Page 37 of Claiming Veronica

“Pike,” Maddox said, nodding to my brother. His gaze flickered over to me. “And Eli.”

I gave him a nod but didn’t say anything. This wasn’t my place to start talking. Not yet. I sat across from Maddox and Dimitri, leaning back casually, though my senses were tuned to every move they made. These guys were no slouches. They ran their club tight, just like Pike did with the Cobras.

Dimitri leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, his sharp eyes fixed on me. “Niceto see you again.” The only time I’d had a chance to run into him had been the one night at Veronica and Natasha’s when Victor had attacked. “Thanks for having my cousin’s back.”

“Of course.”

“I hear you’ve got some plans,” Maddox said, getting straight to the point.

“I’ve got more than plans,” I said, keeping my voice calm but direct. “This is a big-ticket fight with a great lineup that we know will be a nice betting draw for our clientele. We’ve already got them clamoring on socials for the announcements.” I could see that they were intrigued, if not a little surprised. “We typically draw in quite a crowd for these sorts of things. People fly in since we rotate locations. My partner Luther is currently setting it up, but we need additional security. Pike and the Cobras are willing to help, but he told me you might also be interested. ”

Dimitri raised an eyebrow. “Underground fighting?”

I shrugged. “It’s not about the fight itself. It’s about the money. And the connections. Luther’s pulling in some big names. People with power. Maybe the kind that could benefit you, but if you’re not interested, that’s alright. I cancontract out. We need a crew that’s reliable and onboard.”

Maddox exchanged a look with Dimitri before turning back to me. “We help family, and like it or not, that’s what you are.” He gave me a sharp look as if evaluating whether I was worth it. “We’d appreciate not getting mixed up in anything that’s going to bring extra heat down on us, but we’ll manage if we have to.”

“No promises.” I gave a grin. “But it shouldn’t. We’ve got everything locked down. No amateurs, no loose ends. Just people who know the game and how to keep their mouths shut.”

Dimitri was still observing me as if trying to determine my angle. Then he leaned forward slightly. “So, you’re Havoc, huh?”

It was strange hearing it from these people who were so close to Veronica. Havoc fit me better than Eli. The name I wore was armor against the sins the world committed against me, the blows that came my way. It was my shield. Having both names out in the world was now like having that little boy shivering without any blanket in the cold, exposed and naked.

“Yeah,” I said evenly. “I’m Havoc.”

Dimitri let out a low whistle. “I’ve heard about you and watched a video stream once of a fightyou were in.” Pike turned sharply at that, but I didn’t say anything. There had been a lot of fights that were streamed, and I wondered which one he’d seen. I was proud of my fights, and I’d never lost. “That’s crazy that I watched you fight, and you were Pike’s long-lost brother. Wild. Never thought you’d be the guy sitting across from me, though.”

“I don’t fight much for money anymore, but I like it. Now, I apply those instincts to pick good fighters so they can make me money instead. Can’t sully this pretty face.” I winked.

Maddox chuckled, but it wasn’t unkind. “Well, if you’re as good as they say, maybe this fight thing will work out.”

Pike watched the whole exchange silently, but I could feel his approval as he watched me handle the conversation. He’d brought me here to meet with them, which meant something.

“We’re in,” Maddox finally said, his tone decisive. “We’ll provide the security with the Cobras and make sure everything runs smoothly. But we’ll need details of the site and the fighters. Let’s make sure it doesn’t blow up. I don’t want any surprises.”

“It won’t blow up,” I promised. “I’ll make sure of it. The clubs will get a five percent cut of the profits.” Theyall suddenly looked way more interested.

“Really?” Maddox leaned forward. “I’m surprised you’re offering that instead of part of gate fees or a flat rate.”

“If I contract out, that’s a flat rate, but this is different. I’ll guarantee a hundred large per club.” We always made big money on the fights with streams and local and overseas bets. Even after we paid out fighters, we made enough for the five percent I was offering. Good, solid security was worth every penny.

We shook on it, and the deal was sealed just like that, but I could feel Dimitri’s eyes on me the whole time.

Chapter 20

Veronica

Iwoke thinking about the night with Eli — the memory of the experience creeping up on me during the quiet moments I least expected. His touch had been rough, but there was care beneath it—like he knew exactly how far he could push without breaking me. The memory clung to my skin, a secret I wanted to hold onto and press into my skin. There was no question that I’d woken up sore and with marks on my hips from where he’d held me, but I felt alive — and that was a temptation I couldn’t let go of. His danger was undeniable, and it only made me want him more. I could still feel the weight of his hands, the scrape of his breath against my neck. But it wasn’t just the physical that lingered. There was an emotional connection between us that I didn’t understand completely, but I was sure it was there.

I shook off the memory and focused on the task at hand. My computer screen glowed in the morning light as my fingers danced over the keyboard. The steady hum of the fan was almost comforting. I needed to concentrate.

Matteo Spato was my target for the morning that I needed to find. I’d been going in fruitless circles, which wasn’t up to my standard of work. There had been a few things that I’d found, but they were ephemeral at best. The guy was a sleazeball, but it was all a sliding scale in the criminal world. My cousin wasn’t involved in legal activities, and I understood that, but Maxim had a code of ethics that he adhered to, and I was pretty sure that was what I was vetting. He didn’t deal with anyone that dipped their toes into trafficking. That was a hard line for him.

Spato seemed to be a broker on the dark web—a facilitator of illegal activities. Underground fights, weapons deals, contract killings. His name was everywhere and nowhere at once.

But now, I was close. Closer than I’d ever been.

I’d finally found a private forum, buried deep in the recesses of the web, where Spato’s name surfaced again. But this time, another name was coming up with his, Luther Booth, and a fighter named Havoc. I recognized the name from other corners ofthe dark web, a figure tied to underground fighting circuits. Searching into the files, I pulled up the additional matter on the fighter to see what I could find.

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