Page 1 of Sinful Secrets
Prologue
Six months ago
Iwatched the standoff between my boss and his men, men who had turned against us because of a woman.
That woman in question watched me with anger in her eyes and I looked away, feeling just a hint of guilt at my part in all this.
They were talking about the man I loved, the man who had held my heart and took it with him the day he died.
“The man was a thorn in my side, a spineless rat.” Ivan spat and shock ran through me as I realized just what my boss, my godfather was saying.
He was responsible for killing the man I loved. All these years he had fed my lies and here he was, admitting to orchestrating the entire thing.
The memories from that day as I had watched Yuri flooded my mind.
The rage, desperation, and agonizing heartbreak that I had shoved deep down inside a dark place inside me came roaring tothe surface along with a scream of rage as I pulled out my gun and pointed it at Ivan.
Without thinking, I pulled the trigger, watching with satisfaction as he looked at me in shock.
“You killed him! You fucking monster. You fed to me for years that it was Mikhail’s fault. That Mikhail had been the one to set up the teams that day. You let me believe that you loved Yuri and even sanctioned my request to date him!” I screamed at him before I pulled the trigger another two times, walking toward him.
My hand shook as adrenaline ran through me, a desperate need to get my revenge, to yell and scream at any god that would listen that I hoped this man’s soul would be dragged to the darkest pits of hell.
“I hope you rot in hell you fucking bastard. This is for Yuri.” I whispered as I stood over him, aiming between his eyes, making sure I was the last thing he saw before he died.
I wanted him to know I was responsible for his death. His goddaughter, the woman he had raised to be just like him.
I grinned as I pulled the trigger, watching the blood trickle out of the new hole in his head. I gulped down air, my entire body feeling alive for the first time in a long time as the room stayed silent.
It was a quick death and part of me wished I had drawn it out, and let him suffer but I didn’t want to risk him somehow finding a way to live.
As I slowly became aware of my surroundings, I realized what this meant. I had just killed the head of the Bratva.
“I am taking control of Ivan’s operations. As a courtesy for my years of believing you were the reason for his death, I am releasing you of your debt to the Bratva. If I so much as hear you are interfering with my operations, I will kill you”. I said to the men behind me.
I looked at the woman tied up, the woman I had ordered to be taken as bait, her body bloody and beaten from Vlad’s treatment of her, and regret flashed through me momentarily before I shoved the emotion aside.
“This quarrel is not mine. She is free to go.” I said as I gestured to her.
Mikhail rushed past me to the woman in question and looked back at Ivan on the ground, the gun heavy in my arm as I considered my next move.
Not everyone would follow me, but I didn’t have a choice. I had to take his position or spend the rest of my life in hiding, hoping not to die.
Mikhail yanked the gun from my hand, and I stepped back, watching as he leveled it at Vlad, putting a bullet between his eyes then turned to me.
I reached for my second gun tucked in my waistband, watching the man I had tortured for years.
Part of me wanted him to pull the trigger, to end this torment I had been living in since Yuri’s death.
To relieve me of the duty I was about to take on, knowing it would be the most difficult part of my life.
I was tired, wary, and broken. I deserved to die for the things I had done in the last five years.
Mikhail glared at me, pure hate radiating from him.
“I wish I could have tortured him, but I won’t stand for him to live.” He snarled and I glanced behind him, realizing that his woman was missing, and smiled.
“I would say you have other issues to focus on if you want your woman back,” I said and he glanced behind him, swearing at the same time as the others.