Deadly Vows (Avilov Bratva #2)

14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Aleksandr

I climbed down the narrow stone staircase leading to the dungeon, each step echoing with the promise of vengeance. The air grew colder and more oppressive as I descended into the bowels of the mansion. The dungeon was a relic from a bygone era, a place where countless souls had met their end. Tonight, it would bear witness to retribution—a slow, deliberate reckoning for the blood that had been spilled.

The walls were lined with iron shackles, the scent of damp stone and old blood permeating the air.

I pushed open the steel door and found Vic secured to a heavy wooden chair by his wrists and ankles. Anton stood in the corner of the dungeon, laying out tools of torture on a metal table. Hanging from the ceiling was a solitary light fixture, throwing shadows into each corner of the prison.

Vic’s face was pale and sweat-soaked, his eyes darting around like a cornered rat. His balding brown hair clung to his scalp in greasy tufts, and his squinty brown eyes held no spark of defiance, only the dull gleam of desperation. He knew what awaited him, and that knowledge sapped what little strength he had left.

Anton stepped forward, his expression as cold and hard as the stone walls around us. He handed me a long, slender knife, its blade gleaming wickedly in the light. I took it, its weight comforting as I approached Vic.

“Do you know why you’re here, Vic, and not already dead?” I asked, my voice low and menacing.

He nodded frantically, his eyes wide with fear. “Aleksandr, I—“

“Silence!” I roared, the sound bouncing off the walls.

He swallowed hard, his body trembling. Good. Fear was a powerful tool, and I intended to wield it fully.

“Tell me,” I said, leaning in close, the knife hovering near his throat. “Why did you kill my brother?”

Vic’s rancid breath came in short, ragged gasps. “It wasn’t personal. I was just following orders.”

“Whose orders?” I pressed, the tip of the blade grazing his skin just enough to draw a thin line of blood.

“Tommy Lansky,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “It was Tommy.”

I could smell the lie oozing out of him like infected puss. “Tommy? That’s funny. Tommy said you acted on your own because you’re a lying piece of shit thief,” I hissed.

“No! No, it was Tommy. He gave the order to kill your brother because he owed Mr. Lupani money. It was a gambling debt. I just did what I was told,” he stammered.

“You’re lying,” I accused, sucking on my front teeth. “In the old country, they cut out the tongue of a lying man.” In one quick motion, I sliced the blade across his cheek, crimson blood splattering the collar of his white shirt.

Vic cried out but quickly clamped his mouth shut. He vigorously shook his head no, his eyes pleading for mercy.

“I know you weren’t ordered to kill Mikhail. And I know that you are stealing money from your boss.”

I grabbed his chin, forcing the tip of the blade between his lips. Vic’s eyes bulged as he urinated on himself. The sour smell of his piss fueled me, giving me a twisted sense of satisfaction.

“You took Mikhail from me…from his children. You remember his children. The innocent boy and girl you kidnapped after killing their guard in the park.”

Vic was trembling as I slid the blade out of his mouth and jabbed it into his thigh. He cried out in pain, begging me to stop. I pulled the blade out and watched the blood pour out of the wound.

“I didn’t know,” he murmured. “I didn’t know they were his kids,” he pleaded, tears rolling down his dirt-streaked cheeks.

After wiping the bloody blade on Vic’s shirt, I placed it on the metal table. I picked up a shiny silver cigar cutter and leaned against the table.

“Tell me again what your plans were for Talia,” I growled, picking up a cigar and pushing the end of it through the round hole in the cutter.

Vic’s mouth opened and closed, but no words came out.

“Is your memory failing you? Let me help you out,” I said, slicing off the end of the cigar with the razor-sharp blade of the cutter.

“I…I didn’t…” he stuttered, horror flashing in his eyes as he realized what was about to happen.

“You told her you were going to fuck her every day and mark every part of her after you killed me.” I waltzed over to him, grabbing the pointer finger of his right hand. “Then you dared to touch her,” I accused, sliding his finger into the cigar cutter.

“No, no, no…” Vic sobbed, squeezing his eyes shut.

“Look at me!” I thundered, my voice laced with fury. Forcing his eyes open, Vic’s eyes met mine.

“You took what is mine, Vic,” I growled, cutting off his finger. His screams filled the dungeon, a symphony of agony. Each finger I cut off, each cry of pain, was a step closer to justice.

I handed Anton the cigar cutter and took a deep breath. As satisfying as that was, I needed more. More pain, more blood, more revenge.

I punched Vic over and over, beating him until my knuckles were stained red with his blood. I struck him, knocking his teeth out and busting open his lip. I hit him again and again, only stopping when his left eye was swollen shut and his face was unrecognizable.

Breathing heavily, I walked back to the metal table, picked up a small cloth, and wiped the blood from my hands. It was time to end this mudak.

I chose a dagger from the lineup of tools and plunged it into Vic’s chest, twisting it to ensure the fatal blow. His one good eye widened in shock, a gurgling sound escaping his lips as he slumped forward, the life draining from his body.

I stood there watching the light fade from his eyes. Justice has finally been served.

Anton stepped forward, placing a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll take care of the body, pakhan .”

Taking a deep breath, I nodded, leaving the dungeon with the echoes of Vic’s screams still ringing in my ears. I felt a sense of satisfaction knowing he was no longer a threat to Talia and the children, and I prayed Mikhail could now rest in eternal peace.

The mansion was eerily quiet as I entered the master bathroom. Stripping off my blood-soaked clothes, I turned on the shower, letting the water scald my skin as it washed away the evidence of my sins.

As the crimson blood swirled down the drain, my thoughts drifted to Talia. Her beauty, kindness, and strength were the light in my darkness, the reason I believed I could be something more than a monster. She was asleep in our bed, blissfully unaware of the nightmare that had just unfolded beneath her feet. I could picture her now, her dark hair splayed out on the pillow, her delicate features softened by sleep. She was everything to me, the one person who saw beyond the brutality and loved the man hidden within.

The water began to cool, pulling me from my thoughts. I stepped out, toweling off quickly and wrapping the thick fabric around my waist. The house was still silent as I entered the bedroom, the soft glow of the bedside lamp reflecting off the rich gold accessories decorating the room. Talia lay curled on her side, her hand resting protectively over her belly. My heart swelled with emotion as I watched her, the reality of her pregnancy filling me with a sense of hope and purpose I had never known before.

Carefully, I slid into bed beside her, trying not to wake her from her peaceful slumber. The mattress dipped slightly under my weight, and she stirred, her eyes fluttering open. “Aleksandr,” she murmured sleepily, her voice a soft caress.

“I’m here, my love,” I whispered, pulling her gently into my arms. She sighed contentedly, nestling her head against my chest. I could feel the warmth of her body against mine, the rhythmic rise and fall of her breath.

“I was worried about you,” she whispered, her voice tinged with concern.

I kissed the top of her head, inhaling the sweet honeysuckle scent of her hair. “There’s nothing to worry about. I’m here now, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Her hand rested on my chest, fingers tracing the dips and curves of my toned muscles. “Is Vic dead,” she asked hesitantly.

“He is,” I assured her.

She pressed her ear to my chest, listening to the steady beat of my heart. “I love you, Talia,” I whispered, the words baring the truth in my soul. “I never thought I could love someone like this. You’ve changed me in ways I can’t explain.”

She looked up at me, her eyes filled with a love that took my breath away. “And I love you, Aleksandr. No matter what, I’m here with you.”

I tightened my hold on her, feeling the steady beat of her heart against mine. I kissed her deeply, pouring all my love into that kiss. As we lay there, holding each other in the quiet of the night, I knew that this was the beginning of a new chapter.