Page 18 of Love to Defy You (The Dark Love #2)

Alek

The men wander toward the opposite end of the estate. Mikhail, Henri, and I bring up the rear of the group, but the guys up front start whooping and hollering like dogs when they reach the door.

Mikhail swings his arm around Henri’s neck. “First lap dance is on me, but if you want your cock sucked, that’s between you and her.”

Henri startles, and his glasses slip down his nose. “W-what?”

The wood-paneled billiard room has been converted into a nightclub.

Heavy bass pounds over the loudspeakers as purple and blue lights pulse in time with the music.

Women in lingerie are scattered around the room, pulling men onto leather sofas and grinding on their laps or wandering through the crowd offering cigars.

Another woman at the bar is mixing drinks for the group.

“Is this another test?” I ask Mikhail.

“No, this is a party.” He claps me on my chest. “Lighten up, will you?”

He leads me and Henri to a group of high-backed armchairs by the warmth of the fireplace. A woman with fire-engine-red hair comes by to offer us cigars, which we accept, while another one brings tumblers of whiskey.

Mikhail flags down one of the lap dancers and points at Henri. “Show him a good time, will you?” he says in Russian.

The girl, donning a bobbed pink wig, turns to Henri with a sly smile, although his face turns crimson when she straddles his lap.

“What about you?” Mikhail asks me. “Lap dance?”

I scowl. “No.”

He settles back in his chair, swirling his whiskey in one hand while draping his other over the armrest. The smoke of his cigar curls up around his face. “Suit yourself.” He turns to watch Henri’s lap dance but doesn’t call one over for himself.

“Ah, Aleksandr, there you are.” Enzo takes the seat across from me and puffs on his cigar.

“And here I thought my evening couldn’t get any worse.”

He lets out a dramatic sigh. “We’re brothers now. I’d like us to be friends.”

“Then stop eyeing my girlfriend,” I snap. “She’s mine.”

Enzo raises his eyebrows. “I apologize if I gave you the wrong impression. But it’s hard not to stare when she wears a dress like that. She sure likes to draw attention, doesn’t she?”

I glance at Mikhail, but he’s pretending to show interest in the girl licking Henri’s face. However, his bored expression gives him away. He’s tuning us out on purpose. Asshole.

“Anyway,” Enzo continues, “have you figured it out yet?”

The vein in my temple is throbbing. “What are you prattling on about?”

“The chapter president represents Hades, God of the Underworld. That’s me.” He points to himself. “Hades had three judges to help him decide the fates of the souls that passed through the Underworld—Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Aeacus.”

“I’m well-versed in Greek mythology already,” I say. “I don’t need a lesson.”

He holds his hands up and chuckles. “Hear me out. Each chapter has a vice president, who represents Minos, the head judge of the dead. I’d introduce you to Paul, but he’s getting sucked off at the moment.

” He nods at a guy in the corner, whose hand is wrapped in the hair of the whore on her knees before him.

“They also have a sergeant at arms,” Enzo continues, “who represents Rhadamanthus, the most impartial of the judges, who executes punishments and rewards. That’s our dear friend Mikhail here.”

Mikhail can no longer pretend to ignore us, so he raises his glass toward us before taking a sip.

“He ensures members and their pythias follow the rules and keep our secrets. Don’t you, Mick?”

Mikhail grimaces. “Yep.”

So, that’s why he’s so intent on making sure I follow the rules. It’s not out of protection or friendship; it’s out of duty.

Trusting his loyalty is growing more difficult with every trial.

“And our chapter secretary represents Aeacus, who kept records of the dead. He’s around here somewhere, but for us, he keeps records of alumni and their male offspring.

Hence why you’re here.” Enzo leans closer.

“Because you are the son of Grigor Kurochkin, our fallen brother. Shame what happened to him. My condolences.”

“Save them for someone who needs them,” I snap. “I don’t.”

Enzo cocks his head. “Didn’t get along well with daddy dearest?”

I cross my leg over my knee. “You’re very interested in my personal life.”

He shrugs. “I like to get to know all of our initiates on a personal level. It’s my responsibility to shepherd the flock.”

This guy sees himself as both Hades and Jesus, and his overinflated ego grates on my last nerve.

I turn to Mikhail. “Oh, mighty Rhadamanthus?” I make sure to inject as much sarcasm as I can into my voice.

Mikhail snorts. “Yeah?”

“If I walk out those doors, will I get my throat slit?”

He shifts in his seat. “You made it through the feast, so no. You’re safe. But I’m your ride home, remember?”

I throw back the rest of my whiskey before slamming the glass on the coffee table, then extinguish my cigar in the remaining ice. “I’ll amuse myself until you’re ready to leave.”

“What about our billiards game?”

“I’m sure Lord Hades here can play with you.” I jut my chin at Enzo.

Enzo’s broad grin grows wider, revealing his prominent canine teeth. “It would be my pleasure to take your place.”

I stand up and adjust my suit, but as I scan the room, something feels off about the crowd gathered here. There are so many unfamiliar faces, and I presume they’re the ones who wear cloaks during the rituals. It makes those I recognize stand out against the crowd—the other candidates.

After a quick count, I round on Enzo. “There are candidates missing. The twins.”

“Ah, good eye.” He takes a long pull from his cigar, but the corners of his mouth are pulled into a smirk. When he exhales, he blows a ring of smoke toward my face. “Those two made the mistake of going to the police after the Trial of Mortality. Happens every year, unfortunately.”

Mikhail glances at the floor and ticks his jaw.

“What they don’t know is that the police answer to us.” With a chuckle, Enzo shakes his head and grins.

When I glance at Mikhail, he glances up and meets my eye. His hard gaze is penetrating, as though he’s trying to convey a message. A warning.

If you squeal, you’re dead.

My stomach knots. “Excuse me.”

Clearing my throat, I turn my back on Enzo and the rest of the group, then disappear into the crowd. I wasn’t in a party mood before, but now I’m anxious to get out of here as fast as I can.

The Order of Apollo seems to know everything about me, and yet I know almost nothing about them. Enzo Messina is the son of the Sicilian Whore, but there’s more to his story, and I need to find out what it is.

I search the room for one of the lingerie-clad women patrolling the room. In the corner, a cigar girl restocks her tray, and I approach her.

“Do you speak Russian?” I ask in my native tongue.

She glances up in surprise. “ Da, ser. ”

“Who hired you to work tonight? Was it Enzo Messina?”

I need to know my enemy, and that includes his darkest secrets. If he’s the one who hired two dozen prostitutes, I can use that information. Prostitution may be legal in Switzerland, but human trafficking is not.

And I’m willing to bet these Russian women are not here on a business trip.

“No, ser . We work for Mr. Aslanov.”

I pause. “Mikhail?” I narrow my gaze. “Are you certain?”

“Yes, ser .”

Mikhail’s father heads the largest crime syndicate in Russia, so I shouldn’t be surprised that involves dealings in the sex trade. Mikhail has never spoken to me about his involvement in nefarious business dealings; I was better off not knowing the specifics to keep my hands clean.

But perhaps it’s time I find out.

The cigar girl rakes her gaze over me before focusing on the zipper of my pants. She steps forward and places her palm on my chest, dragging it lower toward my abdomen. “If you’d like, I’d be happy to show you a good time.”

Before she goes past my belt, I grab her wrist. “No, I’ve already made arrangements.” I flick her hand off me with the same care I’d give a cockroach.

Her face falls, but I pay her no mind. I head straight for the exit, pulling my phone out on the way.

ME

Meet me upstairs in five minutes.

I follow the path back toward the dining room, but instead of heading inside, I take a left and follow the corridor to the end.

A glass door overlooks a wide balcony, and stone steps lead down to a wide, grassy field.

Golden light illuminates the balcony, and I can make out a dark line of trees surrounding the estate.

With a glance over my shoulder, I make sure no one is in sight before slipping outside. I make a beeline for the steps and head down until the soft grass brushes against the bottom of my shoe.

I put a safe distance between me and the manor before coming to a stop, and I scan the empty field once more before pulling out my phone. If anyone comes within earshot, I’ll see them coming.

I pull up the contact for the hacker DarkSide and give him a call. He helped me in the past with a number of malfeasant requests, including the dismantling of the porn website where Willow’s gang bang video was posted without her consent.

I clench my hand into a fist and crack my knuckles.

After two rings, a voice using modulation software answers the phone. “Good evening, Aleksandr.”

“I have a job for you.” I skip the pleasantries.

“Get me any information you can find on a guy named Enzo Messina. His mother, Amalia, is known as the Sicilian Whore, and she’s currently the mistress of the Prince of Liechtenstein.

That’s all I know. And I need the info as soon as possible. It’s urgent.”

Keyboard buttons click in the background as he types. “I understand. Is that the only thing you need?”

“Actually, I have one more person I’d like you to look into.” I clench my jaw.

After a long pause, the deep voice on the other end speaks. “Who?”

I blow out a breath. “His name is Mikhail Aslanov. His father runs a cell of the Russian Bratva. I’d like to know more about their business dealings.”