Cruel Paradise - A Mafia Romance Chapter 177

I get to my feet. “Forgive me, Father. My hands are tied.”

He looks up at me. There’s a question in his eyes but he refuses to ask it. Instead, he nods and I turn and leave him to the lonely room. I hate to have to do this—but it’s the only way.

Kirill, Nikolai, Mikael, and Arkady are sitting in the main living room when I walk past. The four of them rise to their feet, waiting on my instructions.

“We need a team. We’re going after Adrik today.”

Kirill frowns. “What do you mean? We don’t know where he is.”

“We will. I just have to talk to my uncle first.”

I leave them to make the arrangements while I head towards the cell block. I dismiss the two guards standing outside Vadim’s cell, then open the door and step inside.

He’s sitting on his bed with a book in hand, his back resting against the cement wall. “Nephew, what a delightful surprise. What brings you here?”

“Your son.”

Vadim’s eyebrows rise but his eye is twitching tentatively. He’s had years of practice, keeping his fear hidden. But I see it now. His fingers never sit still. They keep moving, moving, moving.

“What have you done to him?”

“I released him.”

“What?” He shoves himself upright. “When?”

“A week ago.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Why do you think?” I spit at him. “Family is everything. It may be your motto but it’s ingrained itself in my head all these years. Family means something to me, too, Uncle. Even now.”

Vadim is sweating from the forehead despite how cold it is down here. I ignore that. I will not allow myself to feel sorry for him—not now.

“I gave him a chance. I gave him his life. I gave him his freedom. And what did he do with it?” Vadim’s jaw starts twitching now, too. “He took my wife. He took my kids!”

It crosses my mind that she’s not my wife. Not yet.

It also crosses my mind that, as soon as I have them back, I’m putting a ring on Emma’s finger, dressing her in white, then taking her to bed until the whole world hears her swear she’s mine.

I push the thoughts away and all the prickly nerves that come with them. “I extended an olive branch when I let him go—and he spat it back in my face.”

Vadim’s usually watery eyes are clear as day right now. Maybe that’s why the fear in them becomes more and more prominent. “He’s acting foolishly because he knows you have me. He’s—”

“He’s throwing a tantrum is what he’s doing,” I interrupt. “And I’m not about to tolerate that.”

I’ve never seen Vadim look so weak. The man has always exuded strength, power. Even as he got older and he started to age visibly, the iron in his veins stood strong.

The difference now is that he has something to lose.

And he knows it.

“Ruslan, I’ve never asked you for anything…”

“You picked a bad moment to start asking for favors, Uncle,” I snarl.

“He’s my son… my only child. What would you do in my place… if it was Josh?”

I grit my teeth. “You have some balls asking me that question.”

Vadim snorts angrily and continues. “How old is the boy—nine? Ten? You have no idea the kind of man he’ll become. I used to think Adrik was an introvert. I used to think of him as easily bendable, easily manipulated. But he’s got a mind of his own and I couldn’t always rein him in.”

“Did you even try?”

He nods slowly. “I’ll admit, there were things he did that… I regret.” He winces as he speaks, which makes me curious.

What is it that Adrik’s done that Vadim regretted?

No—it doesn’t matter. You don’t need to know. Not anymore. Their fates are sealed.

“But the thing is, no matter what your children do, no matter what they become—trust me, it won’t matter. You will always try to protect them. Always.”

I take a deep breath and nod. “It’s obvious we both love our families. So I propose we make a trade.”

Vadim leans closer in desperation, those bushy eyebrows of his rising. I feel something twist in my gut but I ignore it. I have to.

“What trade?”

“You must know where Adrik has taken them. Even the house that Adrik was keeping Sergey in—that was your house, wasn’t it? That’s why we couldn’t find out who owned it. You didn’t want it linked back to you.” Vadim coughs and I take that as confirmation. “So I’m guessing you know exactly where Adrik is. Which means you know exactly where my family is. All you have to do is give me that information and I’ll spare his life.”

Vadim’s lips purse up. His jaw is clenched tight and his eyelid is still twitching. “You’ll really let him live?”

“He will be banished from the country, of course,” I say. “But as long as you’re alive, I promise not to kill him.”

Vadim flinches. His eyes meet mine and he holds the stare. He’s trying to find the lie in my face. I don’t let him see anything but what he’s hoping to see.

In the end, he nods and his chin droops to his chest. “There is a place on Henderson Street, in Uniondale. A house with ivy growing through the windows. You’ll see it. You’ll know.”

I nod and drift back towards the door. I stop at the threshold as my heart rate races up. Am I really going to do this?

“Do you have any real love for my father?” I’m not sure why I ask this question now. Probably because I know it’s my last chance to ask him anything.

Vadim drags his weary eyes up to mine. I wonder if he knows what’s coming. “He is my older brother. Of course I love him. But love can walk hand in hand with hate sometimes. There’s a fine line.” He shifts uncomfortably on the spot, his eyes darting over my face. “Ruslan,” he whispers, “you promised.”

I nod. “I promised not to kill Adrik as long as you were alive. And I will keep that promise.”

He is still my father’s brother. He is still my uncle.

Which is why I wait until he looks away before I raise the gun and shoot. It happens so fast that he doesn’t see it coming. He slumps against the wall, his eyes closing instantly.

I don’t need to check his pulse.

I know he’s gone.