I promise to do whatever it takes to protect the victims, because I know personally how vulnerable they are.
In direct opposition to my father and the evil he committed, I will use the resources of the Durov inheritance to save lives.
The conviction I feel forces me to my feet and I make a solemn vow to God.
“For every life my father has destroyed, I will save thousands.”
Saying the words out loud recharges my soul.
Given my new status as the sole beneficiary of the Durov estate, I now have a target on my back and must surround myself with an army of men I can trust.
The first person I call is Titov.
“I need you to come to the mansion. I have something to discuss with you.”
The minute he enters the room he states with pride, “Everyone is talking about what you did yesterday, Anton.”
“I was simply in the right place at the right time.”
“That’s not what I heard. You risked your life to save her.”
I know Titov will understand when I say, “I didn’t have a choice.”
He nods. “It is good—this thing you have done. Tatianna would be proud.”
It hurts to hear him say her name out loud, and I unknowingly wince.
“Are you okay?”
“I miss her…” I choke out.
Titov’s expression changes to one of shared sorrow. “Every day,” he agrees as he pats me on the back.
The two of us had a severe falling out after Tatianna’s kidnapping. I blamed him for her death because of his involvement with the Bratva. I had warned him repeatedly that they couldn’t be trusted.
It wasn’t until the death of my mother that I learned the truth about my father’s involvement in Tatianna’s kidnapping.
Titov and I witnessed the abuse Tatianna suffered at the hands of the slavers when we finally rescued her. Although our hearts were broken by it, we understood why Tatianna committed suicide after returning home. They shattered her soul.
Although morose, Titov and I grew closer during the torture of my father. Truly, it wasn’t until we watched my father’s painful death that he and I felt any sense of closure—or justice.
Titov and I bonded in ways no one else could understand.
It is the reason I want him as my right-hand man now.
“We talked once about you working for me.”
“Yes, I remember.”
“Well, I have a proposition for you.”
I pick up a bottle of vodka and pour him a shot, handing it to him.
He looks at me expectantly as he takes it. “Go on.”
“I want you to work for me as my right-hand man. I will pay you well for it.”
Titov stares at me in shock.
I pour myself a shot while I wait for his response. “Well…?”
“I’m not qualified for such a position.”
“The only requirement is being a man I trust implicitly.”
He furrows his brow. “I have no experience, Anton.”
I clink my glass against his. “You will learn.”
He and I both share a profound love for Tatianna and a mutual hatred for anyone who would sell human lives for profit. As far as I’m concerned, he is the only man qualified for the job.
We both throw back the vodka.
He sets his glass down slowly. “What exactly does the position entail?”
“You will be available to assist me on a moment’s notice and will take care of things whenever I am indisposed.”
“Meaning I will be on call twenty-four seven?”
“Yes. In exchange for your service, I will pay you this amount.” I write the number on a piece of paper and slide it over to him.
His eyes widen when he looks at it. “I am not worth—”
“You will take no less. What I am asking will require you to give up your life as you know it.”
He shrugs. “It’s not like I have a life now. But, Anton…I’m not comfortable with that amount.”
“Regardless, you will accept it.”
He frowns and takes a few minutes to think about it. “What if you give my parents a portion? That is the only way I will even consider it.”
I nod, smiling. “Your parents deserve some comfort after all they’ve suffered.”
“Agreed.”
“I will see to it,” I tell him, pouring another round. “But, there’s more.”
He chuckles under his breath. “Of course.”
“Yesterday was a wakeup call for me, Titov. I plan to actively support the police in going after these slavers, which could put both of us in danger.”
He sits up in his seat. “Are you serious?”
“Da,” I answer gravely, downing the second shot.
“I’m all in,” he replies without hesitation, throwing back his shot.
“You understand you could die in this endeavor.”
He snarls. “If I can take one of them with me, it will be worth it.”
I appreciate his attitude.
“You will start assembling a team of bodyguards tomorrow. I want the best of the best. Money isn’t a concern. While you work on that, I will be drawing up a will. I must make certain the assets do not fall into the wrong hands, should I die pursuing our endeavors.”
Titov stares at me thoughtfully for a moment. “You have changed.”
“How so?”
“There’s a fire in you I haven’t seen before.”
“It’s Tatianna.”
The mood in the room instantly changes when I mention her name.
He only nods.
“She was with me yesterday,” I confess to him.
His gaze intensifies and he looks in my eyes as if he’s searching for her. He finally sits back in his chair and says, “I believe it, Anton.”
“Fair warning. You will be exposed to things in my personal life that may make you uncomfortable.”
“I don’t care.”
I slap Titov on the back. “Good, because I plan to let it all hang out, balls and all.”
Titov chuckles. “I’ve seen you before, Anton. Don’t you remember when we used to moon the boats on the Krymsky Bridge?”
“Fuck, we were fools back then,” I say, laughing. “In all seriousness, though, I don’t just dabble in being a sadist. It is my lifestyle—something I indulge in constantly.”
“I understand…” he begins. “Well, actually, I don’t understand it at all. The idea of it is foreign to me, but I know some of the women you ‘date’, and for some odd reason they all seem to adore you.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Have you thought of pursuing BDSM yourself?”
Titov shakes his head, chuckling. “I would rather watch from the sidelines.”
It strikes me that there was a time when I thought Titov would be my brother through marriage. Who could have guessed things would play out this way?
“I’m honored to work with you, Titov.”
He thrusts out his hand to shake mine. “The honor is mine. When do I start?”
“Tomorrow. Our first priority must be the security team and the will. Considering the risks that provoking the Bratva will invite, I have to make certain the assets that make up the Durov estate don’t fall into the wrong hands if I die.”