26. Eli

Chapter 26

Eli

T he warehouse had utterly transformed since the last time I’d been here. What used to be a grim, rusted shell of concrete and steel had morphed into something out of a high-end casino’s underbelly. Thick, plush carpets in deep reds and gold covered the floor, muffling the sound of footsteps. Black leather couches and velvet chairs were scattered strategically, designed for the comfort of high rollers—big spenders who didn’t just want action — they wanted luxury. Massive crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, their lights casting a soft, almost seductive glow over the space. It was sleek, it was upscale, and it reeked of money.

Maxim stood beside me, his sharp gaze taking in every detail. I’d been able to get rid of the fucker for days now, and he’d been yammering on about getting a tour. Finally, I’d had to cave. Veronica owed me big time for the car ride I’d had to endure. Although, who the fuck was I kidding. I’d do anything for her.

Walk across coals if I had to, kill for her, die for her — anything.

I guess this was what love was — your heart feeling like it was beating somewhere else.

“Impressive,” Maxim said under his breath, but his eyes told the real story. He wasn’t just impressed—he was calculating. This kind of setup meant serious business.

Luther, dressed in a dark suit that looked like it had cost more than most people’s rent, was already inside, leaning against one of the marble-topped bars installed along the far wall. He was sipping a whiskey, the ice clinking softly against the glass as he caught sight of us. His usual air of annoyance was there, but it was toned down, smothered beneath the weight of Maxim’s presence.

“This is slick,” Maxim said, his tone a mix of approval and curiosity as he walked farther in, his boots soundless on the thick carpet.

Luther grunted, setting his glass down. “Needed to attract the right crowd. The kind that likes to throw serious cash on the table. The fights are still raw, still brutal, but this?” He gestured around the room with a sweep of his hand. “This keeps the big money flowing.”

Maxim nodded slowly, his eyes drifting to the far side of the warehouse where the cage was set up for the upcoming fight. The cage itself hadn’t changed—sturdy steel bars welded into a circle designed for bloodshed. But now, there was a viewing area with private tables for the wealthiest clients. We had plush seating and even high-end bottle service.

“And security?” Maxim asked, his voice calm but carrying an edge.

Luther straightened. “Tighter than ever. The place is wired from top to bottom. No one gets in without clearance.”

Maxim’s gaze flicked to me, and I knew what he wanted without him saying a word. “You can go check it out if you want to.” He nodded at me curtly and sauntered off with his hands stuffed into his slacks.

Luther shook his head at me. “What the fuck, man?” he ground out. “Word gets out about this, and we’re done. We can’t be murdering business partners at matches. ”

“Relax.” He wasn’t wrong, though. If Maxim couldn’t carry out his part of the bargain, it could spell another Francisco incident. I was banking on Spato not being well-known and Maxim being stealthy. If anything went haywire, then we were fucked. “It’s under control. It’s not like the pakhan doesn’t know how to kill people without being seen. His brother will have men here to dispose of the body lickety-split, no problemo.”

‘We better hope so,” he ground out.

Luther was quietly seething, the tips of his ears giving off that tell-tale red vibe that told me he was mad, but I turned my back on him and went to slouch onto one of the sofas.

“Yep,” I muttered, half to myself, while taking a second to check on the cameras at home. Veronica was still there, curled up on the couch with Reed watching a movie. I shot her a quick text.

Me: You should be sleeping.

Veronica: You should be... not texting me while doing whatever dangerous thing you’re doing. This just makes me think you’re watching me. Stalker.

Me: No danger here. Just bored rich people and I am watching you.

Veronica: Oh, so a slow night for you.

Me: Pretty much. Maxim and Luther want to each other.

Veronica: Not a shocker. Surprised you don’t want to both of them.

Me: It’s like you know me.

I smirked at my phone, quickly pocketing it before Maxim caught on. He’d returned to the central part of the warehouse. His eyes were still scanning the area, his mind likely running through every possible scenario for the night. He probably had to be like that—always two or three steps ahead of everyone else.

“So, about Spato,” Luther said, cutting into the moment, his voice tight.

I didn’t miss the slight edge to his words. Luther apparently didn’t want Maxim to kill Spato, but Spato was a problem for Maxim, meaning he had to go .

“He’s done,” I said, my voice final. “Non-negotiable.”

Luther sighed, rubbing a hand over his face, his jaw clenching in anger. “Yeah, I figured. He was good for business, though.”

Maxim’s cold smile returned as he stepped closer to Luther. “Your business will be just fine without him. The kind of money you’re attracting now… you can afford to cut him loose.”

Luther hesitated, but only for a second. “Fine. He’s out. But don’t expect me to be happy about it.”

“You’ll live,” I said, mimicking the same dry tone I’d used earlier. Maxim gave me an almost approving look, while Luther just shot me a glare.

Maxim didn’t waste any more time on the small stuff. He checked the room layout, walked through it again, and asked concise questions before declaring that he had what he needed.

“This is well-designed,” he said, almost to himself. “Enough visibility for the spectators, but still enough privacy for the important clients. And with the security in place, no one should be able to interfere. ”

Luther nodded, clearly pleased that Maxim seemed to approve. “Yeah, we’ve got it locked down. No surprises.”

“The cage will be live-streamed,” I told him. “During the fight, it’ll be on the entire time.”

“Any other areas that will be on camera?” Maxim asked.

“Just the red carpet there.” I pointed to where the fighters would walk down from the locker room to get to the cage. “That area and the chairs alongside will be on camera when the fighters come in. I’d avoid that.” He nodded.

“We good here?”

I was anxious to return to Haverboro, where I could handle the Reed situation. Maxim and I had discussed it in the car, and we’d agreed that the best course was to find this Doug and eliminate the threat.

“Yeah, we’re good,” Maxim said. “I’m glad I got a sense of the place, so there isn’t any unnecessary drama or disruption to your business. I want to be respectful.” The words were so insincere that I burst out laughing.

“Okay, pal. Let’s get a move on.” I shook my head at him .

The idea that Maxim Volkov gave a shit about disrupting our business was hysterical, but I’d give him points for at least giving it a try. Honestly, I wouldn’t be that upset if things went sideways. A few months ago, my priority would have been the integrity of the fight and the business. I would have laughed at you if you’d told me that I’d change my mind.

Now, Veronica was important to me if her family needed something that took precedence over my business. I had enough money to last my whole lifetime. Being away from her made me realize how little I wanted to do that. I didn’t want to waste any time with her. I wanted all of her minutes, hours, and days.

We said our goodbyes and left Luther to set up at a table while he made some calls. As we headed out the door, I watched him run his hands through his hair with agitation and then yell into the phone, slamming a fist onto the table. That was interesting. I wasn’t sure what was happening with Luther, but something certainly was.

I settled into the passenger seat of the Rover Maxim insisted on driving. I pulled up the camera feeds, flicking through them as he aimed us back toward Haverboro .

“Anything wrong?” Maxim asked cooly beside me.

“Nope,” I answered. I wasn’t overly inspired to share my concerns about Luther with Maxim. I guessed that he was just pissed off about the whole business with Spato, but he might be angry that I’d offed Victor. Either way — Maxim wasn’t my friend, so I kept quiet.

I scrolled to the cameras at the house. Veronica was now in the kitchen with Reed, but she was chewing the edge of her thumb like she did when she was nervous while popcorn popped in the microvave. I fired off another text.

Me: You okay?

Veronica: Bored. And maybe a little worried about Reed.

I didn’t want Veronica to worry about Reed or Reed’s situation. That was something that I would take care of. Killing someone wasn’t new to me, and while I was hoping I wouldn’t have to chase them around, it wouldn’t be a big deal.

Me: I’ll handle it. You find anything?

Veronica: Not yet. Still looking .

I didn’t respond immediately, feeling the familiar mix of protectiveness and frustration.

Maxim drifted back toward me, his voice low as he glanced at the phone in my hand. “Ronnie, find anything?”

“Not yet,” I muttered, my jaw tightening. “She will, though.”

Maxim’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Ronnie will find him, and then we’ll handle him. He won’t get anywhere near her again. Reed can go back to her little life.” His tone was as cold as ice, and I knew he meant it. When Maxim Volkov made a decision, it was final. Reed wasn’t meant for lives like ours.

I nodded, my focus shifting to the scenery and thoughts of Veronica. My mind always seemed drawn back to where I left my heart — with my little liar, my moon goddess.