Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Matteo
An hour after lunch, I realize my plan to train with Armani has been commandeered by Apollo.
I’m not even surprised that my overbearing oldest brother wormed his way into taking over my day, but I’m not pissed about it either.
Elio, Nico, and Armani are here too, all of us helping assess Yordan Todorov’s skill level.
We’ve been at it for a while now, and I’m pleasantly surprised with the skinny teenager’s tenacity. At his age, he’s still very much moldable. And his eagerness to learn is going to be the thing that truly sets him up for success.
I can see him ending up being one scary motherfucker with Apollo investing all this time in him. Even though he’s a bit of a wild card right now, the potential is there. He has some sloppy technique and a notable lack of muscle. Tons of energy, though.
Walking away from my place observing, I maneuver around the training area to where Elio and Apollo are watching Armani do his thing. We’ve gone right from the fighting ring to the gun range.
“Tighten up your stance,” I hear Armani instruct Yordan from behind me.
“You just told me to relax my shoulders,” the kid replies with a sigh, more so complaining that he can’t get it right rather than that he’s being told what to do.
The kid is as sweaty as I am, and definitely exhausted from the sparring I just put him through. He was all wild punches and messy blocking, but that didn’t stop him from smiling and asking to keep going any time he got knocked down.
Apollo asked me to step in to work with him since I’m lighter than Elio, Armani, and him.
Nico is the slimmest, of course, but he’s more of a killer than a fighter.
When it comes to fighting, he’ll use weapons for an edge.
Yordan is definitely not ready to be handed a knife for battle, so he got me.
Elio gives me a nod as I come to stand by him and I return it.
He seems oddly invested in helping Apollo out with Yordan, but I don’t need to know his reasons.
Elio has been like a second Remo in the past couple of years.
Quiet and mysterious but still consistently home and helping out whenever he’s needed.
“Because you looked like you were stiff from being cryogenically frozen.” Armani clicks his tongue, adjusting the pistol in Yordan’s hands and then manually fixing the way the kid is standing.
My brother steps back to stand behind him and continues, “You need to be firm and strong, but able to move without delay. Now hit the target this time.”
I assume gun handling will be Yordan’s last test for the day. I know Apollo wants to see what his baseline is before deciding how best to train his mentee. But I think he’s gone through enough today already.
Bang.
A small hole bursts through the human-shaped target. Yordan hits the spleen area right on and Armani slaps his shoulder in approval.
“Better,” he grunts brightly. “You’re veering left a little, correct it.”
“You got it, boss.”
A couple more shots ring out, each of them resulting in a target hit again.
“He’s not overly skilled with any weapon type,” Elio comments, standing between Apollo and me. “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 well and ate right.”
“He has a lot of fucking energy too,” I add, lifting my water to my lips. Sucking down a few gulps from my water bottle, I breathe out heavily. My heart rate is still up from my time in the ring. “He might have better stamina than me.” He doesn’t, but I enjoy exaggerating.
“Yordan ran a lot at Federico’s,” Apollo responds.
Federico being the cunt of a man who abused Rayna while she was his wife.
The man Apollo helped Yordan kill at our sister’s wedding, while I danced with Anya.
I can’t believe I didn’t hear the gunshot, even though they were in the ocean when it went off.
I’m glad that Anya couldn’t hear it either, though.
“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 comments, nodding. “Reminds me more of Nico and Ivan’s size.”
I flick my gaze to our enforcer brother, hearing his name. Nico hasn’t done anything but observe today, sitting in the corner of the room like a ghost haunting us all. A ghost twirling sharp black knives to entertain itself.
“And Ivan can lay a big motherfucker out.” I laugh, shaking my head as I remember the fight he started at Empire over someone talking shit about my sister. A guy twice his size, at least. “I don’t know how he does it, but he’s strong as hell.”
“Think he’d want to get involved?” Elio asks, turning his attention to me.
My shoulders lift in a shrug. “He would if we asked. Especially if Jade asked.” He’d do anything our sister requested. The guy would probably eat dirt if she wanted him to.
Apollo gives me a bland look. “And why would Jade ask?”
“She wants to befriend Rayna,” I tell him with a roll of his eyes.
Like duh. “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. ”
Jade and Ana talked my whole ear off about Rayna the day that we got home.
The two of them were eager to figure out if the new woman would want to befriend them, or want absolutely nothing to do with them.
Though, getting to know Yordan today, I doubt Rayna would treat them the way she acts toward Apollo.
She raised her little brother and she clearly did a good job, but my older brother seems to piss her right off.
I don’t think it’s her personality, I think it’s him pulling it out of her.
And if anyone understands how easily Apollo can piss people off, it’s me.
Sure, he got her and Yordan an apartment and kept them safe from The Casa Nostra after killing her abusive husband.
But she also never asked to be ripped away from her life without a choice.
I’m sure it’s frustrating and hard to adjust to, but I doubt Rayna sees Jade as the reason for her circumstance.
Besides, everyone likes Jade. She’s as sweet as candy, and very easy to get along with. I don’t know Rayna very well, but if there’s even a fraction of Yordan’s personality in here, I assume she’ll like Jade and Ana.
“Rayna isn’t exactly notorious for keeping her opinions to herself,” Apollo drawls. Butthurt, I silently snicker.
Elio agrees with him, nodding along. “And despite her and Apollo’s beef, she’s friendly.
I’m sure she wouldn’t mind meeting Ana and Jade.
Ana’s a little more feral than Jade, but she’s pretty normal when she wants to be.
Probably best not to spring anything on Rayna, though.
I can give Jade her number, see if they can build a texting rapport first.”
“That makes sense.” I hum, then tilt my head, thinking. “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?”
“What are you talking about?” Apollo all but barks.
I think back on it, trying to explain. “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.”
Apollo looks at Elio, who doesn’t seem surprised. “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 at Apollo. “Unless it’s directed at you, brother. ”
I try not to crack up, only letting out a chuckle. “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.”
“I’m not going to dignify your little theory with a response.”
Huffing, I roll my eyes. “That was a response.”
“Perhaps I should start planning your wedding,” he suggests, voice dripping with threat.
“Jeez,” I wince. “No need to be so touchy.”
“Get some water and take a break.” Armani’s voice breaks up 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 fucking beams, taking in Armani’s compliment with a bright smile. “I’ll try to continue and keep you un-pissed.”
Armani dips his head. “Good man.”
“You can make him extra happy by inviting him to suit shopping after this,” Elio calls out to Yordan with a chuckle. “Just be advised, he will be snobby about every single thing you try on.”
Armani can’t hide his excitement, a huge smile lighting up his face. “Suit shopping, you say?”
“Hey, thank you for buying Rayna’s clothes by the way,” Yordan says to 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 takes a bow with his hands together, obviously proud of himself. “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,” I chime in, amused. “There’s a whole guest room of clothes you’ve bought Jade and Ana that they haven’t even gone through entirely yet.” Not to mention the amount of designer baby dresses he buys for Isobella.
“Women have so many more fun options.” He pouts. Turning back to Yordan, his smile twists into 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 laughs. “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.”
Apollo has clearly had enough of our chatting and tells Yordan, “Get showered after your drink, and grab something to eat from the kitchen. We’ll leave within the hour.”
Yordan looks down at himself and grimaces at the amount of sweat he’s covered in. His blue shirt has gone from cornflower to cobalt, soaked all the way through. “Where do I go to shower?”
I’m about to offer to let him use my room when Apollo makes my jaw drop. “Guest room on the first floor off the kitchen and down at the end of the hall, it’s yours now.”
Yordan freezes. “Seriously?”
Seriously? I almost echo.
Apollo grunts in confirmation. “You’ll be training here a lot, you’ll need your own bathroom and your own space. It’s unused. It’s yours.”
“I—thank you,” Yordan says, swallowing and looking away. Fuck, he looks like he could cry.
“I need a shower too,” I announce, trying to take the attention away from him in case he actually needs to shed a few tears. “Come on, Yordan, this house is a maze. I’ll walk with you so you don’t get lost and end up in the security office or something.”
No one objects as I clap him on the shoulder and usher him out of the gun range. The basement of this massive house is split between the gym, the armory, and the gun range, but luckily, there’s a staircase on either end of it. I lead Yordan up the closest one and into the kitchen.
“You want to grab food after you wash up, or now?”
“After is fine,” Yordan replies, more relaxed now than before. “I’m pretty sure I smell too gross to eat.”
I chuckle, leaning down to sniff my shirt. It’s only slightly rank. “I don’t know, dude, that could be me too. I’ve been slacking off too much lately. I’m pretty disgusting right now.”
“It didn’t seem like you’ve been slacking,” Yordan says, eyes wide as we start walking out of the kitchen and toward his new room. “You kicked my ass.”
I grin at the compliment. “To be fair, I’ve been fighting like that since I was like ten. I have eight older brothers who’ve been taking turns kicking my ass for twenty-one years.” I pause. “Well, I guess they waited until I could throw a punch first, but you know what I mean.”
“I can’t imagine,” he replies, sounding mystified. “Growing up with such a big family. It’s always just been me and Rayna, really.”
He probably has no idea how envious I am that he got to grow up with his sister.
But I’m hardly going to tell the kid that.
He’s been dealt a rough hand; the last thing he needs is me telling him to be grateful.
From how highly he speaks of her, I know he’s already grateful for Rayna.
Every other sentence out of his mouth has been about her.
Partly because Apollo can’t stop asking about the woman.
When we get to the spare room, I see Apollo has already left a stack of clothes and towels for him–no doubt the shower is stocked too. My control-freak brother probably had this planned out from the moment he decided he was going to mentor Yordan.
“See you later?” I ask, leaning against his doorframe. “Remo put my number in your phone, so you can text me if you need anything. I always have it on me.”
Even more than usual now that I have texts from Anya to look out for.
“Yeah, thanks,” he agrees. “See you later.”
On the way up to my room, I check that my ringer is still on and remind myself to shoot her another message after I finish showering. Though I don’t want to overwhelm her with too many questions in one day, I think it’s time to get to know the girl better.
Hopefully she feels the same way.