SWNOVELS Devoted: Chapter 20
Watching my best friend’s heart rip out of his chest when we told him Maddie was missing made me realize our weakness. We don’t have enough men for this fight. I promised him I will do what it takes to bring her home, and that starts now. With Sienna being so broken about Maddie’s disappearance, me and Keller don’t have a choice.
We need more recruits, and we know exactly where to find them.
In the place it all started for us.
I follow my brother as we push open the doors to our childhood.
Tony’s gym.
The familiar smell of leather and sweat hits me, and I feel home.
Keller looks at me with a smirk.
“Memory lane.” His shoulders pull back as he steps into the cool interior, like he’s strutting before a fight.
“No killing anyone in here tonight.” It’s not often I’m the voice of reason.
We head towards the ring, both in our gym gear. Tony wouldn’t let us step foot in here if we didn’t intend to fight. I’m not sure what man would be stupid enough to get in a match with Keller, the best heavyweight boxer in the world. But tonight, we are here for a different reason.
Recruitment. I need manpower to sweep the city to find Maddie.
“Where is the little bulldog?” Tony might be built short and wide, but he knows how to train someone to the best version of themselves.
And that’s what we need. An army full of fighters, men just like us. If we can pull this off, we will be unstoppable.
“My boys!”
Tony rushes towards us, his arms in the air. “You like what I did with the place?” He winks.
“Yeah, you spent our money well,” Keller replies as he glares down a life size cut-out of himself from his prize fight.
“You’re in for a treat tonight. Biggest draw in the underground in a long time.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “What makes you think we’re fighting?”
“You wouldn’t dare come home and not show them all how it’s done. The motherfucking Russo Brothers.”
“Rules still the same?” Keller asks with a menacing smile.
I know he’s craving the blood. He might not be my hitman anymore–he has his family life with Sienna–but you will never take the fight from him. The man was made to kill, he just chooses not to. For now.
“What rules?” Tony replies. His broad smile revealing a gold top tooth.
“Perfect. I’ll go first,” I say, shrugging off my sweatshirt.
“Jax is ready to fight. Calls himself the ‘King of Chaos’. Reminds me a bit of this one,” Tony nods at Keller.
“So he wants to cave in my skull? Ideal.”
I need something to get this built-up anger out. I need to switch my overthinking mind off for a night.
But the menace in the ring, that’s me.
I rub my hands together and bounce from left to right. “Let’s see what he’s got.”
Tony ducks under the ring and slicks back his white hair as he stands.
I follow suit and stand in my corner with Keller hanging over the ropes. He wraps my hands up in heavy white tape. We don’t use gloves here.
My opponent and I are fairly matched in size. If anything, his muscles are leaner, so he might be quicker. He rips off his vest like the Hulk, and I roll my eyes at Keller.
He’s covered in gang style tattoos from his neck all the way down to his ankles.
“No rules, just please don’t kill each other. I can’t deal with the police,” Tony shouts.
Keller nods to me, his eyes darkening as I focus on my opponent. With the adrenaline flowing through my veins, I feel the most alive I have in years.
“Fight!” Tony calls and the crowd cheers.
Jax wastes no time launching himself at me. I duck away from him and jab him straight in the ribs. He stumbles back a step, and I take advantage, cracking him straight in the nose.
He stands and wipes the blood from his face.
“You cunt,” he seethes.
“What, can’t handle a fucking punch? Pussy,” I spit back.
I dance around the ring, taunting him.
He comes at me again, this time landing a clean uppercut on my jaw. I shake my head, fuck that feels good.
“Arms up, Luca!” Keller bellows behind me.
I smirk at Jax. “That’s your one and only.”
As he moves forward again, I put my weight on my left leg and all the power in my right and launch my foot straight into his stomach. He groans and backs into the ropes.
I storm towards him, taking my opportunity.
Unleashing a barrage of punches to his face, blood splatters from his split eyebrow. He weakly defends them with his forearms. He grabs my hand before my punch lands and pushes me back. His nostrils flare. That evil darkness Keller has, I see it lurking in Jax’s eyes.
Well shit. This is going to get interesting.
I crack my neck as we circle into the center of the ring. He pulls back his fist and slams it into my mouth. Pretty decent shot.
I spit blood onto the floor, running my tongue along my teeth. I like this guy.
“Want a job?” I say before he pulls his elbow back for another strike.
He stops and tilts his head, glancing at Keller behind me.
“Fucking lightbulb just switched on?” I circle my finger in the air to Tony, letting him know we’re wrapping up the fight. I’ve got bigger plans for the King of Chaos here. He is exactly the kind of guy we need–dangerous.
“Meet Keller at Kings Gym tomorrow.” I nod to him and slap him on the shoulder.
I duck under the ropes and head to the office.
Tony shuts the door behind him, cheers from the crowd signal the next fight making it almost too hard to hear. Someone must be getting their head caved in.
I sit heavily in the metal chair, rubbing my jaw. “Tony, I need a favor.”
He sits down on his desk chair. “Anything.” He pours us two glasses of scotch. It’s Tony’s fault I have a taste for it.
“Any decent fighters. I mean, killers. Guys you think could join me. Send them to Kings Gym.” Flexing my hand, I think I may have cracked a knuckle. That Jax has a hard ass head.
He knocks back his drink with a grimace. “What are you building, boy? A goddamn army?”
“Pretty much.”
Frankie pours me a scotch and hands it over. It might be ten in the morning, but I need this. I’ve barely been home since Grayson was shot. I miss her.
Only being home for two or three hours at a time isn’t enough. What I wouldn’t give for a full night of having her wrapped in my arms.
With all of my men out searching for Maddie, I’ve had to step back into dealing with our shipments and keeping an eye on Grayson. He’s about one more flip out away from blowing up Marco’s home. But it isn’t going to bring back Maddie.
Frankie leans back and rests his glass on his crossed knee. “What’s the plan, boss?”
“Good question.” I stare at the pile of photos in front of me. They all run together and are useless.
His icy gray eyes bore into mine.
We have Maddie, who disappeared from the face of the earth. Grayson lying in a hospital bed. Keller is on a warpath.
I scratch my scruffy jaw and down my drink. Enzo is the best man for the job, but even he has been searching and coming up with nothing. We’ve been door to door. The commissioner is scouring for reports matching Maddie’s details. I’ve called in every favor possible with families across the country.
Nothing, not one fucking thing.
Romano’s name lights up on my phone, and both Frankie and I look at each other. What does he want?
“This better be good, Romano.”
He laughs. “Fucking hello to you, too, Luca.”
“I’m not in the mood for another debate about gun running.” I sip my scotch, checking the time. I have to meet Enzo in an hour.
His voice is calm, almost teasing in tone. “Not even if I told you I had some information about your little blonde friend that is missing?”
I cough on my drink. “You know where Maddie is?” I can’t hide the anger in my voice.
“I may have some information you might find useful, yes. It comes at a cost and you’ll have to come here to discuss the deal first.”
Frankie’s eyebrows shoot up. I don’t have any other options. I promised Grayson I’d bring her home. That I’d keep my family safe.
“I’ll be there. Send me the details.” I cut the call and sit back in my seat. Downing the contents of my glass, I hurl it against the wall, shattering it on the oak paneling. “Well, looks like I’m going to Italy. You coming?”
Frankie puts his elbows on his knees and glances to the corner where shards pepper the floor.
“No. I’ll stay here, keep an eye on Grayson. Keller is busy training up all the new recruits. Grayson needs someone watching out for him.”
I couldn’t stop my brother even if I wanted to, especially not when Sienna begged him to help us find her best friend. I don’t want him in this life, so I tasked him with training up the guys Tony sent over.
Especially if this shit with Romano Capri turns south, we need everything we can get.
I pinch the bridge of my nose, a headache already forming at my temples. “I’m out. I gotta go check in on Rosa before I leave. I’ll take Enzo with me. Keep me updated on Grayson.”
He salutes me. “Yes, boss.”
Something clicks in me as I reach the front door. I turn back to Frankie, who is sitting back, tapping away on his phone. “Do you remember what the doctor looked like that took her away?”
He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and scratches his beard. “I might be able to pick them out if I saw them again.”
“Good. You head to the hospital. Find that doctor and bring them in. See what they know. I’ll have the commissioner do some digging on the staff there.”
He nods and leans back.
I pull out my pack of cigarettes. “I’ll be back in a couple of days. I’m trusting you to keep this together for me.”
“You got it, boss.”