“Fine,” Nico relents. “But if anyone even comes close to killing him, I’m stepping in.”
Dmitri nods, unperturbed. “I would not let him be killed. Jade would never recover if she lost one of her brothers.”
Nico knows that’s true, and the reminder is enough to make him relax.
Dmitri drives us to the secluded warehouse facility, and when we show up, the parking lot is already full of cars. Some are beat-up pieces of junk, while others are flashy and new. I breathe out into the night air, looking up at the star-filled sky before turning my gaze toward the entrance.
“You two go.” Nico nods to the building. “I’ll trail behind.”
“Ready?” Dmitri asks, not a hint of worry or doubt anywhere on his face.
“Yeah,” I agree, dipping my head. “I’ve been ready.”
I’m not without nerves as we make our way inside, but it’s not the fighting I’m concerned about. I want to do this, and there’s still a possibility that Anton sees me and doesn’t let me compete. Dmitri says it’s very unlikely since he’ll be bringing me in himself, and Anton is realistically not going to challenge his heir in front of their men.
It doesn’t take long before we’re noticed. Dmitri Morozov could stand out in any room with his size and commanding presence, but in a room full of his father’s men? It would be impossible for him to go unnoticed.
I’ve been to underground fights before, but this place is on another level. Two rings take up a good chunk of the open floor, a crowd of shirtless men surrounding them as they wait their turn to step inside. There’s rafters with armed guards, and spotlights hanging above them, pointed to where the masses gather.
It was loud when we came inside, the combination of mindless chatter and intense music filling the air. But as more people notice us walking in, the noise seems to die down. I feeleyes all over me but keep my face clear of any reaction just as Dmitri does.
We approach a table where an older man sits, smoking a cigarette while he looks at a scattered mess of papers.
“Got one more for you, Miron,” Dmitri grunts without waiting for the man to look up.
As if he instantly recognizes his voice, the man looks up, eyes widening just enough to be noticeable.
“Dmitri,” Miron says in surprise. “I wasn’t aware you were in town.”
My brother-in-law shrugs, lifting a shoulder boredly. “It’s a surprise.”
“All right,” the man agrees, because of course he does. It’s not like he could argue with Dmitri, even if he wanted to. Miron eyes me before picking up a pen and putting down his paper to write on it. “Last name?”
“Moretti,” Dmitri reports before I can.
One word sends the already quietening room into silence.
Miron looks back up at us and his lips part seconds before he can make them form words. “Moretti?” he repeats, his disbelief clearly evident.
Dmitri nods, gruffly adding, “My brother.”
Low voices break out behind us, muttering Russian words of confusion. As out of the loop as he may be, Miron has no choice but to write my name down. His future Pakhan told him to, so he must.
Once he finishes writing, Dmitri leads me away from the table and farther into the building. I know where he’s taking me, because before I see them, I can feel them.
Anton, Lev, and Mikhail are all standing together toward the back of the big room, all of them in black suits while they share a bottle of clear liquor. When he spots us, Dmitri’s father quicklyhands his short crystal glass to Mikhail. He needs his hands free to greet his son, after all.
“Father,” Dmitri says, stopping a couple of feet in front of the man. “Uncles.”
Anton looks between us but doesn’t give away his surprise.
“Sir,” I greet, trying not to come off as rude. “Mikhail, Lev.”
“Dmitri, Matteo,” the Pakhan replies, looking at us both before giving his son all of his attention. “You didn’t tell me you were coming home.”
Anton comes forward and pats his son on the back. I swear I can see him fighting the urge to hug Dmitri. But he doesn’t give in. Whether it’s because they’re in public or because he isn’t as close as he once was with his heir, he keeps the distance between them.
“It’ll be a quick trip,” Dmitri replies, nodding to his uncles. “I won’t stay away from Jade for long. But she would want me here with him, if she knew what he was doing.”
