Chapter 22
WREN
The feel of my phone vibrating under my pillow jolted me awake. My eyes felt like sandpaper, and when I opened them, I had to shield them from the sun peeking in through the blinds. When I looked at the clock, it was only seven. Who the hell was calling me so early?
Groaning, I slid a hand under my pillow and pulled out my phone. I had to blink a few times to get accustomed to the light. On the screen was the word unavailable. It was probably a telemarketer.
“Hello,” I grumbled, rolling onto my back.
“Good morning, sunshine.”
The second I recognized the voice, it felt like ice had been shot through my veins.
“Why the fuck are you calling me?” I growled, keeping my voice low.
Nikolai chuckled. “I take it my brother’s not beside you. Smart man.”
“Go eat a dick, asshole. What do you want?”
“I want to offer you a deal,” he confessed.
I scoffed. “Like I would ever take a deal from you.”
“Just hear me out.”
I moved into the bathroom to distance myself from the bedroom door. The last thing I wanted was for Seth to know I was on the phone with his brother.
“You have three minutes,” I hissed as I closed the bathroom door.
“You can end all of this, Wren. I know you want to fight me. I’m giving you a chance to do that tonight. You’ll have to sneak out of my brother’s house, though. I’ll have someone down the street ready to pick you up.”
I wanted to burst out laughing. “Do you think I’m fucking stupid? You want me dead, you sorry sack of shit. You’ll put a bullet in my head the second you see me.”
“No,” he replied, his voice detached of all humor.
“After seeing what you did yesterday to get to me, I was impressed. You’re a valuable asset, Wren.
Women like you are few and far between. I’ll even allow you to carry a weapon with you when you come to me.
Hell, bring two guns on you if you want. I’m trusting you’ll fight fair.”
My hands shook with rage. “And you expect me to believe that you will?”
“I will,” he promised. “Do you want to hear the terms?”
“You have two minutes now,” I snapped.
A low, sinister laugh echoed through the phone.
“First,” he began, “we’ll fight. You can obviously hold your own against men.
If you beat me, I’ll be dead. And if I win .
. .” He paused, and I could hear my heart pounding in my ears.
Anything he wants will be something I won’t want to give.
“If I win,” he continued, “you come and work for me. You’ll have to agree not to try and kill me, of course.
However, if you defy me, I’ll have no choice but to get rid of you. Those are the terms.”
I wanted a chance to end him, and I knew I’d never get it with Seth. I’d gotten myself out of challenging situations before, and this was no different.
“I will never work for a psychotic dick like you, Nikolai,” I spat. “You killed my brother. The only option I have is to kill you. There’s no other way.”
He chuckled again. “There is. I have a third option for you. This one benefits you greatly. All you have to do is turn Seth over to me.” My chest clenched at the thought.
Before I could tell him to go to hell, he kept talking.
“I’ll give you five million dollars and leave all the other fighters alone.
I won’t go after them. No more threats.”
I would’ve done anything to protect my friends, but I couldn’t give up Seth; I wouldn’t.
“What do you say, Wren? Do we have a deal?”
“No,” I fired back. “I’m not going to betray Seth like that. I’ll take my chances with the fight.”
His laugh sent shivers down my spine. “I’ll have one of my guys pick you up around midnight. See you then.”
Without another word, I ended the call and looked at myself in the bathroom mirror. What the hell had I just gotten myself into?
* * *
I took the day off from working out and stayed in my room for most of it, mainly pacing the floor.
My stomach was a ball of nerves as I replayed the phone call with Nikolai in my head.
How could I agree to fight him? It had to be a trap.
I should’ve just told him to go fuck himself and then hung up without wasting those three minutes of my life.
Nikolai was as dirty as anyone could get, and there was no way he’d be fair with me.
So, the question of the day was this . .
. do I stay or do I go tonight? I had no doubt I had the strength to kill him, but would I even get a chance before one of his men intervened?
Absolutely not. The answer was simple . . . I don’t go.
Sneaking out of Seth’s house was going to be near impossible.
I was smart enough to know what I could and could not do.
Seth was an intelligent man. I had yet to grasp what all of his capabilities were.
Not to mention, he probably had a secret surveillance system on the house.
I wouldn’t get one step out of the door without someone catching me.
My phone beeped and I dreaded the thought of it being Nikolai. Luckily, it was a text from Ripp. I knew he was worried about me because I didn’t want to train today.
Ripp: Want to come over and talk?
Me: Be right there.
I rummaged through the bag of Kali’s clothes and changed into black running shorts and a mint green tank top.
Wearing her bright-colored clothes was new for me, but I was getting used to it; I liked it.
I grew up wearing dark fabrics so the dirt wouldn’t show; they were the only clothes my foster parents would get me.
None of them were keen on doing laundry.
Then, when I came of age to go out on my own, I still bought dark colors because it was what I was used to.
Parker and I would go to the laundromat once a week to wash all our things.
It was strange thinking back to those times. My life was nothing like that anymore.
When I got downstairs, I thought Seth would be doing business in his office as usual, but he was in the living room talking to Benny, their voices hushed.
He was barefoot and wore regular clothes: jeans and a white T-shirt.
It was a Saturday, after all. I knew he was about to be the mafia boss of his family, but I guess even guys like him had the odd day off.
Seth glanced over his shoulder and smiled when he saw me.
“Hey,” I called out.
Benny nodded at Seth and exited out the back door. With his brows furrowed, Seth started toward me.
“You feeling okay? You look like something’s bothering you.”
If he only knew what was going on. “Eh, just thinking about my life,” I said.
Seth crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the back of the couch. “Want to talk about it?”
I waved off the notion. “No, it’s a sob story. No one gives a shit about those.”
Seth’s expression softened. “I do.”
“Maybe some other time,” I said with a shrug.
He pushed off the couch and dropped his arms. “Where are you going?”
I pointed out the windows. “To the pool house to talk to Ripp.”
Seth’s brows lifted curiously. “Should I be worried about something?”
A laugh escaped my lips, and I shook my head.
“No. Ripp texted and asked if I could come out and see him. When I moved into the house next to him in California, we used to spend one night at my place and the next at his. We’d talk for hours about fighting and so many other things.
” I looked away from Seth’s piercing gaze.
“With Parker gone, Ripp’s the closest thing I have to a brother. ”
Seth clasped my face and turned me so I had to look at him. “I understand. Go talk to him.” His lips pulled back into a sexy smirk. “And when you come back, we can order takeout from K I hadn’t eaten all day. Now that I knew I wouldn’t meet Nikolai, my stomach wasn’t as torn up in knots.
“K maybe that was what Nikolai hoped for.
He knew I’d come after him any chance I got. I’d tried already and failed.
“He also gave me a third option,” I confessed.
Ripp moved closer, his eyes eagerly searching mine. “Tell me.”
“Nikolai said he would forget about you and the other fighters in our group if I turned Seth over to him.”
“Wow,” Ripp said, whistling in disbelief.
“You know I would do anything to help you and the others, right?”
His gaze softened and he nodded. “I know, Wren. You don’t have to feel guilty for your decision. Personally, I don’t like Seth Michelson, but even I wouldn’t have turned him over to his brother.”
“Thanks, Ripp,” I said, laying my head on his shoulder. “I don’t like the games these people play.”
Ripp leaned his chin on the top of my head. “Neither do I. But if anyone can play back, it’s you.”
I let out a small chuckle. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
My stomach started to growl, and I clutched my stomach. “As much as I’d like to stay here and talk for hours, I’m starving. Seth and I are ordering takeout from K&B’s Bistro. Do you want anything?”
He snorted. “Nah, I’m good. I don’t want to be the third wheel. I’m just going to hang out here tonight.”
That was a relief. At least I didn’t have to worry about anything happening to him. I, on the other hand, was going to test the limits.
Would Seth catch me or not? We were about to find out.