Darling Wildfire (Red Rabbit #2)

97

GRAHAM

The drug made my thoughts slow to formulate as I returned to consciousness. I regretted coming back to reality immediately as the horror of what I’d witnessed hit me.

Nyx—that wasn’t part of the plan.

I closed my eyes briefly, pushing the sadness down.

“Graham—”

A familiar voice called to me.

I opened my eyes to see Tex in a cell next to me, crouched near the bars.

“Glad you’re back with the living man,” he said.

I looked around and saw we were in crude cells built into rock. We must be underground somewhere. I turned and Sakari nodded to me on my other side. Across the way was Knox and Lachlan next to Atlas who was still unconscious.

“Gang’s all here—wait…”

Tex looked around. “Where’s Nyx?”

I struggled to my feet, using the wall as support and met Tex’s gaze. I shook my head and his face fell. Lachlan was sitting with his head buried in his hands.

“Fuck, really?”

he cursed quietly. “What happened?”

“Demetrius…”

Lachlan muttered, lifting his head briefly but unable to finish the sentence.

Fucking Demetrius. We thought he was our friend, our ally. Sure, the whole plan was for him to turn North over to Vetticus but killing Nyx was definitely not part of it. I thought back to the conversation I’d been privy to.

“Come on, T,”

Demetrius said with a knowing smile. “I know the only reason you took over as my supplier all those years ago was for this moment. Hell, I’m positive that’s why you saved my brothers in Syria if we want to go back that far.”

North smirked. “It worked didn’t it?”

“You’re lucky you’ve grown on me,”

Demetrius said fondly. “Well, go ahead—let me hear it.”

North barked out a laugh. “Demetrius, I’m calling in my favor.”

The mafia boss chuckled. “I thought you’d never ask. I have to say, ten years is a long time to owe someone. I’m ready to even the score.”

“After this I’ll probably owe you,”

North admitted.

“I’m looking forward to it,”

he said. “So what’s the plan?”

“The plan is to take down Vetticus piece by piece. Provoke him into action. He’s been in hiding for awhile and the only way to get to him is to draw him out. We took down the board members, we have plans to take down the architects of the maps, disrupt his supply lines and finally lure Albatron into showing his face. He’s the other big player.”

“Where do I come in?”

Demetrius asked.

“I need you to betray me.”

Demetrius’ eyebrows shot up. He leaned forward in his chair, steepling his fingers in front of him.

“Go on.”

“Vetticus has only ever wanted one thing: Me. He won’t be able to resist if you dangle me in front of him. I need you to turn me over to Vetticus—tell him where I’ll be—pull him into making the first move. It’s the only way we can get to him. Have him give you an Atrox team—then we can take him down during the next game. Knowing him like I do, he’ll want the rest of my team too. If everything goes to plan, we’ll all be on the inside for the next game and can take it all down.”

“It wasn’t part of the plan…”

I muttered.

We were supposed to be taken, sure, but not killed. Vetticus had told Demetrius he was going to use us in his upcoming game. I’d heard the phone conversation shortly after the fight with Kaelin. North and I had gone to see Demetrius again.

“You’re a hard man to get a hold of,”

Demetrius said.

“Well, when the Russian pakhan wants to get a hold of me, I make an exception,”

Vetticus said. “What can I do for you?”

“I saw the calling card you left at Elysium,”

Demetrius said. “I don’t want to get caught up in a long standing feud. Bad for business you understand.”

“Perfectly,”

Vetticus said. “But anyone associated with Kraven is bound to get burned eventually. I can’t be held responsible for anyone caught in the crossfire.”

Demetrius paused and looked over the desk at me and North who sat listening quietly.

“What if I told you I could give you North?”

Vetticus was silent for a beat.

“I’m listening,” he said.

“Like I said—I don’t like things interfering with my business,”

Demetrius explained.

“I was under the impression you two were—friends,”

Vetticus said. “This would be a pretty big betrayal.”

“We were. And it will. But I have to do what’s right for me in the end and our partnership has…let’s just say it’s nearly run its course. I’m looking to explore other avenues.”

“Let’s hear the price then,”

Vetticus chuckled.

“I want exclusive rights to your supply line,”

Demetrius said. “With competitive commissions of course.”

“Of course,”

Vetticus agreed. “Anything else? I can throw in an Atrox team if you’re interested.”

Demetrius smirked and locked eyes with North. “That would be acceptable—when is the next game?”

“You’re in luck. It’s in a week—I’ll accept those terms—if you also throw in the rest of Kraven’s crew. I think putting them in this next game would be very lucrative.”

“Done.”

“When do you want to do the deal?”

“He’ll be by the club Elysium in two days.”

I was pulled out of my thoughts as I saw Atlas stir in his cell. He surged up, stumbled to his feet, and frantically gripped the bars. He shook his head, trying to clear it and took a few steps, muttering to himself. He slammed his fist against the rock wall behind him, a sound of anguish leaving him.

“Atlas…”

I said his name, but I didn’t really know what to say to him.

He ignored me, turned his back to the bars and slid down them before burying his face in his hands. He went still and Tex and I exchanged a worried look. If this wasn’t going to plan, was anything else going to go as planned? Or was this just a disaster waiting to blow up?

I’d been ready to help North with his revenge because I understood all too well how far someone was willing to go for the people they love. I had to go through what I went through for my brother—I understood why North had to do this. While some of what I did in my past weighed heavily on me, I couldn’t imagine not having gone through with it. I didn’t regret anything and I hoped North could say the same. Even though I asked him if it was worth it—that would be like trying to tell me the same thing after watching my brother get dragged away. It would be like trying to tell me to move on while I was holding his dead body. Men like us just didn’t work that way.

“Now what?”

Knox asked grimly.

“Now we find a way to get out before the game starts,” I said.