Page 204 of Enemies

The edge in his voice makes me wonder if he only means his clubs or if that extends to me too. If he was afraid to commit to a future with me so long as Ivanov had a chance of shattering it.

Even if he was, it can’t make up for him leaving. But it lets me understand this complicated man a little more, and it makes me want to help.

“He’s running drugs through the clubs. Not just his own,” I hear myself say. “He’s made himself a nuisance at Bliss. And I saw one of his guys at Wild Fest.”

Harrison’s expression darkens. “Wild Fest… I didn’t realize he had territory in America.”

“I’ve seen his people at parties in London.” Ash appears in the doorway, hands in his pockets. From his face, I’m guessing he didn’t hear the part about his parents.

“You knew it was Mischa’s people?” I ask, shoving my hands in my jeans pockets.

He looks away. “Yeah.”

“How can you know?” Harrison presses.

“I just fucking do.”

Silence falls over us. I think of the coldness in Mischa’s eyes before he hit me that night at Debajo. Then last summer, the unforgiving flames devouring every inch of wood, scarring the metal that would have been Kings.

He’s the kind of man who would stop at nothing to prove a point.

Harrison pulls out his phone. “Leni. I know you’re on holiday. I need you in Ibiza.”

There’s a response, agitated but not clear enough that I can make out the words.

“I’ll make it up to you. Buy you a damn surf school when this is all over.” Pause. “Yes, you can get that in writing.”

I exchange a look with Ash.

“You’ve seen what he does. I have to end this.” Harrison says it to both of us when he hangs up, but he’s looking at me.

I don’t answer. Even if he’s right and Mischa’s evil—the kind of evil that should be extinguished for the benefit of all—his words remind me that I’ll never compete with this burning need to see justice done.

“Law enforcement has been monitoring him for a while, but it could still take years to bring him down,” Harrison says. “His parents kept their illegitimate operations under wraps being judicious. Mischa is less discreet. But so far, he hasn’t slipped up enough to be caught. He rewards loyalty quickly and punishes betrayal even faster.”

A shiver runs through me.

“If he’s running drugs through clubs beyond his own, outside of Ibiza, we have a hope of catching him. If the management team at Bliss will cooperate,” Harrison adds.

I think of how upset the man was. “They’re more afraid of Mischa than the law.”

He turns to Ash. “What club were you at in London? And why were you even noticing people dealing?”

Ash shifts on his feet, clearly uncomfortable. He doesn’t want to admit to his brother what really went down. “I’ll tell the police. But I don’t want to tell you.”

“For fuck’s sake?—“

“Harrison.” I grab his arm, and he turns incredulous blue eyes on me. “I saw a dealer in both places. The club owner confirmed he was Mischa’s.”

“The man won’t flip. Mischa has a stranglehold on this island.”

I lean in. “I’m playing again this week. I’ll talk to him. And I need to follow up with Mischa.”

Harrison seems to draw himself up even taller. “You will do nothing of the sort.”

“We’ll move back to the hotel today,” I say, ignoring him and turning to Ash.

“I’ll make the arrangements.” Ash grabs his phone and heads to the far side of the patio.