Page 57 of Dance of Defiance
“Bad,” Lyra says, serious worry in her voice. “Like, super fucked up, angry, sad…I dunno. I called Carmine and he said he and the guys would try to track him down and make sure he was okay.”
The guys. Carmine and Nico Barone, Nero De Luca, Bane Antonov, and usually Laz Kislev too. Those are Roman’s Team Straight buddies, who seem to have some sort of bond, though I have no idea what it is. Ionce—at a party at Nero’s place after he and Milena became a thing—overheard the group of them talking about “the court” in hushed tones, but I have no idea what that was all about.
Anyway,theycan concern themselves with Roman and his issues.
“Here comes Evie,” Naomi murmurs, turning to wave at our innocent friend coming down the alley with her dance bag. “Let’s change the subject. I don’t want to worry her.” She turns back to us. “What are we doing tomorrow? It’s Friday.”
Lyra perks up. “Maybe Doomsday?” I think I heard Laz say this kickass DJ from Madrid will be there.” She turns to wink at me. “I looked him up.Supercute, and totally your type.”
Perfect. Right now, my type is “comfortable with their sexuality”, i.e., “not Roman Nikitin”.
All I need to do is ignore the confused fucker with a drinking problem and shake him from my system.
Easy-peasy, lemon squeezy.
Done.
12
VAL
My nose wrinklesas Naomi slides the shot glass across the table to me.
“Fuck you.”
She laughs loudly as she slips next to me into the VIP booth at Doomsday. I don’t really know why this club has becometheweekend hangout spot for the Zakharova crew. Okay, I do: because Laz Kislev, who pals around with—yes, I’ll say his name, but only fucking once—Roman, Bane, Nero, Carmine and Nico, is a part owner of the place. Laz isalsoa man-whore approaching altitudesI’veachieved, which is…saying something.
The difference between us is I view the girls of the Zakharova as sisters, and Laz views them as potential conquests.
I mean, he’s not a creep about it, but let's just say I’ve got my eye on him.
Likehellam I going to let any of my girls slum it with that ho.
Anyway, one of the big perks for our crew when it comes to Doomsday is that Laz has us all on the permanent guest list, which means no line, ever, and a comped booth in the VIP section whenever we want it.
At this point, I’m not sure what ballerina tree he’s even barking up anymore, given that Lyra, Naomi, Milena, and Brooklyn are allfirmlyspoken for—enough that not even Laz would be dumb or ballsy enough to make a play for them. There’s Evie, but I think she’s way too innocent to catch that whore’s attention. There’s also Dove, but…well, I honestly don’t know there.
Dove is a relatively new member of our crew. And if I thoughtIhad a mysterious, murky background, that girl is next level.
It’s obviously no secret that she’s the oldest daughter of Cesare Marchetti, don of the Marchetti Italian mafia family. But she also disappeared from New York foryears, and no one has any idea where she went, or why she’s back.
The rumor mill says everything from jail, to rehab, to a convent. So… Take your pick.
I mean, she’s aninsanelygood dancer—easily one of if not lowkey the best in the entire fucking company, and I don’t say that lightly. So wherever she was, she was able to keep practicing.
“Tequila? Seriously?” I push aside any questions about which of my friends Laz is trying to shove his dick into and glare at the shot glass before dragging my gaze back to Naomi’s smug face. “Are you high?”
She laughs again. “I mean, if you’re going to get your panties in a bunch about it, I can go get you a cranberry and seltzer?—”
“Baby girl, the problem is, when I drink tequila, my panties comeoff,” I grin.
She rolls her eyes. “Try not to get us banned, 'mkay?”
“Hey, you brought the gasoline, psycho.”
Milena, sitting across from us, tosses her blonde locks back and laughs before raising a shot of what I’mconfidentis vodka.
“He has a point. Whyareyou feeding him tequila?”
