19. Eli

Chapter 19

Eli

L eaving Veronica tumbled across the bed wasn’t what I wanted, but I had work to do. Even though I ached to have her again, tucking her back into her blankets was the right thing to do. She looked like a sleepy fairy in her pink bed with blinking lights on her bookshelves.

Veronica was too good for me. I knew that, but I was determined I would have her. Nothing was going to stop me from taking her for my very own. She was mine.

I stood near the edge of the tarmac, the desert wind whipping across my face, carrying the familiar scent of dust and gasoline. The private jet descended smoothly, a sleek shadow cutting across the pale Arizona sky. I took a deep drag of my cigarette and exhaled slowly, watching as the jet’s wheels touched down with barely a whisper. Luther always knew how to make an entrance.

“So, this is fancy,” Pike had said when we pulled up to the private tarmac. I didn’t bother to reply. There wasn’t any reason to explain to him that it was essential to have privacy when you were flying fighters around to clandestine locations or that sometimes drunk rich people getting home wasn’t conducive to coach seating on a crappy airline.

Luther had hated being poor. He’d detested being judged by the rags we’d had to wear. Those thrift store hand-me-downs or the dirt that we sometimes ignored because we chose not to go to the laundromat in favor of eating. People with money or homes didn’t understand what life was like when you were fighting for just one more day.

Luther emerged as the jet’s door opened, starkly contrasting the desert backdrop. His tailored black suit and windswept hair gave him an air of mystery, a look more suited to a corporate boardroom than an underground fight ring. Luther consistently defied expectations.

His smile was warm, but his eyes betrayed his true nature. They were constantly assessing, always calculating, always one step ahead. It was a reminder that Luther was not to be underestimated. He jogged down the steps with a smile, making me feel a little better about where we stood with each other.

Behind him, Jolly and Russel followed, both looking like they’d been left outside by accident when the plane took off — rough. You’d think they weren’t paid well, but they always looked like they were in yesterday’s clothes and had hair that wasn’t combed. It drove Luther bananas.

“Havoc,” he said, his voice smooth and rich, like he hadn’t just flown halfway across the country to drop into the middle of the chaos we were about to orchestrate. "Arizona’s not bad this time of year. A lot fucking better than Seattle. I can see why you like it.”

"Not bad at all," I muttered, flicking my cigarette onto the pavement. "You ready for this?"

Luther stepped forward, clapping me on the shoulder in his usual friendly-but-not-quite-friendly way. "Always. Going to introduce me?”

“Sure. This is Pike. He’s the president of an MC in the area, the Cobras, and has connections to another MC, the Iron Brotherhood. They’ll work together to help with security.” I discussed this with Pike on the way here, and he agreed that he’d work with Dimitri and Maddox to help bolster the security. He looked askance at me the whole time when I said I’d need both clubs.

“Havoc,” Luther started, but I held up a hand. I knew where he was going and what he was going to say.

“Vetted. All of them.” I crossed my arms. “And Pike’s my brother.”

“No fucking shit?”

“No shit.” I didn’t provide extra detail, and he didn’t ask for any.

“Alright,” he agreed, but his eyes had hardened. I wasn’t sure that was the end of it.

We walked across the tarmac toward the SUV, the desert sun starting to dip toward the horizon. The world was on fire, red and orange bleeding into the sky. Jolly and Russel trudged after us without a word.

"You got everything set?" Luther asked as he slid into the passenger seat, his gaze sharp.

"Yeah," I said, starting the engine. “The warehouse address you sent me is golden. I scoped it out earlier, but I haven’t had a chance to go over it. Jolly, you and your boy good?” I called to the back .

“Yeah, boss. Is someone gonna get all our shit off the plane?”

“I’ve got guys coming for it,” Pike answered. “They’ll be bringing it.”

Luther gave me a nod, but he didn’t say anything. He liked to see things for himself. Always needed proof before he bought into anything.

We drove in silence for a while, the only sound the rumble of the Lincoln’s engine. I’d had to leave my bike for this trip, and it bummed me out. Riding motorcycles was among my few joys, but the Navigator was nice.

The warehouse wasn’t far off in an industrial park. It wasn’t too far from the Phoenix airport that it would be inconvenient, but it wasn’t too close to anything open. It had been a good pick. It was a spot that no one cared about anymore except people like us—people who could see the potential in dark, empty spaces.

We pulled up to the building just as the sun dipped below the horizon, the last rays casting long shadows over the pavement. The warehouse loomed ahead, stretching against a train track system that must have fallen out of use. It looked like a place where violence belonged as if it were waiting for it .

I stepped out of the SUV and waited for everyone to follow. Pike gave Luther a dirty look, but I guessed he didn’t have much use for people in suits. Luther ignored him, which probably pissed him off. Maybe that was what the dirty look was about. Luther moved with the same relaxed confidence he’d always had, even as a younger kid. His dress shoes clicked against the concrete as we approached the entrance.

Inside, the space was vast and open, the high ceilings echoing with our footsteps. A few metal beams stood in the corners, remnants of whatever this place used to be, but now it was empty—a blank canvas for what was coming.

"The cage will go in the center," I said, pointing to the wide-open area in the middle of the room. "We’ll have seating around it, but we’re keeping it tight—small intimate tables with big spenders up close and then the crowd there. No amateurs. Just the ones who know how to keep their mouths shut."

“I can make that happen,” Russell said. “I’ve got a setup crew organized already. Just let me know what other details you’ve got. I’ll tape off the areas and get your final approval.”

Russel was exceptional at his job. He ran shit like this with an unparalleled efficiency. How he transformed an empty warehouse into an actual venue never ceased to amaze me. There was an ambiance that went with what we did. Sure, we would keep the gritty feel. People liked that, but we would add some lighting and tables. Some ropes. I wanted people to see it as an ‘event.’

Luther nodded, eyes scanning the space, his fingers speeding over his phone, taking notes. “Like Chicago? And the fighters?"

“Yeah, like that setup.” It was nice when we were all on the same page. Russell nodded and moved away to coordinate with Jolly. Another thing that I enjoyed about Russell was how well he worked with the other man. He was an easy team member.

I smirked. This was the part I knew would get his attention. Matteo Spato did have one cherry-picked fighter I kept in the line-up and a few small fish, but Vince Rourke wasn’t one to sleep on.

"Got a couple of heavy hitters lined up," I said, opening the file I’d brought in. I picked up the first one and handed it to him. "Vince ‘The Crusher’ Rourke. Ex-con spent most of his time inside, knocking guys out for sport. He’s vicious. He fights dirty but gets the job done. He’ll be the crowd favorite. Spato’s pick, but he’s good. ”

Luther scanned the paper, his eyes narrowing in that calculating way. "Looks like he’ll put on a good show. What about the challenger?"

Pike didn’t say anything, but I’d asked him if he had anything on Spato that I hadn’t been aware of. Spato was new to me as some broker, but I wasn’t sure why he was out trying to boost fights. I was still searching for connections. When I’d asked Luther about him, he’d stonewalled and looped around in a way that made me wonder if he knew more about him than he was letting on.

“I’ve got a few possibilities for a contender. I haven’t totally decided. This might be one. Javier ‘The Ghost’ Diaz," I said, handing him the next file. "Former MMA fighter. Real slick. He is fast, technical, and knows how to avoid a hit, but when he lands one, it’s game over. He’s the underdog—people love to bet against him, but he’s got a way of bringing in the bets.”

Pike looked at me with surprise. "Sounds like a solid match."

"It’ll be more than solid," I promised. "We’ve also got a wildcard—Donovan ‘The Butcher’ Crowley. Newcomer, but he’s got a reputation. Fought in a couple of underground rings down south. The kid’s brutal. He doesn’t stop until he sees blood. Could be good to have him in a later match, up against whoever survives the first round."

“I’ve got a dozen more here that I’ve separated and paired up.” I pointed them out and passed out the sheets for them to look at. This was my brother’s first glimpse of me working, and it was a weird feeling. It shouldn’t matter so much, but I wanted him to be proud of me.

Luther placed the files down and glanced back toward the center of the warehouse. "This is going to be a good one, Havoc. I’m going to get the bet site up and going. You want to set this up for next Saturday?”

I nodded, stepping forward into the dim light, letting my fingers brush along the rough walls as I walked the perimeter. "And security, Pike? Your crew can help with that?”

“Yeah, we can lock it down," he assured us. “I can have a crew inside and one outside. If you want people on lists, let me know how that works. Do you let people come armed to these things?”

“No. They’ll need to be checked at the door—all of them. Women, too,” I shot him a look. “No exceptions.”

Luther laughed darkly. “Fuck, remember that chick. Hairpin. Man, she stabbed that guy. He bled like a stuck pig. ”

“I do remember.”

“Got it.” Pike nodded. “Women, too.”

“The only people we want fighting are the people being bet on. I don’t want side shows.” I didn’t care if people wanted their drama, but they could do it elsewhere. “The same goes for alcohol and drugs. Find it, confiscate it. It gets left at the door. We’ll have a bar. This is our circus, and we’re here to make money.”

During the fights, we’d make sure that the bar was open and a certain discrete amount of party drugs were sold. However, we’d learned our lesson after the Francisco incident.

“Too right,” Luther agreed.

Jolly and Russell finished their measurements, but they’d be staying at the warehouse. They had a month’s worth of work to do and only a week to do it in. I promised them access to our bank accounts and DoorDash before I left with Pike, just as Luther rolled up his sleeves. Luther might look fancy, but he wasn’t afraid to work hard.

Crates were being delivered with equipment, and it was time to start setting up, but I was on my way to do my part and meet with the other half of the security team, and that took priority over set up. I’d leave that to Luther to manage.

T he desert sun began its descent, casting long shadows over the dry Arizona landscape as Pike and I rolled down the highway in the SUV, the low rumble of the engine filling the silence between us. We’d just left the warehouse, leaving Luther, Jolly, and Russell to set up the venue for the fight. Now it was time to deal with the next part of the plan: meeting with Maddox and Dimitri from the Iron Brotherhood. Hopefully, I could manage those fuckers quickly and leave Pike there and head back to see Veronica.

Luther had his side of the business to concentrate on, and I had mine. He’d order a car, and I’d probably see him back at the penthouse later. I’d given him the code, but he didn’t need a babysitter. We’d learned early on that if we couldn’t take care of ourselves, we were dead.

I tried to concentrate on the road back to Morinrock, watching the scrub and sand whip by as I drove. I always enjoyed the preparations for a big match, the anticipation.

Pike cleared his throat beside me, breaking the silence. “You handled that well back there. Luther respects you. ”

I wasn’t sure how to respond to that. Reinforcement during my childhood had been negative, especially when I was with Kent. Once I was out on my own on the streets and hooked up with Victor, we certainly didn’t tell each other good job or shit like that. You either did stuff on your own, or you died. Simple.

I definitely wasn’t used to hearing praise from someone who mattered. We were still figuring each other out, trying to bridge the years that had separated us. Part of me was still waiting for him to treat me like the brother he’d lost, the kid who was gone for all those years.

I shrugged, uncomfortable. “We have a mutual understanding. We grew up together. Sink or swim, as they say.”

Pike glanced at me, the corners of his mouth turning up. “Still, I didn’t expect this level of what you’ve got going on.”

“You thought we’d meet at the back of a bar parking lot and throw cash at each other?” I snorted. That wasn’t far from how we’d started, except Victor and I fought in those matches. We didn’t start organizing them for years. He and I had worked the circuits ourselves, and Luther had managed us .

“Maybe,” he admitted. “That was close to what I thought.” He rubbed the back of his neck ruefully, shifting in his seat with discomfort. “Not that I would have given you shit about that.”

“We were fighters first like I told you before. Me and Victor.”

“That’s where the name comes from? Havoc?”

“No.” I didn’t want to explain the nickname or to swap Victor stories. “You’ve been running things with the Cobras for a while,” I said, keeping my voice even. “It’s not that different from running a fight circuit. You find the right people, ensure they stay in line, and the rest follows.”

Pike chuckled softly, his gaze back on the road. “Yeah, but there’s a difference. Looks like there are a lot of big hitters with what you’re setting up. I’m building gradually. This looks.” He hesitated, looking out the window into the distance, and then turned back to study me. “This looks like you’ve got people by the balls. Like you’re not looking away.”

Keep your eyes open.

I didn’t miss the word choice. The fact that he saw that in me now—it was strange. Like looking in a mirror I hadn’t known was there .

“I learned from the best,” I said sourly, though I wasn’t talking about Pike. I wanted to bite the words back, but he just snorted. That was the thing about gallows humor. Sometimes people didn’t get it, but when they did, it was fucking funny.

“Yeah, we did learn,” he admitted. “You know Maddox and Dimitri still aren’t sure about you,” Pike said after a while. “They were convinced you were the guy behind the killings in town, even after Victor came into the picture.”

I snorted. “Can’t blame them. I’m not exactly a poster boy for someone you could trust.”

Pike glanced at me again, his expression unreadable. “They’ll come around. They’re good guys. Loyal.”

“I wouldn’t have agreed to the security if I didn’t think that.” My brother really knew next to nothing about me, but I took my business seriously. We often contracted out for security needs at our fights, but this was a way for me to work with him and Veronica’s cousin. It tied in some relationships. Usually, I wouldn’t give a shit, but it seemed like I would be sticking around. Veronica mattered to me, and I needed her to see that I would make myself less of a ghost for her. Still, I wouldn’t take chances with the business if I hadn’t researched Maddox and Dimitri. I’d even checked out my brother.

“They are loyal to you,” I corrected. “They don’t owe me anything.”

Pike smiled at that. “You’re my brother, Eli. That’s enough for them to give you a shot. Just don’t scare the hell out of them right away.”

“No promises.”

We both laughed, the tension breaking for a moment. It felt good — maybe this brother thing could work after all.

The Iron Brotherhood MC had their own little compound outside of Haverboro that included a bar called the Open Road. The bar came into view, the neon sign winking above the entrance. The place was nicer than I expected and bigger than I thought it would be, with a large area for parking and a building behind it for living quarters for the club. I knew the Road was built during the previous president’s tenure, but it was built to last. It looked solid, like everything the Iron Brotherhood touched. This was their domain, and it was apparent immediately. Motorcycles were stacked in the parking lot, and people were chatting as they moved back and forth to the building. A large club emblem was emblazoned proudly on the sign of the building .

We parked, and as we stepped out of the SUV, I could feel eyes on me from the moment my boots hit the gravel. Pike wore his Cobra cut, and while I knew they were allied, it was clear that he still drew attention. Attention made me itchy. The Iron Brotherhood was tight, protective of their own, and not used to outsiders—especially ones with a reputation like mine.

Pike led the way inside, and I followed, the familiar smell of beer and leather hitting me as we stepped through the door. Maddox and Dimitri were already there, seated at a corner table, their eyes narrowing as they saw me walk in. There was caution in their stares but also curiosity. They were trying to size me up and figure out who I was now that they knew I wasn’t their boogeyman.

“Pike,” Maddox said, nodding to my brother. His gaze flickered over to me. “And Eli.”

I gave him a nod but didn’t say anything. This wasn’t my place to start talking. Not yet. I sat across from Maddox and Dimitri, leaning back casually, though my senses were tuned to every move they made. These guys were no slouches. They ran their club tight, just like Pike did with the Cobras.

Dimitri leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, his sharp eyes fixed on me. “Nice to see you again.” The only time I’d had a chance to run into him had been the one night at Veronica and Natasha’s when Victor had attacked. “Thanks for having my cousin’s back.”

“Of course.”

“I hear you’ve got some plans,” Maddox said, getting straight to the point.

“I’ve got more than plans,” I said, keeping my voice calm but direct. “This is a big-ticket fight with a great lineup that we know will be a nice betting draw for our clientele. We’ve already got them clamoring on socials for the announcements.” I could see that they were intrigued, if not a little surprised. “We typically draw in quite a crowd for these sorts of things. People fly in since we rotate locations. My partner Luther is currently setting it up, but we need additional security. Pike and the Cobras are willing to help, but he told me you might also be interested. ”

Dimitri raised an eyebrow. “Underground fighting?”

I shrugged. “It’s not about the fight itself. It’s about the money. And the connections. Luther’s pulling in some big names. People with power. Maybe the kind that could benefit you, but if you’re not interested, that’s alright. I can contract out. We need a crew that’s reliable and onboard.”

Maddox exchanged a look with Dimitri before turning back to me. “We help family, and like it or not, that’s what you are.” He gave me a sharp look as if evaluating whether I was worth it. “We’d appreciate not getting mixed up in anything that’s going to bring extra heat down on us, but we’ll manage if we have to.”

“No promises.” I gave a grin. “But it shouldn’t. We’ve got everything locked down. No amateurs, no loose ends. Just people who know the game and how to keep their mouths shut.”

Dimitri was still observing me as if trying to determine my angle. Then he leaned forward slightly. “So, you’re Havoc, huh?”

It was strange hearing it from these people who were so close to Veronica. Havoc fit me better than Eli. The name I wore was armor against the sins the world committed against me, the blows that came my way. It was my shield. Having both names out in the world was now like having that little boy shivering without any blanket in the cold, exposed and naked.

“Yeah,” I said evenly. “I’m Havoc.”

Dimitri let out a low whistle. “I’ve heard about you and watched a video stream once of a fight you were in.” Pike turned sharply at that, but I didn’t say anything. There had been a lot of fights that were streamed, and I wondered which one he’d seen. I was proud of my fights, and I’d never lost. “That’s crazy that I watched you fight, and you were Pike’s long-lost brother. Wild. Never thought you’d be the guy sitting across from me, though.”

“I don’t fight much for money anymore, but I like it. Now, I apply those instincts to pick good fighters so they can make me money instead. Can’t sully this pretty face.” I winked.

Maddox chuckled, but it wasn’t unkind. “Well, if you’re as good as they say, maybe this fight thing will work out.”

Pike watched the whole exchange silently, but I could feel his approval as he watched me handle the conversation. He’d brought me here to meet with them, which meant something.

“We’re in,” Maddox finally said, his tone decisive. “We’ll provide the security with the Cobras and make sure everything runs smoothly. But we’ll need details of the site and the fighters. Let’s make sure it doesn’t blow up. I don’t want any surprises.”

“It won’t blow up,” I promised. “I’ll make sure of it. The clubs will get a five percent cut of the profits.” They all suddenly looked way more interested.

“Really?” Maddox leaned forward. “I’m surprised you’re offering that instead of part of gate fees or a flat rate.”

“If I contract out, that’s a flat rate, but this is different. I’ll guarantee a hundred large per club.” We always made big money on the fights with streams and local and overseas bets. Even after we paid out fighters, we made enough for the five percent I was offering. Good, solid security was worth every penny.

We shook on it, and the deal was sealed just like that, but I could feel Dimitri’s eyes on me the whole time.