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

Epilogue – Roman

~ One Year Later

Fingers intertwined with mine, Julia stood by my side at Uncle Ivan's gravesite, her heels sinking into the earth. Clad in a somber black dress, she bowed her head, her dark hair pulled back in a ponytail with shades that concealed her eyes.

Dressed up in my finest black suit, surrounded by the entire Tarasov family, all in black, we paid our respect to a fallen hero—a man admired by a few and feared by most.

His sudden death was a shock to the Tarasov family, especially since it was death by suicide. For over a year now, the question lingered about why he'd take his own life and why he'd kill Jorah first before doing that.

No one other than me, my wife, and Boris knew the ugly truth behind his demise. I could easily tell the others about what truly happened, but that would tarnish his reputation and name.

He might have been a terrible uncle, but he was still family, and I couldn't take away the respect we all had for him. He'd done so much for the Bratva, so much that the Tarasov accomplishments wouldn't be complete without mentioning Ivan Tarasov.

In the end, he got what he deserved and paid for his atrocities, and I spared the rest of the family this disappointment. They still remembered him as a hero; that was his final request, anyway, the reason he chose death over serving his time.

The cemetery exuded a peaceful silence, the crisp air filled with the sweet fragrance of fresh flowers—roses and lilies that adorned the granite headstone.

Soft sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows over the lush grass—well-manicured—as songbirds filled the atmosphere with their gentle melodies.

Once the ceremony was over, the family members, one by one, moved away from the gravesite with hushed conversations.

I felt the gentle squeeze of Julia’s fingers against mine as she looked at me. “I'll be with you in a minute,” I whispered softly, stealing a glance at her.

She flashed a faint smile and stepped away, leaving me to my thoughts alone at the gravesite.

“He's in a better place, you know,” Artem said, gliding over to stand beside me.

“I know,” I replied without taking my eyes off the granite headstone.

He heaved a sigh, both hands tucked into the pockets of his pants. “Uncle Ivan's death was mysterious. I still can't wrap my head around it, even after one whole year.” He paused for a moment.

“Yeah, me, neither.” My voice dropped to a hushed tone, and my fingers rubbed my eyes.

Artem drew in a deep breath. “Justice can be a funny thing sometimes,” he began, his voice leveling out as he spoke. “There are days it would require…well, unconventional paths.” He turned to look at me, his expression soft and eyes sparkling with mischief.

My brows knitted together, mirroring the confusion that settled on my face.

“The world's a complex web, Roman. We all play our roles, and sometimes, the threads get tangled, leaving us with no choice but to compromise,” he added, his words carrying a hidden meaning.

Did he…?

No. He couldn't possibly….

My brows narrowed as we stared at each other, Artem's eyes holding a deep understanding that left me perplexed.

“We all make choices—some harder than others—but in the end, they shape us nonetheless.” He clasped his dark shades on and patted my shoulder. “See you around, cousin.”

I watched Artem walk away with graceful steps, a hand in his pocket as he joined Mikhail and Afanasy by their cars. He'd always been a wise one—that was why he was such a good Pakhan .

My eyes returned to the gravesite as I let out a soft sigh. “Until we meet again, Uncle.”

I stepped away, heading toward my family.

Julia chattered with her old friend, Madelyn, laughing about God-knows-what. My wife looked so beautiful and charming as time seemed to slow down, allowing me to bask in her glowing essence.

My eyes shifted toward our little angel, Yelena, and my lips curled into a bright smile.

Aida, now my wife's closest friend and Yelena's nanny, stood by our car with our one-year-old daughter in her arms.

Yelena's adorable hazel eyes locked on me as she burst into a toothy grin. “Da-da,” she squealed, stretching out her chubby arms.

“Hey there, sweetheart. Miss me?” I laughed, halting in front of Aida.

She smiled, transferring the leaping toddler into my eager arms. “She's been calling for you,” Aida said.

“Is that so?” I asked, locking my gaze on the cutest baby in the world.

Yelena, with uncontrollable heart-warming smiles, wrapped her tiny arms around me, planting wet kisses on my cheeks.

“You missed Da-da, didn't you?” I chuckled, spinning her around in a gentle circle.

Yelena giggled, reaching to grab my nose, her black ponytail bouncing as I twirled her.

“Having fun without me?” Julia asked, her tone playful as she approached. “I'm jealous.”

“Mama,” Yelena squealed, still resilient in her attempts to drag my nose.

“Hey, princess.” Julia's voice dropped to an adorable whisper, and she edged closer to kiss Yelena's forehead. She looked at me with a smirk. “Hey, handsome.” Julia then reached to plant a kiss on my lips.

“Oh, please, get a room already,” Afanasy's voice cut through the air as he approached us alongside Mikhail.

My wife and I exchanged smiles as we turned to face them.

“Pay no attention to him. He's just jealous 'cause he doesn't have what you do,” Mikhail teased, patting his shoulder as they halted in front of us.

“You're one to talk. You haven't gotten laid in over a year,” Afan shot back, striking a response that prompted us to laugh.

“Hey, watch your language. You're in the presence of a princess,” I said, staring at my baby girl.

“Apologies, Your Highness.” Afan sketched a bow, delicately taking Yelena's tiny hand. “Or is it my lady ? I never know the difference.” He raised his head and smiled at her. “She's growing so fast,” he said, shifting his gaze between me and Julia.

“Yeah, she is,” Julia said, her voice dripping with pride. “Soon, she'll be running circles around me.” She chuckled.

Kostya and Madelyn joined us, and while the Tarasov family reunited, chattering and laughing, I felt a presence looming over us.

Someone was watching us, and I could literally feel their stare. I shifted my attention from the bliss and happiness unfolding before me and meticulously scanned the environment until my eyes fell on a figure lurking behind an oak tree at a distance.

I squinted, discreetly peering for a better view as the figure stepped out into the open.

It was Julia's old partner, Agent Anderson. The man just wouldn't give up. He was still looking for ways to bring me down.

Julia had decided to ditch him completely after realizing that he'd been using her grief to further his personal vendetta.

I knew he wasn't going to stop coming after me, and I didn't give two fucks. He could try all he wanted, but eventually, he'd realize that my family and I were untouchable.

For now, though, let him have his fun digging into me.

As everyone returned to their cars, bidding one another farewell, my wife's phone rang, and her face lit up with a smile.

“Hey, Tommy,” she answered, stepping into the backseat of our vehicle.

Tommy was doing well these days; he'd been adopted by a foster family and was getting the required therapy, which had proven to be quite helpful.

I hadn’t had a problem with raising him, but Julia didn't want her brother getting involved in the mafia business. I respected that.

She would occasionally go to visit him and vice versa.

As I walked over to the other side of the car, I turned to take one last look at Agent Anderson, but he was gone. I let out a scoff and stepped into the vehicle, shutting the door behind me.

Boris started the engine and drove away.

“How is he?” I asked my wife as she got off the phone with her brother.

“He's fine.” Her face lit up with a smile. “Very fine, actually. Thank you.”

Yelena was lying peacefully in her mother's arms as Julia stroked her back, cajoling her to sleep.

I closed the distance between us, eyes fixed on my wife. “What're you thanking me for?”

“Everything,” she whispered, holding my gaze. “You've been such an amazing father, uncle, and, most importantly, an amazing husband this past year.” She paused for a moment, exhaling slowly. “I'm the happiest woman in the world today, and that's because of you, Roman. So…thank you.”

“Whatever I learned, I learned from you, Julia,” I said, my voice calm and my words measured and deliberate. “You did what no one else could. You brought out the best in me, and I should be the one thanking you.” I reached out, cradling her face with an unwavering smile.

She melted into my touch, her eyes shutting momentarily before she looked at me with an intense gaze laced with emotions. A smirk played on my lips when she mouthed, “I love you, Roman.”

I inched closer and kissed her lips, tongues slowly gliding into both our mouths. She giggled, her body shuddering at my touch even after all this time.

God, I loved his woman!