Player's Guide To Ever After? (PLAYBOOK #3)

KAI “Big brother,” I address Kudo only even though he is not the only big brother in the room. “Sit down Kai,” the first son is already annoyed by our gathering. Kudo might be the leader of the 7sons but all of us being in one room is making him tick, which is not good for anyone. “You are late.” Kade is poking a drone so of course I roll my eyes and choose the furthest seat from him. I did not get drunk before landing just so he can sober me up before the plane hits the runaway. He is not ruining my plans or mood today. “Can we get this started? I am meeting my dealer in a few.” Katana is not even pretending to be sober despite his father video conferencing in. “The Dominaka need our help.” Kudo starts at grandpa’s signal. “With the descendants spread all over South America, Ivan needs assistance with pulling them in because…Rosanna is back.” A picture of a woman with a black hoodie and sunglasses appears next to grandpa on the screen. “Rosanna? The person that killed Ivan’s father?” Kade is the one to enquire and Kudo answers with a sharp nod. Another thing that makes our leader tick. Anything that he cannot control that involves Ivan Akarove Dominaka, his best and only friend. “Ivan is already on his way but—” “Where is Odessa?” I stand to interject because she might be in serious danger. Last time Rosanna was anywhere near them, Ivan had to spend most of his life in hiding so there is no way I am letting Odessa get hurt because of revenge. We already know she can hold a grudge, the woman slit the throat of her own husband and baby-daddy. “Wow, you could not even act like you were not compromised and cost us a whole undercover mission?” Kiyoko tsks in Korean and I flip him the bird because he is being a d**k. It was my first mission and it has been years now. “Come on,” it is not like Kaizer to defend me. “It is not his fault he became an undercover cliché.” He smirks, “falling for someone who was not even his mark.” There it is, there is my asshole brother so that is why he also gets the middle finger. “How many descendants are even there? I only know the future king and the Gemini card, did the Russians hatch anymore killers?” Kade inquires purposefully. No one knows how deep the relationship between the Choi’s and Vladimir go because they are always doing things for each other. Now, Ivan and Kudo are supposedly best friends? It is all too fishy because there are no friendships in the mob. Especially between deadly Asians and powerful Russians. “No, there is not. It is just them 3,” grandpa answers quickly which could only mean it is a lie. “An extraction team is already being sent by Vladimir from Portland, we just need to choose who goes where from our side.” “Felix is still in Boston and by the time we land, Odessa will be heading to LAX.” Kudo shows their locations on the screen. “Wait, as in California?” Katana exhales annoyingly because he thought we were going to Vegas. Also that is where Liam is based. I know it is stupid but I cannot let them reunite, I cannot let him see her before me. “Please Kudo.” I beg in Korean because I need to see her. It has been 2years since I have set eyes on Odessa’s beautiful face and I will be damned if Liam Griffith gets to her first. He is still number #1 on my hit list. “Doesn’t she hate you?” Kairo points out because the last time he visited me at Oakwood University, I had a black eye because of Odessa’s right hook. Funny thing is, the right is her weakest hand. This means despite what everyone thinks, no, Odessa can’t hate me that much if she used her bad hand. “That is beside the point.” I face our leader. “Kudo,” I pull the baby brother card on all of them. They might be hardass bastards but grandpa collapsed out of my life once my mother died. Every one of them showed up and contributed to raising me, even though they were still boys themselves. Which means they still see that angry little 4year old in me and I am not above exploiting that. “Captain,” Kudo presses a button on the wall to summon the pilot. “Set course for Los Angeles after our fuel stop.” I sit back down as Kiyoko rolls his eyes. (24 hours later) “Did you really think it was over?” I grin because Odessa is finally in my arms. The plan is simple. A low-key snatch & grab with no witnesses because she needs to be extracted before Rosanna can identify her. “Kai, don’t do this.” Odessa screams as Kiyoko sticks a syringe into her neck. “Kai!” I look at my brother because that was not part of the plan. We are still on open ground and we needed to brief her first. “Sssh.” Kiyoko smirks as Kade steps on the gas. “Time to go sleepy Didi,” he is enjoying this a little too much. “f**k you…” Odessa only looks at me as her eyes drop. “I love you too.” It slips out but luckily she is already unconscious as Kiyoko and Kade give each other a look I do not understand. “What? It slipped out.” I lay Odessa down gently to tie her up. “Yeah right,” Kiyoko shakes his head in disapproval but I ignore him. I wanted to bring Katana or Kudo on this mission but one needed to meet with Ivan and the other would not wake up. I even threw Katana in the pool but not even almost drowning brought him back. This sucks because my feelings for Odessa always overwhelm me. That is why I need to keep them in check because she is about to find out, I am nothing like my brothers. At least not yet. LIAM Eight hours. I stand, waiting and calling Odessa’s phone while in the airport lounge for 8hours before realizing that she is not coming. Honestly? I realized it in the first 8minutes but I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt and as usual it was a big mistake. “Excuse me?” A woman’s voice interrupts my bender. The barman tried to cut me off during hour one but after I made it clear I was not planning on boarding any plane today, he let me have my fill with a tequila bottle that will not end. “No pictures.” I slur but a thud hits my head. “Ow!” I turn around to find, “Hailey?” looking at me. “Yes dummy, the airport manager called mom.” She gives the barman a disappointed look as she pulls away the bottle from my weak hands. “What the hell are you still doing here Liam?” I stay quiet because if I speak, I will cry or better yet—throw up. “Someone in the lounge ratted you out, the paparazzi are everywhere!” Hailey hits my head again and this time I leave my face on the cold hard table. “Bring the car around.” I do not know who she speaks to but I am floating off my chair the next second. I know getting carried through the emergency exit at the airport should be considered a low point but what comes next, can only be described as foggy because I go on a horrible bender all week. Well, that is until the fateful night where I am stuck babysitting my baby brother in Paris. Like a sane person, I called everyone I knew once sober and no one had heard from Odessa before the day we were supposed to meet. But as Neels gives me his iPad to find his show, I am interrupted by an ad that changes everything. I click to see if I am losing my mind but I am not. Odessa is really playing the violin as Kai sings on center stage. “MAMA?” I look at logo on the corner of the screen. The Mnet Asian Music Awards? Google gives me the meaning in seconds which only verifies where she went and with Kai too. “Give it.” Neels takes his iPad back when I lag. “What is your problem these days?” My baby brother genuinely asks. “I just saw Odessa.” I pull out my own device and go to the MAMA website. I scroll to performers and find his name under the list for nominees. And yep, he is there under a list of Korean names. KAI f*****g KING won a MAMA for best new male. I look at his crew and the orchestra list but Odessa is not there. So back to YouTube I go to look at his trending performance and without a doubt I know she is the one playing as he hits a high note that makes everyone stand in the audience. “Bailey?” Neels’ eyes begin to water as I look at the phone I just threw against the wall. “Are you okay?” No. I am far from okay. “I am sorry buddy.” I turn my brother away. “Did I scare you?” I lead him away from the mess I just created but it is nothing close to the mess in my head. I am not the same i***t from university that got played by a reverse catfish. I left that guy when I graduated early and joined the NBA draft before I was ready. I also burned him alive when I let the only woman I have ever loved go despite wanting to hold her close. I did a year, of long distance calls. A year of watching her performances on tour in the locker rooms, waking up at all hours of the night just to talk to her. A year of celibacy, loyalty and honesty. Of choosing and loving her despite coming from a family of criminals but what do I get at the last hour? Kai f*****g King. I might not be that guy anymore but I am ready to let Kai be the i***t this time because he is about to learn that loving a woman like Odessa Vecker—Dominaka. Well, it is like drinking poison and expecting it not to kill you. And I am done drinking her poison, I am done with her.