34. Chapter 34

thirty-four

Leonid

D mitry's last jab hits my left cheek like a fucking sledgehammer.

Mudak isn’t letting up, even though I’m his Pakhan. But that’s why I like him.

I taste blood, but there’s no time to savor it. I return with a quick one-two, then dive for his legs. The big bastard’s fast, though; too fast for his size.

“Come on, Pakhan ! You fight like my babushka !” Maksim shouts from the corner.

“Shut your fucking mouth before I shut it for you!” I snarl, narrowly avoiding Dmitry’s knee.

Maksim just laughs. “Ooh, touchy! Maybe if you focused more on fighting and less on that mystery pussy—”

His words cut off as I flip him the bird, but the distraction costs me. Dmitry’s fist connects with my ribs, driving the air from my lungs.

“Eyes on me, pretty boy,” Dmitry growls, his scarred face split in a feral grin.

I spit blood onto the mat. “Fuck you.”

We dance around each other, trading blows. My arms are covered in scratches, bruises already blooming on my skin. But I give as good as I get. Dmitry’s eye is swelling, and there’s a nasty cut above his brow.

“Use the takedown I showed you last week!” Maksim yells.

“I swear to God, Maksim, one more word—”

But Dmitry’s already moving. He catches me off guard, his massive arms wrapping around my waist. Before I know it, I’m airborne, then slammed onto the mat with bone-jarring force.

“ Blyat !” I wheeze, struggling to breathe.

Dmitry’s on me in an instant, his weight crushing. I buck and twist, but he’s like a mountain on my chest.

“Give up yet, boss ?” he taunts.

“In your dreams, mudak ,” I growl.

I manage to get an arm free, driving my elbow into his temple. He grunts, his grip loosening just enough. I seize the opportunity, wrapping my legs around his waist and twisting hard.

We roll across the mat, a tangle of sweaty limbs and curses. For a moment, I think I have the upper hand. Then Dmitry shifts, and suddenly, I’m caught in a chokehold, his massive arm cutting off my air.

“Tap out, Pakhan ,” Maksim calls, concern finally edging into his voice. “No shame in knowing when you’re beat.”

But I don’t tap. I can’t. Red’s face flashes in my mind, that smug smile as she tried to poison me. Ludis’s laughter echoes in my ears. I won’t give up. I can’t.

Black spots dance in my vision. My lungs burn, screaming for air. Just when I think I might pass out, Dmitry releases me.

I roll onto my side, coughing and gasping. “What the fuck?”

Dmitry stands over me, shaking his head. “You’re too proud for your own good, Pakhan . That shit’ll get you killed one day.”

I sit up, wincing at the pain in my ribs. “Yeah, well, not today.”

Maksim hands me a towel and a bottle of water. “You okay, Pakhan ? For a second there, I thought we’d need to call the coroner.”

I glare at him, but there’s no real heat in it. “Fuck off.”

As I wipe the sweat and blood from my face, I catch sight of my reflection in the mirror. I look like shit. Bruises are already forming, my left eye swelling. But it’s the look in my eyes that gives me pause. There’s a hunger there, a desperation I’ve never seen before.

“So,” Dmitry says, gulping down water, “you gonna tell us what’s really going on? Or do I need to beat it out of you some more?”

In the ring, the standing order is clear—treat me like one of the brothers, no exceptions.

I look between him and Maksim, these men who’ve become more than just employees. They’re the closest thing to family I’ve got, besides the brother who wants me dead.

“Nothing I can’t handle,” I brush him off. But my mind wanders to Red this morning, her scent filling my nostrils, the curve of her ass in that golden dress. Fuck, she looked good enough to eat, even with bed hair and murder in her eyes.

I shake my head, trying to clear the image. “How’s the trip to Moscow?” I ask Dmitry, changing the subject.

He raises an eyebrow, not buying my deflection for a second. “Smooth as a baby’s ass. Your new shipment’s set to arrive next week. But don’t think you’re getting off that easy, boss.”

Maksim chimes in, a shit-eating grin on his face. “Come on, Pakhan . Tell Dmitry about your little poison princess. Or should I?”

I shoot him a glare that could melt steel. “Shut your fucking mouth, Maksim.”

Dmitry looks between us, eyebrows raised. “Poison princess? Now this I gotta hear.”

I sigh, knowing these assholes won’t let it go. “Fine. There was a woman at the auction. Tried to slip something in my drink.”

“And our fearless leader here,” Maksim cuts in, barely containing his laughter, “instead of putting a bullet in her head like a normal person, decides to bring her home. Like a stray fucking cat.”

Dmitry’s eyes widen. “ Blyat , Pakhan . You sure your dick isn’t making the decisions now?”

“Fuck both of you,” I growl. “She’s a lead, nothing more.”

“A lead?” Dmitry snorts. “To what? Your midlife crisis?”

I flip them both off. “If you two comedians are done, we’ve got a real fucking problem. We can’t find anything on her. No records, no trace. It’s like she doesn’t exist.”

The amusement fades from Dmitry’s face, replaced by a look I know all too well. It’s the same look he gets before we go to war.

“We know what this is,” he growls.

I nod, a cold feeling settling in my gut. “Ludis.”

The name hangs in the air, heavy with unspoken threats and years of bad blood.

Maksim leans forward, all business now. “So, what’s next , Pakhan ? We can’t just sit on our asses waiting for the next attack.”

I run a hand through my hair, frustration building. “That’s the fucking problem. We’ve got nothing to go on. No leads, no—”

“No torture,” Maksim adds, his smirk widening. “Though I’m sure you’ve thought about it, Pakhan . Especially with how you were eye-fucking—”

I lunge forward, grabbing Maksim by the throat. “Say one more word, and I’ll rip your fucking tongue out.”

Dmitry steps between us, pushing me back. “Easy, Pakhan . He’s just running his mouth like usual.”

I release Maksim, who rubs his neck, still grinning like the asshole he is. But his words trigger something in my brain. A flash of Red’s defiant eyes, the curve of her lips as she sneered at me. The way her body tensed, ready for a fight even when cornered.

Something clicks.

“If we can’t find out about her from the system…” I mutter, the beginnings of a plan forming.

Dmitry catches on quick. “You thinking what I’m thinking, Pakhan ?”

I nod slowly, a cold smile spreading across my face. “I guess there’s only one way to find out.” I look up at them, my decision made. “We go straight to the source.”