When I get back to the estate, it’s well into the night but Carmine and Soren are still up and in the sitting room.
“I was wondering where you went,” Carmine says as I step in, my heart still racing from the event of the night. My head still a bit fuzzy from the couple drinks I’d had.
I try to play it down, like I just went out to cool off and that’s it. Nothing else.
“To the club,” I say simply. “Needed…a minute.”
“Well I’m glad you seem to have calmed down,” Carmine tells me as he sips at his own drink beside Soren on the couch.
The two of them seem inseparable since they got together a few months before. I’m still not sure how I feel about Soren, even if he appears to be loyal to our family and did give up his own in order to strengthen ours.
“Don’t get me started,” I motion in their direction. “I still think—well, damn it’s too late to get into this. I’m going to bed.”
I’m truly disinterested in trying to talk this out with Carmine. I’ve already put the plan into motion whether he approves or not.
“Wait,” Carmine insists.
I’ve already turned away from them. I sigh. “What the fuck do you want?” I look at the both of them tiredly.
Soren looks a bit amused, smirking as he flips over the page he has in his lap and click his pen.
“I think it would be a good idea for you to teach Beau and Nikolas how to fight.”
I blink at them. “Seriously? They’re just kids, and kids who were kept in Eivors background at that. They should learn from someone a little less…likely to kill them,” I recommend.
“No, I really think it would be good for them. They have to learn about this life they’re living and you’re the best fighter of them all. Carmine says so at least,” Soren motions toward me. “You don’t have to go all in on them.”
“You don’t know how I work,” I say with an eyebrow raised. “If I’m teaching them, they’re gonna learn the hard way.”
Soren sighs and tilts his head to the side. “Whatever you have to do, do it. They both need to learn how to defend themselves, more than with just a gun. In a couple years they’ll be expected to take on their weight around here; they need to know how to do it.”
“Why don’t you teach them? You’re their cousin, right?” I ask as I fold my arms.
“I think they’ll listen to you more than they will me,” Soren insists.
Carmine clicks his tongue. “Tommy, this isn’t a suggestion. You will meet with them tomorrow morning in the gym and train them.”
“Fine. But if they get hurt, it’s on you,” I point. “And they will.”
I turn around and head upstairs to my bedroom. I’m not looking forward to teaching a couple skinny teenagers how to kick someone’s ass. Usually I might be more inclined, but I need to keep an eye on Aleksandr. I can’t be wasting my time with this bullshit.
Then again, maybe it’s a good cover. If I’m busy teaching Nikolas and Beau how to fight, I can’t be getting myself in the trouble that Carmine is worried I’m going to be in, can I?
Except…I absolutely can, and I will.
All throughout the night I can’t help but think of the tension in the room with Aleksandr. How drunk he was with his shirtless ass, his pants undone. I swear there was something there in the way he was looking at me. And I’m not stupid. I know when someone is attracted to me…but really? After fighting with me about whether or not he was going to say something, he really was thinking about me like that?
I can’t deny it. The lankier man was hot as hell, but I’m not interested in getting wrapped up with someone from the Rose. Not that way anyway.
I’m interested in getting the information he has to give me and that’s it. If he’s willing to work with me, that’d be great, but if I have to beat it out of him, I will.
Even if it means screwing up my relationship with the group.
The Bianchis have too much pull in this world we’re in for me to lay low and do nothing while Carmine tries to figure out the best route.
I know the best route, and as soon as the sun is up, I’m on the way to find him.
I don’t need to go to the boys until around noon, so I have a few hours to find Aleksandr and figure out what his day-to-day is like. Clearly, I already know what his night life is like.
