Her smile brightened even further. “This is a new charity and they need your support in making their name known, so please make sure to include their name in your pieces, and not just who is kissing whom and who’s wearing what.” We all chuckled…because that was partially the truth. “I hope you enjoy the festivities and donate if you are able. The first event starts in two hours. The public will be allowed inside in an hour, so feel free to do your interviews until then. However, be careful. These are trained individuals, but they are warming up for the competition. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.” She opened the steel double doors, and motioned for us to go inside.
I clicked off my tape recorder and darted into the fold. My name had only just today been changed on the press list so they could not blackball me at the last minute, and I did not want to be seen before I could get in. Once I was in, it was cake. They could not throw a fit if I was already inside. As long as they did not catch me doing anything wrong, anyway.
I grabbed an itinerary as they were handed out and pushed through the crowd walking between the bleachers. The room was only part of the building from the size of it. It appeared like a boxing arena with bleachers on all four walls, and a literal boxing ring in the middle. The bleachers were not fully extended yet, so there were groups all over the place warming up in sweatpants, gi pants, or sports bras and shorts. My gaze swung across the space until I quickly spotted my prey. They were in a large group in the corner across the room.
I scrutinized the layout for access. Hidden access.
I did not want to be seen just yet.
It was not hard to perceive my only option, the bleachers.
I moved with a group of press that was heading to the opposite corner, but along the same wall as my target. They asked questions and I politely answered them, seeing the same look of awe on their faces that tended to drive me crazy. Someone tapped my shoulder, and I glanced back…and slammed right against someone.
“Oh, shit. I’m sorry,” I mumbled as the smell of roses invaded my senses. I hurried to straighten my glasses and peered way, way up. I dropped my head just as quickly. I promptly maneuvered out of the hold that Grigori’s father, Daniil, the man I had slammed into, had on me, trying to keep me steady. Stupidly, I repeated myself. “Sorry.”
I had no clue if he even knew what I looked like, but I had seen him plenty.
He moved aside easily enough, allowing me to catch up with my group.
The man that had tapped my shoulder was chuckling. “You better pay attention to what Mrs. Donovan said. Some of those people look like they could crush me, much less someone as small as you.”
I nodded—duh—and slipped through their group to the front edge.
As soon as they landed in the corner right where I wanted, I stepped back, surveying everyone. No one was watching me, so I ducked under the bleacher that was only out a few steps. I progressed through the darkness slowly, going straight, the only way I could, right toward my target.
I stopped a few feet back and stayed in the shadows.
Ember was stretching her calves against the wall and talking to a fine-looking guy. I mentally ran through the list of names I knew…Lev something or other. I pulled out my tape recorder and whispered the date and time, along with Ember’s and Lev’s names, and held the device closer to them, listening.
“I’m telling you, I bet I beat your time. It’ll be a fair wager. We have no clue who we’re going to be fighting,” Lev stated, stretching his hamstrings.
Ember stared with cold eyes and shrugged. “Whatever. I just want to get in the ring with someone talented. But I’ll take the bet. What did you say? A grand?”
Lev nodded. “A grand.” He eyed her as she went back to gazing at the wall and switching feet. He asked softly, “Ember, is everything all right? You seem a little…distant.”
“I’m fine,” she muttered quickly, hugging the wall to get a good stretch.
“It’s been a while since we talked. We could have a drink after this and catch up.”
“I don’t think Brent and Cole would like that.” Her head fell against the wall, pushing harder. “Maybe when things calm down some. They’ve only been back a month.”
Lev reached out and gripped her chin, turning her face toward him. He studied her, and asked bluntly, “Are you happy with them? Still happy? They were gone for two years.”
Her gaze went even more frigid. She stayed silent for a long few moments before she finally spoke. “We’re getting to know each other again. Time will tell.”
He dropped his hand. “Well, I’m here if you really want to talk.”
Ember smiled, kind of, as she stepped back from the wall. “Thanks.” She spun away and strolled to Zane Harris, one of the owners of their company, Lion Security, who was standing in the corner talking with Cole.
Eva Kozar, another one of the mafia brats, moved next to Lev, so I yanked the recorder back, ready to state her name…but I stalled when I felt unusual heat behind me.
I clicked the recorder off, stuffed it down my bra, and swiftly turned. It was hard to see in the darkness, but I pushed my glasses up and stared at the man that had come up behind me. It was Roman Kozar; seriously, they had a lot of damn siblings. He silently stared down at me before glancing behind me, taking in what I had almost gotten on tape. My heart was pounding in my ears, and I was more than freaked when he still did not say anything, only grabbed my arm and manhandled me out the way I had come, thankfully not the end that would take me right into their group.
I quickly saw why he went this way when he none-to-gently tossed me out from behind the stands. Daniil, his bodyguards, Artur Kozar—another mafia kid—and Stash Bailey, a co-owner of Lion Security, were all standing there. A pretty damn formidable group. I was not afraid to say that I was a little intimidated by all their bulging muscles and testosterone, but I kept my mouth shut. There was no need to start babbling what I had been doing, and plus, I had no clue how long Roman had been standing behind me.
Daniil glanced at Roman, raising his eyebrows.
Roman quietly spoke in Russian.
I bit my cheek in frustration. I had no clue what the hell he was saying.
Daniil peered at me. His stare was a warning. “What were you doing, Ms. Forter?”
So he did know who I was. The jerk had probably followed me after I had bumped him.
I shrugged and went with the semi-truth. “Getting a story.”
“What story might that be?” Stash asked, his gaze roaming me in an assessing way. We had never met before, so this was my first up close and personal with the man.