Chapter 72 Chapter 72
CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO
Dimitri's POV
Mikhail was shocked. His eyes went wide with disbelief.
Even the hanging guards were shocked. They stared at me like I had lost my mind.
I had just dismissed Mikhail Reznikov, the mafia who made other mafia pee their pants. The man who raised the Volkov twins to be the dread of Moscow's underworld. But I didn't care. He had broken my trust.
"You do not mean it," Mikhail said. I could hear the hurt in his voice.
I faced him directly. I stepped closer until I was just inches away from him.
"You heard me," I said. My face was void of any expression. I should have been scared but I wasn't.
"Dimitri," Mikhail started. "You cannot…"
"I can," I interrupted. "And I have. This is my territory. My rules are sovereign."
Mikhail looked at me for a long moment. His expression was pained and disappointed.
And for a moment, I felt like taking back my words. But I have an integrity to protect. I can't be perceived as weak and unstable. Especially not by this guards looking down at me.
"You will regret this," Mikhail said quietly. I heard the crack in his voice. "I promise you, you will regret this."
Then he turned and walked out. The door slammed shut behind him. The sound was final and heavy.
His footsteps echoed in the hall.
I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding.
Them, I turned back to the hanging guards. They were trembling with fear.
"Now," I said coldly. "Where were we?"
"Boss, please," one guard begged. "We are innocent. We swear on our lives."
"Then tell me who did it!" I shouted.
Everywhere was silent. Still nobody confessed.
Fine. They wanted to play this game? I would play.
I picked up a thorny whip from the table. The thorns were sharp and deadly.
I walked to the first guard. He was crying and begging. His chains rattled as though they were about to snap.
"Please, boss. My children are in the village with my wife. Boss. Please!"
I could see the fear and terror in his eyes.
But I felt nothing. No mercy. No compassion.
I raised the whip and brought it down hard across his back.
He screamed. The sound was horrible and agonizing.
Blood appeared on his shirt immediately. The thorns had cut deep into his skin.
I whipped him again. And again. And again.
Then I moved to the next guard. And the next. And the next. Doing the same thing to them.
All of them screamed. All of them bled. But none of them confessed.
Hours passed. My arm was tired from whipping. My shirt was covered in blood.
But I did not stop. I could not stop.
One of them was guilty. One of them poisoned my brother.
I picked up a metal rod and placed it in the fire until it glowed red hot.
I walked to the first guard again. His back was already torn to shreds.
"Last chance," I said. "Confess now or I will burn you."
"I did not do it!" He cried. "I swear on my parents grave. I did not!"
I raised the hot rod. I was about to press it against his skin when suddenly the door flung open violently.
A guard rushed in. His face showed worry and fear.
I turned to him with anger. "How dare you interrupt an interrogation!"
"Sir," he stammered. His hands were shaking. "Sir, I am sorry but…"
"But what?" I demanded.
"Miss Katya," he said quickly. "Miss Katya has your wife."
"What!" The word exploded from my mouth.
I dropped the hot rod immediately. It clattered on the floor.
I ran out of the torture room, through the corridors and towards the front entrance.
When I got outside, I froze.
Guards were gathered in the compound. But they were not my guards.
These were strangers. Dangerous looking men I did not recognize.
They all had guns. And they were all pointing them at one person.
Irina.
She was kneeling on the ground. Her beautiful evening gown was torn and dirty.
Her lips were burst. Blood covered her face. Her hands were scraped and bleeding.
My countenance changed immediately. It became cold and deadly.
The air around me seemed to freeze. The temperature dropped. Even the weather changed. The sky became cloudy and dark.
Thunder rumbled in the distance as thought a storm was coming.
I looked up and saw her. Katya Orlov.
She was standing beside Irina. Smiling and looking proud of herself.
This silly bitch!
"What do you think you are doing!" I thundered. My voice echoed across the compound. It was cold and deadly. It sounded like death itself.
Katya swallowed hard. Fear flashed across her face for just a moment. But she quickly composed herself. Her expression became confident and deadly.
She took a few steps closer to me.
The audacity. I scoffed.
"I heard you are investigating the person who poisoned Alexei," she said with a smile.
She pointed at Irina. "Your bitch kneeling there poisoned him." Her voice was bold and confident.
My eyes squinted. Anger burned through my veins like fire.
"You know you could be executed for falsely accusing a Pakhan's wife," I said coldly.
And for a moment, I saw her shoulder stiffen. But she was good at changing her demeanor.
"I have proof," Katya said confidently.
I ignored her completely and walked past her towards Irina.
I knelt down and picked her up gently. I held her against my chest firmly.
She was shivering. The night was cold and she was barely covered up.
"Sorry I am late," I whispered to her, placing a gentle kiss on her head. She smelled of dust and blood.
"She is a criminal and should be detained!" Katya screamed behind me.
I turned to look at her. My expression was icy.
"Get yourself and your toys," I said, gesturing to her guards. "Out of my property now."
"The council is getting involved," Katya said. She was grinning now.
"What?" I asked.
"Alexei was supposed to be my husband. You know I had loved him since were kids." she explained. "So I submitted the evidence to the council."
She stepped closer. "They are getting involved. Whether you like it or not."
I looked at her with disgust. "You are insane."
"The
council will investigate," she continued. "They will find the truth."
"The council should fuck themselves for all I care," I said coldly.
Katya's face turned red with anger. She stormed away towards her car and her guards followed her quickly. They knew better than to stay.
"Do not say I did not warn you!" She shouted before getting into her car.
The cars drove away. Disappearing into the night.