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CHAPTER 38
Last Updated:
2025-04-20 17:41:18
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SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 39
Nikolai Volkov She was late.And Alessia Volkov was never late.I stood in the middle of the penthouse, phone glued to my ear, heart hammering in a way I hadn’t felt since my father taught me what it meant to bleed for power. The Los Angeles skyline blinked mockingly through the floor-to-ceiling windows behind me, a cruel reminder that in this city of gods and monsters, people vanished every day.But Alessia wasn’t just anyone.She was my wife.She was my responsibility.And she wasn’t answering her goddamn phone.“Come on, pick up,” I muttered, pacing the length of the living room like a lion in a cage. Her call went to voicemail again. I ended it with a growl and immediately dialed Stassie.She picked up on the second ring. “Nikolai?”“Where is she?” My voice was sharper than I intended, but I didn’t care. Fear was a poison in my veins, and I was already overdosing.“What? I—wait, Alessia?” Her voice cracked. I could hear music in the background. People. Laughter. It sounded like s
Last Updated : 2025-04-22SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 40
Alessia Volkov The first thing I felt was cold.It seeped into my bones, clinging to my skin like a wet second layer. The air was damp, thick with mildew and rot. My head throbbed, every heartbeat pounding like a drum behind my temples. I groaned, trying to move, but my arms felt like lead.I was lying on concrete. Hard. Wet. My cheek pressed against it, and I could feel tiny stones biting into my skin. My wrists ached. Something dug into them—plastic? Zip ties. Panic fluttered in my chest, not full-blown yet, but creeping in around the edges.Where am I?Why can’t I move?And then it hit me—everything. The long day with Stassie. The drive home. The headlights in my mirror. The panic. The crash.And then—nothing.Until now.My eyes fluttered open, but I saw almost nothing. Darkness. Deep, suffocating darkness. The only light was a faint glimmer far off, like a single dying candle in the shadows. My entire body screamed for answers.A sound.Footsteps.Steady, calm, unhurried.My brea
Last Updated : 2025-04-23SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 41
Alessia volkovMy legs burned with every step I took, lungs heaving and heart pounding in my chest like a war drum. The cold night air stung my skin, and the uneven gravel beneath my feet bit into my soles, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. I had no plan, no direction—just one thought echoing through me like a desperate prayer:Run.I had made it out. I had struck him. I had escaped. But freedom had never felt so fleeting.Behind me, I could hear him.Marcello.Screaming. Cursing. Unhinged.His rage echoed off the metal walls of the warehouse like a beast unleashed from the depths of hell.My body ached, still sore and stiff from being bound. I stumbled through the overgrowth that surrounded the building, each branch clawing at my skin like nature itself was trying to pull me back into the nightmare I was trying to escape.Just a little farther, I told myself. Just a little more—A sharp yank on my arm pulled me backward.He had caught me.A scream burst from my lips, but it was cut shor
Last Updated : 2025-04-24SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 42
Alessia VolkovThe smoke thickened.It coiled around my lungs like a snake, suffocating, biting, cruel. Each breath was a battle, each second stretching longer than the last. My eyes burned as the flames crept closer, dancing in a cruel rhythm that matched the pounding of my heart.Marcello…He was burning.Burning alive.His screams pierced through the roar of the fire, a haunting sound that etched itself into my soul. I’d never heard pain like that. Rage, betrayal, and utter madness tangled in those cries. For a moment, I forgot he’d been my stalker. My tormentor. He had just been a boy once—someone I’d cared about, someone who’d whispered promises in my ear and brushed his fingers down my spine as if I was everything.Now he was engulfed in flames, writhing like a devil caught in hellfire.I turned my head away, bile rising in my throat. It didn’t matter that he deserved it. No one should burn like that.The fire surged, a hot, pulsing wave of destruction, and panic finally seized
Last Updated : 2025-04-25SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 43
Nikolai Volkov I’ve seen death. I’ve caused it. Provoked it. Orchestrated it. But nothing—not a single execution or shootout—has ever left me this shaken. This wrecked. This on edge. Alessia’s still unconscious. And it’s eating me alive. They say silence can be peaceful. But not tonight. Tonight, silence is a scream—loud and suffocating. It’s in the way Alessia lies unconscious in the bed across from me, pale and bruised, her chest rising in shallow, erratic motions. It’s in the way my fists clench every time I think about how close I was to losing her. She’s here, in my home—*our* home now. After what she went through, I refused to have her anywhere else but under my roof, where my men patrol every hallway, where I can personally oversee every goddamn lock and camera feed. Hospitals might be sterile and professional, but they’re not safe. Not for Alessia. The medical team I’ve hired works in hushed whispers, moving swiftly. They’ve converted one of the guest suites into a full
Last Updated : 2025-04-26SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 44
Nikolai Voplkov The days bled into each other with a maddening, colorless monotony. I had never felt this helpless, not even during the bloodiest days of my life. Two endless days had passed since I brought Alessia back to the manor—*my* manor—not the sterile corridors of a hospital where strangers could touch her. She was safest here, under my watch, under my roof. I sat beside her, hour after hour, watching her fragile frame lie motionless against the sheets. Machines beeped softly around her, keeping a cadence that was both a mockery and a comfort. My mind was a battlefield, a storm raging with guilt, rage, and something far more dangerous: fear.I wiped a damp cloth across her forehead, careful not to disturb the small bruises and cuts that marred her beautiful skin. Every mark on her body felt like a brand on my soul, a glaring testament to my failure."You weren't supposed to be touched," I murmured against the silence, my hand wrapping around her much smaller one.Her fingers
Last Updated : 2025-04-27SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 45
Nikolai Volkov Two days.Two whole days I had lived in a silent, private hell, sitting by her side and watching every painful breath that escaped her cracked lips. She was so still. Too still.In all my life, I'd witnessed bloodbaths, executions, betrayal... I had faced the barrel of a gun more times than I could count. But nothing — nothing — had ever scared me like seeing Alessia's body lying unconscious in my bed.And this was my bed. My manor. My rules. My protection. Or so I had thought.I had failed her. I failed her in the worst possible way.The guilt was a constant roar beneath my skin, louder than my own heartbeat. Every minute she didn’t open her eyes, I felt like I was slipping deeper into madness.I sat in the heavy leather chair beside her, hunched forward, hands locked together so tightly my knuckles were bloodless. My eyes burned from lack of sleep. My body ached from tension. But none of it mattered.Nothing mattered except the slow, steady rise and
Last Updated : 2025-04-28SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 46
Alessia Volkov The world kept spinning. Relentless. Unforgiving.And me... I was pretending.Physically, I was fine — or so the doctors said. The bruises had faded. The superficial wounds had healed under the patient touch of time. From the outside, I was Alessia Moretti-Volkov, beautiful and radiant, the perfect wife of a powerful man.Inside, it was a different story.At night, I woke up gasping for air, certain that smoke was filling my lungs. I could still feel the burn of the rope against my wrists. I could still hear Marcello’s screams blending with the crackling flames.Even now, in the overwhelming luxury of the manor, I was never truly alone.The past clung to me like a second skin.And Nikolai... Nikolai wasn’t making it any easier.Since the day I woke up, he had become a constant shadow. Always there. Always close. Always ready to jump at the slightest sound I made.I knew he wanted to help. I knew he thought he was doing the right thing. But sometim
Last Updated : 2025-04-29
Latest chapter
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 56
Alessia Volkov If someone had told me a few months ago that I’d be strolling through Rodeo Drive with Stassie, arms heavy with shopping bags and a smile tugging at my lips, I would’ve called them delusional.And yet, here I am.“Try this one!” Stassie chirps, holding up a pastel blue mini dress against my chest. “It’s very ‘my-husband-won’t-know-what-hit-him’.”I arch a brow. “That’s oddly specific.”She grins, devilish and full of mischief. “Well, you’ve got that glow, babe. It’s only fair we give it a proper outfit.”I glance at my reflection in the mirror of the boutique’s velvet-draped fitting room. I do look… different. Lighter somehow. Still sarcastic, still guarded, but a little less broken.“You’re annoyingly observant,” I mumble, taking the dress from her and disappearing behind the curtain.“Right? It’s a gift.”I hear the rustling of more fabric being tossed over the fitting room door. Stassie is a menace when she shops—an enthusiastic one. She’s been chattering nonstop si
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 55
Nikolai Volkov The moment the envelope hit my desk, I knew it wasn't just another threat. It was too formal, too clean, too deliberate. The kind of envelope that meant war—not just in words, but in legacy.I didn’t open it right away. Instead, I stared at it for a moment, feeling the familiar sting of anticipation burning just behind my sternum.It bore no return address. No emblem. Just my name, scrawled in neat, deliberate handwriting."Nikolai Volkov."I broke the seal with a blade, unfolding the letter with care. The message was short.“Let’s talk, Volkov. Face to face. One week. Neutral grounds. No backup—or do bring them. I want them to see what’s coming.—Natov”Bastard.He didn’t even bother to sign with a title. No “Don Natov,” no initials. Just a name. Like we were equals.We weren’t.And now, I had to remind him of that.—I gathered my men within the hour.The war room at the mansion felt colder than usual. Zayn stood at my right, arms crossed, his expression grim. Across
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 54
Alessia Volkov The silence stretched between us like a tightrope I wasn’t sure I wanted to walk.Nikolai stood a few feet away, his body still as stone, arms crossed, eyes locked on mine. That infuriating unreadable stare of his. It was the kind of look that could either promise ruin or reveal everything if I dared to stare long enough. But I’d learned the hard way—he didn’t give anything away for free.Still, I wasn't going to let the moment pass.I took a slow breath, crossing my arms in return—not out of defiance, but because it was the only thing keeping me from fidgeting under that gaze. My voice came out quieter than I expected.“Why me, Nikolai?”A flicker. Barely noticeable, but I saw it. A twitch in his jaw. A shift in his weight.Good. I’d hit something.“You could’ve taken anything else. My father offered you his everything. You could’ve had it all. But you asked for me.” My throat tightened, but I forced the words through. “Why?”He didn’t answer. Of course not. That woul
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 53
Alessia Volkov There was something suspiciously charming about the way Nikolai Volkov smirked.Like he knew something I didn’t.Or worse… like he knew I knew he knew—and was daring me to do something about it.And lately, that smirk had become a permanent fixture on his face.Our truce—if we could call it that—had brought a new kind of peace between us. Fewer arguments. Less hostility. Occasional laughter. The kind of calm that made me question if this man was still the same infuriating control freak I married.But with peace came something even more dangerous.Playfulness.And from Nikolai, that translated to subtle touches. Lingering gazes. Innuendos that danced dangerously on the edge of propriety. And, of course, the smirk.Today was no different.He stood in the doorway of the kitchen, wearing black slacks, a crisp white shirt rolled to his elbows, and that damn smirk."You’re awake early," he said, sipping his espresso like a villain in a perfume ad.“I had a nightmare,” I repl
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 52
Exterior PovThe luxury of the study did little to ease the weight in Dante Moretti’s chest. The room was adorned in dark oak and rich leather, a blend of Italian elegance and old-world authority, but even that ambiance felt suffocating tonight. A single glass of scotch rested on the armrest of his chair, untouched, the ice melting slowly into insignificance.Across from him, Viktor Natov sat with the poise of a viper: relaxed, but every fiber of his being coiled, ready to strike. His suit was impeccable, his demeanor calm, but his eyes—those glacial eyes—carried a madness that no amount of grooming could conceal. He sipped his vodka slowly, lips curling into a thin smile as he studied Dante like a predator admiring the temporary civility before bloodshed.“I have to say, Dante,” Natov began in his thick Eastern European accent, “I didn’t expect a man like you to agree to work with a monster like me.”Dante didn’t respond immediately. He leaned back into the leather chair, eyes narrow
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 51
Nikolai Volkov The low hum of the fireplace was the only sound accompanying the silence in my office. The thick walls of the penthouse filtered out the distant noise of Los Angeles. Outside, the city was alive. Inside, I was a storm waiting to break. The amber glow of the desk lamp cast shadows on the mahogany as I flipped through the recent reports. Arms shipments. Movement of rival factions. Port schedules. Nothing out of the ordinary until the name appeared. Viktor Natov. I froze. The words blurred, my mind short-circuiting for a fraction of a second before the fire roared back to life in my chest. My fingers clenched around the edge of the folder. A knock. Three sharp taps. Predictable. Controlled. Zayn. “Come in,” I said, my voice like steel scraped against gravel. Zayn entered, dressed in black as usual, his shoulders relaxed but his eyes alert. He didn’t wait for pleasantries. He closed the door and approached the desk, placing a USB and a printed document in front of
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 50
Alessia Volkov The moment I stepped out onto the terrace, barefoot, wrapped in a silk robe that clung to my curves like a second skin, I saw him.Nikolai.He was seated on one of the lounge chairs by the pool, a laptop perched on his lap, the screen casting a faint glow over his sharp features. The light breeze tousled his dark hair as if it belonged to him, as if even nature obeyed his silent command. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, exposing the powerful tendons of his forearms. His jaw was tight with focus, eyes locked on the screen.And I wanted to ruin that focus. Completely.Not because I needed attention. Not because I was feeling insecure. But because I was Alessia Moretti, and I never let a slight go unanswered. No matter how subtle.Sienna McCoy had touched what was mine.I knew Nikolai had dealt with her. I knew he’d said the words, drawn the line, made it clear she had no claim on him. But I also knew men like him. Power didn’t only live in action—it breathed in
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 49
Nikolai Volkov It was early afternoon when I glanced at the clock, the ticking echoing louder than usual in the silence of the office. The calm before the storm. Sienna McCoy would be here in exactly two hours, and despite the professionalism I intended to maintain, I could already anticipate the chaos that would follow. Not because of Sienna, but because of Alessia. She hadn’t taken the news well. “I’m sorry, you invited her here?” she’d asked, voice sharp as a dagger. “She’s not invited,” I corrected, leaning against the marble counter in the kitchen, arms crossed. “It’s business.” She scoffed. “Sure. Business. Because nothing screams professionalism like holding meetings in your living room.” “My office is separate, and you know it,” I replied coolly. “I’m not going to rent a penthouse suite every time I meet a supplier.” “Supplier?” She barked a laugh. “She’s not a supplier, Nikolai. She’s the woman who thinks she’s your future wife.” “She isn’t,” I said simply. “And she
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 48
Nikolai Volkov If someone had told me years ago that I’d spend my Tuesday morning trying to convince a woman—my wife—to hold a gun without threatening to shoot me with it, I would’ve laughed.Now?I wasn’t laughing.Not when Alessia stood at the entrance of our underground training facility like I’d just asked her to drown a puppy.Her arms were crossed, brows drawn together, lips pressed into a line of pure rebellion. That particular expression—equal parts dramatic and unimpressed—was becoming her default look around me lately."Let me get this straight," she said slowly, voice dripping in honeyed sarcasm. "After our cute little bonding session where you taught me how to punch people, now you want me to hold a gun? Inside a literal mafia shooting range?"I nodded once. “Yes.”“Are you high?”“No.”“Are you sure? Because that sounds like the fever dream of a man deeply disconnected from reality.”I exhaled through my nose, keeping my patience on a tight leash.She took another step b
