11. Lyssa

I've been trainingthe new recruits again tonight in the new training room at Elysium. My body aches not from countless repetitions of strikes, blocks, and grappling maneuvers, but from the extra work I've been putting in to train up Scarlett, too. Not to mention the damn hours I've been spending on the bike going back and forth to the farm. My ass is starting to take on the shape of the seat.

But I've pushed fatigue aside and thrown my worst at the new recruits tonight, because these kids need to be good enough to handle anything that gets thrown at them. It's my job not to coddle them, but to toughen them up.

And I need to deal with Grandmother once and for all so I can put this Scarlett mess behind me and return to how things used to be.

I peel off my sweat-drenched tank top in the changing room and wrap a towel around my torso as I head for the showers, not wanting to waste time going back up to my room. The hot water pounds against my shoulders, washing away the grime and tension. When I'm clean, I dress quickly and make my way down to the garage.

The new, enormous space houses scores of cars, motorbikes, and even an armored van, all gleaming under the fluorescent lights. My bike waits in its usual spot, practically begging me to take it for a midnight ride. I grab my helmet and tell myself that the eagerness I feel is to have the wind whipping through my hair again.

Not to see Scarlett again.

But before I can swing my leg over the bike, a flurry of movement catches my eye. Aurora skids to a stop in front of me, breathless and flustered.

"Lyssa! Didn't you get notified about the meeting?" she pants, clutching a stitch in her side.

Meeting? What meeting? "No, I didn't," I growl, irritated at the delay. "What's going on?"

"Hadria asked you to meet her in the war room as soon as possible. She said it's something very important."

Shit. Uneasily, I put my helmet back onto the bike's seat and follow Aurora back up.

"We better move fast," she advises, so I pick up the pace, but I'll be damned if I'm going to run.

When I push through the heavy doors of the war room, I'm greeted by an unexpected sight. Hadria stands at the head of the long table, staring down at a lavish spread of food covering its surface. Platters of antipasti, a thick slab of prime rib, roasted vegetables, crusty bread—it's a fucking banquet.

Hadria turns to face me, her cool eyes searching mine. "Well?" she demands. "What's this important news? And why the hell is there food all over the table?"

I barely stifle an exasperated groan as Aurora slinks into the room behind me, a mischievous grin playing on her lips.

"Don't look at me," she says, waving her hands innocently. "I'm just the messenger. You two are having a special Besties Dinner tonight because you haven't seen much of each other lately, and you need to catch up." She shoots a pointed look at Hadria. "And Hadria needs to find out the answers to some very important questions. Like what you're wearing to the wedding, Lyssa. We need to know for the photos."

I'm part of the wedding party as Hadria's Best Woman, although given the amount of input Suzy seems to expect from me, I've begun to wonder if there's any way I could wiggle out of it. I'm really, truly happy for them, but the wedding just seems to get bigger and bigger.

"And whether you're bringing a plus-one," Aurora adds quickly. I open my mouth to protest, but she cuts me off. "And I'm locking you both in here for at least an hour. You'll thank me later."

Casting an incredulous glance at Hadria, I scoff. "You know that locking the door won't actually keep us in here if we don't want to be, right?"

But Aurora just pouts, giving me her best pleading expression. "Oh, come on, you two. Just humor me for a little while. I really think you'll benefit from some time out, even if it's just an hour."

Strangely enough, her words strike a chord. She's not wrong—Hadria and I have been like ships passing in the night lately, both of us buried up to our necks in Syndicate business. Granted, I've kind of been avoiding her when I am here, because I feel so fucking guilty about lying. But maybe a chance to talk wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

Hadria must be thinking along the same lines, because she lets out a resigned sigh and gestures for me to take a seat. "You heard the lady. Sit down and eat something before it gets cold."

Well, if she insists. I grab a plate and start piling it high with food. Hadria settles across from me, mirroring my actions.

As we tuck in, she looks at me. "So? What's your answer to Aurora's burning questions? What are you wearing to my wedding, and will you be bringing someone?"

I snort around a mouthful of bread. "Don't know, and no. And frankly, if I'd known being best bitch would involve so much work, I would've asked for a raise."

She laughs at that. "Believe me, I count myself very lucky to have you as my best bitch. And I'm glad we got that out of the way." But then her expression sobers, and I know the real business is about to start. "Listen, though—I need to update you on a few things. Juno Bianchi will be arriving in Chicago for the wedding at the last minute as a security measure. So we'll have limited time together, but we're going to take every chance we have to discuss extending some of our joint business ventures."

I nod slowly. "Understood," I say. "But we're going to need to make sure Grandmother's contained before the Bianchis get here. The last thing we need is for her to stir up more shit while the Bianchi Family is in the city."

Hadria's lips tighten into a grim line. "Agreed. That's why I'm starting to think you could do with a little help."

"It's under control."

"You have a plan?"

"Working on it." I keep my voice deliberately vague.

Hadria studies me for a long moment, those piercing eyes missing nothing. "You know you really don't have to do this alone, right?" she says at last. "If you need backup, resources, anything—just say the word. The Syndicate's got your back on this."

I shrug one shoulder, deflecting. "A wolf hunts alone, Hades. You know that."

"Isn't it the other way around?" she counters. "Wolves hunt in packs."

Scoffing, I shake my head. "Not this wolf."

Hadria leans back in her chair, toying idly with a fork. "Alright. If you're sure."

"I'm still waiting for Johnny de Luca to get back to me on something," I offer, just so she knows I'm actually making headway. "Once I know where this bitch is hiding, then I'll ask you about putting a team together to take her out."

I won't. I'll take Scarlett with me and do the job myself. But Hadria nods, satisfied.

"The Imperiolis are quiet," she goes on, after we both eat a little more. "Too quiet."

It's strange to hear her speak about them as though she's not one. For so long that was her driving desire, to seize her birthright, take the Imperioli Family as her own. "Guess they learned their lesson after Nero."

"Maybe. Oh, and you'll never guess what the Sokolov boys are saying these days," she goes on, a touch of dark humor in her tone. "That assassin is haunting them. Like a ghost or something."

"Assassin?"

She glances at me. "Scarlett."

The Sokolovs. Shit. Of course they're talking. And rumors are spreading. This could spiral out of control if I'm not careful.

For a fraction of a second, I consider coming clean to Hadria. Telling her everything—about my deal with Scarlett, about keeping her alive, about…whatever the hell is going on between us. Maybe she would understand. Maybe?—

No. I cut off that line of thinking before it can take root. I can't bring Hadria into this. Not until I have Grandmother fully neutralized and Scarlett is…dealt with. Once this is all over, then I'll explain everything. Hadria will accept it because it will be a moot point by then.

But she won't accept it now.

Forcing a casual shrug, I meet Hadria's eyes across the table. "You know what a bunch of superstitious fucks those Sokolovs are. They need an excuse for their incompetence, more likely."

Hadria grins, but my gut churns. I feel both guilt at lying to her face, but also resentment at the fact that she gets to have…

What they have.

She and Aurora are allowed their sickeningly happy domestic bliss. And I'm out there alone, caught in the endless grind of Syndicate business with nobody to come home to.

Abruptly, I stand, the screech of my chair against the hardwood floor shattering the tense silence. "Look, I really should get going. I've got things to take care of. This was great, though. Nice to catch up."

Hadria's brow furrows, but she doesn't argue. "Okay. And I'm pretty sure Aurora didn't really lock us in," she says. "But don't be a stranger, okay? We're in this together. You're my right-hand woman. I can't do any of this without you."

I force a tight smile. "Damn right you can't."

As I leave the war room, I can feel Hadria's eyes burning into my back. She knows I'm holding something back—she's not stupid. But for now, at least, she's willing to let it slide.

I just hope I can get this whole mess untangled before it all blows up in my face.

Again.