Chapter 12
Deva refrained from banging her head against the bedroom door when she realized that Jamieson Finch was on the other side. Aleksei and Lazarus’ father. And what twisted her, even more, was listening to Aleksei clearly trusting the creep. What hold did he have on his son? Gabrielle, Beatrice, and Lazarus had told her about the man, he was the worst psycho she had ever heard of, even with everything she knew about her own father, the mob, and the criminals she had crossed paths with over the years. There was honor among villains and thieves, but there was none in Finch. From what she had discovered, he would rape, sell, and kill his own mother if he found profit in the transaction. And he had almost done exactly that with Lazarus’s mother not so long ago.
But what was the deal between Aleksei and him? Why was he forcing him to fight? What was that debt?
Her internal questioning halted as she heard the front door closing. She scrambled back, going to the dresser to rearrange her ponytail and gather her thoughts. She had to contact Gabrielle. There was a trap somewhere, a big gaping hole that she couldn’t see yet, and it made her fear for Aleksei.
The thought unsettled her and Deva shook her head as she looked at her reflection. She cared about Aleksei and was surprised by how suddenly it had taken hold. He might be an asshole and a complete jerk at times, but he didn’t deserve to be tricked by his father. Or by her.
The bedroom door opened and closed, but she didn’t look at him. She only stared at herself, both hands on the dresser. The Russian didn’t say a word and came to stand behind her. He looked closed off, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking. Locking his gaze with hers over the mirror, he put both hands on either side of hers. Slowly he pressed his front against her back and hunched to place his chin in the crook of her neck. Black hair tousled, he scratched her skin with his stubble, looking at her with laser focus.
“We need to talk,solnyshka.”
Deva shook her head, trying to ignore the scent of his skin enveloping her or the soft brush of his hair against her chin. Instead of arguing, she tried to deflect.
“Who was that?”
He angled his head and arched an eyebrow. “You know who it was, I don’t believe you weren’t curious enough not to have put your ear to the door.”
“Then, why is your father forcing you to fight in the cage? An illegal fight?”
It was his turn to shake his head. But he wasn’t the only one with a stubborn streak, and she could play dirty when needed. “Your body hasn’t completely recovered. You’re pumped with medication helping you move without pain. If you fight again, you may end up seriously injured. Do you realize the implications? Is it really worth it? Is he?”
Anger flashed in his eyes before his hand was lightning quick around her neck. “Don’t think that because you just got off from my mouth that you have the right to voice your opinion.”
Deva pushed his hand away, not at all impressed. “That was just a pity orgasm after you tortured me to admit my sins. But you are so right. I don’t owe you anything. Go beat yourself bloody, or fill some nameless hole with your cock. Honestly, I don’t give a fuck. Sorry to have cared even a little bit about your well-being. My mistake, I won’t do it again. I should have known better. I should have known you were no better than the others. Hope you don’t die tomorrow night and if you do, that what your father promised you was worth it.”
Without waiting for his reaction, Deva turned, grabbed her bag and walked out. And the fact that he didn’t follow proved her right. In fact, once outside, she kept walking, trying to keep her temper in check, cursing under her breath against stupid men and the even stupider women who couldn’t handle them. The night was young and the crowd vibrant around her. Normally she would feed off this kind of energy, but tonight, her emotions and body were a complete mess, sending each other mixed signals about the Russian fighter. Not wanting to stop walking, she pulled out her phone and headset and called Gabrielle.
“Hey! Deva! What’s up?”
“How’s your vacation with your family going?”
“Actually, better than expected. Sully found us a boat, and we spent most of the day on Lake Michigan. Arthur ate so many hot dogs he barfed them all overboard and laughed about it. So, at the end of the day, my two men are happy, it was all worth it. But you’re not calling me to talk about my day. What’s going on?”
Deva started from the moment Rusty came into her office until she left Aleksei’s apartment, toning down as much as she could about the rough sex, and putting emphasis on Aleksei’s distrust of her. And how she had probably messed the whole thing up.
“And are you sure it was Finch in his apartment?”
“No, not at all. He called him father. That’s about it.”
“I’ll have someone here track Voronov’s phone. With some luck, we’ll know where the next fight is.”
“And then what? None of your super agents will be able to get in. There is a special protocol and specific codes. You don’t have them when you show up, you die.”
Gabrielle paused. “But you know how to get in.”
A statement. And a true one. Deva winced. “I do, but if I use them, it will probably open my own Pandora’s box, and I’m not sure I want to. Aleksei doesn’t seem to be willing to even step out of the fight. I don’t know his Bratva connection, but there had to be some sort of link there otherwise he wouldn’t risk his life once more. In underground fights, the fighters are either attached to the mob family and fighting in their name or having a debt that needs to be repaid. Whatever it is, Aleksei seemed to be knee-deep in it.”
“I’ll contact Oz and let him know. And about your cousin Sasha, could she be a problem?”
Deva sidestepped a mother pushing a stroller. “Nah, she was the only one who knew about my disappearance, and we kept contact throughout the years without a problem. She knows how to keep a secret.”
“Good, we may need a doctor tomorrow. I’ll dig up more information and keep in touch. Stay safe, Deva.”
“I will.”
Deva slid her phone into her bag and realized she was back in front of the gym. Full circle. Lights were still on, and she debated going in. She didn’t want to see Rusty. Not yet. She was raw and abrasive, and the men would be suspicious of her attitude. This job was a bridge she didn’t want to burn. Not until she could figure out the Aleksei problem. However, she would need to speak with the man and maybe admit more than she was willing to. Before she had time to sort through her thoughts, she went in.
