Page 92 of Fight for You
“Where is this even coming from?” Leith asked.
“I’m serious.” I half-laughed, half-cringed. “I had to come to terms with the fact that we all just coped with shame and guilt differently.”
“You were depressed,” Jake said gently, patting my shoulder. He looked like he was about to give the textbook mental health speech.
“You call it depression,” I cut in, “I call it a demon. One that whispered mean crap in my ear.”
“Like ‘you’re a placenta,’ ” Rory said, cracking up. “Bro, we love you. Can we pick up this party? Toast again to something morelively.”
“If that’s code word for ‘you wanna go live on social media,’ that’s a big fat nae. None of that today.” I shook my head, knocked back the shot, then held out the glass. Enzo poured me another. “Okay, that one was for all of you.” I stared at Enzo, my voice steadier this time. “This one is for you, Lorenzo.” I lifted my glass. “Thank you for picking up the slack when I ghosted my family. Being a good friend. A brother.”
Enzo gave a crooked grin. “I don’t know what to say, fra. You look good. Placenta and all.”
We all laughed, the kind of laugh that had a little ache beneath it.
Enzo clinked his drink with mine. “You just signed your own death certificate, though.”
I rolled my eyes and focused on the smooth taste of vodka.
Camdyn patted Enzo’s shoulder. “I used to sport the same scowl, Enzo.”
“You don’t know what you’re missing,” Rory said.Oh? All theseyears after falling in love with a new girl in high school each week, he still believed.
Jake lifted a brow as if unconvinced and shook his head, taking the shot glass Enzo offered him. “This is why you don’t have a job, Rory. Too focused on love.”
Camdyn looked like he wanted to agree but took the shot glass Enzo passed him. “Listen to me. Not Jake MacKenzie, PhD. He’ll have you somewhere in a corner, crying, regretting your mistakes. Or ‘Rory the Romeo idiot’ ”—he didn’t flinch when Rory pushed him—“falls in love so much I’m surprised his legs aren’t broken. But Enzo, some beautiful woman’s gonna wipe that prideful smirk from your face. Like I said. Happened to me, bro. Don’t let her get away.”
Enzo snorted. “All I pull are beautiful women. Don’t see how that’ll happen.”
“Okay, shuddup.” I gestured to our drinks. Brody and Lachlan, who’d been finishing something that had to do with a gazebo, strolled inside. Now, all my brothers in order of age—Brody, Leith, Camdyn, and my younger brothers Lachlan, Rory, and Jake—surrounded me, along with the new brother I inherited during war. We clinked glasses and drank vodka.
“Smooth,” Brody complimented. “Tell no one.”
Lachlan punched him playfully in the arm that wasn’t in a sling. “You’re gonna tell on yourself by the end of the night. The Resnovs gave us an entire box.”
“Resnovs?” Enzo asked, brows lifted. “I thought you had just this bottle.”
“Nope. I’m still shocked that Jordyn wanted to invite Natasha Resnov to our home.” Though her dad and uncle passed, the Bratva princess had wanted to attend our wedding. A Bratva that had a worse reputation than Chelomey’s. People were so afraid of the Resnovs that they didn’t need around-the-clock protection the way Chelomey had at his home in Tarzana Hills.
Still, Natasha had a good head on her shoulders. A quiet humility too. It seemed her entire family had that humility—if not crossed. When the Resnovs removed their daughter from her high school because of bullying years ago, they took the Chelomeys to dinner. While drinking champagne, her parents presented Aleksandr Chelomey with a gift and requested that their daughter attend school in Chelomey’s much tinier territory. Not in the heart of Los Angeles. Since Natasha didn’t want Resnov protection at school, Aleksandr had promised Adrian would watch over Natasha at her new school in Tarzana Hills. Vassili took the man at his word. Trusted him and promised never to allow Resnov enforcers to enter Chelomey territory—which was already a standing agreement. But I could tell the misguided trust vanished as we heard the story.
By now, Vassili and Simeon had fully dismantled Chelomey’s Bratva. And I figured by the time Jordyn and I exchanged vows, Adrian Chelomey would expire his last breath as well as any others still loyal. Moreover, the Resnovs were our friends. A friendship forged in blood because Jordyn had saved Natasha from Chelomey’s son the night of prom. I learned the full story after Natasha came downstairs carrying the wedding/prom dress. Vassili did, too, and he said nothing. While Simeon was visibly angered, Vassili hugged his daughter and offered me more than the case of Resnov Water than he’d previously agreed upon. When I declined any more of his generosity, he shook my hand, blessed our marriage, hugged Natasha, and ensured she had her camera when she left with us.
Someone knocked on the French door.
Dad peeked his head inside. “We’re about to start, son. I’ve got a gift for you. You’ll know it when you see it.”
“Thanks.” I exhaled, stepping outside with him.
The sun hung low, a warm golden haze across the backyard. Lanterns swung in the briny breeze.
The scent of lilac and pine cones mixed into the chilled air.
I stepped outside the pool house and froze at the sight of white lilies, twinkle lights, and Christmas wreaths adorning a gazebo.Man, I loved my family. You give them an assignment, and they executed every detail. I walked up the center aisle of wooden folding chairs.
I had just cleared the front row—when a jingle broke out.
Rebel limped proudly over the petal-strewn path with a jingle bell around her neck. Tied to it was a small velvet pouch.
