He must’ve been laughing on the inside while offering his support.
“You said he was planning to take me out.” I glare at Makar. “How?”
“I don’t know, but he thinks you’re not fit to be Pakhan and that he should be the one to take your position instead. You have to believe me, Boss. I would never help him with that. Your father didn’t want him to ever become the leader of the family and I agree.”
“Did Roman already know that Konstantin wasn’t his son?”
Makar’s lips part, but he nods. “He put all his effort into finding the man Yulia cheated with. He became friends with him, too, since the bastard didn’t even know he was her husband. When the time came, he eliminated him.”
The pieces of the puzzle start to fall together. “Was he perhaps part of the Belsky Organization?”
Makar nods again.
“Which one?”
“Anatoly Ivanov.”
Sasha’s uncle. Thank fuck it wasn’t her father, or else the situation would get too complicated too fast.
She’s still cousins with my fucker of a brother, though.
“How did Roman find out?”
“Yulia goes to Russia’s countryside every summer. The first time she went was a year after you were born. But then she started going religiously. In the beginning, we all assumed it was a holiday. But Roman found out that she used that time to meet with a certain man. Apparently, they had an affair that lasted for years, but they only met during the summer in some nameless Russian town, away from everyone they knew. After that time was over, she’d come back to New York and he’d go back to his family.”
“So Roman decided to annihilate him and his entire family.”
“He only thought about toying with him and then killing him in front of her, but then he was approached by the Russian government to infiltrate and eliminate the threat that the Belsky Organization posed, so he immediately agreed. In their last days, Yulia could’ve found out about Roman’s involvement and might have tried to warn Anatoly, but it was probably too late.”
“Did my father keep any records of that operation?”
“Only a few notes hidden in the pages of his favorite book.”
“Crime and Punishment.” I was wondering why the fuck he put that book in the safe, but now I’ve got my answer.
“You need to be careful, Boss. Eliminate Konstantin before he manages to eliminate you.”
“I will.” I pull out my gun and point it at his forehead.
His face blanches. “What…you promised my safety.”
“Only for the duration of your confession. You made a terrible fucking mistake by attempting to kill my wife, Makar, and that sin is punishable by death.”
I shoot him between the eyes, the echo of the gunshot filling the air as he falls to the ground with a thud.
Ah. Fuck.
I promised Sasha that I’d let her decide his fate, but I went ahead and lost control. Again.
My face is too tight, I’m surprised no tendons snap.
Viktor observes the scene and then focuses on me. “Now what?”
“Now, I punish the other motherfucker who thought he could kill my wife.”
No one gets to hurt Sasha and live.
Not even my fucking brother.
When we go back, I find my family—or what I thought was my family—having dinner.
Konstantin is laughing at something Karina said while Sasha and Kristina pass dishes to each other.
This mood has been prevalent ever since Yulia left. Konstantin hasn’t gone to visit her, not even once, and has preferred to remain here with his wife and the rest of his family.
Or, more like, he wanted to keep his eyes on the prize—aka my position.
The moment I step into the dining room accompanied by Viktor and a few of my other men, their attention turns to me.
“Kirill,” Konstantin says, still smiling. “You should hear the nonsense Kara’s been talking about.”
“Wanting a dozen nephews and nieces isn’t nonsense. You and Kristina can have half, and Kirill and Sasha can have the other half.”
Sasha peers up at me, a blush covering her cheeks, but the moment she sees my face, her movements freeze.
If there’s anyone in the world who can figure out when something’s wrong, it’s that woman right there.
I don’t have to say anything, and she’s already sensed the black aura that’s been surrounding me ever since I heard Makar’s confession.
“How about you, then, Kara?” Konstantin waggles his brows. “Are you not planning on children?”
“Nuh-uh. I only want to be the cool aunt.” My sister glares at me. “You better hurry up and worship Sasha so she agrees to have your children.”
Sasha forces a smile, but her attention immediately slides back to me as she mouths, “What’s wrong?”
“Come and join us, Kirill,” Kristina says. “Viktor and the others, too, if you like.”
Karina grins. “Yes, join us!”
I give Viktor the signal. “Take him.”
Silence falls on the dining table as two of my men head to Konstantin. His eyes widen when he realizes the reality of the situation.
He has the audacity to look at me with a betrayed look, as if I’m the one stabbing him in the back and not the other way around.
“Kirill…？” he asks in a choked voice.
Karina latches onto his arm and glares at me, shrieking, “What are you doing? Tell them to let him go.”
Sasha swings up from her chair, but her tone is gentle as she asks, “What’s wrong?”
“He attempted to kill you and is vying for my position, among other things that I’ll fully investigate.”
Konstantin struggles against my men. “What the fuck are you talking about? I’ve never done that!”
“I wouldn’t expect you to admit it easily, but we’ll get to that point. Take him to the basement.”
“No, please.” Kristina’s voice and body shake as she gets to her feet.
She’s been watching the whole show with a pale face and bulging eyes as if she can’t believe the turn of events.
“There must be an explanation for all of this,” Sasha says, her attention on Kristina and Karina, who are trying to claw at the guards fruitlessly.
“I already know the explanation, which is why I’m taking him for his punishment.”
“Kirill, please…” Kristina’s eyes fill with tears. “He’s your brother.”
“It’s because he’s my brother that I have zero fucking tolerance for his betrayal. Viktor, take him to the basement. Now.”
He and the other guards comply. Konstantin is dragged away, despite fighting and cursing and asking me to talk this out.
Karina starts kicking and screaming and hitting me in one of her extremely dramatic episodes, but I have no time for her nonsense, so I push her away.
The most drastic of the bunch is Kristina. The more she sees her husband being taken while fighting, the paler she gets. Tears stream down her cheeks, but when she tries to go after him, she loses her balance.
Sasha catches her and sits her back down, then gives her a glass of water.
Konstantin goes crazier at that, and he nearly manages to escape the men’s clutches, but he has no chance when Viktor takes over.