Echoes of Yesterday

ALEKSANDR

A surge of adrenaline coursed through me as I cautiously exited the car.

The echo of footsteps behind me was a distant hum. My attention was solely on the woman approaching me like a ghost from the past.

“Dorogoy. ~Darling~.”

Her voice, soft and melodic, seemed to be a memory come to life as Nadya closed the distance between us, pressing herself into my chest in a warm embrace.

My arms, initially frozen in shock, slowly wrapped around her.

“How are you alive?” I couldn’t hide the disbelief in my voice.

Nadya pulled back, her light blue eyes shimmering, before stepping out of my arms.

“We have a lot to discuss, my love.”

She signaled to someone behind me, and then a sudden blow to my temple sent me spiraling into darkness.

I was jolted back to consciousness by the sharp pain of someone yanking my hair.

The room was cloaked in darkness, save for the harsh glare of a single bulb hanging overhead.

I attempted to retaliate, to land a punch, but found my arms and legs bound to the chair I was seated on.

“Leave us.” A commanding voice echoed from across the room.

Footsteps echoed on the concrete floor, followed by a burst of light as a heavy door was opened and then shut.

The grating sound of a metal chair being dragged across the floor filled the room, and then Nadya was sitting in front of me, her dress flowing around her, crossing her legs as if we were about to enjoy a casual cup of tea.

Her gaze swept over me, lingering on my exposed chest where my shirt had been torn open, revealing my tattoos. Her eyes softened slightly.

“You’re just as handsome as I remember, Aleks,” she sighed, nodding toward me. “Did you get that scar because of me?”

Despite the turmoil inside me, my voice was steady, emotionless.

“You’re supposed to be dead.”

Nadya shrugged nonchalantly.

“You never found a body, did you?” she taunted. “Yet you believed it so easily.”

Anger began to bubble within me as I realized this reunion was far from joyful. That Nadya was not the woman I remembered. That my memories of her were tainted with lies.

“I buried you, Nadya. I avenged your death.”

Her smile was chilling.

“And I thank you for that, Aleks,” she said, her eyes gleaming as she folded her arms in her lap. “I’ve been watching you. I know everything you’ve been up to.”

I had to keep my cool, keep her talking, even though every fiber of my being wanted to strangle her.

“Why?”

She tilted her head, a coy smile playing on her lips.

“Why do you think?”

She allowed me a moment to piece together the puzzle.

“Power.”

Her smile widened.

“Why else?”

She stood, tracing my scar with her finger in an almost affectionate manner.

“I did care about you, Aleks, but you were never my end goal.”

My mind flashed back to when I’d first kidnapped her. How she’d played the victim, and how I’d fallen for it.

“You played me.”

“Don’t be upset, Aleks,” she murmured, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek. “There was no plan when you first kidnapped me. I knew about your feud with my father. I knew you were trying to dismantle his human trafficking ring. I knew you had a soft spot for rescuing girls, and I used that to my advantage.”

The simmering anger within me ignited, and she must have seen it in my eyes because she took a step back, looking at me warily.

“The cartels aren’t pleased with your actions, Aleksandr.”

My eyes narrowed as another piece of the puzzle fell into place.

“You’re working for Ramirez.”

Nadya clicked her tongue in disapproval.

“~Don~ Ramirez was thrilled when you joined forces with the other Dons to take down Don Cristo,” she explained. “But then Don Santiago took over Cristo’s businesses and put a stop to all human trafficking, which meant that ~my~ plan was halted.”

She leaned in closer, as if sharing a secret.

“Sweetheart, I’ve been in contact with Don Cristo since the moment I had free rein of your home,” she said, her smile practically glowing with victory. “You never suspected a thing, and it was so easy to access your computer because you never paid attention when you logged in front of me. Once you hand over control to me, Ramirez and the other Dons will be working for ~me~.”

I stared at her, my expression grim, not wanting to hear another word.

“Your plan won’t work. The only way to stop me is to kill me. You know that,” I told her. “The question is, do you have the guts?”

Nadya chuckled, reaching for her phone to tap out a message. She looked back at me, a smug expression on her face.

“Actually, there’s another way.”

Suddenly, there was a commotion outside. The heavy door swung open, and a struggling body was pushed into the room.

Her eyes widened when she saw me, and she started to move toward me.

“Aleksandr!”

Sokolov yanked her back against him. I watched as a pained expression crossed her face when he grabbed her upper arm in a painful grip.

“Let her go, or I’ll break your fucking arm,” I warned him, my voice dangerously low.

He had the sense to loosen his grip on her. He shifted uncomfortably on his feet, glancing at Nadya.

It was clear who was in control here.

“Nadya?” Kaia finally recognized the woman in the room with us. She looked at me, a strange expression on her face.

“Nice to finally meet you, Kaia,” Nadya said. She took Kaia’s arm from Sokolov and guided her to the metal chair so she was facing me. Her hands were bound behind her back, making it impossible for her to sit back properly.

I saw the worry in her eyes, but there was also regret. She was starting to believe me.

“Let Kaia go, Nadya, and we can negotiate,” I said, my voice sharp as I kept my eyes on Kaia.

Nadya circled behind me, her hand sliding over my shoulder and down my shirt to caress my bare chest. She leaned in to whisper in my ear. I watched as Kaia’s jaw clenched, her eyes following Nadya’s movements.

“Why would I do that when she’s the key to getting everything I’ve ever wanted?”

Nadya nipped at my ear, then pressed a soft kiss to my neck. Her spicy vanilla scent, which once aroused me, now made my stomach churn in disgust.

“Get your mouth off him, you psychotic witch,” Kaia spat, glaring at Nadya.

Her jealousy would have been amusing under different circumstances, but I was too focused on figuring out Nadya’s plan to enjoy it.

“Maybe you’ve forgotten, devochka, but I’m still Aleksandr’s ~wife~.”

Kaia’s sharp intake of breath was audible, and her eyes met mine.

“So what’s your plan, Nadya? You think if you kill me, my men will follow your orders?”

Nadya straightened and walked over to Kaia, looming over her just as she had done with me.

“No, they wouldn’t,” she agreed. “I tried, you know. I tried to win some of them over while we were living together. I promised them I’d keep the skin trade open. I told them we’d be the richest faction in the world with the money we’d make.”

Her eyes narrowed on me. “But they were too loyal to you, so I had to change my strategy.”

“You faked your death.”

“I knew you’d seek revenge for me, so I waited, forming alliances in the background. After all, you were madly in love with me, weren’t you, dorogoy?”

When I didn’t respond, she dragged a pointed nail down Kaia’s cheek. Kaia jerked her face away, but Nadya gripped her chin, holding her steady.

She pressed her cheek to Kaia’s, and they both watched me. Green eyes wide with fear, blue eyes shining with madness.

“Did you run for him?” she whispered. “Did he chase you and then fuck you like an animal, like he did with me?”

“~Nadya~,” I said, my voice holding a chilling note.

Kaia’s gaze fell from mine, and Nadya just smiled. A blush of embarrassment painted her neck a deep red, and I could tell she wanted to throttle Nadya for causing her this discomfort.

Nadya carried on, oblivious to my interruption. “He’s a master in bed,” she said, a wicked glint in her eyes. “Remember that week we spent entirely between the sheets, Aleks? I’ve never experienced such pleasure—”

“~Enough!~” I snapped, my patience wearing thin. “What the hell do you want, Nadya?”

I watched as Kaia straightened up, her smile fading into a mask of indifference. It was a look I recognized, one she’d likely picked up from me.

“I’m coming back home,” she declared, her voice steady. “You and I are going to rule the world, just like we should have been doing all along. Only this time, I’ll be the one calling the shots.”

Her words were clear. She intended to use me as her puppet.

“I’d rather die than let that happen,” I retorted.

In a swift, fluid motion, she grabbed the knife from Ilya’s side and pressed the menacing blade against Kaia’s tender throat.

Kaia’s soft whimper nearly broke me.

“So, you wouldn’t mind if I hurt your shiny new plaything, then?” she taunted.