CHAPTER FIFTY - EIGHT

LORENZO GRAYSON \ VADIM KERZHAKOV ©

My phone had been ringing nonstop the entire drive home. It was still ringing when I walked through the front door. I tossed it across the spacious living room and headed upstairs.

I grabbed a travel bag and opened the drawer to get my passport. Then I looked at my reflection before sliding the mirror aside, revealing the weapons hidden behind it.

I picked a few of them and reached for my phone again. I'd already sent Kyle a message, asking him to book me a flight back to Russia.

I rushed back downstairs and searched for the phone I'd thrown across the living room.

“Where the fuck is it?” I yelled as I searched the lounge and the kitchen connected to it.

Just then, I heard a car screech to a stop outside the house.

It was Kyle.

I grabbed my bag and hurried to his car.

“The ticket?” I asked as I walked up to him.

“What's going on?” he asked.

I ran a hand through my hair and let out a frustrated sigh.

“Kyle, I fucking need the ticket.”

“Not until you tell me why you're going back to Russia.”

“I don't have time to explain…”

“Vadim!” he shouted, his breathing uneven.

“Don't you fucking yell my name!” I shouted back as I tried to search his car.

He threw a punch at my face, but I caught it just in time.

I grabbed his fist and slammed him against the car.

“Don't you dare raise your fist at me,” I warned him.

“Oh? Acting like the Kerzhakov heir now?” he shot back.

His words dragged me back to that video and I remembered my mother on her knees begging.

I slowly let go of Kyle and began pacing, forcing myself to calm down.

Please... think of Vadim. He's all I have.

My mother's voice echoed in my head.

I clenched my fist.

Before I could stop myself, I slammed it into the car window.

The glass shattered, cutting deep into my hand.

The driver quickly stepped out of the car.

I yelled and ran both hands through my hair. Kyle could only watch as I tried to cry.

But I couldn't.

I had wanted revenge for my mother's death, yet I had killed the man without even knowing he was truly the one responsible.

I sank down at the front entrance and stared into space. Blood dripped from my clenched fist, staining the floor.

Kyle quietly sat beside me and held out a cigar.

My hands trembled as I took the cigar and placed it between my lips. He lit it for me.

We sat in silence for a long time while my thoughts stayed on my mother.

I finally had the evidence I'd been searching for. It was the reason I left Russia to investigate on my own.

But would I ever be able to move on?

Her marriage to the Kerzhakov syndicate had cost her life.

“A flash drive was sent to me this evening,” I said, my voice rough.

“It had the evidence we'd been searching for all these years,” I said before taking another drag from the cigar.

“Mother...” I whispered, then fell silent.

“Leonardo Pavelenko. I killed him back in Russia when I was still working under Antonio.”

I looked at Kyle.

“Father knew, Kyle. He knew Leonardo was the one who killed Mother.”

I threw the cigar to the ground.

Running a hand through my hair, I stared at my bleeding fist.

“Antonio couldn't have sent you the evidence,” Kyle said. “Maybe Vanya... or...” His voice trailed off.

“Vladislav,” I muttered with a sigh.

Vladislav was Vanya's brother. My half brother. He came right after me in the family, though we had different mothers.

“The burden is on him now. He's carrying out the heir's duties in your place,” Kyle said.

“But he's wanted that position more than anyone,” I replied. “He's always wanted to be Antonio's favorite son.”

I clenched my fist.

How long had he been keeping that evidence?

Vladislav had always seen me as his rival. He wanted our father's position far more than I ever did.

Not that I wanted it in the first place.

He had always hated me more than anyone else. I could see the anger in his eyes every time we met.

“You can't go back to Russia,” Kyle said, pulling me from my thoughts.

“You barely escaped. If you go back now, you'll spend your entire years in the same place you've spent years running from.”

He paused before speaking again.

“Vadim... your mother wouldn't want that.”

“Going back to Russia to kill Leonardo's son or wipe out his entire syndicate won't change anything.”

“You have too much to protect now. There are more people after Vadim Kerzhakov than ever.”

He fell silent for a moment before speaking again.

“Think about Nick. Who's going to protect him if you leave? You care about him too much to leave him in your enemies' hands.”

I lowered my head and thought about Nick.

If I went back to Russia, everything between us would come to an end.

He couldn't know that my hands had been stained by my past.

But right now, I had to push Nick away. I had to deal with my mother's death before I could think about us again.

Would he understand?

Would he understand that I was only trying to make things right?

For now, I needed to keep my distance.

I didn't want to hurt him with my words.

“I want to be alone,” I said as I stood up. “That includes... Nick.”

Kyle looked at me for a moment, then gave a small nod. He understood what I meant.

Without another word, I walked back into the house and headed for the lounge.