Asher strode into the empty club, lights flashing, quiet music playing.
It wasn’t hard to find Davian, the Mafia King was enormous, the compression shirt he had on molded to his sculpted muscles.
He was seated in the VIP section, in a lit booth, his back straight, expression stoic.
Asher walked up and took his seat, his eyes glancing over the alcohol on the table.
Davian’s dark hair was cut short, his slate-gray eyes flicking past Asher. "You’re late." He said, his deep voice monotone.
"I’m right on time," Asher tossed back at him, unfazed by the accusation.
Davian said nothing more after that, the Mafia King spoke very little, and it was a good thing because Asher wasn’t exactly in the state of mind to hold small talk.
"You’re welcome to have a drink," Davian offered to him when he noticed the other Mafia King stare longingly at the bottles on the table for the umpteenth time.
"I’ll pass," Asher waved a hand.
Davian let it go, disinterested in whatever the other Alpha had going on. He pointedly stared at the watch on his wrist after they had been waiting for several minutes - Nikolai still wasn’t here...
Asher was starting to consider that the Mafia King had decided to sit this meeting out, which was great decision-making on his part because a few more shots of liquor, and nothing would stop him from lunging at Nikolai the moment he walked in.
Much like their expectations had summoned him, the third Mafia King strode in like he owned the place, signature cigarette in hand, his trench coat swaying as he walked.
"Finally decide to show up?" Asher bit out, his words dripping with venom.
Nikolai’s mood seemed to improve at his obvious upset, sitting on the third empty chair, smoke in his dark blue eyes.
"Something came up," He muttered vaguely.
"Right," Asher said, not buying it but choosing to let peace reign for the sake of the quarterly meeting.
Nikolai stared right at him, completely ignoring Davian although he had left them both waiting.
Asher didn’t back down, his patience easily running thin when it involved the Alpha, the air at the table thickening with tension.
After a long stretch of silence, Nikolai glanced over at Davian. "Are we waiting for someone else?"
"We’re waiting for you and Asher to cut the crap, your scents sting my nose," The dark-haired Alpha bit out, displeased.
"Have something to say to me, Nikolai?" Asher broke the impasse, right at the moment they were told off.
"Actually, I do..." Nikolai leaned forward.
"That wasn’t a go-ahead to keep fucking around," Davian cut in.
Asher already tuned the dark-haired Mafia King out, "Spit it out."
"When were you going to reveal that Cassia’s a guy? What’s the punchline?"
Asher frowned, wondering what Caspian’s gender had to do with anything. "What the fuck are you going on about?"
"If you fucks are going to fight about an Omega, I’m kicking you out of my club." Davian cut in again, slate-gray eyes darkening in irritation.
"Cassia’s a guy," Nikolai repeated like he hoped that Asher would tell him he was wrong.
"I fucking heard you the first time," Asher bit out, barely keeping himself on his seat. "And I want you to stay the fuck away from him.
Davian slammed his fist on the table, ending the argument that was rapidly heating up. "So, regarding the second quarterly meeting for the year..."
Asher clammed his lips shut at that, finally getting a moment to process Nikolai’s words.
Nikolai did the same, he knew that Asher had never thought about anything before doing it but he didn’t expect it would be that way in every aspect of his life.
This exact scenario had happened at the auction, they had both been interested in the Omega on stage but Asher hadn’t done anything thinking before bidding, and again when he hiked the bid.
The Alpha never slowed down to calculate, jumping head first into things. That had to have a lot of dire consequences.
Because right now when he had slowed down to consider how to tackle a sudden change in gender in the Omega he was interested in, Asher had long gotten over that hurdle.
The tension slowly bled out of his shoulders as he listened to Davian drone off, perhaps this was for the best.
Asher tried to focus on the meeting and failed, trying to figure out what Nikolai was thinking but his expressionless mask was impenetrable.
Did he just have to tell Nikolai Caspian’s gender to get the Mafia King to back off? Was it that easy?
The Omega’s gender didn’t matter to him but that didn’t seem to be the case for Nikolai.
Davian rose to his feet half an hour in, "If you’re going to bleed each other out, do it in the parking lot." He dismissed them, hot-footing it away from the table.
Asher rose to his feet and left as well, having a conversation alone with Nikolai was a bad idea, not when the bastard’s face begged for him to break his nose.
He could see Jael pacing nervously in the parking lot as he stepped out of the club, walking up to his second-in-command with a wry smile.
"I’m hurt you don’t trust me," He tossed to the Beta.
Jael did a once over of his Mafia King before he responded, confident he would find a bruise or two. "You make it hard to."
"Shut up and get us out of here," Asher got in the car, expecting that response.
"And Mafia King Nikolai?" He jabbed his thumb in the direction of the club.
"We settled things amicably," Asher said generously.
Jael started to look concerned, "Is that code for he’s dead?"
Nikolai strode out of the club then like he could sense them talking about him, walking right to his car without so much as glancing over.
That was enough proof to get Jael in the driver’s seat, stunned silent. He never imagined he would see a day when the two Mafia Kings did anything amicably, much more settle a matter that way.