Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
Kade
Dmitri, Logan, and I creep around the back of the log cabin. We’re deep in the heart of the thick forest at Silver Lake.
This is where our target is hiding. He’s a collector from the Armenian mafia, a mean motherfucker you know not to fuck with. We’re supposed to take him down.
Alek is in on lookout in the woods with a rifle while Thorne and Caspian are taking care of the other two mafia guys with their personal guards.
The four of us don’t have guards because this is part of our trial.
We’re also dressed in the Knights military wear that looks like something from Assassins Creed , except ours is full black with the Raventhorn crest embossed on the right sleeve.
This is what is considered an easy mission for guys like us. I’d agree that it is because we’ve dealt with worse people. I’m just not in the right headspace.
You can’t have a girl on your mind when you’re on a life-or-death mission and you’re supposed to be the team leader.
Against what should have been my better judgment, I went looking for Isabelle, then I remembered she was going to be out for the day with her father.
Since I didn’t want to disturb them, I eased off, but it drove me crazy that I didn’t see her.
At the same time, I’m wondering if that’s a good thing because what do I hope to accomplish?
What do I want from her?
Fuck… I know what I want. That’s not a question. The question is, can I have it?
Even I know that you can’t serve two opposite emotions at once. I can’t want her to be mine and want to hurt her at the same time.
I suppose the question is, what do I want more? Is that even up to me?
On top of that, I have this shit with Alek. Since we’ve laid low on Nikoli, he’s had no reason to follow us, but I sense the conflict every time we attend meetings or various other things.
When we first set out tonight, he did that cryptic thing where he didn’t speak at all. I can’t deal with shit like that when my mind isn’t with me.
I reach the corner of the house and force myself to focus. One wrong move, and it won’t matter how easy this mission is considered to be. Death is death no matter if what killed you is a bullet or a bee.
I hold up my hand, signaling for the guys to stop. A butch-looking motherfucker with piercings and tattoos all over his body just walked into my line of sight.
He looks hideous in the moonlight with his warthog appearance and a clean-shaven head. He reminds me of something gone wrong.
The fucker is also carrying a machine gun.
He must be the head guard. Near the trees opposite are two more guards, but they look less vicious.
“I’ll take care of them,” Alek informs me through the coms device in my ear. “Enter the cabin once I clear the path. Make sure you take the shot the first chance you get. There are more guards surrounding the place.”
“Roger that,” I reply, keeping my voice low.
I signal to Dmitri and Logan to wait a little longer.
A minute later, mutant guy drops to the ground, probably not even knowing he’s dead.
The other two guards see him fall, but that’s all they see, and it’s the last thing they’ll do in the world of the living. Alek takes them down, too, showing off his sharp marksman skills.
Each of us compliments the group in different ways. That’s one of his things, along with anything to do with blades, swords, and knives.
“Go now,” Alek commands, and I signal for Dmitri and Logan to follow me.
We rush up to the cabin door, and I kick it open. The door smashes into the wall revealing a startled-looking Estes Margarian— our target .
He grabs his gun and roars as he charges at me. I get out of the way before he fires a shot, but I miss the chance to shoot him.
I take him down by launching myself into him. We tumble to the floor, but he fires several more shots, alerting his guards to our ambush.
I hear more men approaching outside, then they’re on us in seconds. Dmitri and Logan tackle them while I fight with Estes, who is ten times stronger than he looks.
We both get lost in a series of punches, but I know there’s no way this guy is as vicious as me. Even if he’s got a good twenty years on me and he’s giving it all he’s got.
I flip him over, and he hits his head on the door stopper, then I take his gun and shoot him in the head with it.
His brains blow all over the place and blood splatters all over me. I’m about to get up when I feel the cold barrel of a gun at the side of my head.
“Not so fast, Knight,” a rough accented voice says from behind me.
Slowly turning my head, I look up and find a monstrous-looking man with scars all over his face staring down at me.
Dmitri and Logan are fighting outside the cabin, so they don’t even know I’m in trouble. It looks like Alek doesn’t know either.
The guy cocks the hammer on the gun and smiles, revealing gold teeth. “I’m going to kill your ass. And I–”
The words die in his mouth when a blade slices across his neck and his head slides off.
Alek is behind him holding up his twin swords. The guy's blood is dripping from the sharp-looking blade of the sword in his left hand.
With his clean-cut appearance and boy-band-styled hair, Alek has the kind of look that could fool you into thinking he has a gentler presence. The deadly truth is quite the opposite. People call me devious, but he’s something else entirely.
While the guy’s headless body slumps to the ground and twitches, Alek keeps his gaze on me. A silent conversation happens between us where he declares that he just saved me and I acknowledge it, but there’s more. More to do with the Malina.
Our attention is drawn back to the chaos outside, and the two of us rush out to help Dmitri and Logan take down the other guards.
Blood and dead bodies cover the ground minutes later while the four of us stand triumphant.
I call Thorne to let him know we’ve dealt with the situation and retrieved the stolen goods, then we head back to campus.
It’s nine o clock when we reach Erebus House. We’re about to separate and head to our apartments when I stop Alek.
It’s time we talk.
Dmitri and Logan look back at me with knowing looks before they head off.
We’re in the grand hall, and no one is around, so we’ll have the privacy I need to air out the shit with him.
“I’d be dead right now if not for you,” I say first. “I haven’t said thanks yet.”
“Are you saying it now?” Alek quirks a brow.
“Yes. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. But that’s what we’re supposed to do, isn’t it? Have each other’s backs.”
“Doesn’t mean you have to do it. You got there just in time when you saw I was in trouble.”
He seems to contemplate this before he nods. “I guess that shows I’m of some use to you and not just the fourth wheel.”
“Of course, you’re useful.”
“I know you saw me,” he cuts into my next words, referring to the instances where he’s followed the guys and me. “I made sure you saw me.”
“And this is the first time you’re mentioning it.”
“Maybe I'm waiting for you to tell me why you want to start a war with the Malina.”
My eyes widen, and I stare back at him in shock. How the fuck did he know that?
“Don’t worry, no one else knows, and no, it wasn’t easy to find out. I just happen to have a similar skillset to our boy Dmitri.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“You never asked. Remember my cousin, Lucian, is a world-class hacker who’s interning for our weapons and technology company. Being able to hack a system and know what people are up to comes with being a Sokolov.”
He’s right. The Sokolov name is renowned for anything technological. “Where’s this going? Obviously, you want something if you’re telling me all this and following us.”
“I want you to remember that I’m part of the same group as you. When you shut me out, you stop me from getting the opportunities everyone else has. I didn’t come all the way from Russia and pass my trials to be put to pasture just because you and your boys have known each other since birth.”
“Fair point, but maybe I don’t want you to get in trouble. What I’m doing isn’t exactly sanctioned.”
“Maybe I don’t want you to get in trouble. I know what the Malina are like.”
That gives me pause. “How?”
“They attacked my family in Russia. They hijacked my aunt and uncle’s wedding and killed them along with close to a hundred people. My parents and I barely got out alive.”
My scalp tightens as I stare back at him in disbelief. “Fuck.”
“Yeah, exactly. So, believe me when I say I know them.”
“When did that happen?”
“Four years ago.” Sadness invades his eyes. “How long has it been for you?”
“Three.”
“They killed your parents.”
“Yes.”
“My family went through hell to find the guys responsible. It took them years. Those guys were from a different faction than Nikoli. He’s Odessa Mafia. The New York chapter of the Malina. But he’s the same breed.”
“You do know a lot.”
“Yes. I also know he’ll find you. And he won’t care that you’re from the Knights.”
“I’m not going to stop, Alek.” I shake my head.
He smirks, tilts his head, and regards me with surprise. “I didn’t think you would, but I thought you could use the help of someone who knows them a little more than you.”
I give him a thin smile. “Maybe I could.”
“Then let me help you. I know how to get past the firewalls blocking Dmitri.”
My spirit lifts. “Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
“Can you get to all of Nikoli’s money?”
“I can do that and a whole lot more.” He smirks.
“Then you’re in.”
I put my hand out to shake his. He takes it and gives me a firm handshake.
“Be careful, Kade. Sometimes you have to know when to strike and when to fall back.”
“Don’t worry. I will.”
He nods, and I feel more assured with my plans.
“I’ll start working on the system tomorrow.”
“Thanks.”
“Night.”
He dips his head, and I do the same, then he heads down the corridor.
I feel more assured that my grand plans will work with his help, but I know I’m heading into dark, dangerous waters and unknown territory.
I’m aware I’ve just involved one more person, but this all ends with me.
The final blow will be Nikoli and me.
With that in mind, I make my way to my apartment. I change out of my clothes and quickly shower.
It’s late, but I want to check in on Isabelle.
I grab my phone and log into my spyware ap to track her phone. If she’s still out with her father, I’ll leave her alone for the night.
The app tells me Isabelle is in Winchester at the Black Rose Club, and my entire body goes rigid. There’s no way in fuck that her father would take her to a place like that.
That club is an invite-only country-club-style association owned by one of the senior Knight families where all sorts of debauchery occur.
Want to sell your virginity? Call them.
Want to sell your body for a year? Call them.
Want to sell your firstborn in exchange for fame and fortune? Call them .
Why the hell is Isabelle there? And according to the app, she’s been there for the last forty minutes.
Like a possessive, psycho boyfriend I call her, but the fucking phone goes straight to her voicemail.
Shit. I hate voice messages, but I leave one anyway asking her to call me.
I search my mind, thinking about everything she said, and I don’t remember her mentioning anything about going to the Black Rose or any events tonight other than seeing her father.
This has to be a college thing. Two guesses that Mackenzie is involved. She usually is when it comes to wild shit like this. Like going to the Dark Odyssey the other week.
I dial Logan’s number. He's like a social calendar and always knows what’s happening and where.
“Yo,” he answers with a smile in his voice. “Let me guess, this is about Alek?”
“No, we’ll talk about him tomorrow. Do you know what’s going on at the Black Rose tonight?”
“Yeah, the Valkyrie Auction.”
I heard about that. And in the space of three seconds, I come up with a theory that explains why Mackenzie would be there. My guess is she’s also taking part in the auction. It will be something to do with avoiding getting engaged to Levi.
But did she have to drag Isabelle along?
I suppose no one else would have gone. Thorne would have breathed fire if Annika even thought of going, Eilish is avoiding events like that, and the twins are busy playing games. I doubt anyone can even find them.
That leaves Isabelle. The trusted friend who will always be there when you need her. Mackenzie is a good friend, too, but she takes too many risks. Like leaving Isabelle alone in a sex club to hook up with a stranger.
“Do you want to go? As auxiliary Knights, we could technically take part.” Logan chuckles. “We could get some girls and swap. The Kappas from Adriel House are hosting the auction, so you know they’re going to have the finest girls on campus.”
The only thing I got from that was the Kappas from Adriel House are hosting the auction. The Kappas from Adriel House are Michael's fraternity. Meaning that motherfucker is there.
He’s there and I’m not. If he was ever going to make a move on her, it would be tonight. But would she let him?
I bite down on my bottom lip so hard I pierce the skin.
I imagine them together, and I almost rip my skin off. She’s not his. She’s mine. And like I said before, if he touches her, he’s dead.
“Kade, are you there?”
“Yes. And I’m going. Isabelle is there.”
“Meet you outside, then.”