Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Apollo
The private Moretti Family training facility is fuller than it has been in months. With constantly varying schedules, my brothers and I tend to keep up with our training in sporadic bursts. But today, several of them have conveniently decided they’re free.
Matteo, Armani, Elio, and even Nico have joined me and Yordan for the day.
Nosy bastards just want to see what the kid has, and I don’t see a reason to turn them away.
They’re likely interested in what I see in him, since I’ve never taken an interest in mentoring anyone before.
Yes, I’ve taught my brothers nearly everything I’ve learned from our father over the years, but this is different.
Yordan isn’t family. Until a couple of days ago, he was a complete and total stranger.
They’re barking up the wrong tree if they think they’ll figure out my motives today.
Even I don’t know why I feel so particularly compelled to keep Yordan close.
To not only protect him and his sister, but to mold him into someone who can protect himself.
I suppose I see a bit of myself in him, in the way he stood between his sister and a violent grown man, and in his eagerness to grow up.
But he’s happier than I ever remember being at his age, in the kind of joyous infectious way that I would normally find irritating.
I was never miserable or depressed, really, but Yordan seems to soak up life and enjoy it like every day might be his last. Even on my most favorable days, I don’t smile or laugh like him.
And I didn’t grow up in the shitty situations he did.
Radiating happiness is not something I’m unaccustomed to either.
Matteo has been a ball of joy and smiles since he was a baby; Armani has typically been in high spirits too.
I suppose it’s just something about the way that Yordan has been dealt bad hand after bad hand, and he just…
preserves. Resilience isn’t a quality you can teach, really. You’re born with it, or you’re not.
With his level of internal strength and my mentorship, Yordan Todorov is going to be a lethal force someday.
But right now, he’s a bit of a mess.
“Tighten up your stance,” Armani instructs him, grabbing the short barrel of the pistol in Yordan’s hands.
“You just told me to relax my shoulders.” Yordan sighs. He’s sweaty and tired from the sparring he just went through with Matteo. And still, he’s smiling, eager to keep going.
We’ve put him through a variable of tests and gun handling will probably be the last event for today. I want to see where he’s at before I decide what he needs the most training in, and how best to mold his skills.
“Because you looked like you were stiff from being cryogenically frozen.” Armani tsks, removing his hand from the gun and manually fixing the way Yordan is standing.
He maneuvers behind him and continues, “You need to be firm and strong, but able to move without delay. Now hit the target this time.”
A shot rings out, a small hole blasting into the human-shaped target. Instead of narrowly missing again, Yordan hits the spleen area and Armani slaps his shoulder in approval.
“Better,” he says happily. “You’re veering left a little, correct it.”
“You got it, boss.”
A couple more shots sound, each of them hitting the target again.
“He’s not overly skilled with any weapon type,” Elio comments, standing at my side. “His fighting skills aren’t honed either. But he’s got great reflexes. He’s very fast, and easily trainable. He listens well, and I think he could build muscle quickly if he trained and ate right.”
“He has a lot of fucking energy too,” Matteo adds, having overheard Elio. He chugs a few gulps from his water bottle and breathes out heavily. “He might have better stamina than me.”
“Yordan ran a lot at Federico’s,” I tell him, ignoring the easy jab I could make about his failing endurance. “He told me he wasn’t allowed to train much, but he could run around the property all he wanted. It’s likely why he’s thinner. He has a runner’s body currently.”
“Not the worst physique to have,” Elio agrees, nodding. “Reminds me more of Nico and Ivan’s size.” Nico who’s done nothing but observe so far, like a watchful ghost in the corner of the room. A ghost that twirls a knife whilst bored.
“And Ivan can lay a big motherfucker out.” Matteo chuckles. “I don’t know how he does it, but he’s strong as hell.”
“Think he’d want to get involved?” Elio asks, directing his question to our youngest brother. Matteo and Ivan have become quite close friends since Jade gave birth to the twins. They probably spend the most time with her, aside from Dmitri.
Matteo shrugs. “He would if we asked. Especially if Jade asked.”
I turn to him. “And why would Jade ask?”
“She wants to befriend Rayna,” he replies with a roll of his eyes. “Her and Ana both. They want to go over to the apartment to meet her, but they don’t want to force their friendship on her either. Jade’s afraid Rayna would only placate her out of fear that she’d be punished if she didn’t.”
I pause at his explanation.
I doubt Rayna would speak to Jade the way she snaps at me, even if she didn’t jive with her immediately.
Despite her appalling manners when it comes to our conversations, she hasn’t vocalized her anger toward any other members of our family.
Even if she had, Jade is pretty likeable and easy to get along with.
I assume Rayna would be fine meeting my sisters, but what the hell do I know? I can’t get a read on the woman.
“Rayna isn’t exactly notorious for keeping her opinions to herself,” I say drolly.
Elio agrees with a nod. “And despite her and Apollo’s beef, she’s friendly. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind meeting Ana and Jade. Probably best not to spring it on her though. I can give Jade her number, see if they can build a texting rapport first.”
“That makes sense.” Matteo hums. “I’m worried she’s not a big fan of having girls for friends, though. Did you guys see the looks she was shooting Melani on the plane?”
My ears twitch. I saw no such thing. “What are you talking about?”
Matteo looks contemplative, almost wincing. “It was hard to catch, but I was in the back near Jade, the kids, and Melani. Rayna looked at her like Melani killed her puppy or something.”
My mind whirls, searching for possible reasons for what Matteo saw. I didn’t catch onto any sort of tension between anyone other than Rayna and myself. I mean hell, Cleo gave her the stink eye several times and Rayna didn’t even return the frosty attitude thrown right at her.
So to hear she was sending some kind of glare at Melani…
I pause, eyes flicking to Elio who looks entirely unshocked.
“Care to comment, brother?”
“Melani’s family has been less than kind to Rayna,” he says cagily.
“It’s nothing to worry about, and not my story to tell.
I assume it’ll come out eventually, but Rayna won’t act on whatever negative feelings she harbors.
At least not physically. She’s good at keeping her resentment hidden.
” He smirks in my direction. “Unless it’s directed at you, brother. ”
Matteo chuckles. “Martha was tickled pink when I told her a woman shouted at you. I think she and Dad are planning your wedding as we speak. Looks like they want you to marry someone who isn’t afraid to knock you down a peg.”
My hands twitch, clenching and unclenching.
“I’m not going to dignify your little theory with a response.”
“That was a response,” he huffs.
“Perhaps I should start planning your wedding,” I suggest, voice dripping with threat.
“Jeez,” Matteo huffs with a flinch. “No need to be so touchy.”
“Get some water and take a break.” Armani’s voice cuts through our conversation. “You did good, it takes a while to correct bad habits but so far you haven’t pissed me off—and almost every student does.”
Yordan looks like he’s just been given the keys to the city, absorbing Armani’s compliment with a bright grin. “I’ll try to continue and keep you un-pissed.”
Armani nods. “Good man.”
“You can make him extra happy by inviting him to suit shopping after this,” Elio tells Yordan with a chuckle. “Just be advised, he will be snobby about every single thing you try on.”
My tattooed brother perks up. “Suit shopping you say?”
“Hey, thank you for buying Rayna’s clothes by the way,” Yordan says suddenly, his eyes on Armani.
“She was pretty uncomfortable with the whole idea and I doubt she would have bought more than a few things. She probably won’t admit it for a while but I think she’s excited to have a whole closet again. ”
“It was a pleasure.” Armani gives a small bow, hands together like some kind of director of fashion accepting his praise. “I would have gotten her more but I didn’t want to buy a bunch of shit and have her hate it all. I tend to go overboard.”
“That’s an understatement,” Matteo chirps. “There’s a whole guest room of clothes you’ve bought Jade and Ana that they haven’t even gone through entirely yet.”
“Women have so many more fun options,” Armani pouts before turning back to Yordan with a frown. “Hey, are you drinking just regular water? You should really use an electrolyte packet, you’ve sweat a lot. Here, let me get you a good one.”
Elio chuckles. “Oh good, another person for the hydration king to pester. Run while you can, Yordan.”
Yordan shrugs, unbothered. “I’ll take all the help I can get.”
Armani grins. “Good answer, kid.”
Deciding we’ve done enough for the day, I give Yordan a quick nod to get his attention. “Get showered after your drink, and grab something to eat from the kitchen. We’ll leave within the hour.”