Chapter 82: Alexei Volkov Called Dimitri

James and Lucas immediately fell into step....one ahead, one behind.

Protecting her.

From people she’d never met. Threats she didn’t understand.

Because her best friend had fallen in love with the Devil.

"This is my life now," Maya muttered.

James glanced back. "Ma’am?"

"Nothing. Just talking to myself."

"Understandable. It’s a lot to process."

"You have no idea."

But as they walked back to her apartment, Maya realized something.

She wasn’t afraid.

Overwhelmed, yes. Confused, definitely. But not afraid.

Because Eve was happy. Really, truly happy.

And if standing by her best friend meant bodyguards and danger and diving into a world Maya didn’t understand...

Well.

That’s what friends did.

***

POV: EVE

Eve stood at the penthouse windows that evening, watching the city lights come on as dusk settled.

Behind her, Dimitri worked at his desk...calls, meetings, the endless business of running an empire.

But every few minutes, his eyes would find her. Check on her. Make sure she was okay.

Her phone buzzed. Maya.

Tyler knows. He’s freaked out but staying. Thank god. Also your boyfriend’s security guys are weirdly polite. James offered to carry my groceries. It was adorable.

Eve smiled, typed back: Told you Dimitri hires the best. How are you really doing?

Honestly? Still processing. But I’m okay. We’re okay. Just be careful, Eve. Please. I can’t lose my best friend to some mob war.

You won’t. I promise.

She set down the phone, felt Dimitri’s arms come around her from behind.

"She okay?" he murmured into her hair.

"She will be. She’s stronger than she looks."

"Like someone else I know." He pressed a kiss to her neck. "You did good today. That couldn’t have been easy."

"It wasn’t. But it was necessary." Eve turned in his arms. "Thank you. For protecting her. For taking this seriously."

"She matters to you. That makes her matter to me." His hands slid to her waist. "Besides, I like her. She’s got fire. Told me if I hurt you, she’d find a way to make me pay. Despite the bodyguards and the fear, she still threatened me."

Eve laughed. "That’s Maya."

"That’s family." He pulled her closer. "And family protects family."

They stood there for a long moment, wrapped in each other, the city sprawling below them.

"Dimitri?" Eve said quietly.

"Mm?"

"When this is over, when Enzo and Isabella are handled, what happens to Maya’s security? Does she just go back to normal?"

"If she wants to. Or...." He paused. "Or we keep her under protection. Permanently. Not because of specific threats, but because she’s important to you. And what’s important to you is important to me."

"You’d do that? Keep her safe indefinitely?"

"Without question." He tilted her chin up. "You’re my queen, Eve. And queens get to protect their people. So if you want Maya safe, Maya stays safe. For as long as you want."

Eve’s eyes filled with tears. 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too." He kissed her softly. "Now come to bed. Tomorrow, we deal with the Volkovs. Tonight, we just exist. Just us."

"Just us," she agreed.

He led her toward the bedroom, And Eve felt something settle in her chest.

She’d chosen this life. This man. This darkness.

And she’d dragged her best friend into it too.

But Maya had stayed.

Had chosen Eve over safety.

Had proven that real friendship could survive even in the Devil’s world.

And that...that was worth everything.

***

POV: ENZO

Across the city, Enzo sat in his hotel room, reviewing surveillance reports.

Maya. Best friend. Now under heavy protection.

Phoenix Talent Agency. Security tripled overnight.

Mike Thorne. Four bodyguards. Armed. Experienced.

"He locked them all down," Isabella said from the doorway. "Every pressure point we identified."

"Of course he did. He’s Dimitri." Enzo set down the reports. "We knew he’d respond. The question is how hard?"

"My sources say he sent a message to Alexei Volkov. Warning him that moves against Dimitri’s interests will be considered acts of war."

"And?"

"And Alexei is... considering. He didn’t pull out of our deal, but he’s being more cautious than before." Isabella crossed to the window. "We need to make a move. Something that proves we’re serious. That we’re not just children playing at being dangerous."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Neutral territory. The Hartford shipment. It’s coming through in three days. Dimitri hasn’t claimed it, neither has Antonio or Lorenzo. Whoever secures it gets leverage."

"And if we take it?"

"We prove we’re players. We show the Volkovs we can deliver. We establish ourselves as a real threat." Isabella turned to face him. "But Enzo....if we do this, there’s no going back. Dimitri will respond. And when he does..."

"When he does, we’ll be ready." Enzo stood, moved to stand beside her. "We’ve spent our entire lives in his shadow. Antonio’s shadow. It’s time we cast our own."

Isabella studied his face. "You’re really committed to this. To us building something separate."

"Completely. Are you?"

She was quiet for a long moment.

Then: "Yes. I’m tired of being the discarded fiancée. The woman who wasn’t good enough for the great Dimitri Valentino. I want to build something that makes him look at me and see an equal. A threat. Someone who deserves respect."

"Then we take the Hartford shipment." Enzo pulled out his phone. "I’ll contact our people. Have them in position by Tuesday."

"And if Dimitri finds out before we move?"

"Then we move faster." Enzo smiled, sharp and determined. "Welcome to the game, partner. Let’s see if we’re as good as we think we are."

***

POV: DIMITRI

The call came at 11 AM the next morning.

Unknown number. Moscow area code.

Dimitri let it ring three times before answering, his voice neutral. "Valentino."

"Mr. Valentino." The voice on the other end was smooth, cultured, with a Russian accent softened by years of Western education. "Alexei Volkov. I believe we need to have a conversation."

Dimitri’s hand tightened on the phone. "About?"

"About the message you sent. The warning regarding my new business partners." A pause. "I must say, it was quite direct. Almost threatening."

"It wasn’t almost anything. It was a threat." Dimitri walked to his office window, looked out over the city he controlled. "Your ’business partners’ have identified people under my protection as potential leverage. That makes this my concern."