap across Alexei's cheek. The sound echoed through the courtyard, loud and sharp. It was not just a slap. It was an insult. It was a judgment. Alexei stumbled backwards from the force of it. He almost fell but held himself. He looked dazed. He used his sleeve to wipe blood from his split lip. His eyes were wide, like a little boy who had been punished.
"Godfather..." Alexei started to say, his voice soft now.
But Mikhail turned away from him, dismissing him completely. He looked at his men instead. His face was hard like stone. "Take the girl," Mikhail commanded, his voice was cold and final. "And burn down this place."
My jaw dropped. I could not believe what I just heard. Burn it down? He was going to burn down the entire safe house? With everyone inside? My heart started to beat very fast. I looked at the building. It was so big. There were so many rooms. So many people.
Alexei's eyes widened with pure terror. "You cannot leave me to die, godfather! I am your son! You said I was your son!"
Mikhail finally looked at him. His eyes were filled with disgust and disappointment. "You are dead to me already," Mikhail said quietly, but his words cut like a knife. They were the coldest words I had ever heard.
The guards hearing Mikhail's command immediately sprang into action. They started running into the building.
I heard shouting, screaming, people were panicking inside. The guards who had been loyal to Alexei were running out, trying to escape. Some made it, running past us into the dark trees. Some did not. A few maids ran out crying, their faces were white with fear. Others were trapped inside. I could hear their voices, calling for help. The sound was awful.
Two of Mikhail's guards grabbed my arms. They did not do it roughly, but they were firm. They started pulling me towards the cars parked outside the gates. I tried to dig my feet into the ground, but it was no use.
"Wait!" I said, my voice shaking. "There are still people inside! The maids! The cooks! Please!"
But they did not listen. They just kept pulling me forward. They were like machines, following orders. I was taken to a black car. It was very expensive and very clean. They opened the door and pushed me inside gently. I landed on soft leather seats. The door closed with a solid thud. I was locked in.
Through the window, I watched the horror display. Mikhail's men carried big red cans. They poured liquid all over the building, over the walls, over the doors. The smell of gasoline was strong even from inside the car. It made me feel sick. Then, one of the men lit a match and threw it. The flames erupted immediately. They climbed up the walls like orange snakes. They spread across the roof. The building caught fire so quickly. The flames were bright orange against the dark evening sky. Smoke billowed up into the air, thick and black. It smelled like burning wood.
I watched in horror as the fire consumed everything. The screams from inside got louder and then, slowly, they started to fade. I put my hands over my ears. I could not bare to listen. I saw a window on the second floor break from the heat. A curtain of fire blew out. It was terrible. This was a nightmare.
Then I saw a figure crawling out of one of the side doors. It was moving slowly, and was badly injured. It was a man. His clothes were burned. His face was covered in soot. He collapsed on the grass, coughing. He pushed himself up slowly on his hands and knees. When he finally stood up, I saw his face. It was Alexei. He had survived.
He looked towards the cars. His eyes found the window I was looking through and our eyes met for just a moment. His face was black with ash, but his eyes were clear. They showed rage, and pure hatred.
And I knew this was not over. He would come for me. He would make me pay for this. Then, he turned and stumbled into the woods, disappearing into the darkness.
The car started moving, driving away quickly, leaving the burning building behind. I turned away from the window. I could not watch anymore. My heart was pounding in my chest. My hands were shaking. I folded them in my lap to try and make it stop.
Mikhail was sitting across from me in the car. He had not said a word since we got in. His face was calm, and emotionless. He stared straight ahead. It was like he had not just ordered a building to be burned with people inside. It was like he had just taken out the trash. I felt a cold chill. This man was more dangerous than I could ever have imagined.
I gathered my courage. I had to tell him. I had to let him know. It was the only thing that mattered now.
"Dimitri is alive," I said quickly, the words rushed out of me. "You have to find him. He is out there somewhere. He does not remember anything. He has amnesia."
Mikhail turned to look at me finally. His blue eyes were cold, but patient.
"He was in an accident," I continued desperately. "Alexei had tried to kill him, but Dimitri survived. He is alive somewhere but he does not remember who he is. He does not remember me. He does not remember anything."
I was talking fast, trying to get all the information out before Mikhail stopped me. I was so afraid he would not listen.
"He is in danger," I said, my voice breaking. "If Alexei finds out, he will send people to finish the job. You have to find him first. You have to protect him."
Mikhail was quiet for a long moment. He just watched me with those cold eyes. He was weighing my words. He was deciding if I was telling t
he truth. Then finally, he spoke.
"I know," he said simply. "And I have him."
My heart stopped. My breath caught in my throat. I could not have heard him right.
"What?" I whispered.
"I know Dimitri is alive," Mikhail repeated calmly. "And I already have him.”