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I step closer to him, my voice menacing and strained by anger. “I don't believe you. I think you're holding something back. And if I find out you are, I won't hesitate to take matters into my own hands.”
Yan interjects again, his voice calm but firm. “Ruslan, let's not make any rash decisions. We need to find Theo and Derick, but we need to do it the right way.”
I take a step back, realizing that Yan is the only voice of reason in my life right now. I can't let my anger get the best of me.
“Fine,” I say through gritted teeth. “But you better hope I don't find out you're lying to me.”
Rhett nods, his eyes wide with fear. “I'm not lying, I swear.”
I stare at him for a few more moments before turning to Yan. “Let's go. We have work to do.”
I’ve washed my hands of Rhett, resigning myself to the fact that this is going to be a tough fight.
But I'm not afraid.
Even if the last thing I do is avenge Misha’s death, I’ll do it with a smile on my face.
“Yan,” I say, turning to my lifelong mentor. “We need to take out Derick and Theo before you meet with Johan. We can't risk anything happening. This could be catastrophic if Derick hears about it.”
Yan nods in agreement, his expression serious. “I'll start making the arrangements. You focus on staying alive.”
I feel a swell of hope for the first time in weeks, grateful for Yan's support and guidance during the worst moments of my life.
I turn back to Rhett, my anger flaring up again as I gaze down into his small, washed-out eyes. “You're going to stay here until we take care of Derick. If anything happens to Yan, you'll be the first to feel my wrath.”
Rhett nods eagerly, grateful that I'm not going to kill him on the spot.
I turn and leave the building, Yan following closely behind me.
As we get back into the car, my sense of purpose is finally returning. I know what I have to do, and I'm not afraid to do it. I'm going to take out Derick and his men, no matter what it takes.
But as I start driving back to my house, my thoughts turn to Vera. She's the reason I'm still alive, I realize. If she hadn't distracted me that day, I would've been dead in the water when Derick's men came after me.
Gratitude overwhelms me, along with something else that’s harder to name. Something I've been feeling for a while now, but haven't quite been able to put into words.
I care about Vera. More than I should, maybe. But she's the only person who's ever made me feel like I'm not alone in this world.
I can feel Yan's eyes on me as we drive away from the abandoned building. His silence is suffocating, but I can't bring myself to speak.
My mind is too preoccupied with Vera.
Why am I thinking about her now, of all times? I should be fully focused on avenging Misha, but instead, her image keeps coming to mind.
It's foolish, really. I barely know her, and yet, I can't help but feel drawn to her. Maybe it's because she saved me from Derick's men.
Or maybe it's something deeper.
Something about her makes me feel like I can let my guard down, like I can be vulnerable with her. It's a feeling I haven't had in a long time.
But I can't let myself get distracted. I can't let my guard down, not when there are still people out there who want to see me dead. I need to focus on finding Derick and Theo, on making sure they pay for what they've done.
Still, thinking about Vera only makes me feel more determined to succeed. I can't let anything happen to her. I can't let anyone hurt her the way they hurt Misha. It's a strange feeling, being so protective over someone I barely know, but I can't help it.
As we turn onto the highway, I glance over at Yan. His expression is unreadable, but I know he's waiting for me to speak. I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what's to come.
“We need to find Derick,” I say firmly. “And we need to make sure he never has the chance to hurt anyone else.”
Yan nods in agreement, and for a moment, I feel a sense of relief. It's good to know I have someone I can trust by my side, someone who understands what I'm going through.
