I had no idea what was going on aside from what Amadeo had told me, but just the energy in the room felt volatile.
Everyone was talking roughly. And Russian was the only damn thing I could hear. I felt someone behind me and didn’t have to look to know it was Amadeo.
“What's going on?” I pulled back to see Amara eyeing Nikolai before pulling me toward the pantry.
She opened the door, and we stepped inside, a little of the noise muting. She didn’t bother turning on the light, just kept the door partially open so light spilled in from the kitchen.
“One of the Bratva underground fight rings got raided. Normally that wouldn’t be a big deal. Shit like that happens all the time. We know that.”
I felt my brows lower before I nodded.
“But they made several arrests, and one of those was Dmitry.”
My heart started beating overtime, and I don’t know why, but I felt this tightness in my body starting at the pit of my stomach and rising to my throat. It squeezed like frigid hands.
“But…” I looked down at my bare feet, curling my toes against the cold marble floor. “Men like Dmitry, men in power… ones that we’ve known our whole lives. They don’t just get arrested.”
Obviously they did, but with the mafia having the cops in their back pocket, often things were brushed under the rug or people looked the other way.
I looked up at her. “Surely getting arrested isn’t anything out of the norm, especially for a Pakhan? I mean, Gio’s been arrested a couple times. He was younger, sure, and Father pulled strings to get him out, but…”
Amara ran her fingers through her hair and pulled the elastic off her wrist, tying up the strands into a messy bun at the crown of her head.
“Yeah, typically. I don’t think they have anything that will stick, but Nikolai said they have a shitload of stuff they’ve been holding on Dmitry. They’ve just been biding their time until they could make it substantial.” She exhaled. “It's evidence that will keep him in prison for years.”
My eyes felt too wide, my heart beating too fast. I should have zero kind of reaction toward what was happening to Dmitry. But I felt this connection to him. It wasn’t anything sexual, wasn’t anything familiar, either.
It was just this knowing, this feeling inside of me, that he was meant to be in my life.
So hearing he could go to prison, that he would—could—be locked away for years, had a sour feeling turning in my belly.
Amadeo was standing in the pantry doorway a moment later and pulling me out of my thoughts. The voices in the room were so loud now my ears rang.
He inclined his head for me to follow. We walked out of the pantry, through the kitchen, and back to my room. Nikolai followed, wrapping his hand around Amara’s waist and keeping her close.
There was a wild energy surrounding Nikolai as he barked orders. Amara looked at him nervously, biting on her nail. His gaze softened when he glanced at her and noticed how distressed she was.
After he shoved his cell into his back pocket, Nikolai pulled her in, cupping the back of my sister’s head and whispering something in her ear. She nodded and fisted her hands in his shirt, resting her forehead on his chest.
I felt like this went far beyond Dmitry getting arrested. Maybe this was more than just a couple years of prison time? Maybe this was causing massive waves within the Bratva?
“Gio wants you back home.”
I felt my eyes bug out and was already shaking my head.
“This is not negotiable, Claudia. Your brother wants you back on the West Coast. Things are too volatile right now, with Dmitry being taken into custody. It’s only going to get worse.” Amadeo’s voice was hard and sharp.
I opened my mouth and snapped it closed, not sure what I could say. Arguing wasn’t going to help my case. I looked at Amara, hoping she’d be on my side, but the look she gave me told me she agreed with our brother.
“I just got here.” I knew I sounded like a whiny brat.
But the very thought of having to be plucked away from Amara so soon after just getting here left this hollow ache in the pit of my stomach.
I turned and looked out the bedroom window, hearing Nikolai speaking to Amadeo in deep, rough murmurs.
I exhaled, knowing it was my duty to obey, not because I was weak and submissive but because I wasn’t stupid. I wanted to be safe. I especially wanted Gio and my sister to be, as well.
But even through all of that, my disappointment was monumental. I didn’t want to leave. I knew Gio would be extra protective given the circumstances of Dmitry being arrested and how that would cause ripples within the organizations.