Chapter 32

Dmitri

I wait impatiently for the guards to bring my dad in for visitation. I’m so nervous, my knee won’t stop bobbing under the table. It’s been two years since he got locked up and I’ve been on my own. He refused to see me prior to now but called me yesterday and said a visit was needed.

I have a million questions, all of which die on my tongue when he enters the room.

His hair is long and has streaks of grey I never noticed when he’d kept it buzzed. His face sags a little and there’s scruff on his jaw that never used to be there. Mom wanted him clean shaven all the time.

Dad approaches me cautiously, and I see he’s got a limp, a busted mouth, and stitches on his temple. Guess he’s still fighting, even in prison.

He sits down with a wince.

“Mom’s gone,” I blurt out, getting this over with. “She left the day of your trial.”

I came home to an empty house and continued living my life like everything was normal. There was no way I was going to get dumped into the system.

Dad only nods and stares at the table between us. I’m not even sure he’s listening to me.

“I stay at the gym a lot.”

He nods.

“I graduated.”

He nods again.

“I’m still fighting.”

That makes him look up. “You need to stop.”

I can’t. I won’t. He of all people should know what it’s like to have this furious monster living inside you that needs an outlet before it eats you alive.

“That’s not going to happen. Ever.”

“Dmitri,” Dad says in a warning tone. But that shit won’t work on me anymore. I don’t have respect for him, or love for the woman who birthed me. They can both suck a fat dick.

Whatever he’s about to say next slides back down his throat and he chokes on it. This is starting to feel like a waste of my time.

“Why did you want to see me?”

Dad leans across the table. “I wanted to warn you.”

“Of what?”

“Don’t follow in my footsteps, son. I know you looked up to me. I know you thought I—”

“Looked up to you?” I rise from my chair. “You’re not my idol. And you sure as shit were never my goddamn hero. You’re a coward and a shit father who abandoned his son the instant your failures were right in your face.”

Dad’s eyes flash with hurt and rage.

I’m sure mine do too.

“I’m nothing like you,” I seethe.

“You’re worse. You’re a combination of your mother and me.” Dad’s mouth quirks into a half smile that I’d love to punch off his face. “And she left you because she was finally rid of me, so she could go be with the man she’d been fucking behind my back for years. That child isn’t mine. It’s why we fought so much in the end.”

“I don’t care about her or that kid she squeezed out,” I lie.

I’ve been worried sick about my baby brother or sister, but I haven’t been able to find them. Not that I’ve looked too hard since I can’t take them away from my mother. I have nothing. I sleep in an abandoned warehouse Silas owns and uses for fights, then I help him tear it all down and wipe all the evidence of it away, preparing for the next time.

Between that and helping Ryker and my other friends with their shit, I don’t have the time or the means to take care of a baby. Besides, for all I know, Mom gave it up for adoption, given that she said she had no intentions of keeping it for long. It wouldn’t be a sacrifice if she did. It would be a fucking mercy to that child. She also said to not look for her. She disowned me. Abandoned me.

I tried looking Anya up once, but it was like she’d vanished off the planet. I wasn’t all that invested in hunting her down either, so I left it alone. She cut the cord, and I’ve never been happier to be free of the bitch.

“Dmitri,” Dad says again, and I’d knock him the fuck out if we didn’t have so many cop eyes on us. “You need to watch your back.”

“I’m fine on my own.”

“You’re not listening.” Dad’s anger leaks into his veins, making them pop out at his temples. His gaze flicks to the guards at the doorway before saying, “I fucked up.”

I don’t say a word. Saying he fucked up is an understatement. He ruined everything .

“The man I killed was dangerous.”

“So was the man who killed him. Sounds like a fair match to me.” I know I sound callous, but I can’t help it. I didn’t realize I had this much hate left in me until my dad opened his stupid mouth.

“Didn’t you go to my trial?”

No. I didn’t. I didn’t read about, nor did I attend it, because I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that all of this happened…

Because of me.

I was a coward who hid while my dad was punished for a terrible crime he wouldn’t have committed had I not been a little bitch who cried to his mommy that day and made our whole life blow up. And now here we are. Dad’s suffering the consequences of my actions. Mom’s moved on. I’m stuck and hungry and angry and tired and hate everything.

“His people are working me over. Tormenting me,” Dad whispers angrily. “They’ve already come for me twice.”

A buzzer goes off and a guard marches over to our table.

“They might come for you too,” Dad rushes to say as he’s lifted and manhandled away. “Eye for an eye, son.”

They haul my dad away and I decide to never come back again…

It took him another eleven years to die in prison, and it seems with his death, my past is circling around me like vultures.

“You’re sure it’s the same woman?” I ask. Petrov is a very common Russian name. Anya is too. “It could be a coincidence.”

Ryker huffs. “D, how many coincidences have to knock against your thick skull for you to see it’s something worse than that?” He counts on his fingers. “Your dad is murdered in prison a month ago. You start fighting again and Silas magically has a woman ready for you to fuck on short notice. And oh, what do you know, that pussy belongs to the woman who just happens to be your half-sister’s foster guardian. Are you kidding me here? This is a goddamn set up. And you better get away from all of it before we’re spreading your motherfucking ashes in the river next.”

I shake my head. “It’s not like that with Daelyn.”

“It is exactly like that. Someone’s planned this. You’re being set up. That woman needs to get out of my club.”

I’m on Ryker in a blink. “She has a fucking name, and she’s not going anywhere.”

Ryker rolls his shoulders back, squaring up. “This isn’t your club, D. It’s not your call to make.”

“She’s my girl, and this is my home. It’s just as much my call as it is yours.”

“Listen to yourself,” Ryker snaps. “You don’t even know her and you’re acting like you’re ready to lay your life on the line… and for what? She’s working for the fucking enemy , D!”

“ I know !” I roar in his face. My heart smashes against my chest as I let it all sink in. “Fuck…I know.” Leaning on the counter, I bury my face in my hands and try to calm the hell down. Ryker’s snapping at me like this because he’s scared for me.

“Wait.” Vault steps closer. “You knew she was sent by the same people who killed your father?”

“That hasn’t been verified,” I argue, rubbing my tired eyes. “But she’s been sent by someone who has her trapped in their game, just like me.”

Ryker leans on the counter beside me. “Fucking hell.”

“They’re using Addie against her,” I explain. “And they’ve got enough dirt on Daelyn to send her away to prison for a long time.”

Vault runs a hand down his face. With a heavy sigh, he stares up at the ceiling. “Why is nothing ever easy with you motherfuckers?”

“How deep is she into this?” Ryker arches his brow. “We need to know exactly what we’re dealing with.”

I owe him this much. “I think she’s been groomed since she was about twelve. She’s very protective of him and won’t give me his name. She’s got a signet burned into her wrist, so—”

“Could be gang or mafia related.”

I agree with Vault. “Daelyn said she’s met with cartel before. Guns and drugs.”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Dmitri.” Ryker storms away, blowing out a long exhale. “Fuck!” He slams his fists on the counter. “So help me God—”

“Take Tara and go.” I know that’s what he’s worried about. The Monarch can be remade, but Tara can’t be replaced. There’s every possibility that whoever this is will eventually get into the club somehow, and Tara should be far away from here if that happens. Her safety is paramount to Ryker. “As soon as I find out who this person is and handle it, we’ll be fine.”

Ry shakes his head. “We’re not going to let you do this on your own. And you know Tara.”

I quirk a smile because, yeah, I do. That woman’s too spicy for her own good. She’d never run from danger.

Just like Daelyn.

“How much does Daelyn mean to you, Dmitri?”

Ryker’s question catches me off guard. “What?”

“If it comes down to her or you…”

“Her,” I say without hesitation. “We save her at all costs.” Daelyn’s been through Hell long enough. I, on the other hand, own the place. “I’ll meet my fate head on. If this motherfucker wants a piece of me, he can have his fill. But she’s not to be harmed. He’s been brutal enough to her.”

Ryker’s eyes flash again because he’s just like me when he comes to putting hands on a woman. You do that, then you should have your arms cut off and shoved up your ass before getting tossed over a bridge with cement shoes.

“I thought you didn’t believe in fate,” Vault says, breaking the tension.

“Yeah, well, that was before I met Daelyn.”