Chapter Ten

Nikolai

(Present day)

I was never a righteous man.

In fact, I was probably closer to hell than heaven.

I had ordered deaths. Destroyed businesses. Ruined men who thought their money could buy them immunity. I had done things most people would never forgive.

But I had a line.

Innocent people.

I never crossed it.

That was why they called me the Black Judge.

I didn't believe in mercy for men who didn't deserve it. I believed everyone eventually answered for what they had done.

For years, I had served justice to other people.

Now I had returned to serve it to myself.

I had to wait for four whole years. I wasn't a very patient man but I had to. That was the only way justice could be served.

They were all going to pay one by one, including the one person I had loved.

Dominique.

He stood in that courtroom and looked me in the eyes while he destroyed everything I had built.

He knew me.

He knew what I was.

He knew what loving me meant.

And he still chose to testify.

I haven't forgotten a single word he said.

I haven't forgiven him.

I never will.

I sat in that courtroom and the only thing that was on my mind was getting out of that place and returning back to Dominique, but the very person I was desperately waiting to go back to had stood in the witness box and had given lies as testimony. I died a million times.

But forgiveness was never the reason I came back.

I came back for what was taken from me.

My empire.

My name.

My power.

My people.

And everyone who thought four years was long enough for me to disappear.

Miranda Reed was one of them.

The underground corridor was quiet as I walked through it.

Two guards stood outside the last door.

They straightened when they saw me.

I didn't acknowledge them.

The door opened.

Miranda Reed sat inside.

Even in captivity she still managed to look good. Her clothes were well arranged and not a single strand of her Auburn hair was out of place. She looked so much like Dom it felt like I was looking it the female version of him, only that she was more evil.

Four years ago, she had been surrounded by politicians, lawyers, bodyguards, and people desperate to please her.

Now she had a concrete wall behind her and a metal table in front of her.

She looked smaller.

Not weaker.

Women like Miranda rarely became weak.

They simply became better at hiding their fear.

She lifted her head when I entered.

Her lips curved into a small evil smirk. Arrogant as ever she flipped her hair while maintaining eye contact. She would be a difficult one to break but unfortunately for her this was a job I enjoyed doing.

I stepped inside.

The door closed behind me.

For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.

Then she said my name.

“Nikolai. You're alive. "

I pulled the chair across from her and sat down.

“ Much to your dismay. "

" You could say that. " She smiled fully.

" You look comfortable. "

“ I try to make the best of whatever situation I find myself in. "

I looked at the restraints around her wrists.

“I brought you somewhere you couldn't run.”

“You're going to regret this.”

I almost laughed.

“That's what people say when they have nothing else to threaten me with.”

She stared at me.

“You're still the same monster.”

“No.”

I leaned back.

“I'm worse.”

Silence.

Her eyes moved across my face.

The scar on my eye.

The anger I no longer bothered hiding.

Whatever she saw seemed to frighten her.

“You came back for revenge,” she said.

“Yes.”

At least she understood that much.

“Against my family?”

“Against everyone who deserves it.”

She swallowed.

“You think you can destroy us and get away with it?”

I looked at her.

“Miranda, I've already destroyed you.”

Her expression tightened.

“This room is proof.”

I let the silence sit between us.

Then I leaned forward.

“I have questions and I want answers. "

She waited.

“ What happened to Olga? "

" And who could that be?" Miranda asked feigning innocence.

" You know who exactly that is. Was it you or was it someone else. "

" And what if it was me?" Miranda asked. " What would you do?"

" You know what I'm capable of doing." I replied.

" Well I thought that explosion might have weakened you. Too bad. "

" Was that your doing too?"

" No. " Miranda replied. " You know how I go about these things. I hit my target right on the head I don't go about poison, explosions and the rest. That's cheap. "

" Then who did it?" I asked.

" You're a fool if you think I'm going to answer your questions. "

" Maybe you won't but I know just who might. "

" Dominique doesn't know a thing. " Miranda's eyes hardened.

" Not him. Asher. " I said. " A little torture and he just might talk. "

" You madman! " Miranda yelled. " If you touch my son you're dead. "

" He's in the cell next to yours so you'd definitely hear his screams. "

" What do you want? " Miranda asked. " Aren't you satisfied with everything you've done. You ruined Dominique what else do you want. You ruined my innocent baby. "

" And I'm still not done ruining him. " I said. " This was always between us Miranda, until you chose to involve the innocent. Now everyone and their innocents have to pay. I'm a raging fire and I don't care who gets burned I wouldn't mind burning in my own fire. "

I stood.

“I came here so you could see me.”

She stared at me with hate filled eyes.

I walked toward the door.

“You spent four years believing the Black Judge was dead.”

I glanced back at her.

“You were wrong.”

I opened the door.

“And now you have to live with that.”

I stepped outside and slammed the door shut behind me.

One of my men was waiting in the corridor.

“Pakhan.”

I looked at him.

“Speak.”

“We found the man you asked us to locate.”

I held out my hand.

He gave me a photograph.

I looked at it.

A familiar face.

One I hadn't seen in four years.

My fingers tightened around the photograph and a deadly smile touched my lips.

Finally.

The game could begin.