Chapter 27
TWENTY-SEVEN
I t’s no surprise that the warehouse is crowded tonight. Roman has one of the biggest fights happening; a turf war between two gangs. Though they have nothing to do with us, it’s still exciting to watch.
They’re the most ruthless fighters to date, unsponsored and looking to settle a score between districts. I can feel the buzz of excitement, taste the dangerous energy. Lennox Packer and Ethan Holt are sworn enemies. Their hatred for one another stains the air, yet they look calm as fuck as they approach the ring.
Lennox is a sturdy six foot seven, dark skin and muscles that could snap your neck with just a flinch. His buzzed dark hair gives him a lethal edge to his looks, but his features are softer. He carries himself well, and my money is on him to win tonight.
Ethan Holt has two more inches on Lennox, with a leaner physique. The overhead lights make him look like a ghost, though, the bright red mouth-guard standing out against his pasty, sweaty skin. He looks mean, like someone killed his family and now he’s out for revenge. I mean, I wouldn’t dismiss that thought entirely. It’s not exactly out of the realm of reason to fight someone.
From the balcony, my sister and Roman are cozied up to one another, exchanging words that I don’t care to listen to. All that matters is she’s safe, and I know Roman would do anything to ensure that. If I trust anyone in this world, it’s my best friends. We’ve all been brought up to protect one another. We’re family first, associates second, and even though we’re all from separate families, our morals and loyalties align all the same.
The referee’s voice suddenly booms through the speakers as he announces the start of the fight, and a wave of anticipation rushes through the crowd as Ethan takes the first shot. He misses, barely pulling back in time to protect himself when Lennox catches him on the cheek.
Ethan’s head snaps sideways, but he instantly shakes it off, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he lunges forward again. They’re both skilled fighters, it shows in their technique and the way they float around the ring.
What’s that saying? Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
I’m mesmerized by the fight, the atmosphere around us booming with frenetic energy as the fighters throw fists back and forth. It isn’t until the bell rings out for the fourth time that things start to ramp up. The crowd is growing wilder by the second, roars and boos shouted as each fighter takes a hit. We’re all absorbed in the moment, watching with fascination as Holt and Packer hold their own, working each other overtime until the next bell rings out.
Blood sprays the floor, and the crowd goes wild. The coppery taste of violence stains the air, and I can tell by the way Lennox’s shoulders heave that he’s battling exhaustion. But he keeps on going, even when Ethan catches him in the ribs and he doubles over, he gets back up. He clings to the ropes for a moment, shaking his head to get his vision back before spinning around and committing to a mean right hook.
Ethan sways on his feet, staggering sideways as Lennox takes another shot, and another, and another. The referee is about to call time on the fifth round when a commotion disturbs the fight. It comes from the entrance, seconds before the doorway is lit up in blue and red flashes.
The parking lot outside is buried with dust, sirens wailing over the music. Panic sets in instantly, Haldon grabbing for his sister while Roman holds Alanis to his chest.
“Police!” A slurry of barks and bellows spreads through the room.
We know what this is.
The music cuts off, the crowd grows chaotic, and before I know it, the whole place is rumbling with footfall. Panicked screams and shouts ensue as everyone pushes like a stampede, trying to escape in every direction. The lights flicker off, and we’re doused in darkness for a moment before the huge overhead lights spring into action.
“Get to the exit, now!” I bark at Haldon, pushing them towards the fire exit on the other side of the VIP Area.
Heat crawls up my spine as I dart my gaze over to Roman. We need to get everyone out of here and fast. There’s no time to think about it as I push the fire exit open, the cold air slamming me in the face.
Thankfully, the exit opens to the back of the warehouse, where the cops haven’t quite made it yet. Our cars are parked at the back at least fifty feet away. I guide Haven down the steps carefully, directing her and Haldon to his car. “Get out of here. We’ll meet back up later.”
With a quick nod, Haldon grabs his sister and darts across the gravel. I need to leave, but I can’t go without my sister. Roman will be able to look after himself– this shit isn’t new to us– but Lani? I can’t risk anything happening to her.
I sprint towards my car, glancing over my shoulder to see Roman and Lani not far behind. But they don’t make it out quick enough. My heart pounds and my breaths come out ragged as I battle my own fear and anger.
I don’t want Lani to get caught up in whatever’s going down, I can’t allow it. I promised my parents I’d protect her and I’m failing. I’m fucking failing …
Trying to control my emotions, I spot Haldon and Haven peeling away in his Audi. At least they’ll be safe, which is more than I can say for the three of us. I need Lani and Roman to hurry the fuck up.
“Go!” I hear him shout at her, detangling his hands from hers. She goes to protest, but he grabs her by the waist and kisses her lips before spinning her towards me.
She turns back around, eyes rounded in fear, but whatever she says is cut off when bright lights round the corner.
“Hands up and face the wall!”
Shit.
It all happens so quickly. One minute they’re surrounded by officers, the next Lani is being pinned to the wall while Roman is knocked unconscious to the ground. My fists clench and my veins burn furiously, but I can’t do anything. Not like this.
Without thinking, I jump into my Mercedes and peel away before the cops can even get near me. My heart is racing at a million miles a minute, my thoughts trying to process what the fuck just happened, and what I need to do next to fix it.
Buildings swing by me as I swerve between cars, desperate to create as much distance between myself and the warehouse when my cell rings over the speaker. I take a corner hard and fast, hitting the green button on my steering wheel without seeing who’s calling. “Yeah?”
“Vee?”
My heart does this weird thing where it tightens and plummets to my stomach all at the same time. His voice is filled with relief, though I know it’s misplaced because I don’t want to believe he actually fucking cares. Anger is the first emotion I feel when he says my name again. Lately it’s been the only emotion I feel, but then I’m swarmed with fear. Fear that he’s behind all of this, and I have to do the unthinkable.
Subconsciously, I tap my glock that sits inside my jacket, blowing out a breath when my fingertips graze the metal. I halt at the red traffic light, taking a deep breath as I check the rearview mirror. Nobody is following me, but that’s not even the least of my worries right now. “The fuck do you want, Kyrovsky?”
“I’ve been trying to contact you!”
“And I’ve been trying to avoid you. Appears you didn’t get the hint.” I take back everything I’ve said before this point. I don’t want to see or even speak to Milo. Not right now. Not ever. Deep down, I know the truth. He’s in with the cops, working with them to take us down, and I was victim to Milo’s fucking charm. I only have myself to blame and trust me, I’m kicking myself over this. If anyone deserves a bullet in the kneecap right now, it’s me.
“Vee, please. We need to talk.” His tone is soft, filled with something I can only assume is regret.
“Talk about what?” I snap.
“The raid.”
My fingers start tapping against the leather steering wheel, my jaw grinding as I try to settle my nerves. It’s no use, though. Milo knew about the fucking raid, which only confirms my assumptions.
“You mean the raid that got my sister arrested?” I growl.
Silence follows my words, and I sense that he either wasn’t expecting that, or worse, he was.
“That’s what I thought,” I grumble, just as the light ahead turns green. I floor the gas, crossing the intersection. “There’s nothing to talk about, Milo. We’re fucking done. You’re fucking done.”
I hang up before he can respond, blocking his number before I have the chance to back out. Pulling up to the curb outside The Ravenite, I lock eyes with Baz, who’s standing guard on the door. He nods in acknowledgement, marching towards me and bending down to my window.
“The Gambinos are at the penthouse,” he tells me.
I unclench my fists around the steering wheel, relief crippling my fingers. I didn’t realize how tense I was until hearing confirmation that Haven and Haldon are safe. My muscles relax significantly, but not enough for me to forget there are still two people I need to save.
“What the fuck happened, Vee?” Baz asks, glancing over both his shoulders. Even though the patrons are filtering in and out fluidly, I respect how cautious he’s being.
My eyes drift along the cue of giggling women and lecherous men. “The Russians happened,” I mumble with distaste. It runs through my veins, spilling into every word. Vengeance chases it, the need to fuck over the Russians like I know they did to us.
Baz’s brows furrow as he takes in the empty seat beside me. The question is on the tip of his tongue when I shake my head at him.
“They got to them,” I confirm.
He takes a deep breath before standing up straight. The man is built like a brick shit house, his loyalty caged within it. This man has been with my Uncle Hunter since before I was even a twinkle in my mother’s eye, so when he speaks again, I trust everything that man says.
“We’ll get them for this,” he assures me. “But first, you need to get your sis and Genovese out.”
“I’ve got nothing,” I whisper, rubbing my tired eyes. It’s not even that late, but the adrenaline is clearly working its way out of my system.
“You’ve got your mom.”
I raise a brow at him and nod. He’s right, this isn’t something I can do alone, and I know that whatever reason the cops have for raiding the warehouse is out of our control. Accepting what I need to do, I say goodbye to Baz and head towards my sister’s place. The journey is about twenty minutes, which gives me enough time to call mom and explain the situation.
* * *
“A re you sure?” I ask Haldon as I pace the floor of Lani’s apartment.
“I’m certain. Not one of my contacts knows anything about tonight. All they know is some cops split them up, took Lani to seventeenth and Ro over to twentieth.”
“Fuck!” I growl, slamming my fist into one of Lani’s cushions. Something fucked up is going down, and we’re nowhere near the answers we need. All we know is the cops are behind this. “Okay,” I huff. “Get your attorney on the line. See what he can do about getting Roman out.”
“What about Lani?” he asks.
“Mom’s already on the case,” I answer, pacing towards the kitchen window. I spot a familiar car parking at the curb, and when I look closer, relief washes over me. My sister is in the passenger seat, staring up at me. “They’re here, so I gotta go. But update me on Roman.”
“Will do! Stay safe, Bro.”
“You too.”
We hang up just as the lock to Lani’s apartment clicks. I race towards it, swinging the door open and tugging my sister to my chest. All the fear I felt earlier dissipates, relief overwhelming me as I hold onto her for longer than what’s normal between us.
Eventually, Lani clears her throat and I pull away. Her glossy green eyes peer up at me, filled with so much sadness.
“Any update on Roman?” Mom asks, heading into the kitchen.
“Not yet,” I confirm as I walk my twin to the couch. “He was taken to another precinct.”
I glance past my sister to where Mom is busying herself in the kitchen, making coffee by the looks of things. I return my gaze back to Lani. “You okay?”
“Yeah…” she sighs. “I…umm…” She inhales deeply just as our Mom places two mugs of coffee on the table in front of us. “There’s something I need to tell you… both of you.”
For a split second, I worry that something happened to her while she was locked up. Something feral guides my rage to the surface, but the look on my sister’s face says she doesn’t need my anger, she needs something else. Resting a hand on her shoulder, I watch her gaze lift to mine. “What’s going on, Lani?”
Taking her mug from the coffee table in front, she clutches it between her palms, taking soothing breaths.
Mom takes a seat on the armchair adjacent to us, silently waiting. I don’t know how she does it.. She’s always been the most patient out of my parents, and I understand why, I just don’t get how. How she can be so calm with all the shit swirling around us? Our family will always be a target, yet she takes that fact with grace and stoicism.
“Five years ago, I… I went to The Ravenite.” Lani glances up at my mom, but her expression remains calm and collected, patient in a way I’ve never seen before. “I was angry at Roman because he was leaving, so I drank way too much and…” she shakes her head like she’s clearing her thoughts out. “Some guys came onto me. I didn’t know who they were at the time, but they were pushy and crude, and I wasn’t as strong then as I am now.”
I suck in a deep breath, sinking my teeth into my tongue. The way she speaks, I feel like I know what she’s going to say, and I don’t know if I can hear it. But when I catch her soft gaze, I feel her reaching out to me, searching for the kind of support only I can offer her. Nodding, I place a hand between her shoulder blades, rubbing gently.
“The guys dragged me into the alley beside the club. I couldn’t…” she stutters, choking on her breath. It’s like I can feel her pain, the agonizing words that tear through her as she recalls what happened. We’ve never claimed to have any ability to read each other’s thoughts or sense each other’s pain, but right now, I do.
I feel every ounce of suffering she’s put herself through for the last five years. I absorb all the heartache, torment and trauma she’s had to deal with.
Tears freefall from my sister’s eyes as she recalls how she was assaulted, how she woke up in a hospital and swore her best friend Haven to secrecy. I want to ask why the hospital never called our parents, but then I remember this happened five years ago. She’d have been classed as an adult.
“Fuck, Lani!” I growl, slamming my fist down on the arm of the couch. I shoot up from my spot and begin pacing back and forth, running a hand through my hair. “Ashton fucking Greedy? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was broken, Vee. I felt ashamed and guilty and…”
“Oh, sweetheart.” Mom comes to sit beside her, taking the mug from her hands and resting it on the table. She pulls Lani against her chest and wraps her in a hug. “I’m okay,” she reassures.
But I’m not. I’m raging on the inside, pissed that my sister couldn’t confide in me about this. I get that she was hurt and broken, but we’re closer than that. She should know that I’d have stood beside her, supported her and held her whenever she needed me. Instead, she chose to do this alone.
“You’ve had to see his face plastered around the city, fight after fight!” My voice is raspy, filled with regret and guilt, along with the unfiltered rage I’m trying to control. “I feel like the shittiest brother right now.”
“Varo,” Mom scolds.
“Sorry. It’s not about me. I just…” The guilt builds on top of itself. I shake my head and join my sister and mom on the couch. “I’m real fucking sorry, Lani.”
“It’s not your fault,” she sniffles, pulling away from the embrace to catch a breath. “It’s funny, though. For a while, I blamed Roman. If he hadn’t left, I wouldn’t have been in that situation, and…” she shrugs.
Everything snaps into place like a magnet. I frown, remembering Ashton Greedy’s disappearance and how shady Roman was with me. I didn’t think much of it, even though deep down I could sense he wasn’t being completely truthful. But now it all makes sense.
Well, at least he’s redeemed himself.
“Huh?” Lani gaze snaps to me, brows furrowed.
I didn’t realize I’d spoken aloud. Shit.
“What do you mean?” She looks at Mom, but she’s wearing the same look of confusion.
“Didn’t you know?” I frown. “Greedy went missing last week, it’s been all over the news.”
Her eyes widen, her chest rising and falling so erratically it looks like she’s on the verge of a panic attack. Even when Mom clutches her hand to calm her down, all she does is shake her head.
“No, that’s not… Roman, he…”
Clutching her face, Mom swipes away Lani’s tears. “This isn’t Roman’s fault, sweetheart.”
“You don’t get it,” she croaks. “He was mine. I had a plan to make him pay, and…”
“I know,” Mom soothes, like she actually understands the gravity of what my sister is saying. I do to a certain extent, because I would’ve loved to get my hands on Greedy myself.
“He’s taken that from me, Mom.”
My chest tightens at my sister’s words. I want to take her pain away, make Greedy pay for what he did. But she’s right, Roman took that from her.
“He didn’t take anything from you, Precious.” Mom strokes Lani’s hair, clutching her to her chest. “He did this for you.”
“I know. But this was my revenge, not his. If he hadn’t left, none of this would have happened?—”
The fuck?
“You don’t mean that, Lani,” I interject. Surely, she can’t be blaming Roman for this? He’s done nothing but protect my sister. Sure, he has a shitty way of dealing with stuff, and I won’t lie and say that when I found out he never said goodbye to her all those years ago before leaving for the West Coast, I considered knocking him out. But this, this was out of his control.
“I know that!” she whines back. “But he hurt me, and I needed it to make sense.”
“Oh, honey,” Mom clucks. “Sometimes, love doesn’t make sense. And Roman leaving you was no reflection of that love. Did you ever think about that? Sometimes, love is hard,” Mom whispers, breaking through my thoughts. “But that makes it worth it in the end.”
Mom’s words cling to the corners of my mind. Everything she’s said makes sense, and even the words she didn’t say. Somehow, they resonate with me, like she’s not just talking to Lani, but to me, too.
I know it’s not love that I feel for Milo. It’s far from that, but it’s a lot closer than anything I’ve felt before, which is both terrifying and exciting. The reminder that I need to get to the bottom of what happened tonight still sits heavy on my mind, but more than that is the desperate need to find out the truth about him.