Ruby Mayhem: A Russian Mafia Romance (Vyronov Bratva Book 1)
Chapter 21

Rage has been clawing at my chest for the last thirty minutes.

And it’s only getting more intense with each passing second.

Where is she?

I’ve had my men search every fucking square millimeter of the area and I’m growing more and more aware that I’m just wasting my time. Feeling helpless is not something I’m used to. This fucking woman has me by the balls and I fucking hate it. But there’s no denying the reality of the situation. Not only did she get to the outside wall, but somehow, she made it over.

She’s gone, dolboyob.

She’s off the property and out of my control. Out there on her own. Unless a rival gang caught her already.

Bullshit!

Dima walks up to me and I wait for him to start talking. “We found the service gate unlocked,” he says. “Figure she got out there.”

“Chert voz’mi!” I rub my forehead. “So she was out in the street in the middle of the fucking night.” I don’t want to think about what could have happened with her out there.

“I think we’re going to have to cast the net wider, Boss.”

I let out a sigh, feeling the weight of my frustration and anger continuing to bubble inside me. I carelessly let her out of my sight and here we are.

Ublyudok!

“Then do it,” I tell him. “Get the men out there now. Whoever replaces her gets a million bonus.” Even as I say it, I don’t hold out much hope of getting any useful intel. It’s unlikely that she’s simply wandering around out there. And if Petrov’s people picked her up, whatever we learn will be irrelevant. The motherfucker will have her, and he’ll contact me with his demands. Or I’ll be getting her body back in bloody pieces packed in boxes.

Fuck!

My stomach churns and my lips tingle as adrenaline floods me once again.

“I’ll keep you updated, Boss,” Dima says over his shoulder as he leaves. I barely pay attention to the words. I know he will. Instead, I’m scowling down at my phone as if it’s going to burst into flames at any moment while I stalk across the lawn back to the house. I can’t waste another fucking second waiting around here. I must get out and do something that feels like I’m not just killing time.

I’m halfway to the house when a voice stops me in my tracks.

“Kirill!” The figure moving toward me has me shaking my head to clear it. I stand rooted to the spot as I take in the sight, half-convinced that I’m seeing things.

It’s her!

“Tiana!” By the time I realize, my legs have sprung into action and I’m sprinting across the grass toward her. As I reach her, I grab her with both hands and sweep her up against my chest. “Fuck!” I wrap my arms around her so tightly that she makes a little gasping sound.

Jesus Christ Vyronov, what the fuck are you doing?

It’s an unfamiliar to be this much affected by a woman, but I don’t give a fuck anymore. I found her and that’s all that matters.

“Kirill. I’m so sorry,” she says, her voice muffled by my shirt. Pulling her away, I hold her out from me and trace my eyes over her.

“You are safe, Ptichka.” The words never sounded sweeter. I run my hands up and down her arms, and then over her hips as I examine her from head to toe. “You are not hurt?”

“No.” She shakes her head. “I’m not hurt.”

“Fuck!” I say again. “I thought…” I stop, finally allowing myself to release the nightmare visions that have been assaulting me since I found out she was gone. What Petrov would have done to her in revenge for his nephew’s death… I force myself not to think about it anymore.

“I’m fine, really.” She gives a weak smile.

I narrow my eyes on her. Where the fuck has she been? The words are on the tip of my tongue… but this is not the place for this conversation.

“Inside,” I say. I keep a firm grasp on her hand as I step away and start walking briskly back to the house. Now that she’s back, it feels like standing outside is too exposed. I feel raw out here.

She jogs to keep up. “I didn’t mean-”

“Not now.” I keep walking. I need to tell the others that the crisis is over. “Dima!” I call. He’s nowhere in sight but I spot Yuri, my head of security. “Prekratit’ poisk. Call off the search. She’s safe.”

He stares curiously at Tiana, probably fighting down a thousand questions, but he’s too well trained to ask any of them. “Da, Pakhan.” He gives a curt nod then turns on his heel and jogs off to where some of the other men are gathered near the front gate.

Tiana follows me inside the house, and I pull her into the main living room and slam the door behind us. I can’t fucking believe she got away from me like that. My heart is still pounding in my chest, and my blood feels hot as it courses through my veins.

I whirl around to face her, my fists clenched at my sides. For a second, I just stand there, staring at her. And then I step close, take her face in both my hands and rest my forehead against hers, breathing deeply to compose myself.

It doesn’t work.

I can’t believe that one person can consume me with so many conflicting emotions. Right now, I’m filled with pure fury mingled with an overwhelming urge to pull her close and beg her to never do that again.

I stick with fury. It’s something I understand. I move away from her again. Her eyes are huge dark pools as she gazes up at me, but I won’t allow that to influence me now.

“Explain,” I snap, my voice heavy with anger and relief.

Tiana shrinks back against the door. “I’m sorry,” she says, setting her chin straight. “I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“Sorry doesn’t fucking cut it, Ptichka! You could have been killed out there for fuck’s sake? Do you understand that?” I take a step closer to her, getting right in her face. Something flickers in her eyes, and her posture stiffens.

“Well, sorry is all I’ve got, okay?” She takes in a breath. “I needed time… to think.”

“What the fuck is wrong with thinking here?” I bark, pointing at the floor in front of her. She looks down, and so do I. Her sneakers are scuffed and muddy, reminding me of her foolish trek through the undergrowth.

“I couldn’t think here because you were here!” she snaps.

I narrow my eyes on her. “And that is where you should have been too. Here. With me.”

“Are you not hearing me?” She stomps her foot. “I needed to get out!”

“Out?” I scoff. “Do you have any idea what could have happened to you out there?”

“Of course, I do! I could have been free. Free and away from this… this…” She flings her hands out on either side of her.

“This what?”

“Away from this Bratva bullshit. Free from being a commodity you traded for money!” Her voice pitches high on the last word.

“So you ran.”

“What did you expect from me, Kirill?”

She can’t possibly understand the danger she put herself in. The world I live in doesn’t give mercy to the weak or the vulnerable. And no one I know is as vulnerable as she is. Especially now that being with me has put a target on her back. Petrov and others like him are waiting for her to expose herself, exactly the way she did.

“I expected you to not act like a spoiled child.”

“Spoiled child?” She scoffs. “You’re calling me a spoiled child?”

“What else should I call you?”

“By my name. But frankly, I’d prefer it if you didn’t call me anything at all. I’d prefer it if you just let me go!”

“That will never happen. You know that.”

“Because you own me.”

“Yes. Because I own you.”

Yeah, that.

And I can’t fucking stand the thought of anything bad ever happening to you.

“Well, that’s too fucking bad, Mr. Bratva! Because then I’m just going to try to escape again!” Her jaw is out, her eyes flaring.

Fuck, she’s beautiful.

“Then I will fucking lock you in a goddamned cage until you can see sense.” My breath is coming fast.

“Go right ahead, you dick! I’ll replace a way out!” She’s panting too, her cheeks flushed with anger.

Blyad.

Really fucking beautiful.

And I’m still fucking furious.

“You are an idiot, do you know that, girl? You do not know what is out there?”

“I do know: freedom! From you!” Her chest heaves. “And one day I will get away from you for good!”

“Not fucking happening!” I roar. A wave of rage hits me with such force that I spin around and slam my fist against the door. Wood splinters and flies around us.

“Kirill!” Tiana shrieks and covers her mouth with both hands.

I’m breathing hard, my nostrils flaring as I suck in air. There’s a streak of blood on the hard wooden door where I hit it, and I can feel it trickling over my cracked knuckles. It doesn’t hurt nearly as much as the thought of losing her.

She’s cringing away from me now, and it fucking kills me.

“Ptichka.” I raise a hand and she flinches and that kills me a little more.

“Don’t hurt me.” Her voice has lost its fire.

I scrub a hand over my face. “Ty svodish’ menya s uma.”

“I don’t…” She licks her lips, still holding herself away from me. “I don’t understand what that means.”

“You make me fucking crazy.” I drop my hand from my face, trying to calm myself the fuck down. “Do you really believe that I could ever hurt you?”

Those beautiful deep eyes are still fixed on my face. And then she sags, her features crumpling. “I don’t know!” she says, covering her face with her hands as tears spill down her cheeks.

And fuck me if it doesn’t break my goddamned heart.

Moving into her space and not letting her pull away, I take her hands in my own and brush my lips over her fingers. “Never. I would never do that to you, Ptichka. You are too… precious.” I stop there. It’s as close to a declaration of affection as I’ve ever come. I’m on shaky ground. Unknown territory. But I need her to know that she’s safe here. Safe with me.

“How am I supposed to believe that?” She is shaking her head but no longer trying to get away from me. Good. I’ve had enough of her withdrawing from me for one day.

“Because I would never lie to you.” Our eyes connect. “Ever.” I lower my lips and place a kiss on her knuckles and then press her cold fingers to my cheek.

“Kirill, I…” she chokes the words out. “I’m sorry I ran. I didn’t know what else to do after…” Her words trail off into a sob.

“After what?” I demand, but this time, my voice is quieter, gentler. She tilts her head back and looks at me with tear-stained eyes that pierce me to my core.

“After seeing what you did to that man,” she whispers brokenly. “I thought… that you were a monster.”

“And you thought right.” The words come hard but I can’t deny them. It is the truth. “I am a monster. To men like the one you saw – evil men – To them, I will always be a monster. But never to you. Whatever I may be, I will never harm you. Do you understand this, Ptichka?”

It takes a long time for her to answer. Seconds drag by in silence with her eyes locked on mine. I know she’s surveying me, and I allow it. I know she’s looking for lies behind my words and I let her. She will not replace any. When she finally answers, it warms my heart.

“I do.” Her lips curl. “I believe you. I know I’m safe here… with you.”

“That is why you can never leave without me knowing. Not because I own you. But because the world out there is not safe. There are people who would harm you. Because of me.”

Blyad.

I fucking hate to admit this, but it’s the truth. Knowing that I’m the reason she’ll never have a normal life. I dragged her into this against her will and now, there is no getting away for her.

“I will make sure that you are happy here.”

She presses her lips together and nods, her eyes misting, as if she’s gone into some deep part of herself.

I tip her chin up with my forefinger. “I will take care of you. In every way. I promise you this, Tiana.”

Whatever war she seemed to be waging within seems to have died down now.

“I know you will, Kirill. I believe you.”

“Good.” I pull her against my chest again and wrap my arms around her. Such a fragile little thing. She’d be crushed out there.

“Kirill…”

“Yes, Ptichka.” I’m not ready to let her go yet, so I don’t.

“There is something I need to tell you,” she whispers.

“Yes?” I’m finally breathing easy again. Now that the rage has subsided, relief has taken its place. I’m feeling a sense of peace that’s almost overwhelming.

“It is important. And I’m just worried that…” She trails off.

“You can tell me anything, Ptichka.”

“You promise you won’t get angry?”

Blyad.

What the fuck is she going to tell me?

“I promise,” I say before I could change my mind.

“Okay.” She takes a deep breath. “The thing is… I’m-”

The battered door flies open. Dima is framed in the doorway. “Boss!”

“What the fuck, Dima! You just barge in?”

“Boss… we found her!” He takes a step into the room. I glare at him over the top of Tiana’s head.

“What are you talking about, mudak? She’s right here with me.”

Tiana looks over her shoulder at him, bewildered.

“No.” Dima’s voice is strident. “I’m saying we found her.” His eyes move to Tiana and then shift back to me.

Her?

Is he saying…?

I start to get a sinking sensation in my gut. Dima continues to stare at me with eyes that speak more than a thousand words, telling me something I’d rather not face right now.

The realisation hits me like a lightning bolt.

They found her.

Vyronov, you are fucked.