“Winning streak. Not shaving. Whole Team. Superstition,” I choke out between breaths.
My dearest sister coughs out a laugh. “Well, you look fucking stupid. You’re done for the day. We’ll see you back on your next off day next week. Misha is in his office. He said he wanted to see you before you left.”
Sighing, I use the last ounce of strength I have left and push myself up off the muddy ground. Luckily for me, Mila prefers for us to train alone, so I don’t have any snickering bystanders to worry about as I limp to the showers. Not that I wouldn’t prefer Misha’s sessions to my sister’s. She’s one sadistic son of a bitch.
I relish the warm water as I stand under the shower for a few minutes before lathering up and cleaning myself. Everything hurts.Fuck. I guess I’ll be getting to the facility early tomorrow, before practice, to try to get a recovery massage. Still, anything is better than being in that lonely condo. Every inch of that place reminds me of the one night Ellie and I spent together. From my bed to the shower to the couch to the kitchen, it’s allher.
Turning the water off, I grab my towel and make quick work of drying off and dressing before heading to Misha’s office. Well, as quickly as I can in my current state. I’ve been here several times now, and I’m starting to get familiar with some of the men. They seemed so intimidating at first, but the more I get to know them, the more I realize they aren’t so bad. The camaraderie among the few I know seems to deepen everyone’s respect for me, which is nice as well. If I thought trying to fit into a new school or team was difficult, it’s nothing compared to trying to fit into a newBratva.
Rounding the corner to the hall, I hear an unfamiliar voice coming from Misha’s office. I slow my pace and listen as they laugh about something I can’t understand because they’re speaking fucking Russian. It becomes clear to me that this isn’t one of our men. It has to be someone at a similar rank in the Bratva world to Misha. Which scares the crap out of me, because I don’t think there’s anyone within our branch at that level.
Fuck, time to act like a big bad Bratva boss. Too bad my sister hasn’t gotten to those lessons yet since she’s been too preoccupied with torturing me.
I give one knock on the doorframe before making my entrance with a puffed chest and lowered voice. “Misha. Mila asked me to stop by your office. Did you need something?”
Misha raises a brow at me as the mystery man turns to see me with a smile on his face. He’s more slender than Misha, but his tattooed biceps pop out from his white cotton T-shirt in a way that lets me know he’s just as dangerous. I hold out my hand as he stands, but instead of a handshake, he embraces me in a bear hug.
“Hi, cuz! I’m Sasha!”
I’m still facing Misha, and he must see the confusion written on my face because he graciously stops his snickering to explain what’s going on. “Teddy, this is Sasha Taranov. He’s the heir apparent to our family’s New York branch. You’re technically second cousins, I believe. Mila asked if he would help with some of your training, and he graciously accepted—”
“Hell yeah, I accepted! I didn’t know I had a male cousin! I’m just thrilled to have another guy in the family!”
I realize this whole time Sasha’s been hugging me that my arms have been at my side, so I gently return his embrace and pat his back. “Um, thanks, man. Nice to meet you, too. I guess you already know, but I’m Teddy. Well, my name is Theodore, but everyone calls me Teddy.”
When Sasha finally lets go and sits back down in his chair, Misha stands up from his and motions for me to replace him. One of those Bratva boss signs of respect that I still find uncomfortable. “I’ll leave you two alone to get to know each other better.”
I say bye to Misha as I sink into his chair, silently cursing him for leaving me in this awkward situation.
“So New York, huh? I just moved from there. How’s it doing?” I say, running my hand through my hair.
Sasha laughs. “The state of New York is probably doing about the same since you left. Or at least I would assume. I don’t actually get up that way often. My wife and I live close to our family, not too far from here, actually.”
“Oh! You’re married?”
“Yes, I’ve been married a couple of years now.Lucy. She’s the light of my life. I was skeptical about it at first, but marrying her was the best decision I’ve ever made.”
Sasha completely lights up as he talks about his wife, and I can’t help but grin back at him.
“You sound really happy. How did you meet? And why were you skeptical at first?”
“How did we meet?” He shakes his head, chuckling. “Thatis a story for a different day. But I was skeptical for the same reasons anyone in this life would be. I’m sure it’s no different from your own reservations about settling down with someone.”
When my only response is to blink back at him, he continues. “You know…because it’s a dangerous business. Nobody wants to put their loved ones in peril, and it’s inevitable in what we do.”
“Oh.”
Oh fuck. Ellie…I never once thought about how any future with her would be putting her in the middle of the fuckingBratva!
Sasha must sense my internal panic. “You must have a girl in mind right now. Let me just go ahead and put all your fears to rest. I know it’s scary, but it’s way safer than you think it will be. Lucy even trained with me so she could hold her own, though a security detail always surrounds her.”
“No, it’s not that. I’m just…Well, I don’t really even have a girl in the first place. I did. Ellie. And she was incredible. But it turns out that her brothers play on my hockey team, and they’d kill meif they ever found out I was dating their sister. It’s like a known rule among the team.”
“What do you mean, they would kill you? Teddy, you’re a fucking Bratva boss. Nobody is going to touch you, man. Now I can’t speak for what that will do to the chemistry in the locker room, but if I had to choose between my Lucy and literally any other fucker on the planet, it would be her every goddamn time. You have to decide whether Ellie is worth it.”
“Oh, she’s definitely worth it. She very quickly became the most important thing in my life—”
“Then fucking act like it, dude!”
