Page 101 of Barinov

“Not important,” Luca chuckles.

All of our heads turn. Roman rushes to the bookshelf in the corner, trying to find some sort of camera this freak’s got hidden in this place.

“You’re wasting your time, you’ll never find it,” Luca continues. “Now tell your little sniper friend to stand down. Remember boys, it’s Izzy who’ll pay the price for your disobedience.”

“Tex,” I order through my comms. “Do not engage.”

“What?” he barks. “Barinov, I’ve got a clear shot.”

“How many more shocks to her system do you think it’ll take before she’ll blame you for the pain, Lexie?” Luca taunts.

“Don’t engage!” I yell, slamming my fists on the desk..

“Damn it,” Tex says. “They’re entering the front door. I’ve still got a shot.”

“Stand down,” Knox’s voice comes through. “We have to let this play out. We can’t let him hurt Bella anymore.”

“They’re in,” Tex confirms. “Good luck, Lex.”

“Yes, Lexie,” Luca mocks. “Good luck.”

The phone call ends.

When we get back to the gym, two men stand at the cage doors looking like demons on Satan’s guard duty. Each locked down with more weapons than sense. Pistols strapped to their thighs and belts. Their sleeves are rolled back just enough to reveal the cursive C branded into each of their forearms.

Just like Bella.

In the ring, he’s already waiting for me. Luca’s first champion or whatever. He’s tall, shirtless, and has a nasty scar on his left cheek. His hair is so light it’s almost white.

Worst of all, the guy’s holding a fucking baseball bat. He’s standing there swinging it like he’s warming up for a home run derby. Only this time, it’s my head he wants to knock out of the park.

The guy looks familiar, but I can’t place it.

The other two are parked on the bleachers, quietly watching. Nearly the same build as the one in the ring. Same white-blond hair and same dead eyes. Black-and-white metal glowing on their necks as well.

Then it hits me.

“No way,” Rez whispers, realization punching him in the gut at the same time.

“What?” Cade asks.

“You,” I yell at the guy in the cage. “What’s your name?”

“You already know it, Barinov,” he calls back, swinging his bat again.

Rez steps up beside me. “The Vasilev brothers.”

They’re mine and Rez’s second cousins or some shit from Moscow. I couldn’t tell you the last time I saw them. Maybe at our great-grandfather’s birthday when Rez and I were seven? Or were we eight? Who cares, all I remember is that they were the biggest mama’s boys I’ve ever met. That and the one with the scar stole my piece of cake.

Shit what were their names anyway? I know the cake thief was like Vlad or Viktor or something. It was all Vs.

The intercom crackles overhead and Luca’s voice drips through the gym.

“Lexie, Lexie. You know what to do.

Step on in and punch right through.

Don’t hold back. Don’t play it cute.