Kidnapped by the Bratva (Sharov Bratva #5)

Chapter Nine - Maxim

The door creaks as I push it open, stepping into the dark bedroom with Artem following close behind. The only light comes from a single dim bulb hanging from the ceiling, casting long, eerie shadows across the cold concrete floor. My eyes settle on the figure lying unconscious in the middle of the bed—Sophia. She’s sprawled out in her gym clothes, looking small and fragile against the harsh backdrop of this place.

Artem walks over to a corner, his heavy boots echoing in the silence, while I stand there for a moment, watching her. She’s beginning to stir, her eyelids fluttering as she slowly regains consciousness. My jaw tightens. This is Kace Preston’s daughter—his blood, his legacy—and yet, looking at her now, I see none of him. She’s different. Innocent, even.

It pisses me off.

Sophia groans softly, her body shifting as she comes to. She blinks, confused, her hand weakly pressing against the cold floor as she tries to sit up. When her eyes finally focus, they land on me. The fear in them is immediate, a flicker of terror that grows as she takes in her surroundings.

“W-where am I?” she stammers, her voice shaky. Her gaze darts between me and Artem, who stands calmly by the door, arms crossed, watching. “Why… why are you doing this?”

I tilt my head, narrowing my eyes at her. Why? The question gnaws at me because the truth is right in front of her, but she looks so clueless. So unaware of the world her father has created. She’s nothing like him—at least, not outwardly. That doesn’t change what she is.

“This is because of your father,” I say, my voice cold, clipped. The edge in my tone is sharp, sharper than I intended. I take a step closer, towering over her as she looks up at me with wide, fearful eyes.

Her lips tremble. “My father? What does he have to do with this?”

A surge of anger courses through me. How can she be this naive? How can she not know? Kace Preston is responsible for my father’s death, for countless others, and yet here’s his daughter—sitting on the cold floor, looking up at me with wide, innocent eyes, as if she has nothing to do with any of it.

My hands curl into fists at my sides, and I kneel down, bringing myself to her level. “He’s done more than you can imagine,” I say, my voice low and hard. “You—you’re going to be the key to ruining him. To making him pay.”

Tears well up in her eyes, and she shakes her head, her voice breaking. “No… please. Whatever he did, I don’t know anything about it. He’s my father. I… I love him.”

I scoff, my patience thinning. “You love him? Do you even know the kind of man he is? The things he’s done?” I lean in closer, my face inches from hers. “Your father is responsible for my father’s murder. For that, I’ll destroy him. I’ll take everything from him.”

Sophia’s sobs fill the room, her shoulders shaking as she cries. Her tears, the raw emotion—it stirs something in me, a flash of irritation. She’s making this harder than it needs to be, yet I can’t ignore the way she clings to the idea of her father, even though he’s a monster. It’s almost pathetic. Almost admirable.

“What should we do with her once we’re done with Kace?” Artem asks from behind me, a twisted grin playing on his lips. He’s enjoying this, watching her crumble.

I don’t answer right away, my gaze still locked on Sophia as she falls apart in front of me. Her sobs grow quieter, but they don’t stop. She’s thinking about her father—about losing him. I can see it in her eyes. Despite everything Kace is, she still loves him. That love, that loyalty, disgusts me. It’s the same loyalty that destroyed my family.

I rise to my feet, stepping back from her. “She’ll die before Kace,” I say, my voice void of emotion. “He’ll suffer, knowing that his daughter is dead because of his actions. He’ll live long enough to feel the weight of that misery. That will be his punishment.”

Sophia lets out a small gasp, her tear-filled eyes widening as my words sink in. She shakes her head, her voice hoarse. “No, please… don’t….”

I ignore her. Her fate is sealed, and so is Kace’s. They’ll both pay, one after the other.

Artem crosses his arms, his grin fading into a more serious expression as he watches me. “Cruel, but effective,” he says with a nod, clearly satisfied with my decision.

Sophia’s sobs continue, filling the room with a quiet, desperate plea. It’s a pitiful sound, but it won’t change anything. Not now.

She’s no longer the princess of the Preston empire; she’s a pawn, and I’ll use her to end Kace once and for all. As I reach for the door, her voice cuts through her tears, surprising me.

“My father is not weak,” she blurts out, her tone trembling but defiant. “He won’t let all of this happen. He’ll find me, and when he does, you’ll regret this.”

I stop, my hand resting on the doorknob. Slowly, I turn to face her, her tear-streaked face a mixture of fear and desperation. Despite everything I’ve said, she’s still holding on to some fantasy that her father will swoop in and save her. Pathetic.

“You really believe that, don’t you?” I take a step closer, the cold, hard truth forming on my tongue. “That your father is some invincible man who’s going to save you?”

Her lips tremble, but she doesn’t back down. “He’s strong. He won’t let this happen. He’ll—”

“Kace is weak,” I snap, cutting her off. “He’s in debt up to his neck, Sophia. The American Mafia is crumbling under the weight of bad decisions, failed alliances, and enemies he made along the way. He can’t even save himself, let alone you.”

She blinks, her tears momentarily forgotten as she stares at me, stunned. I can see the disbelief in her eyes, the cracks forming in the pedestal she’s placed her father on.

“No… that’s not true,” she whispers, shaking her head. “He wouldn’t….”

I step even closer, my eyes narrowing as I hit her with the truth she’s been sheltered from. “Why do you think he’s trying to marry you off to Jackson Miller? He doesn’t care about you, Sophia. He wants money. He wants support. He’s selling you to the highest bidder because he needs to dig himself out of a hole, and he doesn’t care what that costs you.”

She freezes, her lips parting as if she’s about to say something, but no words come out. She’s starting to see it—the reality she’s been blind to all these years. I can almost see the pieces falling into place in her mind, the realization that her father is no hero. He’s a desperate man, scrambling to save himself, even if it means throwing her to the wolves.

“That’s why he chose Jackson,” I continue, my tone sharp. “Jackson Miller comes from money. He has influence, power. Kace thinks this marriage will save him. You’re nothing more than a pawn in his game.”

Her eyes widen, and I can see the denial flickering in them. She wants to fight back, to say something, but she’s struggling to grasp the truth. Her breaths come in shallow, shaky gasps, and I press on, making sure she understands just how much her father has failed her.

“Jackson?” I take a step closer, my voice lowering as I deliver the final blow. “Do you even know the kind of man he is?”

She looks up at me, her confusion clear. “What do you mean?”

“Jackson Miller was charged with the murder of one of his ex-girlfriends. The case never went to trial because he paid off her family, and the charges were dropped. Kace knows this. He knew Jackson’s history, and he still decided to marry you off to him.”

Her body tenses, her face paling as my words sink in. She shakes her head, her voice barely above a whisper. “No… that can’t be true.”

“It is true,” I say coldly. “Your father doesn’t care about your safety. He only cares about what you can do for him. Marrying you to Jackson is his way of keeping himself afloat, regardless of what happens to you.”

Tears spill down her cheeks again, but this time, they’re different. They’re not just tears of fear or sadness—they’re tears of betrayal. I can see it in her eyes, the way her world is crashing down around her. Everything she thought she knew about her father is unraveling before her, and there’s no one to blame but him.

“I don’t believe you,” she says, but her voice is weak, hollow. She doesn’t believe her own words.

“You don’t have to believe me,” I reply, crossing my arms over my chest. “Deep down, you already know it’s true. You know your father isn’t the man you thought he was.”

Her shoulders slump, and she lowers her head, her hands coming up to cover her face as she sobs quietly. The weight of everything I’ve told her is crashing down, and there’s nothing she can do to stop it.

“What should we do with her now?” Artem asks from behind me, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. He’s enjoying this far too much.

I glance at him, then back at Sophia. She’s a mess, her once-pristine image shattered by the truth of who her father really is. As much as she’s broken, as much as I hate seeing her innocence, there’s no denying that she’s still valuable.

Still, there’s only one end for her. I can’t let her walk away after this.

“Leave her here for now. I don’t think she’ll give us trouble; lock her door just in case.”

Sophia’s sobs grow louder, more desperate, but I’ve already made my decision. She may be Kace’s daughter, but she’s not innocent. She’s part of this world, whether she likes it or not, and she’ll pay for her father’s sins.

When Kace finally falls, he’ll know that it was his greed, his desperation, that took everything from him.

Starting with her.

***

Hours later, I sit with my phone pressed to my ear as I update Ivan on the latest developments. The room is dimly lit, and the low hum of the city outside filters through the windows, a distant reminder that life goes on even as we plot our revenge. I can hear the satisfaction in Ivan’s voice as I recount what happened with Sophia—the way I broke her down, shattered her illusions about her father, and set the stage for what’s to come.

“Good,” Ivan says, his voice calm but edged with approval. “Kace won’t see it coming. He thinks he’s untouchable, that no one can get to him. Using his daughter like this… it’s exactly the kind of blow we need to deal him.”

I nod, though he can’t see it. “She’s broken, Ivan. She knows now that her father sold her off to Jackson for nothing more than money. I made sure she understands that she’s just a pawn in his game. And when Kace finds out we have her, he’ll be desperate. We’ll have him exactly where we want him.”

Ivan chuckles on the other end of the line. “You’ve always been good at playing the long game, Maxim. You’ve got the patience for it. Kace will crumble before us, piece by piece. You’ll get your revenge. Just make sure you keep her in line. No loose ends.”

I feel a dark satisfaction settle in my chest at his words. Revenge has been a slow burn, but I’m finally on the verge of getting what I’ve wanted for months. The thought of Kace Preston, panicked and desperate, losing everything he holds dear… it’s exactly what I’ve been working toward. And knowing that I’m the one pulling the strings, that I’m the one orchestrating his downfall, only makes it sweeter.

“Don’t worry,” I reply, my voice steady. “She’s not going anywhere. I’ll keep her under control. By the time Kace realizes what’s happening, it’ll be too late for him to do anything about it.”

Ivan’s pleased silence on the other end speaks volumes. He’s a man who values loyalty, who knows how to appreciate a job well done. “Keep me updated,” he says finally. “Once Kace starts to squirm, I want to know. This will be the beginning of the end for him.”

We end the call, and I lean back, staring at the ceiling. The satisfaction of knowing that I’m closing in on Kace is like a fire in my veins, burning hotter with every step I take. Arlo’s death has haunted me for months, gnawed at me in ways I didn’t expect. Now I can see the finish line. I can see Kace losing everything, feeling the pain of losing his daughter before I finish him off.

I’ve waited for this. I’ll savor every moment of it when it finally comes.