Page 96 of Demitri

“Let me just scan the room, and then we’re good to go.”

Joker picks up the piece of equipment Daniel brought in and starts walking around the room. I don’t know what it is, but these guys have some fun tech toys.

“Let’s start making a list of the booze that’s missing?” I ask Mia.

“Grr. More inventory. I hate inventory.”

I chuckle as she walks to the back office to print out a list. Looks like we’re doing a full inventory before we can open back up. I watch her walk away, unable to help myself for admiring her ass.

“We’ve got an issue,” Daniel quietly says when he returns to the bar.

“What’s that?”

“Aunt Linda knows shit she’s been keeping from us. Big stuff, man.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, looking from him to the hallway.

“She’s on her way to explain it all. It’s time she comes clean with all of us.”

Mia returns and we get to work updating her inventory list. All the vodka is missing. Of course it is. But the gin, rum, and bourbon are also coming up in much shorter supply than there should be.

“At least they didn’t touch the kegs. Those are a pain in the ass to replace.” Mia sighs when we finally finish.

The other guys have flipped all the tables right side up, and the girls have reappeared with food for everyone from the Mexican place down the street. We’ve finished wiping everything down when the door busts open and Aunt Linda walks in.

“Welp, guess it’s time to fess up, huh?” she announces, pulling out a chair and sitting down, immediately reaching for a chip. “Can I get a drink? Got any rum left?”

Mia stares at her, frozen for a second, before standing and going behind the bar.

I stare at the older woman, seeing her in a new light. She’s not just ‘everyone’s aunt who keeps their secrets,’ but she’s an actual secret keeper. And that makes her even more dangerous. The problem is, I don’t know where the danger will land, with us or with the other side.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

MIA

I stare at Aunt Linda,my face slack. Hell, my mouth might even be hanging open. What she just told us has all of us in some form of frozen shock. I break away from her face to look at Demitri, who is barely holding his shit together. I know when a person is close to breaking, and he’s at his limit.

I don’t say anything, but they all turn to me when I stand and move to Demitri’s side, taking his hand and pulling him up. I make eye contact with each person at the table, silently telling them to leave us alone. The girls get it. Hell, they can probably read my mind at this point. Daniel spares me a small glance before continuing to glare at Aunt Linda. Grady and Aiden both nod their heads in understanding and Joker and Nate tip their chins before going back to their laptops.

Brodie is also here now, having come to see what he could do and sticking around for story time. He looks lost.

I pull Demitri into the office and close the door. I don’t let his hand go until we’re sitting side by side on the couch. I gently tug on his arm, and he puts his head in my lap, holding my thighs. He squeezes his eyes shut, but I know he’s reliving memories I can’t see behind the lids.

“Wanna talk about it?” I gently ask, running my fingers through his hair.

“I don’t know what to say,” he replies, sounding so lost. “I feel like I’ve just had my entire world flipped on edge.”

Aunt Linda told us she’s been keeping secrets. Lots of secrets. About Demitri, his family, and who the bad guys are.

“Sasha was never a good guy, Mia. He’s done unfathomable things in his life that he will never be able to atone for. Violence was always a part of him. I don’t understand.”

“Do you believe what she said?”

“That he’s tired of the blood and hate and doesn’t want the family to continue? I have no idea what to believe.”

“Are you going to talk to him? I’ll go with you.”

“No. I don’t want you anywhere near that monster.”

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