Chapter 32 Carter
The chaos in the foyer isn’t what I expected when I was told there were guests, but maybe I should have. To say the trips are unhappy would be an understatement. The mixture of spoken Russian, RSL, and ASL is hard to keep up with, especially without Soren to interpret for his friends.
“Enough,” Jayden says—and he’s another surprise, appearing as if out of thin air to take control. “If you want to be understood, then speak one at a time, and in a language we all can understand.” He clicks his fingers, and whatever protest the three of them had stops.
The physical therapist was already terrifying, but seeing him with so much control over the trips is… There aren’t enough words to describe that level of fear. I didn’t think the trips listened to anyone, except maybe Soren.
“How about we…go to the sitting room, then we can talk?” I exchange a look with Lio, who looks as uncertain of what to do in this situation as I am.
Lio nods. “Yes, I’ll have the staff prepare refreshments, and someone needs to get Roman. Then we’ll talk.”
Lio and I lead everyone into the main sitting room, since there’s more room for everyone. It’s chaos for a bit, with people coming and going, but when it settles down, Lio, Roman, and I are surrounded by most of our inner circles.
“Where’s Soren?” Roman asks the trips.
The three of them share looks, before three sets of identical storm gray eyes turn to Roman. “He stayed with Doc, Boss.”
Tennant curses while Roman sucks in a sharp breath. I glance at him, to make sure he’s not in pain, before focusing on the three men in front of us.
“Elaborate, please.”
The speaking trip swallows and says, “We were warned about a conversation Cristian and Il Padrone had. Cristian…discussed using Soren and us to leverage Doc. He also mentioned reminding Ivan that he had his nephew, but we were able to speak to David—well, Nico spoke to David. The Bratva is aware of the situation, and though they can’t publicly show their support for this faction, David is on your side.
The political situation within the Bratva is…
fraught. Especially with many of the older generation still upset that no retribution was taken for the execution of our father, and the death of Soren’s.
“So while Ivan doesn’t agree with what Cristian is doing, he cannot denounce him as Head of the Amatos. Father and son are in agreement, though, that what is happening does not live up to their views, or the ways David wants to take the Bratva in the future.”
Not an ideal position for the Russians to be in, but knowing we have their quiet backing takes some stress off my shoulders; I’m sure it does the same for Roman and Lio.
“Doc sent us away.” One of the others speaks up once his brother is finished speaking. “He didn’t want us to get caught in the crossfire should Cristian lose his mind completely.”
“We’ve been expecting you,” Hollis tells them. “I spoke to Doc a few days ago. What took so long?”
The trips exchange looks once more. It’s Jayden who speaks up, though.
“They didn’t want to leave Soren behind.
He finally called me because he couldn’t leave Doc, and I don’t blame him.
I wouldn’t have been able to leave my Boy if I was in that position.
But, he didn’t want them to stay, so…he asked me to help persuade him. ”
“More like bully me into submission,” Donovan mutters darkly.
“Are you complaining, Pet?” Jayden asks.
Donovan flushes. “No, Sir.”
Jayden clicks his fingers and Donovan slides off the sofa, crawling over to Jayden and sitting at his feet.
That…is not what I was expecting. I knew from Doc that they were together—he went on a very long rant about the physical therapist poaching from him, but I very carefully didn’t ask, or go looking for details.
I’m still a bit concerned about how he managed to snag Donovan right out from under Doc’s nose, though. To say Doc is protective of his people is an understatement.
“What about your brother?” Tennant asks.
“James had a choice, and he made it. Neither Joel nor myself had high hopes that he’d leave Doc behind.
We trust Doc to protect him, as much as he’ll be protecting Doc.
” Jayden’s voice doesn’t change as he speaks.
It's still the level, unaffected tone he always uses, but the way he rolls his shoulders back, and the minute narrowing of his eyes, says he’s not happy about James’s decision to stay with Doc.
“I think this situation shows we’re right in changing which guards accompany you and Carter,” Benjamin says. “If Cristian is planning such…terrible things against those he’s supposed to care about, there’s no way Ten can attend the meeting as Lio’s guard.”
“Like hell!” Tennant bursts out. “I am not being left behind, to allow that asshole to manipulate Lio or Carter.”
I grimace. “He’s right, Ten. I never thought Cristian could stoop so low to even suggest such a thing against Doc, but…if you show up as Lio’s guard tomorrow, there’s no telling what he will do.”
Before Tennant can argue, Roman cuts in. “They’re right. Please, I don’t want you to have to make a choice. This meeting is supposed to set us up as Bosses, to show them we’re serious about what we’re doing. We can’t do that if there’s already hostility before the meeting starts.”
“Guard me,” Jude interjects. All eyes turn to him.
“Roman isn’t going, and none of us blame him for not wanting to face Cristian, not after the way he’s treated both him and Carter; but he needs a voice in the meeting as well.
Lio and Carter will be there representing their sides and Families.
If you’re serious about being a player in this game, Roman, then you need a voice.
I am your Second, allow me to be that for you. ”
Conflict plays out over Roman’s face, his need to protect his lover clear as day, before he finally nods. “You’re right. I can’t have no representation at all, even though I trust Lio and Carter to speak in my stead. Having you there will reinforce that I am serious about taking my rightful place.”
“Who is guarding you, Little Monster?”
“Antonio,” Lio responds to Tennant. “Benjamin will stay here as my Second, while Antonio accompanies me.”
“All the more reason for me to go,” Jude says. “If he thinks he can manipulate you and have you back, Bello…”
“I’m yours, Sir,” Antonio says.
“Yes, you are. I won’t interfere with your job, but I also won’t sit back and let him fuck with your head again.”
“Is Marcus still going as your guard, Carter?”
“I am,” the man replies. “Keegan will stay as Carter’s proxy here, and I will accompany our Boss.”
“Allesandro might have an issue with one of his Boys jumping ship,” Tennant points out.
“We discussed that, but I can do my job. No matter what else may happen, I'll protect him.”
“You better,” Roman says. “I won't be injured forever…”
The hardness in Roman’s voice makes me smile a little.
I don't need my son to fight my battles for me, but that he’s so protective of me warms my heart.
I trust Marcus, though, he and Keegan have proven over and over they have me.
No matter what hold Allesandro might have on him still, I know he won't allow himself to be compromised on the job.
“What can you tell us about Luca?” Lio asks. “I've listened to the recordings Hollis has, but what have you seen?”
Donovan shrugs. “He didn’t require full-time care, so I only had a few interactions with him, but…you could tell he wasn't pleased about what he was seeing with Il Padrone and his behavior.”
“I did a PT assessment on him,” Dominic says. “Gave him a few exercises to rebuild the muscle mass he lost in his captivity. He is…different from what we were warned about. I'm pretty sure Doc still wants to stab him because he is a snarky asshole, but his loyalty isn't with Il Padrone.”
Lio lets out a breath, but I can't tell if it's one of relief or…what.
Though if Doc and the trips are right, and we have no reason to distrust them, then that makes going into this meeting a little easier. It also helps knowing Doc has an ally outside of Soren and James.
“Thank you,” Lio finally tells them. “I'll have rooms prepared for you.”
“We only need one,” Dominic says. “We don't mind sharing. We need it right now, being separated from Soren.”
Dmitri says something in RSL that has Dominic snorting. “Correction,” he voices. “We're close, but not close enough to watch our brother and his Master, so I hope Jayden has his own room here already?”
“Don't be jealous,” Donovan says from where he's still leaning against Jayden’s leg.
“Of you? Never,” Dominic shoots back.
Some of the seriousness leaves the room as the trips start snipping at each other, and I relax a little in my seat, though my mind is still working with the new information we've learned.
I want to say I can't believe Cristian would stoop so low, but what do I know? If anything, I'm learning I don't know my husband as well as I once thought. It's a bitter pill to swallow, to know that the person I fell in love with might not be the man I ever thought he was.
A pang of sadness rushes through me as I come to the realization and acceptance that everything we've been through together might have been for nothing.
At the end of the day, I might end up as alone as I was when Julian first threw me onto this path. Only now, I have so much more to lose.