Page 66 of Tainted Empire
“I’m lost without you, Mischa,” I say, swallowing past the ball of emotion threatening to choke me. “I thought I could do this, but… but I’m just weak.”
I spend the night by his side, watching over him. The steady rhythm of his breathing and the occasional beep of the monitors are strangely comforting. In the dim light of the hospital room, I allow myself a moment of vulnerability, whispering my fears and hopes to the silent figure on the bed.
After spending the night by Mikhail’s side in the hospital, the rhythmic beeping of the monitors providing a strange source of comfort, I’m startled when Alexei enters the room. His face is set in a stern expression, a clear sign that he’s here on business.
“Mrs. Baranova, you need to come with me,” he says, his tone leaving no room for argument. I hesitate, not wanting to leave Mikhail’s side, but Alexei insists. “You need to be strong, for him. Come, we’re going to the gym.”
Reluctantly, I follow him back to the penthouse and get ready before I head straight to the gym. Once there, Alexei doesn’t waste any time. His expression is unreadable, but there’s a stern determination in his stride that tells me this isn’t going to be an easy session.
As soon as I have my fists strapped, Alexei launches into a relentless training regime. His strikes are swift and calculated, pushing me to my limits. I’m still reeling from the shock of recent events, and my responses are sluggish, my movements lack precision.
With each blow I fail to block, Alexei’s taunts become sharper, more cutting. “A weak woman can’t lead the Bratva, Gabriette. You’ll be chewed up and spat out.”
His words sting, echoing my own doubts and fears. But something inside me refuses to break. Each taunt, each jibe, fuels my resolve. I start to fight back with more vigor, trying to channel my pain and fear into strength.
But Alexei doesn’t let up. “Come on, is that the best you can do? You think the Bratva will follow a leader who can’t even stand up for herself?”
I grit my teeth, feeling a mix of anger and determination building within me. “Fuck you, Alexei,” I spit out, finding a burst of energy I didn’t know I had. I dodge his next strike and counter with a swift punch that takes him by surprise.
He grins, unphased, as if my growing aggression is exactly what he wants. “There you go, show some fucking spine!”
His words ignite something within me, a fire that’s been smoldering beneath the surface. Anger, fear, and a fierce determination merge into a powerful force. I refuse to be weak, to be a liability.
With renewed vigor, I launch at Alexei, my strikes more forceful, my movements more precise. He grins, egging me on, “That’s it, show me what you’ve got!”
The gym fills with the sound of our grunts and the thud of bodies clashing. Sweat pours down my face, but I don’t care. I can feel myself breaking, but it’s a necessary pain, a transformation from the inside out.
Alexei spins me around, his front to my back with his arms wrapped around my waist, trapping me. I try to move out of his hold, but he just chuckles.
“Right now you’re nothing but a little girl playing queen,” he says into my ear, the malice in his voice sending a shiver down my spine. “Easy to kill, easy to use.”
Then, something shifts within me. I find an opening and exploit it, using Alexei’s dropped guard against him. With a swift move, I manage to flip him to the side, pinning him on his back on the mat.
Breathing heavily, I straddle him with my forearm to his throat, my hands trembling with exertion and adrenaline. Alexei looks up at me, a wide grin spreading across his face.
“There’s the fucking Bratva queen I knew I was serving,” he says, his voice laced with respect and a hint of pride. “Show me more of that! Use your anger!”
As much as I hated his jibes and taunts, I know what he was trying to do. No one, besides Mikhail, has pushed me as much as Alexei has. And I know he must have hated saying those things, but not as much as I hated hearing them.
Because they were my own failures being spoken out loud.
After helping him to his feet, I can’t resist the opportunity to land one final punch to his gut.
“That’s for all the damn taunts,” I say, half-joking, half-serious. Alexei grunts, bent at the middle, but as he straightens up, I pull him into a quick hug. “And that’s for the push.”
He chuckles, a sound of genuine amusement as he wraps his arms around me. “Feisty and grateful, huh? Are you sure you want to keep going?”
I step back, nodding with determination. “Yes. Let’s continue.”
We resume sparring, moving in a rhythm that’s both challenging and invigorating. As we trade blows, a moment of clarity strikes me amidst the physical exertion.
I pause mid-strike, the realization hitting me harder than any physical blow. “Alexei, wait,” I say, catching my breath. “Berlin... Devon’s family is from there, and my father was seen there last before he ended up dead. Could there be a link?”
Alexei lowers his guard, considering my words. “It’s possible. Berlin could be the key here. We should look into Devon’s family, see if there’s any link to our enemies.”
The possibility sends a new wave of determination through me. This could be the lead we’ve been looking for, the piece of the puzzle that connects everything. “We need to investigate this. It could lead us to whoever is behind the attack.”
Alexei nods in agreement. “You should talk to Kazimir, see what he thinks. We need to tread carefully, but you might be onto something.”