Page 5 of Fractured Devotion

I blinked, taken aback by this new piece of the puzzle. “Okay, give me a second to process all this,” I said, trying to understand the rapidly expanding web of connections. “You’ve just learned that you and Drake are related.” I narrowed my eyes at Dallas.

“That is correct,” Dallas grumbled, his disdain at my clarification.

I turned my gaze to Archer. “And you think all of this ties back to Lipovsky?”

Archer shrugged, his expression pensive. “Before your call, I wasn’t certain, but now—” His words were cut off as the door opened, and another man entered.

“Apologies for interrupting, but you need to see what I’ve found,” the newcomer announced, holding a manila envelope.

Archer’s expression tensed as he introduced the stranger. “AJ, let me introduce you to Alex Whitmire, Drake’s criminal defense lawyer from Angels’ Wings.”

I eyed the new Alex, acknowledging him with a nod. “Pleasure to meet you.”

He returned the gesture, his look serious. “I wish I could say the same, but it seems you’ve stirred up a hornet’s nest I’d hoped would remain buried.”

Drake quickly took the envelope from Whitmire, rifling through its contents with growing concern. “Damn, is this accurate?” he exclaimed, his voice laced with disbelief.

“‘Fraid so,” Whitmire confirmed, his tone grave.

As I rifled through the documents, the weight of their content began to settle in. “What’s all this about?” I asked, seeking clarity amidst my growing confusion about this convoluted situation.

“It turns out Alessandro Hugo was entangled with some really nasty characters.” Drake leaned back, his posture serious.

“Alessandro Hugo? Should that name ring a bell?” I noticed the other men at the table were equally confused.

“Not necessarily,” Drake replied. “He was a major problem for my older brother and his wife. Gage shot and killed him to protect her, effectively ending Alessandro’s influence in Atlanta. But it seems Alessandro was involved in far more heinous activities, like human trafficking.”

His words hit me hard, a shocking eye-opener that connected dots across our distances. I closed my eyes briefly, absorbing the impact of how this nightmare had infiltrated the lives of people across the country—including the woman I loved.

“And if things couldn’t get more complicated,” Drake continued, turning to Dallas, “it seems our youngest brother, Ryker, accidentally got involved with the man behind this operation. He killed a man in a boxing match, right?”

Dallas leaned forward, a look of irritation on his face. “Yeah, but what’s that got to do with any of this? Ryker had already paid his dues for that bullshit.”

Drake sighed, taking the file from me and passing it to Dallas.

“The man Ryker beat, Ivan Gurin, was more than just a boxer. He was Lipovsky’s enforcer, disguising his dirty work under the guise of legitimate fights. Ryker was supposed to lose that match, but when he found out Ivan planned to fight dirty, he came prepared. Ivan never saw it coming.”

“So, you’re saying my brother not only killed the Russian mob’s top fighter, but their precious enforcer? Fuck.” Disbelief was clear in his tone as he stared at Drake.

Drake gave a single nod. “Exactly. Now the question is, where’s Ryker?”

Dallas’s face drained of color. “He headed to Vegas a week ago,” he said, his voice tinted with concern. “Came out of retirement specifically for this knockout expo.”

Drake’s expression turned sharp, his eyes suspicious. “Lipovsky’s influence must be at play here.” His words were filled with speculation. “We need to call Ryker and understand the real reason behind his sudden return to the ring. I have a strong feeling there’s more to this, and Lipovsky is somehow orchestrating it from the shadows.”

The gravity of the situation hung in the air, a silent acknowledgment of the dangerous game they were inadvertently a part of, with stakes higher than any of them could have expected. I knew Massimo would want to know what I’d learned. Much like me, he had a massive stake in this—Carmela, his sister, had been taken at the hands of who was likely Lipovsky.

I cleared my throat. “I need to call my boss. The woman I love, who is also his sister, was kidnapped by this man, and if he’s in Vegas, Massimo will want to know.”

“Looks like I’m going to Vegas.” Dallas pushed his chair back and stood. “Drake, I think it’s time I called my uncle. He probably knows how to find this motherfucker.” He took a deep breath as he clenched his fist at his side. “Dominic tends to have information on people… if you know what I mean. Hell, he knew about my father’s whole second family.” I noticed the way Dallas’s eyes flicked to Drake, then back to me. “Chances are he’ll know how to find this motherfucker.” Nodding his head in my direction, he glanced at Archer, then Drake. “I’ll be in touch, Drake. Alex, it was nice to meet you, despite the circumstances.”

My eyes tracked him as he stepped out of the room. “Archer, I appreciate you allowing me to stay here, and getting involved in this is more than I can ask of you. Massimo?—”

Drake held his hand up, interrupting me. “Let me stop you right there. While I don’t speak for Archer, I know what kind of man he is. We’re in this with you, Alex. That man has had his fucking grasp on my family for far too long. And I’ve just found my half-brothers. I am not going to stand by and watch as he destroys any more men simply because he thinks he can.”

“Thank you, Drake. I assure you, the Anastasi family stands firmly behind you. Once they learn of my findings, Massimo and his brothers will unleash their fury upon our shared adversaries.”

“Let’s head out.” Archer pushed back from the table and stood. “There’s nothing more we can do from here.” Gesturing toward the exit, he added, “Boss, I’ll keep you informed.”

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