Forced By the Ruthless Bratva Beast (Tarasov Bratva #3)

Chapter 19 – Roman

My blood boiled with rage as I sat back in my chair with Uncle Ivan seated across from me in the visitor's chair. His bodyguard and right-hand man, Jorah, stood by my office's bookshelf, arms folded.

It had been a little over seven months since that manipulating spy slipped through my fingers. Yet, my resentment toward her had never softened, not even for a day.

She was good. I had to give her that. It wasn't every day I met a woman who outsmarted me. She targeted me and got me to feel something for her just so she could get close enough to execute her devious plan.

I'd been beating myself up since the day I realized I was being used by a revenge-seeking, cunning woman who was willing to go the extra mile to see me crumble.

She'd given up her virginity just to get my attention. Her most prized possession, and she gave it to a man she despised. How did she manage that?

That was cold and downright evil. I admired it but hated that I was the victim.

Like a serpent, she’d snaked her way into my stony heart, leaving deadly chills that seeped into my bones, her venom crippling my defenses with time.

Her delicate touch was not so delicate after all; it was sweet and cool but laced with poison—the kind that would gradually kill its victims without them realizing that they were dying.

If I hadn't gone to check on her that day, I wouldn't have found out the truth until it was too late.

Julia was the perfect example of never judging a book by its cover.

She seemed like an angel, appeared harmless, and was always cheerful and friendly with everyone. Her eyes were vibrant and full of life, her soul pure and innocent. But scratch the surface, and a demon lurked within—an intelligent one.

I couldn't manage to wrap my head around how I’d been so carried away by the mystery surrounding her that I lost sight of the danger she posed.

Her charms had been strong; they kept drawing me to her like a fucking moth to a flame. After our first night together, it was as though she'd planted something in me that clouded my judgment.

I’d seen the subtle signs in her words, her reactions to the subject of the Gray family, but for some reason, I ignored them all. I didn't stop to think about how fast I was starting to fall for her.

She must have done her homework on me because she knew the exact kind of woman I was attracted to and disguised herself as one. Smart. Beautiful. Mysterious.

It was still a wonder how she’d orchestrated all of this so perfectly. She awoke something in me—a little flame—only to snuff it out with her betrayal.

Had any of it ever been real?

She’d faked her affection for me, and now I was left to ponder what else she might have faked.

Had she faked her moans, too?

Had she ever even enjoyed sex with me, or was it all just a part of her scheme?

What an Oscar-deserving performance!

I was overwhelmed by a mix of emotions: anger, disappointment, and a glimmer of admiration for how she’d managed to make me a pawn in her game without my knowledge.

It took an extraordinary person to pull that off.

But my admiration could not be compared to the rage that swelled up within me, the resentment that grew in my heart with each passing day.

“The Gray girl is a fierce one. I'll give her that,” Uncle Ivan's voice cut through my thoughts.

Snapping back to the present, my eyes settled back on him, fingers quietly drumming on the table between us.

There was a glint of amazement flickering in his eyes as he continued. “It takes guts to trick a Bratva Pakhan .”

“I know that, Uncle.” My scowl deepened, as did the creases on my forehead. “As impressive as that is, it still doesn't change the fact that she crossed a line.” I gazed at him, eyes blazing with fury. “She fucking used me, Uncle Ivan.”

“Never underestimate the power of revenge, nephew,” he said, his voice low but stern. “People can do the unthinkable in the name of protecting or fighting for something they love.” He paused as if letting the words sink in. “Trust me. I know.”

“She better watch her back,” I said, fingers clenching on a fist, my nails digging into my flesh, “because I will haunt her to the ends of the Earth, and I will not rest until I find her.” My jaw tightened.

Uncle Ivan's lips parted into a faint smirk, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. “The girl messed with the wrong family,” he said, adjusting in his chair. “You know what I find funny?”

I jerked my eyes up at his rhetorical question.

He continued, “It’s how she actually blames you for her parents’ death.” He laughed, an arm resting on the handle of his walking stick. “I mean, Anthony Gray was a douchebag—an annoying one, at that. But being as smart as Julia is, she should've known that killing a man simply because he was competition was below the Bratva standard.”

My gaze remained locked to him.

“And killing his wife?” Uncle Ivan's brows arched in disbelief, tongue clicking in disagreement. “The Bratva has strict rules against hurting women and children.” His eyes darted toward the bookshelf. “Isn't that right, Jorah?”

The response was a cold silence.

Jorah was a man of few words, and I'd only heard him speak once.

“But women like her ,” Uncle Ivan continued, a solemn expression gradually settling on his face as he spoke, “women who plot against the Bratva and trick its members—its Pakhan….” His voice seeped with rage, accentuating the resentment in his eyes. “To them, we show no mercy.”

I tightened my fist, brows furrowing as I sought comfort in the horrors I'd inflict on her. I would make her suffer until she begged for death.

He leaned back in his chair. “What's the update on her whereabouts?”

“The men are still looking,” I replied with narrowed eyes, feeling a pang of frustration at how she'd managed to stay hidden for almost seven months.

Who the fuck had trained her to be this good at what she did?

“What about her brother?” he asked.

“Vanished from the hospital the same day she ran,” came my reply.

He went silent for a moment before edging closer, his eyes boring into mine. “For months, the Tarasov Bratva has put a lot of resources into finding her, yet all of our efforts are futile.” He paused, his gaze unwavering. “She's completely off the grid—a ghost that we have no means of tracking down. It's like she doesn't exist.”

I tilted my head, squinting as I flowed with him, getting a hint of what he was driving at.

“Do you know what that means?” he questioned, his voice low and husky, anticipating my response.

I was quiet for some time, gritting my teeth as the realization hit me. “She's not working alone.”

“Exactly.” His lips curled into a smirk, his back sinking into his chair. “Julia Gray is in league with someone powerful enough to hide her from the Bratva.” He let out a dismissive laugh. “The little devil has friends in high places.”

“Enemies of the Bratva,” I hissed, my tone dripping with venom, my heart filled with hatred.

My chest heaved slowly, a streak of rage jolting through my body.

I hated her—I hated that woman with every fiber of my being—and I wouldn't stop until I found her.

I will find you, Julia Gray. And I swear I will make you suffer .

My jaw tightened, mirroring my resentment toward her.