Page 69 of The Players

The second Angel walked away, the women gave her a deadly glare. Great. She hadn’t even entered the muddy ring and already made enemies.

No sooner had he left, when Carmen recognized another face in the crowd, walking up to the stage. Her heart nearly stopped as she took in the girl’s one blue and one green eye.

It can’t be…

The beautiful young woman had replaced the white dress for leather pants and a red tank top.

“Marni?”

Right when the girl was about to turn, people walked in front of her and she disappeared from sight. Carmen jumped up and down in the cage, trying to get another look but she had disappeared.

It’s the adrenaline.

You’re just seeing things.

She didn’t have any more time to think that through as a whistle was blown.

Goatee pushed a button and her cage door opened. The crowd roared. Her opponent, Ivana or Ivanka, gave her a wink, then jumped off the stage, right into the mud. Dragging her feet, Carmen followed after her.

Suddenly, an opening appeared in the crowd, and Sy’s big body showed. Her heart sped up. Every fiber of her being wanted to jump up into his arms.

Then Ivana/Ivanka called out his name, and shook her boobs at him.

Oh no, she didn’t.

CHAPTER 25

SY

Hell was waking up to Damon’s classic rock playlist blasting through the speakers.

It wasn’t that Sy didn’t like Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird.” He just felt less love for it at freaking five in the morning. But, since he was staying in the twins’ wing of Kristoff’s mansion, he could hardly complain.

That had been hours ago, but Sy still felt sleepy as he walked to Kristoff’s study in the late afternoon. Their commander-in-chief and Viking had been at it all night, plotting and planning. Keegan and Morelli’s days were numbered.

He felt restless and oddly unsettled. For the past month, he’d woken up to Carmen’s breakfast. Every morning, she greeted him with a smile, brightening up his day. He no longer even questioned it. His favorite pastime had been watching animal documentaries, and now it was watching them as she lay sprawled on top of him. He could no longer tell himself she was like every other fling. Too bad it ended the way it had.

He joined his brother and Kristoff on the back patio. Damon was already there, looking over a blueprint. Viking was discussing why he should take the lead on bringing down the house on Morelli when they were interrupted by a female voice.

“Kristoff! Kristoff Romanov, where are you!”

All eyes went toward the woman barging up toward them. In her white sundress, Katya looked like a vengeful angel heading their way.

Sy grinned. “She called you Romanov. Guess you really pissed her off this time.”

Kristoff’s mouth tightened. Everyone with half a brain knew he hated his last name. No one ever called him that, unless they were tired of life. Then again, Katya was the only one who got away with it.

Katya whirled into their view like a dervish, hands on her hips, a scowl on her face. Though she was barely five foot six, with her flashing eyes and cropped, pink hair, she was a force to be reckoned with. Just as the rest of the crew, Sy knew her ever since the day her mother dropped her off on Kristoff’s doorstep. She’d been a teen then. In their harsh, often unforgiving world, she had been like their mascot, a beautiful angel.

Kristoff cocked a brow. “Why are you yelling, Ekaterina? We live in the same house. I can hear you just fine.”

“I will be asking the questions here,” she snapped, not showing any angelic features. “I can’t believe you sabotaged my date. Again. I really liked Jack.”

Ah hell. Sy knew exactly where this was going. To shit creek. And by the quick glance Kristoff exchanged with him, he knew he needed a paddle.

“Jake,” Damon chimed in. “His name is Jake.”

Katya sent him a withering glare, then turned her baby blues back on Kristoff. “Tell me why I can’t date him. And I want a good reason. A really, really good reason. And it better not be ‘I don’t like him.’ You don’t like anyone.”

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