Heir’s Redemption

Chapter 41

We pulled up outside of Club Apollo. It was in a discreet location and I was surprised we could even find it, considering I’ve never heard of it.

The building was mad of stone, like most buildings here in Italy. It was quite big, but not big enough to be a popular club. It maybe could hold one hundred people on a good day, making it a less popular club here in Italy.

“Are we sure about this?” Edwin asked, making me roll my eyes.

“How about you stay back with the car if you’re so worried, pretty boy.” I muttered, earning a growl of protest from him.

“Hell no! I have to come so I can protect you, principessa.”

“Oh save me the chivalry.” I argued while climbing out of the back seat.

I hugged my leather jacket closer to my chest, feeling the cold air seep into my bones. I walked closer towards the entrance of the club, noticing no security anywhere in sight.

Weird.

Luca grabbed my arm and stopped me, “You stay close to us, got it?”

“Yes, Luca.” I complained, “Don’t worry, I’ll be on my best behavior.”

He let go of my arm and walked ahead of me. Edwin and Bastian flanked me from behind as we all approached the entrance doors together.

Luca pulled the door open and I entered, seeing a practically empty bar. The place was sophisticated and filled with the finest of decor, but there was barely anybody in here.

There were a couple of older men who drank at the bar counter, but other than that, the place was empty.

“Where the hell is everybody at?” Edwin asked with furrowed brows.

“The hell if I know.” I muttered back as I walked further into the place and looked around.

Across the room was a black door with the same exact red skull on the business card Simon gave me.

I shoved my hand in my pocket and pulled the card out, comparing the two of them together.

An exact match.

That must be my true destination.

“Something isn’t right.” Luca informed, “This place is just a front for something else.”

“Indeed it is.” I smirked, “Follow me.”

I walked towards the door across the hall and opened it, revealing a set of steep stairs that led into a dark hallway.

“f**k no.” Edwin groaned, “I’m not going down there.”

“Oh shut up you big baby.” I rolled my eyes, knowing he was so annoying, “You should really change professions if a dark hallway scares you this much.”

He shoved me with an frustrated expression on his face.

“I’ll go first.” Luca offered before he walked down the steps. I followed behind him and saw two guards waiting at the other end of the hall, in front of another door with the same exact red skull on it.

I side stepped Luca and his weary stance before approaching the guards at the end of the hall.

They sized me up before speaking, “Invitation?”

I showed them the card Simon gave me before they nodded their head.

Luca, Edwin and Bastian stood behind me, staring at the men. They stepped aside and opened up the door, revealing a world that I was accustomed to so well.

Loud music perforated our ears as the smell of cigarette smoke and blood wafted into my nostrils. Crowds of people surrounded around this large cage that had two men fighting to the death. Couches lined the walls and had prominent figures sitting and watching the bloody show as they enjoyed expensive liquor.

“Enjoy your night.” One of the guards told me before he waited for us to step inside.

I could only smirk, knowing I wasn’t expecting this, but it was perfect.

I entered into the vast room, knowing that we were underground. There were no windows in this place and the air was warm and stuffy.

“How do you end up finding these kinds of places?” Luca questioned with annoyance lacing his voice, “You always seem to find trouble.”

He scanned the area, looking for threats.

“Get a drink and relax, Luca.” I smirked, “Enjoy the night and get off my back.”

“Remember Caterina.” He warned, “Stay close and out of trouble.”

I chuckled a bit before walking off. They followed closely behind me as I moved through the thick crowd, wanting a better view of the cage-fighters.

Half naked women with their breasts on display, carried unopened bottles through the crowd and delivered them to the VIP sections.

I followed their movement to a group of people who seemed to be sitting above everyone else.

I searched the section, meeting eyes with Simon himself.

He sipped his glass of vodka and gave me a sultry wink. I just smirked as I looked at the people around him. They all had some kind of gang tattoos coating their pale flesh—one’s that I’ve never seen before.

I knew he was involved with some sort of mafia lifestyle, I just didn’t exactly know which group.

There was another man who looked just like him—blue eyes, dark hair, sharp jawline and smug expression. He sat next to Simon and followed his line of sight, meeting gazes with me.

He did have a long scar along his freshly shaven jaw that Simon didn’t have. I guess that was one way to tell them apart.

Luca leaned in and breathed down my neck, “Let’s not linger here more than we need to.” He advised, “An hour tops, thats it.”

“Sure.” I muttered as my eyes fluttered back to Simon and the people around him.

Barely dressed women filled his section—some sat on the laps of the men surrounding him. They were obviously working girls because they didn’t have an ounce of happiness on their pretty little faces.

There was one girl in particular that caught my interest. She looked like Simon and that other man. Their blue eyes were piercing, along with their dark hair that was unique in a weird way. She wore a black bodysuit, not showing an ounce of her pale skin.

She must have been related to them in some way.

Simon raised his glass of vodka and waved me over with his million dollar smile flashing through his thin lips.

I watched as the group of people in his section stared at me, scrutinizing everything about me.

“You know them?” Luca questioned as he stared at Simon and his group.

“We’re..friends.” I lied before moving my legs and walking towards Simon.

Luca was hot on my tail with Edwin and Bastian not too far behind.

“Hello gorgeous!” Simon yelled out animatedly as he raised from his seat and roamed his blue eyes over me slowly. “Glad you could make it.”

I smirked, “I had to come and check this place out.”

I looked around the place for good measure as I ignored the stares of the people around Simon.

They didn’t seem too keen on having me around them.

“I see you brought friends.” Simon smirked as he looked at Luca, Edwin and Bastian who all stood behind me.

“Yup, friends.” I smoothly lied, but I saw a flicker of amusement in his blue eyes, letting me know that he didn’t believe me.

“Want a drink?” Simon asked as he held up his glass of vodka.

“Preferably one that hasn’t touched your lips.” I countered, causing him to laugh.

I saw the other man who looked like him, slightly smile before it disappeared. He had a resting b***h face, but obviously more manly.

“And what’s your name?” I asked as I met eyes with the other set of blue eyes and handsome manly face.

“Aries.” He answered back with a smug smirk.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Simon’s jaw tick as he watched me ogle the other man.

“Aries is my older brother.” Simon spoke out, making me look away from Aries and his sinfully handsome face.

He was even more handsome than Simon—he had that bad boy vibe, like he’d ravish me in the bedroom.

Maybe even smack me around a bit.

“Come take a seat while I pour you a drink.” Simon pulled me over to one of the couches. I took a seat, noticing all of the eyes on me.

Aries blue eyes slowly roamed over my body, making me suddenly aware of how much he turned me on from his hungry gaze.

Simon hovered a glass of vodka in front of my face, breaking up the sultry eye contact Aries and I shared.

“Your drink, gorgeous.” Simon offered.

I pushed my long curls off of my shoulders before taking the glass and downing it quickly. I passed the empty glass back over to Simon, making him chuckle.

“You know how to handle your liquor.” He smirked, making me roll my eyes.

“Just pour me another one.”

He listened and handed the full glass back over to me.

Loud screams sounded out as one of the men in the cage defeated the other one with a knife to the throat. His crimson blood spilled everywhere before the man dropped to the floor, flailing around like a fish until he inevitably died.

A death match.

I was surprised this was transpiring here. These things were illegal, but it didn’t seem like Simon ran things legally around here anyways.

A man with a microphone claimed the winner, making the crowd go crazy.

“What are the rules with the cage fighting?” I asked to nobody in particular.

“It’s a death match.” Aries answered before Simon could open his mouth and tell me. I turned my attention to Aries, noticing how large he was.

He was obviously tall but more muscular than his brother—he was sexy.

Just not as sexy as Rámon.

I closed my eyes, mentally scolding myself for thinking about him or even comparing him to other men.

I needed to forget about him—for my sanity.

“He’s right.” Simon agreed with a glare to his brother, not going unnoticed by me.

I wonder what the story is between them—they obviously hate each other.

“There are no rules, gorgeous.” Simon spoke out, throwing me from my thoughts “Do everything in your power to kill your opponent.”

I nodded my head in understanding, “And what do you win?”

“Money of course.” Simon chuckled with his bright white teeth on display, “Five-Million dollars to be exact.”

Wow.

Five Million.

That’s a lot for cash for a death match.

“Can anybody participate?” I asked as my eyes fluttered over to the bloody cage, knowing I could use a chance to blow off some steam.

The woman with blue eyes scoffed as she glared at me. “You really think you could win a death match?”

Her energy exuded hatred and absolute rage as she glared at me.

Did I offend her in some way?

I couldn’t help but laugh, not knowing what to say.

“Don’t worry about her.” Simon countered, “That’s our little sister, Ria.”

Ria rolled her eyes, not appreciating the way Simon doted on me.

“Why is she here brother?” She questioned with venom lacing her voice, “She shouldn’t be here and you know why.”

“And why can’t I be here?” I shot back, not backing down.

I rolled my shoulders back and puffed out my chest as I glared right back at her. From the corner of my eye, I saw Aries smirk while staring at me.

“Because you’re not welcome here!” She growled back before she muttered something in a language I didn’t understand.

“Ria!” Simon snapped out as he shared a look with her, making her sit back on the couch and cross her arms over her chest.

I smirked, knowing who was the boss around here.

Simon.

“So you’re the boss around here?” I asked as I looked over at Simon who finally met my gaze. A small smirk played on his thin lips before he nodded his head.

I looked over at Aries who didn’t look too pleased at Simon’s confession.

At least I wasn’t the only one with family problems.

A man high out his man stumbled into our section. His eyes were red rimmed and glossy, letting me know he was on more than one thing that made him this f****d up.

“Party favors.” He slurred out before he tossed Simon bags full of pills and cocaine.

My body stiffened as I watched Simon pull out a stack of cash and hand it over to the man.

The man smiled and thanked him before leaving.

Simon passed the bags of drugs around before cutting into a bag of white powder with a sharp knife from his pocket. I watched him collect a small amount on the tip of his blade before inhaling it through his nostril.

Aries watched me, scrutinizing me with his blue orbs that people called eyes, but I was now starting to think that they were otherworldly creatures.

“Brother.” Simon said out before throwing the bag of cocaine towards him.

Aries caught it mid air and held it in the palm of his hand. He poured a little of the powder on his knuckles before he sniffed it up his nose also.

I watched as his eyes closed and he threw his head back before he pinched his nose with his pale and long fingers.

A second later and his eyes were snapping open and back on me. He raised up from his seat and walked over before sitting down next to me—practically sitting in my lap.

He leaned in and breathed down my neck, making my body tremble in desire, but also hesitation.

“Want some?” He rasped out, “It’ll help you forget whatever you’re dealing with.”

He leaned away, meeting my gaze again. I breathed in his expensive cologne, liking the way the musk enveloped my sense of smell.

His words piqued my curiosity.

I could really use something to forget.

I watched as he pinched some cocaine onto his knuckle before lifting it towards my nose.

“Have some, маленькое солнце.” He whispered.

“What does that mean?” I asked, not knowing that language.

“It mean’s little sun.” He whispered as he trailed his finger over my shoulder, irrupting shivers through my body. “You’re my little sun.”

Little sun?

I don’t know why, but those words turned me on.

Before I could lean in and inhale the powder, my name was being called out.

“Caterina!” Luca yelled out.

I looked up to see him with a worried expression on his face with Bastian and Edwin standing behind him. He shook his head as he looked down at the white powder near my face, waiting to be inhaled.

“Ricorda solo la protezione?” I used Italian.

(Just protection remember?)

We shared a look, not going unnoticed to the people around us.

“Non dettare le mie decisioni.” I smirked.

(No dictating my decisions.)

Luca looked disappointed before he looked away. I felt an ounce of guilt before it disappeared and the reoccurring pain that has been haunting me, came flooding back in.

There was no doubt in my mind now.

I wanted to forget.

I wanted to forget about it all.

I leaned down and inhaled the white powder up my nose, feeling it burn my innocent flesh. My eyes fluttered closed as my head fell back.

It felt like my skin was crawling with pleasure—like tiny little pulses of shock all over my body.

Pleasurable shocks.

My heart raced in my chest as I felt my blood course through my veins at an incredible speed.

Everything felt so surreal.

“Now it’s a party.” Simon chuckled as he nudged me.

I smiled as I fell back into the couch, riding out a high that made me feel on top of the world.