1. Dion
1
DION
Two years earlier
Y ou’re going to be shitfaced if you keep this up,” Xander says from my right, his bulky frame taking up almost the entire booth. His arms are spread along the back of the couch as he eyes me with a disapproving look.
“ That’s the fucking goal,” I murmur, annoyed that I have to spend the night listening to loud, thumping music and watch drunken idiots misbehave. I hate crowds. Especially drunken crowds.
I down the rest of my ouzo and slam the glass on the table. “ Argh !”
It’s my third drink of the night and it’s only nine p.m. Only five more hours to go…
I’m on babysitting duty—as I call it—at Academia , the nightclub my best friend, Brother from another mother, and boss, Evander Vasilakis , owns.
Even though the manager, Elias , is around and the place is filled with bouncers, Evan still wanted me here.
I get it. He would rather be safe than sorry, given that the threats made against him are becoming serious.
Cebrene is controlled by five main families, and the Vasilakis clan, in which I’ve been adopted, is one of them. I was born a Loukas . But when tragedy struck, I was taken in by Evander’s uncle, Ignatius Vasilakis .
I’ll never change my last name, but I’m loyal as fuck to them.
In the many years when Evander was living in the shadows as the Diávolos , I was keeping an eye out on the ground, helping Ignatius manage the business.
Now , after his death, Evan has been thrust into the light and has had to get more involved in his family’s clan, taking the reins as the heir.
He was never one to seek power, preferring the comfort of the dark. But destiny has a way of dragging even the most reluctant into its grand designs.
Ignatius was like a father to Evander and me, so his death left a permanent mark on both of us, reshaping our lives in ways we could never have anticipated.
The image of his lifeless, bloodied body still haunts me.
It was not just the loss of a beloved family member, but also of a mentor and protector.
For me, it felt like losing a part of myself, a foundation on which I had built so much of my own understanding of the world. He saved me.
I chug another glass of ouzo, the sharp, aniseed flavor blistering its way down my throat, matching the burning I already feel in my chest.
Ignatius’s death was also a catalyst, pushing both of us into roles we might never have assumed otherwise.
It lit a fire under me, a determination to see through the vision Ignatius had for our future.
And to see those responsible for his death brought to justice, or better yet, to exact our own vengeance.
Still , tonight, I’d rather be home, in my boxers, playing video games. Or out riding one of my bikes. They’re the only things that let me blow off some steam.
That or being balls deep in some cunt.
“ Have you spoken to Evan ?” I ask Xander .
“ Nah . He’s been quiet,” he replies, taking a swig of his drink.
“ It’s because of that girl, isn’t it?”
Xander shrugs his broad shoulders. “ Might be.”
I sigh and shake my head. Ever since Evander laid his eyes on our enemy’s daughter, he’s been a fucking mess. He claims he’s only interested in her for revenge, but I call bullshit.
Her father, Peter Kouvalakis , is responsible for the murder of Ignatius . I wanted to simply kill him right away, but instead of starting a full-out war between the clans, Evan decided to take a different approach: convince his daughter to marry him so he can take over Peter’s business and clan from the inside. Then , kill him.
It was an overall smart plan until Evan asked Xander to get some footage of Angelica Kouvalakis . As soon as he saw her pictures, he became obsessed. Understatement of the year.
I grab my phone and shoot him a text.
Me: Where the fuck are you, vlakas?
The alcohol has definitely kicked in, my head spinning as I wait for a reply. It comes a few seconds later.
Evan: None of your fucking business.
Me: Gasp! The least you could do is tell me what you’re up to since you’ve jailed me at your fucking club.
Evan: MY club? As if I don’t fucking share everything with you.
He’s not wrong. The club and the business might be his officially, but Evander is nothing but generous with his own people. He makes sure that I’m always well taken care of as his second-in-command. I’m responsible for the many warehouses we have around the city, overseeing the import and exporting of our goods. Most of the profits made go in my pocket. I have enough money for two lifetimes.
Me: Fine. Are you stalking that chick again?
Evan: Fuck you. I’m not stalking her.
I let out a deep laugh, startling Xander next to me. His eyes narrow, but I dismiss him with a wave.
Me: Don’t lie to me, Brother. You’re outside of her house right now, aren’t you?
Evan: Text me again and I’m blocking you.
Chuckling , I put my phone away and gulp down my fifth glass of ouzo.
Leon walks in, cigarette in mouth. “ Afentikó !” he yells.
Xander grunts. “ Put that fucking shit away,” he says, pointing at the cigarette.
Quickly , Leon grabs an empty glass off the table and puts out the bud. “ My bad, my bad! Cyrus is here to see you, Dion .”
I roll my eyes so fucking hard, they threaten to roll back in my head. “ What the fuck does he want?”
I don’t know why Evander hired that dumbass. He’s the epitome of a walking ball of stress at all times, and I’m always left dealing with his shit.
Leon shrugs his shoulders. “ No clue, but he looks stressed.”
“ What else is new?” I retort with a grumble. I’ve been here for an hour, and I’m ready to burn the whole place down.
I force myself off my seat and walk toward the entrance of the club. As soon as I step outside to where Cyrus is waiting for me, he starts speaking. “ I’m sorry. I tried to get more info out of him, but he wouldn’t budge,” he word-vomits. “ Then , he started getting suspicious and asked who I worked for, so I darted out of there. I don’t think anyone followed me, but?—”
“ Woah , woah, woah!” I interrupt him mid-speech. “ Christé mou , take a fucking breath, Cyrus .” I rub my temples. The buzz from the alcohol is already leaving me, and I now feel a headache coming on.
Cyrus went to get more information out of Peter Kouvalakis’s men. Evander thought it would be better to send someone frail and harmless looking to not raise questions, but judging by the state of Cyrus now, sweat stains and all, I’m thinking it wasn’t a good idea.
I take a deep breath. “ Start from the beginning.”
As Cyrus recounts his experience, my mind cannot focus on anything he’s saying. All I want to do is go back inside and have another drink.
“ Okay , go home. I’ll take care of it,” I tell Cyrus when he’s done speaking, shooing him away as I pass Leon at the door. Something else I’ll have to do tonight.
“ Have someone escort him home to make sure he isn’t followed,” I whisper to Leon , and he nods.
Back inside, I sit down at the booth and take a sip of my drink. Losing myself in the haze, I feel a sudden weight land on my lap.
I look up and see Amber grinning at me. We met at this very club a while back and have been spending some time with her. More specifically, she’s a woman I’ve been fucking.
Her body presses against mine as she wraps her arms around my neck, her pouty lips dangerously close to my ear.
“ Hey , stranger,” she purrs, her breath hot against my skin.
I grind my teeth, my grip tightening around my glass. This is exactly what I don’t need tonight. Amber and I have had our fun, but she’s beginning to overstep. I made it clear from the start this was just a hookup, but she’s been texting and calling at all hours, acting like we’re a thing. I can tell she’s starting to believe this is something it’s not. She’s a decent girl, but I don’t do clingy. Clingy means attachment, and attachment means feelings, and feelings are a luxury I can’t afford.
I try to lean back to put some distance between us, but she doesn’t take the hint. Her hands trail down my chest, fingers grazing the buttons of my shirt. I catch her wrists, holding her still.
“ Amber , not tonight,” I say, my voice rougher than intended.
She frowns playfully, her brown eyes searching mine. “ Why not?
“ I’m not in the mood.”
“ Come on. We always have a good time, don’t we?”
I sigh, fighting the urge to push her off me. “ We did. But that’s all it was—a good time. Nothing more. I already told you.”
Her expression hardens, the amused glint in her expression replaced by something darker. “ So , that’s it? You’re just done with me?”
I nod, my patience wearing thin. “ Yeah , that’s it.”
Amber huffs. “ You can’t keep doing this, Dion . Using people and then tossing them aside when they get too close.”
I release her wrists and push her off my lap, standing up abruptly.
“ Maybe you’re right, but I never promised you anything else.”
Amber’s eyes follow me as I head for the back door, and I ignore the asshole she yells at me. I’d rather not leave things like this, but I hate the alternative even more. Feelings mess up everything, and I’ve got enough complications without adding a woman into the mix.
Outside , the cool night air hits me like a slap, sobering me up a bit. I take a deep breath and debate whether to go back in or ignore Evan’s orders and go home.
My phone vibrates in my pocket.
Evan: Things changed. It looks like I’m coming to the club after all.
Oh boy . Here we go.
An hour later, I’m settled in the VIP section, seated at a booth with Xander , Evander , and his two bodyguards, Sebastien and Gregory .
The place is full of patrons. For being in the Lower District of Cebrene , a less than favorable area of the metropolis, Academia still attracts a crowd, no matter the day of the week. I’m happy it’s doing well.
“ How did the warehouse visit go?” Evander asks us.
“ Everything is clear. No disruptions,” Xander replies.
I begin to tell Evan about Cyrus and what happened earlier, but his gaze gets caught on something over on the dance floor, and suddenly, he straightens.
Annoyed that I’ve been talking to a wall for the past few minutes, I try to get his attention again. “ Bro , what is up with you right now? You look as if you’re about to pounce on some prey.”
“ It’s Angelica ,” he responds through clenched teeth.
“ Oo skatá ,” is all I manage to say .
My gaze sweeps across the sea of dancing bodies to find the Kouvalakis girl. She’s swaying to the beat of the music with a group of girls. I glance over them and— Like a ray of light amidst the chaos, there she is, standing at the heart of the group. A petite, blonde woman with an infectious smile that lights up her face in a way that draws me in effortlessly. With every graceful movement, she commands my attention without even trying. She dances and laughs, waving her hands in the air to the beat of the music, swaying her hips and pumping her chest.
I feel a tug at the corners of my lips as I watch her, an unfamiliar warmth spreading through me. There’s something about her that stirs curiosity within me, like the flicker of a flame igniting the darkness in my chest where no woman has ever set foot. Where I’ve never even let a woman come close.
My heart was ripped away from me years ago and has been closed off to the world ever since.
But in this moment, it’s as if everything else fades into the background, leaving only her and the electricity that crackles in the space between us. Who is she?
I snap out of my daydream when someone steps in front of the girl and I lose sight of her. I turn to Evan . “ Did you know Angelica would be here?”
He shakes his head.
Before he has the chance to detonate, I slap him on the shoulder and give it a squeeze. “ Hey , please don’t do anything crazy tonight. I really don’t feel like cleaning up one of your messes.” I joke.
Evander grunts, unamused, his jaw ticking as he watches the scene unfolding in front of him.
Angelica is dancing with a man. Double shit.
His eyes darken and he clenches his glass so hard, his knuckles whiten.
“ For fuck’s sake, Evan .”
If I don’t stop this right now, Evander is going to shoot that motherfucker straight between the eyes in the middle of his own club. That won’t be great for business.
“ And you say you don’t give a shit about her, huh?” I grumble as I stand and head toward the dance floor.
My eyes lock onto the blonde girl, watching her dance, her laugh somehow reaching my ears even across the loud club. I’m unable to resist the magnetic pull she seems to exert as I draw closer and closer.
She stands out like a rare gem, shining brighter than a diamond.
Once I’ve made my way to the group, I tap Angelica’s shoulder. She turns around, and not even a second later, her friend, the blonde, is in front of her, staring up at me with loathing.
“ Is this guy bothering you, Angelica ?”
Although she’s almost baring her teeth at me, her smooth voice makes me go still. My heart quickens its pace, anticipation fluttering in my chest.
“ And who’s this feisty little one?” I ask after a moment, hoping my smirk hides the chaos running around in my head.
“ The name’s Aria ,” she spits. My gaze zeroes in on her mouth. “ Who the hell are you and what do you want?”
I try to stifle my smile at her frown. Her attitude is doing the opposite of what it should. I’m mesmerized.
My cock is too, it seems, as it’s hardening by the second. Holy fuck.