Page 7 of Paved in Venom

Vitaly is heating up a plate of leftover pizza when I walk into the kitchen. “You going to the Red Viper?”

“Yeah, and I’m not leaving until David gives me an invite.”

“I’ll come with you,” Lev says, walking in and grabbing a slice of pizza off Vitaly’s plate.

“Fucker,” Vitaly mutters with a laugh.

He takes a bite and heads back to his room to change while I grab a slice of pizza and take a large bite while Vitaly lifts a brow at me.

“You know there’s more in the fridge, right?”

“But yours is already heated up.” Before he can get angry, I say, “I ordered you extra cheesy bread last night.”

“And that’s the only reason I’m not punching you for stealing my food.”

I laugh and take another bite. “Just be happy you don’t have to go with me tonight.”

“I’m more than happy to sit this one out,” he says, grabbing a coke from the fridge. “That’s one good thing about Pink. It’s given me the perfect excuse to avoid that place.”

None of us like having to go to the Red Viper, but it’s unavoidable. The owners of the club are heavily involved in sex trafficking, and every girl who works there is a victim. We have to pretend that we enjoy being there and that we’re interested in buying women. It’s unpleasant to say the least.

Lev walks back out in a suit, and right as we’re about to leave, my phone rings. I don’t recognize the number, but I answer it anyway, and as soon as I hear Oleg’s voice, I shoot Lev a look that has him laughing and saying payback in Russian.

“Hey, Danil,” Oleg says in a voice that’s way too fucking chipper. “Lev gave me your number last night, said you wouldn’t mind. I was wondering if you wanted to grab a drink with me tonight. We could hang out at Pink and watch the dancers rehearse,” he says like I don’t have better things to do with my time, “or we could go to a different club. Whatever you want, man.”

“Sorry, Oleg, I’m pretty busy tonight. I’ve got some business to take care of,” I say while flipping Lev the bird as we walk to the elevator. Vitaly laughs and heads into the living room.

“Oh, well maybe I can help,” Oleg says, making me roll my eyes because there’s no way in fuck this dipshit could ever help me with anything.

“Yeah, not tonight, Oleg. Maybe some other night.” I hang up before he can embarrass himself further and glare at Lev, who’s leaning against the back of the elevator with a grin on his face.

“I did warn you,” he says.

“I can’t believe you fucking gave him my number.”

“An hour,” he tells me with a laugh. “We had to sit there and listen to him talk for an entire fucking hour. I’ve never wanted to kill someone so badly in my life. I’m honestly surprised Matvey didn’t reach over the table and stab him to death.”

“He’s never going to stop calling me.”

“No, he won’t,” Lev agrees, laughing harder. “That’s the beauty of it. It’s a payback that never truly ends.”

“You are such an ass,” I tell him.

He laughs all the way to my car, and during the drive I keep hearing him bust out into soft giggles every time he thinks about it like a fucking schoolgirl.

The club is packed when we get there, just like it always is. The place looks like a rundown dump of a place in one of the worst parts of the city, but the parking lot is always full of expensive cars that never get broken into. Everyone knows this place isn’t to be messed with, and they give it a wide berth.

Lev’s finally gotten control of himself, and he and I walk to the front door, nodding at the bouncer who knows us well enough by now to just step aside with a nod, letting us into the dark, depressing club. The music is loud, the lighting low, and the place is filled with the vilest of men and the women who have no choice but to give them what they want, no matter what that may be. Usually I’d play David’s game, sit with him for hours while some random girl grinds in my lap and I count every fucking thing I can think of while pretending to be riveted by what he’s saying, but I can’t do it tonight. It’s time to get things moving, and I’m tired of fucking around.

We walk over to the VIP section, and when David sees us, he waves a hand at the tall brunette who gives me a wink before allowing us into the closed-off section. Aaron helps David run the club, and when the blonde in his lap gets down on her knees, he sees us and smiles.

“Hey, haven’t seen you two in a few days,” he says while the woman nuzzles her face in his crotch.

“I swear to god if he whips his dick out, I’m going to lose what little patience I have,” Lev mutters in Russian.

“We’ve been busy,” I tell Aaron in English, and then sit down, putting my focus on David. “We can’t stay long, but I wanted to come in to talk to you about the upcoming auction. I want in.”

David laughs and says, “Where’s Roman? Is he ever coming back in to see us?”

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