Chapter 12
Artem’s nerves were singing as they parked at the B&B where Nero and his top people were staying. He’d always wondered if the owners of the B&B realized what the males were up to, but since they were human they probably didn’t even know they were shifters in the first place.
They were parked at the back of the lot near the street so they could make a fast getaway if they needed. When they exited the truck, Artem looked at the two males with him.
“Nero is dangerous, but his second-in-command, Adir, is even more so. He used to fight for Nero, but after he killed a bunch of people during the fights, Nero promoted him.” He’d be the one to watch out for in Artem’s opinion, but any of the males who were in Nero’s inner circle could cause problems for them.
“We’ll be watching your back and each other’s, don’t worry,” Ian said.
Artem nodded.
They walked across the half-full lot as the sun set and entered the B&B’s main office. He’d met with Nero there once, and the male always had dinner in the dining room before he went to the fights. If he wasn’t there, he’d call his cell and ask him to come and meet with them.
The interior of the B&B was quaint in that old-world kind of way, with worn furniture and dim lighting. The main room smelled like tobacco and wood.
“Can I help you gentlemen?” a middle-aged female asked from behind the wooden counter.
“I’m looking for Nero,” Artem said. “I believe he’s in the dining room.”
“Yes, of course, go right in. If you’d like to eat, pay the waitress directly.”
“We won’t be long,” Artem said.
They walked into the dining room and Artem found Nero at the back of the room seated alone at a table for four, with his phone in front of him and an empty plate pushed to the side.
Without looking up from his phone, Nero said, “Artem. What brings you here?”
Artem exchanged a quiet look with his dad, then stepped forward. “I’m here to tell you that I won’t be fighting anymore.”
Nero pressed the side button on his phone and his screen went blank. He lifted his gaze to them, a faint smile on his lips.
“Is that so? What’s prompted this sudden change of heart?
Artem wasn’t about to tell Nero that he found his mate and wanted to be done with the fighting. The last thing he wanted was for Promise to become a target.
“I’m ready for a change,” he said. He kept his gaze locked on Nero’s, his beast ready to shift and defend his actions if needed.
“Are you? You’re one of my best fighters, and popular with the crowd. Walking away now would leave money on the table.”
“I’ve made up my mind. I’m done,” Artem said firmly.
Nero stood and slowly walked around the table, stopping a few feet away. “The fighting league isn’t a hobby to put away whenever you please, it’s a business. And walking away from a business like this will have consequences.”
“Are you threatening my son?” his dad asked, his voice low and challenging.
Nero’s gaze moved deliberately from Artem to his dad. The hint of a smile on Nero’s face faded, replaced with a calculating look.
“Just stating facts. Artem is free to make whatever choices he wants, but he’s not free from the consequences of those choices.”
Ian moved forward slightly, growling. “You should be careful of the threats you spout. Someone might take them the wrong way. Your choices have consequences as well.”
As if they’d been waiting for some kind of cue, males appeared around Nero, including Adir, and they were suddenly outnumbered.
“You may go,” Nero said, turning with a dismissive wave. “But I’d suggest you think long and hard about walking away.”
Artem took a step forward as the need to ensure he had the freedom to walk away from the fights rode him hard. Ian put a hand on his shoulder to keep him back as Adir let out a deep growl and his eyes went to the amber of his beast.
“Try me, monster,” Adir said. “I’ve been wanting to see how we’d match up since you walked into the fights.”
“I’m done fighting,” Artem said.
Although it warred with him to give the males his back, he turned and walked away, with his dad and Ian on either side of him.
A knot of tension formed in his gut as the realization that he may never be free of Nero and the fights seemed to be a possibility. What if Nero threatened Promise? The male didn’t know Artem’s last name, where he lived, or anything about him save that he was a minotaur. But that didn’t mean that the male couldn’t find that information.
“I don’t think we’ve seen the last of him,” Axtyn said as they left the B&B.
Artem shook his head. “Me either. I’m really sorry about all of this. I’m sorry that I didn’t listen, and I joined the fighting league and possibly endangered us all.”
His dad put his hand on his shoulder. “It’ll be all right. We’ll get the baro together and set up a security detail to patrol the campground. The most important thing is that our mates are safe, as well as any guests staying with us. He’ll realize you’re well protected and leave you alone, I’m sure of it.”
Artem wasn’t so sure, but he wanted to believe that everything would be okay.
He needed it to be.
“Thanks, Dad.”
“Let’s get the hell out of here,” Ian said.
The trio headed across the parking lot in silence, Artem wondering just how badly he’d fucked up getting involved with Nero.
Nero watched from the dining room as Artem, his father, and another male stood on the front porch. The calm facade he’d presented just moments earlier gave way to the cold and calculating male who didn’t let people fuck him over. He scowled and a low growl rumbled in his chest.
Apparently, Artem hadn’t been told the truth about the fight league: the only way out was in a body bag. If he thought he could leave because he didn’t want to fight anymore, then he was seriously mistaken about the sort of male Nero was.
To Adir he said, “Make sure Artem regrets trying to leave. No one is allowed to leave whenever they feel like it. It’s my league and I’m the alpha. He lives and breathes at my pleasure, and he will keep his commitment to me.”
“How bad do you want him to regret leaving?”
“Bad enough to send a clear message. You can be as creative as you’d like.”
“On it.”
Adir and two others hustled from the dining room. Nero ran his thumb back and forth along the edge of his phone as he waited to see what Adir would do.
He didn’t have to wait long.
As Artem and the two males with him walked across the parking lot, a vehicle with its lights off cruised toward them from behind. It was an electric vehicle and traveling at a low rate of speed so there was no sound from the engine.
A moment later, the tires squealed as the car raced forward and rammed into Artem, sending him flying several feet into the air and landing hard on the ground.
There was a sickening crunch as he hit the concrete and a cruel smile crossed Nero’s face at Adir using his car as a weapon. That would certainly teach Artem a painful lesson.
Artem’s father and the other male shouted in alarm and raced to him. Adir swung the vehicle around and returned to the front parking lot.
Nero walked back to his seat and put his phone on the table. In another hour he’d need to head to the warehouse for the fights. He was pissed that Artem wouldn’t be fighting until he healed, because he’d lose money without his top-billed fighter there. But the money loss was a small price for Nero to pay to ensure that Artem knew his place. Besides, it wasn’t like he’d ordered him killed, just injured.
He was certain no matter how extensive the injuries were, that once the male shifted into his minotaur, he’d heal and should be a little bit wiser in the process.
He suspected the healing process would be painful. He’d been hit by a car, after all. And it would be good for Artem to be in as much pain as possible so he didn’t forget who he worked for.
Nero was not a male to be trifled with and Artem had learned a hard lesson tonight.
He fully expected to see the male at the fights during his next scheduled match, and if he didn’t? Well, then Nero would find someone else to harm in Artem’s life to ensure he knew he was never going to be free. One way or another, the male would keep fighting for Nero, no matter who was harmed in the process. He had no qualms about having the people closest to Artem hurt to keep in line. Hell, he didn’t care if Artem’s family died as long as Artem kept fighting.
Nero’s phone buzzed.
“Yes, Adir?”
“You want us to follow?”
He hummed. “Yes. I’m curious about where he lives since he never shared that information. Report back to me with anything you find interesting, including if he has a mate. She might be useful as collateral if Artem decides not to fight.”
“He’d be a fucking idiot if he did,” Adir said.
“Indeed.”
He’d warned Artem that his choices would have consequences. Hopefully, he learned his lesson with the first warning. It would only get worse if he had to use force again to get his point across. The longer it took for Artem to realize he had no other option but to fight, the worse it would be for him, so it was better for him to accept his fate and keep fighting. Adir could do much, much worse things to him than hit him with a car.