Deadly Vows (Avilov Bratva #2)

22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Aleksandr

My footsteps echoed in the cold, quiet street as I left the gallery, my mind still filled with thoughts of Talia. The way her eyes sparkled when she looked at a painting, and her lips curled into that shy smile when she felt my gaze on her. Every moment with her was etched into my mind, more permanent than any artwork hanging on those walls. She was my muse, my obsession, and more than that—she was mine.

I pulled my coat tighter as a cold breeze swept down the street. Reaching the car, I unlocked it and slipped into the driver’s seat. My phone buzzed, pulling me out of my thoughts. I fished it out, glancing at the screen: Ivan.

“Ivan, what is it?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.

“ Pakhan ,“ Ivan’s said in a strained voice. “I was waiting for Talia outside Sandy’s apartment. Everything was fine until I heard a commotion upstairs. I went up and found the door open…”

My grip tightened on the phone. “And?”

“Sandy was barely conscious. She’d been strangled. She told me Danny—Talia’s ex—was there. He took her. He took Talia.”

Everything went cold. My pulse roared in my ears, drowning out the rest of the world. Talia… taken. By that piece of shit.

“Where’s Sandy now?” I demanded, my jaw clenched so tightly it hurt.

“With me. I wasn’t sure what else to do. She’s shaken, but she’ll be okay. She told me everything she knows about Danny.”

“Bring her to the mansion. Now.” I hung up before he could respond, rage boiling under my skin like a volcano about to erupt.

Danny. That worthless bastard. From the beginning, he’d been nothing but trouble, harassing Talia and trying to worm his way back into her life even after she’d made it clear she wanted nothing to do with him. And now, he’d dared to take her from me?

I felt the anger rising, choking me. I wanted to break something, to unleash the storm building inside me. But I forced myself to stop, to breathe, to focus. Anger wouldn’t save Talia. Only action would.

I dialed Dimitri’s number. It rang twice before he picked it up.

“ Brat ,“ I said, trying to keep my voice steady, “we have a problem.”

“What happened?” Dimitri’s voice was calm and collected, as always.

“Talia’s ex, Danny…he took her,” I spat, the words tasting like venom on my tongue. “I want him found. Alive or dead, I don’t care, but I need him found now. ”

“Do we know where he might have taken her?” Dimitri asked all business.

“Not yet. Ivan’s bringing Sandy to the mansion. I’ll get whatever information she has, and we’ll start the search.” I paused, my grip on the steering wheel tightening into a death grip. “But Dimitri… make sure every man is ready. I want this done fast. I won’t wait.”

Dimitri didn’t hesitate. “Yes, pakhan . I’ll get the men on it immediately.”

“Good,” I muttered before ending the call.

The world felt surreal as I sat there, my mind a blur of thoughts. Of course I had enemies, but this wasn’t about them, power, territory, or money. It was about Talia, and it was personal. Danny wasn’t some criminal mastermind. He was a coward but desperate, and desperate men do reckless things.

I started the car, the engine revving. I stepped on the gas and flew down the street, weaving in and out of traffic, determined to get to the mansion in record time.

When I pulled into my estate’s long, winding driveway, I could feel the tension in my chest like a coiled spring. Ivan would be here soon with Sandy. She would have answers-she had to.

I entered the mansion, greeted by the familiar smell of expensive leather and polished wood. Normally, the place felt like a fortress, a place of safety. But now, it felt empty. Without Talia, there was no warmth, no sense of home.

I barely had time to think before the front door opened, and Ivan walked in with Sandy, her face pale and bruised, her hands trembling as she clutched her coat. Ivan’s expression was bleak, his jaw tight. He’d done his job, but I could tell he was waiting for my reaction. Waiting for the explosion.

But I was calm…for now.

“Sandy,” I said, motioning for her to sit down. She did so, her movements stiff and shaky, her eyes darting around the room.

“I-I’m sorry,” she stammered, her voice low. “I tried to stop him.”

“I’m not blaming you,” I said, my voice quieter now but no less intense. “But I need you to tell me everything. What do you know about Danny? Where would he take her?”

She swallowed, her eyes filling with tears. “Talia fled San Francisco to get away from him,” Sandy began, her voice wavering. “They dated for a few months, but it ended badly. Danny cheated on her, and when she found out, she broke up with him. But he wouldn’t leave her alone. He tried to win her back, sending her messages and showing up at places she went. When she refused, he started stalking her.”

I felt a sharp pang of rage at the thought of Danny cornering her, forcing his way back into her life. Sandy continued, her words coming out faster now.

“He showed up at the Paradise Heights Hotel the morning after the night Talia spent with you.” Her eyes flickered up to mine as if gauging my reaction.

I said nothing, but the fury in my chest tightened.

“They had an altercation in the penthouse. He got aggressive, but she managed to get away. After that, she stayed with her friend Luke and his boyfriend Tony, hoping Danny would back off. For a few weeks, it was quiet. But he wasn’t gone. He was obsessed.”

Sandy took a shaky breath before continuing. “Eventually, Danny trashed her apartment. Completely destroyed the place. He threatened her and said she belonged to him. Talia contacted the police, but they said they couldn’t do anything since there was no proof that Danny trashed her apartment. And his text messages didn’t actually say he was going to cause her bodily harm, so they wouldn’t do anything. Talia was terrified for her and the baby, so she left San Francisco and moved to New York to escape him.”

Sandy absently rubbed the blackbird tattoo on her wrist. Talia had a similar tattoo and did the same thing when thinking about Sandy or stressed. Talia once said that it made her feel connected to Sandy. They got matching tattoos when Sandy decided to move to New York. Talia got a tiny black bird sitting on a wire, and Sandy got a small black bird with wings spread wide soaring across the sky. Sandy told Talia she’d always be with her, looking out for her, no matter where her wings took her. Looking at her current condition, she clearly fought Danny hard to keep Talia safe.

My fists tightened until my knuckles turned white. Every instinct in me screamed to hunt Danny down and gut him like a fish.

“Somehow, he found out Talia was here,” Sandy said. “He came to get her. I tried to stop him, but…” She gently rubbed the bruises on her neck, her eyes downcast.

“Do you know where he would take her?” I questioned.

“No, I don’t. As far as I knew, he was in San Francisco. I don’t know if he knows anyone here or has friends in the city. His last name is Lewis.”

I could feel the tension radiating from Ivan, his body poised for action, ready to move at my word. I had heard enough.

“Thank you, Sandy,” I said, standing up. “You’re safe now. Ivan, call Dr. Daria. I want her to check Sandy.”

“Oh no, it’s okay,” Sandy began to protest.

“I insist,” I told her firmly. “Ivan, call the doctor.”

“Yes , pakhan ,“ Ivan replied.

Sandy looked up at me, her face still etched with fear, but her eyes shined with determination. “Find her, Aleksandr. And when you do, I will need a few minutes alone with Danny…and a gun.”

Sandy was fierce. I could see why Talia clung to her in the foster homes and why they became as close as sisters. I nodded curtly, then stepped out of the room and pulled out my phone again, this time calling Denis, my cousin. He was a detective for the local police department, but he wasn’t like the rest. Denis had always walked the line between law and family, understanding that blood came first. He answered on the first ring.

“ Pakhan ,“ he said, his voice brisk. “What’s going on?”

“I need your help,” I said without preamble. “Talia’s been taken…again.”

There was a brief silence on the other end before Denis spoke, his voice harder now. “Taken? By who?”

“Her ex. A guy named Danny Lewis. I don’t have much on him, but I know he lived in San Francisco. I need you to get the police on this.”

“ Pakhan …“ Denis hesitated. “You know how this works. If I get the police involved, this could get complicated. Do you want them interfering?”

I exhaled slowly, trying to keep my temper in check. “I don’t care how you do it. Just make sure they’re looking in the right places. You know what’s at stake.”

Denis sighed, but I knew he understood. “Alright. I’ll start a search immediately. Send me the address where she was last seen and a physical description of Danny.”

“Thank you,” I said, my voice low but sincere.

I hung up and texted him the information. Denis was good at what he did, and I trusted him to get the job done. But this wasn’t a situation I could leave entirely in the hands of the police.

Dimitri was already coordinating our own search. I knew he would be thorough, ensuring every street corner was covered. Between Denis and our men, Danny wouldn’t be able to hide for long.

But time was against us. And every second that passed without Talia in my arms was another second too long.

I returned to the room where Sandy was sitting, her hands folded tightly in her lap. Ivan stood nearby like a silent sentinel. She looked up as I entered, the fear in her eyes replaced with anger.

“We’ll find her,” I said, my voice rough but certain. “I won’t stop until she’s home.”

I walked down the hall to my office, shutting the door behind me. How am I going to tell the children? I would have liked to keep this from them, but Sasha and Maxim would undoubtedly notice her absence.

Picking up the phone, I called Olga into the office and told her what had happened. There was no easy answer, but ultimately, we decided that telling the children was best. Olga offered to break the news to them to give me time to calm down.

That was nice of her, but I wouldn’t calm down. Not until Talia was safe. Not until I made Danny pay for what he’d done. When I found him, he would wish he’d never laid eyes on her.

The hunt had begun.