Chapter 5 Defying the Ivanov

Tessa's eyes widened so much on the ground, unable to believe her hot red ears. The silence is deafening right now, obviously because no one expected that kind of turn. The mobsters had their mouths hung in a circle, and the faces of the others showed how shocked they were. "Did he just say that?" Rook muttered. "You heard right," Nichole replied beside him. "Something seems off," Blaze said. "Who cares? He's in!" Bullet shrugged excitedly. Racheal is currently unsure of how to feel. Everyone in this clan is aware that Enzo is cautious and calculative to a fault.

He never does anything without a profitable reason, so this is just bothersome. As for Usman, he's busy wondering why Enzo suddenly changed the rules all for Tessa. Is there something he doesn't know? This only made his hatred for him grow stronger, and he might just kill him faster than he had planned. Bianca just smiled and left the place, then Sin followed her. Tessa looked up slowly, sweat still cascading down her face to her neck. Her eyes met with Enzo's, and she surely saw him smirk again. It's like the smirk is part of his face whenever their eyes meet. This will be the third time she'd be witnessing it, and she wondered why, even in her spent position. "To your feet," he ordered, and she gulped. Will she be able to stand up with the way her legs and arms are aching and shaking right now? She started trying to stand, but she fell back. Dante, who has been silent, finally spoke up... "Are you seriously taking him in? HIM? Look how weak he is, and he didn't even pass the simple trial." He was giving Tessa a bitter look as he said each word. "You know you seriously don't have to talk, right, Dante?" Enzo faced him. "Or what?" Dante scoffed. "I am the head trainer here, and this is my ground. On my grounds, you follow my words, my rules!" Enzo spat authoritatively, his eyes lit. Dante went silent, and Enzo smiled... that poisonous one. "You have the full authority at the clinic, and you don't see me complaining. Push yourself off my business," he said. "This isn't over," Dante replied, storming out of the place. Eight immediately followed him, and then the crowd started thinning as mobsters started leaving too. Tessa tried standing again, and this time, she did it successfully, facing Enzo, who was like a mountain in front of her. She couldn't help but smell his scent in the chilly morning air. He smells woody like this season... like winter... He smells like snow, and it's cold. His eyes levelled her up, and she moved uncomfortably under his scrutiny. His eyes are like fire, and it's like he's staring right into her soul. It's uncomfortable, but she never once looked away. She stared back at him, eyeball to eyeball, and Enzo's brows tightened meaningfully, squeezing her in. She jerked like she remembered something immediately. "Thank you... for taking me in," she said, smiling a bit before bowing. "Properly," his chilly voice said, and she looked back at him quickly. He's glaring now, and it's not friendly. He has never looked friendly. His expressions could compete with the devil's, but this one is scorching. "I mean... I..." She stopped talking at this stage so she won't blabber rubbish, then her eyes found Rook and Nichole in the crowd. Rook mouthed something to her, and thanks to her sharp instincts, she got it immediately, so she faced Enzo fast. "Thank you, Master," she bowed, and Enzo looked down at her through his lids... "Your training starts tonight," he said, and her eyes widened. "But... But... I..." He was already walking away before she could finish the statement, and she had to bite her lip so hard. She has not recovered from her aching limbs and legs, so starting training tonight means death. "You made it, bro!" Rook joined her with Nichole. He hugged her before she knew it, and she reciprocated, smiling. "Thanks for the support," she told him. "What are friends for?" Rook chuckled, releasing her. "Welcome to the clan," Nichole said surprisingly. "Thank you, Nicho," Tessa smiled, and then Bullet and Blaze joined them. "Hey, pretty boy!" Bullet beamed. "You're the twin warriors from yesterday," Tessa said delightedly. "Twin warriors?" Bullet frowned. Blaze stayed silent, it seems she's an introvert like Nichole. "Sorry, but you both love wearing the same thing, and your auras match. You look like twins," Tessa said. "We're besties," Bullet replied. "I knew it," Tessa said cheerfully. "But hey, you're so damn hot," Bullet said bluntly, and Tessa smiled awkwardly. "Thank you." "Can we have him all to ourselves? He's our roommate," Rook pulled Tessa to his side. "But he'll be training with us. He's our master's boy anyway," Bullet said, winking at Tessa. "See you at night, it will be fun!" she added, leaving with Blaze. "They must be really good," Tessa said as she watched their retreating backsides. "Yeah. They're the best snipers in this clan. Whenever they hold a gun, they don't miss. You're lucky you'll be getting trained by them," Rook said. "Seriously?" Tessa's eyes brightened. "They'd teach you about guns. Master Enzo will take care of the fighting part," Nichole spoke. "But my body still aches from the press-ups, and he told me training starts tonight," Tessa replied. "Then you need a massage, and I'll help with that," Rook held her shoulder from behind, and Tessa grinned, leaving the ground with him and Nichole. On their way out, they walked past Racheal, and though no words were exchanged, Racheal's eyes communicated with her, and she smiled before going out of sight with the boys. Racheal stopped and sighed, her mind heavy with thoughts. I hope you survive with me, baby sis, she thought. ⸻ CLAN POOL Though it was designed for everybody, Bianca took over already, so no one has access to this place except her. It's her favorite place to be, even more than her suite. She spends most of her time here. There's a dartboard glued to the wall at the other end of the room, and she practices her arrow plays there. Every child of the Ivanov family has something they're specifically good at since they were kids... While she's good with arrows, Mira handles knives, Sin handles the hacking, and Dante handles needles and guns. And as for Enzo... Apart from pottery, there's hardly anything he can't handle. No one trained Enzo like the rest of them. Enzo only woke up one day when he turned ten and decided to become untouchable, and he did it. He trained himself, and that's why she'll always respect and look up to him. Just like everyone else, Enzo is her favorite sibling. She released the third arrow from the bow, and it flew to the dartboard, hitting the center. She smiled satisfactorily, water dripping from her bikini bra. "Bravissimo!" a playful voice said behind her, and she turned with a scowl to see who she expected. Sin. It's like he has something against clothes, cos he's still wearing only his shorts, and it's hugging his midsection tightly, his cock protruding. "Go wear something, asshole," Bianca rolled her eyes and started walking out of the pool. Sin stood by the edge, and she raised her hand. He took it and helped her out, then he picked up a towel immediately, throwing it at her face. "Sinclair!" she shouted, taking the towel off her face with a glare. "I hate my full name and you know it. Sin is hotter," he winked. "Oh please," she wrapped the towel around her waist and sat on the recliner, fingering her wet hair. Sin settled beside her. "What do you think Enzo is gonna do with the new guy?" he said. "Micah? I think he took him in because he tried. Come to think of it, he did 99 out of a hundred, it counts," Bianca replied, taking another towel to start drying her hair. "Enzo? Come off it, Bianca, we both know he never bends his rules for anybody or gives anybody a chance. He's a tricky bastard," Sin said. "Whatever. I just hope he didn't take him in to kill him," Bianca shrugged. Sin took the head towel from her and started drying her hair for her. She relaxed and enjoyed his hands. "Is there any mission tonight?" she asked. "Yeah. Enzo is meeting the Wild Boars with Bullet and Blaze," Sin replied, and instead of drying her hair, he suddenly tied the towel around her face. "Sinclair!" Bianca sprang up, but before she could control her feet, she fell back into the pool. "Enjoy the rest of your day, Bianca," Sin laughed, walking nonchalantly out of the place. Bianca struggled for a minute before she was able to untie the towel, and she threw it away, cursing Sin under her breath. "Can't believe he's two years older than me, that skunk!" she spat angrily. ⸻ DANTE'S SUITE Mira was smiling knowingly as she took each step closer and closer to the suite, and when she arrived at the door, she didn't bother to knock before opening the door, but before she could go in, Eight came out. "Dante is currently busy, you can't see him," he said straight, and she relaxed her face. "So I have to book a meeting before I see my brother now?" she said expressionlessly. "You can come back in an hour," Eight insisted, and she smiled, suddenly raising her hand to his face. Immediately she touched him, and he stepped back, but she pulled him back to herself with the front of his shirt, their faces almost touching. "You know what I like about you? Your bluntness. What if I tell you I want you as my bodyguard instead? Would you leave Dante for me?" she whispered, her words hitting his face. "No," he replied bluntly again, and she released him, pushing him back with her full palm. "You're garbage," she muttered. "Thank you," he replied, and she relaxed her face again before talking... "The Wild Boars' mission, tell him Mother handed it to Enzo already," she said, and before Eight could answer, Dante stormed out of the suite. "What the fûck did you say? The mission was mine from the beginning!" he spat. "Not my problem," Mira crossed her arms behind herself, walking away. Dante ran off, all the way to the house of Ivanovs, where the parents' office is. As expected, he met Yulia at the seat, but Sergei was nowhere to be found. It's even better, cos he's worse than Yulia, and Yulia is the one he wants to talk to anyway. "What do you mean by the mission is taken away from me, Mother?" he asked, and the woman looked up from the pile of papers in front of her. She slowly removed her glasses, smiling with her lips. "I thought we made the rule that greetings come first before any conversation?" "Don't even talk about rules right now when you're breaking them too! The mission is mine! Take it back from Enzo and give it to me!" he yelled. Yulia rested back on her chair, giving him a critical look before speaking again. "Wild Boars can't be handled with slippery hands like yours. I changed my mind only because I didn't want you to get hurt, Dante." "But I can do it!! It's been two fuçking months since I went on a mission! It's always Enzo, Enzo, Enzo! I feel fuçking useless!" he yelled. "You're still not over your jealousy of him?" Yulia lifted her brows, her words coming out with much ease. "Mother!" Dante snapped. "Out, Dante," she sternly said, her eyes changing. "Mother-" "Dante!" She hit her palms on the table, and he scoffed before storming out of the office. He was fuming and boiling as he walked away from the house, his palms folded on each side of him. "I'll destroy you, Enzo. Wait for it."