by India Kells
After the next fight, the announcer grabbed the mike and shouted the final fight of the night. The crowd went berserk. From one corner, she saw one huge Latino man, entering the cage with two other equally tattooed and frightening men as his posse. All dressed in black, the announcer yelled a name Deva couldn’t make out. A specific group of men in the audience jumped at the name, yelling and clapping.
And then, the announcer called for his opponent. All she heard was Aleksei’s name being called. From the reaction of the crowd, he was well-known and appreciated. From the corner of her eyes, she saw more money being exchanged. Aleksei came out of the lockers and entered the cage, alone. Sporting dark red shorts, his hands taped in the same color, his face was a mask of concentration. He was loosening his shoulders and arms, his body already glistening with sweat. Then she noticed something and grabbed Lance’s arm.
“We’ll walk to his ring side when the first round starts.”
Lance frowned and looked around. “I suspected as much. Will they allow us near, or will you need to flash that tattoo of yours?” She glared at him and saw that despite his stern face he was teasing her.
“You can still leave, Navy SEAL. And as a matter of fact, I would strongly recommend it. You’re not chained to me.”
Teasing was gone, replaced with icy determination. “I’m not leaving. I’m curious to see how everything will unfold. I’ve seen Voronov fight, I can learn a lot from the guy.”
“You’re a sick man, Lance.”
His blue eyes flashed, and he nodded. “I can be. Also, I may not know this Aleksei guy, but I’ve heard of him at the gym. He needs someone in his corner. I’ll stay in the shadows, follow your lead, but I’m not leaving him, or you.”
For a moment, she examined him and finally nodded. Deva pushed through the mass of bodies towards the octagon, Lance on her heels, scanning the crowd.
It took some negotiation, and another tattoo demonstration to convince the security team to let them pass and access the restricted area. The moment they came closer to Aleksei’s corner, Deva quickly called to him before stepping back. She turned her back to most of the crowd and lifted her cap off so he could see her face. The first thing she saw was surprise and then unbridled fury. She gestured to him, making him understand that she would remain in his corner. If looks could kill, she would be lifeless on the concrete floor. They had no time for explanations as the bell rang.
A five-minute bout started, hard and brutal. She had only seen Aleksei fight at the training center, never in a live fight, even less in an unsanctioned, illegal underground tournament.
The two men circled each other several times, before his opponent, the Hispanic man, jumped forward. Aleksei was quicker and evaded easily, before placing a couple of hard kicks to his side. His opponent retaliated with an elbow hit on Aleksei’s brow. Blood spurted. Deva ground her teeth and quickly realized that she didn’t have anything on hand to stop the blood when the bout was over. Frantically, she looked around and saw the entrance for the lockers. Nobody was looking at her, all eyes were on the cage. Lance was solely focused on Aleksei, lost for an instant in the battle.
Deva dashed inside the locker room, desperate to find any sort of medical supplies. Nobody was in sight, so she started testing every cupboard, every locker while keeping an ear on what was going on in the cage.
Cursing as she slammed the last locker closed, she turned to the bathroom, hoping that she could at least find clean toilet paper when a shadow moved in her direction. Fear clogged her throat for an instant until she recognized Lazarus. Why was he here? She had no time for any sort of explanation and had to return. Before she could utter a word, he lifted some sort of box. It looked like a tool box, and she recognized it as what the crew used for medical equipment. Nodding at Aleksei’s brother, she took the box and just as he turned away, she gripped his elbow.
It was impossible to mistake the way his body tensed at her touch and how he reined in his response to simply turn his head back in her direction. A reaction so similar to Aleksei’s.
“Thank you.”
Surprise flickered on his face so quickly, she could have easily missed it. But as soon as she noticed it, it was gone, and so was the man.
With a strong hold on the box, she went back beside the cage. Only a minute left to the bout. Aleksei was still standing and fighting which was a good thing in her opinion. Small blessings, but strong hits were given and received, as both fighters’ faces were bloody.
When the horn resonated and the fighters returned to their sides, Deva lowered her head and entered the ring. She quickly put on latex gloves, hiding under the hood and cap as well as she could. Lance approached but made sure not to startle the man. Aleksei sat and didn’t seem to notice he wasn’t alone at first. Lance started rubbing his arms, and Deva kneeled before him working on the gash above his left eye. Again, he was oblivious to her, breathing hard, wincing at each inhale and exhale. She kept her hands steady, tending to all the wounds she could see as quickly as possible before the second bout started. The crowd was heating up, a sure sign that the fight was soon to start again. She gathered the soiled gauze, and Lance handed Aleksei his water. The two men nodded at each other, a silent recognition. Only then did he lift his eyes and met hers. If he allowed emotion to show when he first saw her, it was frustration and annoyance that set his silver eyes ablaze. She saw him reign his temper at the last second, looking around to make sure nobody read anything suspicious in his reaction. Then, his eyes locking with hers, he took another sip of water and leaned in.
“You leave, now.” His voice was so low, it rumbled through her. But what threw her off, was how thick his accent got, Russian scratching every word. He was angry alright. When he got up, the hand on her shoulder squeezed her to the point of pain, another clear message. Too bad it was one she wasn’t prepared to listen to. At the buzzer sound, Deva and Lance scrambled out of the way. The second bout began, and as Lance remained close to the cage, she tried her best to blend in the shadows by the wall. It was one thing to stand her ground, but she didn’t want Aleksei distracted, thinking about her.
Immobile as a statue, she observed the two fighters. The Hispanic seemed more aggressive, more emotional than Aleksei. He yelled and insulted him non-stop, but apart from encouraging his fans, it didn’t seem to affect the Russian. At first acting defensive, Deva thought that Aleksei was affected by his healing injuries or was letting his adversary tire himself, but she rather suspected that Aleksei was analyzing him, trying to find his weak spot. Again, and again, the other fighter attacked, and Aleksei retreated. Halfway through the bout, Deva sensed a shift. Aleksei was done waiting. He had found what he had been waiting for.
Deva had observed Aleksei train with the other fighters at the club, had seen him practice and spar, but it didn’t really reveal the kind of man he was in the cage. Lightning fast and ruthless. It took three strikes, and three vicious ones, to bring the Latin muscle man to his knees and into la-la-land. All three were illegal, and all three were potentially deadly, but rules didn’t apply here she reminded herself, trying not to wince, imagining the pain and injuries the man had sustained.
Like a tree, the fighter fell, and the crowd exploded around them. The win was undeniable.
One look at the winner and Deva could see the resigned look on Aleksei’s face. He acted the part, but he wasn’t proud. The victorious, satisfied smile she had seen at the gym was nowhere to be seen. This was an obligation to him.
The groups shifted, and she saw Lance walk back in her direction when what seemed like the loser’s crew made a move toward them. It happened fast. Someone grabbed her from behind, dragging her toward the lockers. About to scream, she looked up and recognized Lazarus.
Very quickly, Lance, Lazarus, and Aleksei formed a protective circle around her until they were safely inside the empty locker room. Without a word, bloody and still panting, Aleksei went to the shower, without even looking in her direction. Lazarus nodded at Lance, sighed, an
d sat on the bench, rubbing his face. Lance slapped him on the shoulder as a sign of recognition, or a manly show of support, which ever it was men did in these situations. Lance was right when he’d said he knew King.
“Shit.” In fact, Lazarus murmured the curse at least a dozen times.
“What are you doing here, Oz?”
“I’m still asking myself that question.”
Lazarus glared at her, pointing to the SEAL at her side. “Gabrielle sent Lance Sorenson? How convenient that I wasn’t told. No offense, Lance.”
“No need to bite my head off. It was a last-minute call. He was training in Rusty’s gym. I didn’t know he had a relationship with you until he decided to come with me. Last minute protection and cover due to an incredible star alignment, let’s say. From my end, I wanna know the reason why you’re here.”
Aleksei’s brother rubbed his face with both hands. “I didn’t think. When I was told Aleksei was wounded and returning to fight so soon...”
Deva sighed. “I’m lost. You sent me here to keep an eye on him, what do you want me to do now?”
Lazarus shook his head and stood. “No, act as if you don’t know me. Keep close to him. I followed Finch here and lost sight of him. I’ll try to keep an eye on him. Are you going to be okay?”
Deva looked at Lance who’d remained silent but hadn’t missed a single word of the conversation. His blue eyes were bright, and even though he didn’t have all the details, his brain was obviously processing the situation fast.
The water stopped behind her, and she looked back at Lazarus who nodded at her. Better brace herself, the rumble was about to start.
Chapter 14
Deva pulled back her hoodie and removed her cap, running her fingers through the long tangle of dark curls. She put the first aid kit next to her and opened it. Aleksei may have cleaned some of the cuts with water, but she remembered several deeper gashes from the fight that would need more medical care than water and soap. As she prepared what was needed, Aleksei walked back, a single towel wrapped low around his hips. She may have seen him naked on several occasions, but him standing there, battered, bruised, and pissed off in a white towel, it was difficult for her not to admire this warrior. And deep down, she was glad for his level of fitness and that he could dispose of his opponent quickly.
Instead of coming over to sit beside her on the bench, he went and stood toe to toe with Lazarus. The two men were about the same height, Lazarus being slightly bulkier than his brother under his dark suit. The tension between the two men was thick and trembling with restrained anticipation.
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
“Aleksei, I’m worried about you.”
The Russian snarled and inched even closer. Deva looked at Lance who had uncrossed his arms and stood at the ready.
“You don’t belong here. You have no right to worry.”
“You are my brother.”
“I don’t have a brother!” Anger was clearly consuming Aleksei, and Deva doubted that he would be able to listen to anything that Lazarus would say. “Where were you when I needed you the most? Nowhere! So, keep your empty promises and get out!”
Lazarus lifted his hands in appeasement, but now Aleksei roamed the small space like a caged animal. When he finally locked gaze with her, his words were like spewed poison. “And you! How could you even be here? King was the one who brought you here, wasn’t it? From the beginning, I knew something was wrong with you, you were hiding something from me. It was this son of a bitch’s idea to put you in front of me? As a distraction? Was it on your to-do list to jerk me off and fuck me?”
As she got to her feet, Deva saw Lance move to position his body closer, ready to defend her. And before she could even react, Aleksei’s aggression turned to her knight in shining armor. To his credit, Lance stayed cool as ice. Thank goodness for a man capable of taking orders.
She shook her head and put an arm over Lance’s forearm. As she touched him, Aleksei snarled, but Deva ignored him. Instead, she smiled at her blond protector and stepped in front of him. It would take more than a tattooed, grumpy fighter to tick her off.
“Don’t touch him!”
Aleksei’s eyes turned dark at her outburst, and Deva debated what the best course of action was. They were still in dangerous territory, so far, she had been lucky not to be recognized, but that luck wouldn’t hold indefinitely. They needed to get out. So, digging herself a hole was the only option.
“I knew coming here wouldn’t be a walk in the park. I needed help, which Lance offered freely. And this man who claims to be your brother seems to care about you. And from what happened in your last fight, and the conversation you had with your father, I’m worried too. All the people in this room are on your side, trying to help you.”
“I. Don’t. Need. Help.” And in a gesture of defiance, he threw his towel to the side and turned to put his clothes on. Thank goodness, his wounds were not bleeding as much as she anticipated. Deva was about to pull her hair in frustration as he continued to ignore her when the locker door flew open.
“Well, isn’t this a cozy meeting. And here I thought I would be alone congratulating my champion.”
The man dressed in an expensive gray suit was flanked by two mean-looking goons. His black hair was streaked with white at the temple, but it was his gray eyes that were a dead giveaway. Even though she had never seen him, the voice was familiar. Jamieson Finch had arrived.
His smile had a wicked twist that made Deva’s stomach lurch. Due to security, she knew that everybody in the building was weaponless, but for the first time in very long time, she itched for a gun in her hand.
The older man turned to Lazarus and shook his head. “Well, boy. You seemed to be where I expect you the least. How brotherly of you to come and cheer on Aleksei.”
Lazarus clenched his teeth at the taunt and made a move, but the goons at Finch’s side reacted instantly.
Finch pursed his lips, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, boy.”
It was Lazarus’s turn to see red. “I’m not your boy. Never was. You only use your sons as you see fit.”
The look on the older man’s face was almost benevolent. “Aw. What a mean thing to say. But you were always a difficult child. How is your mother?”
“Safe, you fucking piece of shit.”
Deva wondered how Lazarus could hold himself together. She knew Finch had tried to kidnap and kill his mother, and in his shoes, she would already have ripped his throat out.
“Son, watch your language. A lady is in the room.” When Finch’s eyes slithered to her, she felt cold and dirty. She knew scum inside out, and that was the worst of them all.
Finch’s eyes slid to her breasts, and she was glad to be covered by the large hoodie. “Imagine my surprise when I learned that Victoria Johnson was in the house, the only daughter of Mex Johnson of the Dark Blood Row MC, the most important and dangerous club in the area. A neat resurrection story if you want my opinion. Everybody thought you were dead for years, my dear. It nearly drove your dear father mad. Especially on the eve of your marriage. A runaway bride. How amusing. Did you think you could seek protection from Aleksei?”
Deva didn’t dare look away. “I don’t need protection.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that. The groom you were destined for was a great catch, but Aleksei Voronov is not without charm or power. Or money.”
“I’m not using people like pawns, that’s your way of operating I’m told, Finch.”
His smile turned bright with a pinch of crazy. “You would know everything about being pushed around on a chess board, wouldn’t you Victoria? A woman’s life and will are worth less than damn motorcycles. But it’s where you belong, who you are, isn’t it? An MC princess, roaring royalty, so unlike my boys. And I can’t imagine how glad your father will be to recover you. He’s one difficult man, and I was wondering what to offer him as a boon to become his friend. You would do just fine as a gift, my dear.”
The goons stepped in her direction, Lance moved fast and hid her from view.
“I don’t think so, gentlemen.”
Finch laughed as his two guards whipped out guns and pointed out them at Lazarus’ and Lance’s heads. So much for being a weapon free zone, Deva thought.
“You come on your own two feet, my dear girl, or you’ll step on two corpses. Decide quickly.” Deva’s head reeled, but there wasn’t any choice. If she got out of her father’s grasp once, she could do it again. However, resuscitating corpses weren’t in her power.
Slowly she lifted her hands and sidestep around her two defenders. “I’ll go willingly, as long as they are unharmed.”
Bowing slowly, Finch offered her his arm which she ignored. Unoffended, the man reached for the door handle.
“Nobody leaves this room.”
At Aleksei’s deep, fierce tone, Deva froze, and the familiar clicking sound behind her made her realize that Finch wasn’t the only one who had broken the event’s rules.
Finch’s civilized veneer slipped as he looked at his son with a deadly gaze. “You would jeopardize everything you have bled for on a simple woman, Aleksei? For an MC bitch who was probably backstabbing you while you thought she was sucking your cock? Don’t be fooled son, you won’t win this fight by choosing her over me. If you step away, all the money you have accumulated will remain mine, and you will be back where you started. Is this what you want?”
