Текст книги "Lev"

Автор книги: Belle Aurora

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Текущая страница: 8 (всего у книги 23 страниц)

It was a warning and knowing Pox, he wouldn’t dare go against me.

The women helped Mina up with ease, due to the fact that she was so tiny. I watched helplessly as her head lolled to the side, her eyes partially open but clearly not seeing a thing. A sheen of sweat had beaded across her forehead, and she had a large hickey on the side of her neck.

My blood boiled.

This man thought he had the right to touch my mouse?

No one had the right to touch my mouse.

I found her, and I was keeping her.

The thought stunned me. I didn’t know it until this very moment, until I thought she was in real danger.

I wanted Mina.

I wanted her more than anything, but she was so fragile right now. I would wait until the time was right.

She would be mine.

I would show her that life with me could be good. I would make her see past the damaged part of me to the little good I had inside. I couldn’t give her romance, or offer her marriage. I couldn’t give her more than I had to give. But I would provide for her, give her whatever she needed. She would laugh and smile like the mother she loved, and she would be happy with me. I vowed it right there and then.

The three of us alone with Jeremiah, I flexed my hands, cracking my knuckles.

Vik pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to me. “Have fun, you two.”

He motioned to Sasha and, reluctantly, he followed behind Viktor, leaving Jeremiah’s fate in my hands.

Jeremiah looked up at me from his place against the wall, his eyes wide. “I’m sorry.”

“No, you’re not,” I responded as I slipped the brass knuckle-dusters over the fingers of my right hand. “When I’m done with you, you will be.”

It took a solid hour to relieve myself of the fury. With every yelp and groan pulled from the disgusting excuse of a man, my rage ebbed.

As my calm was unearthed, Jeremiah found fear.

And with every punch, kick, and head-butt, Jeremiah discovered what sorry felt like.

Chapter Seventeen

Lev

I drove home without feeling my hands. Overexertion did that sometimes. I was numb, and as I pulled up to my house, I looked out from my car window, unsure of whether or not I wanted to enter my own home.

I was anxious. I didn’t like that.

Licking my dry lips, I stepped out of my car and made my way up to the front door. I opened it, listening out for any signs of life.

I heard nothing.

My heart skipped a beat.

The lights were turned off. The only room that had illumination was the kitchen. I headed straight for it, and found Nas sitting at the kitchen table, a mug of coffee in her hands. She sat there, eyes closed, a frown etched on her pretty face, obviously not hearing my entrance. I cleared my throat.

Her eyes snapped open and she spun around.

She smiled sadly. “How did it go? Is he still alive?”

I sighed, flexing my sore fingers. “Alive enough to feel my hands on him for a long time to come.”

Her brows rose. “You stopped?” She huffed out a breath. “I didn’t think you’d be able to.”

“I almost didn’t,” I confessed quietly.

Her brow furrowed. “Why did you?”

“Mina.”

My sisters brow softened, a warm look taking over. “She’s something, huh?”

“She’s a disaster,” I told her. “Trouble follows her everywhere. She corners me when I don’t wish to speak. She smiles and laughs at things that aren’t funny. She steals food right out of my hand.” I shook my head. “All of which makes her perfect.” Nastasia looked as if she wanted to cry. I cleared my throat and asked, “Is Pox still here?”

She blinked rapidly, swallowing hard. “Uh, no. He says it looks like Jeremiah didn’t use much of whatever he gave her, probably because she was so drunk. He said she’d sleep through the night and maybe some of tomorrow. You’ll need to wake up every hour and check on her.” She lowered her eyes. “Make sure she’s breathing.”

“What?” I didn’t think it would be that serious.

Nas shrugged and cleared her throat, her voice cracking. “Pox wasn’t sure if Jeremiah gave her what he said he did. Without knowing exactly what he gave her, it’s hard to tell what the side effects could be. Because she’s so tiny, you know? We’re lucky that all she’s got are hickeys.” Her face crumbled and she dipped her chin to hide her tears. “It’s my fault,” she whispered, and her shoulders shook. “I should’ve been keeping an eye on her.”

It had been years since I saw my sister cry, and it hurt to watch as much today as it had back then.

I made my way over to her, grabbed her by the upper arm, and pulled her out of her chair. She didn’t need coaxing. She fell into me, pushing her head into my chest and sobbing quietly. I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and used the other to stroke her hair. “It’s okay.”

She shook her head.

I kissed her head. “She’ll be okay. She’s survived for so long without us. Mina is strong.”

Nas nodded in agreement then lifted her tear-streaked face and muttered, “I just feel responsible.”

“No,” I uttered, and squeezed her to reiterate my point. “You didn’t do this. This was not your fault.”

She rolled her eyes but smiled. “Don’t lie to me, Lev.”

“I don’t lie,” I vowed.

She nodded and responded quietly, “I know.” We separated and she picked up her bag. “She’s sleeping on the sofa in the living room.” When I raised a brow, she gave me a look of boldness. “Hey, I’m strong and all, but not strong enough to lug her up those stairs without breaking both our necks.”

I raised my hands and gave her a look that said I didn’t say a word.

I walked her out, hugged her once more, and closed the door behind her. I made my way into the living room, stopping to turn on the hall light so I could see what I was doing. I stood in front of the sofa, looking down at the small woman.

Even in her unconscious state, she was beautiful.

Leaning down, I scooped her up without effort, and walked us both up the stairs, down the hall, and into my room. I switched the light on and stilled.

Anika was sitting on the edge of my bed, waiting for me.

She looked up at me then down at Mina. Her brow furrowed in confusion. She looked around the room, blinking, and started to notice Mina’s things around the place. She stood. “I don’t get it,” she began.

“What don’t you get, Ani?”

“She can stay in your room, a person you’ve known for a whole second, and me, a person you’ve known your whole life, is sent to sleep in the guestroom?” She sounded hurt.

I shifted Mina in my arms then moved around Anika to pull back the covers on the other side of the bed and laid her down gently. “I need to keep an eye on her,” is all I said.

I didn’t hear Anika leave. I was busy fussing over Mina, removing her clothes, leaving her in her top and underwear. I pulled the covers up to her chin. Her forehead was warm to the touch, but she was shivering.

Making my way over to the door, I locked it from the inside, jiggling the handle to make sure no one would enter, and then turned off the light. When I was satisfied, I took off my clothes, pulled out the sofa, and lay down, a sheet draped over me.

In the darkness, I heard her teeth chatter.

My jaw steeled.

It wasn’t a good idea. I shouldn’t have done it. But I did.

Pulling the sheet off, I walked over to the bed, pulled back the covers, and lay down, reaching for Mina. Once her small frame was in my arms, I pulled her close, holding her tight. Perhaps too tightly. But soon enough, her teeth stopped chattering and she settled into me, burying her nose into the crook between my neck and shoulder.

She slept in that position all night.

I slept too. Better than I had in years.

***

Mina

Oh, God.

My head was pounding like a mofo.

Hell in a hand basket.

Every time I moved to lift it off the pillow, curse words ensued.

Never again. Never again.

But then the pillow moved and flexed right underneath my head. Forcing my eyes open, I peeped out, blinking away sleep, a frown on my face, and met warm whiskey eyes.

I tried to speak, but all that came out was a long groan.

Arms tightened around me and pulled me close. I went willingly. My body was sore all over, and I suddenly had my very own hot water bottle in the shape of Lev.

Who was I to complain?

“How are you feeling?” he grumbled sleepily.

My nose in his throat, I muttered, “I’m never drinking again. I have a hangover.”

“You probably do, but it’s more than that, Mina,” he explained gently. “We need to talk about what happened last night.”

I pushed my nose deeper into him. “Will this explain why we’re in bed together?”

“Yes.”

I nodded slowly. “Okay. Talk. But do it softly.”

His strong arm cinched around me, holding me tight, and I didn’t want to think about how nice that felt. I should’ve been too distracted by my headache to notice. The other arm slid from my hip, slowly trailed my back, up to the base of my neck, where he cradled me.

“The club was busy. I took my eyes off you a while then noticed I hadn’t seen you for a long time. I went to the bar, where Nas told me you’d been drinking and were sleeping it off.” The hand at my neck grasped me lightly, as if he was worried about my reaction, worried about me fleeing. “That was when I also realized I hadn’t seen Jeremiah for a long while.”

I blinked.

Jeremiah? What did this have to do with him?

He turned his face and his lips went to my temple. “He drugged you, Mina.” He added, “I’m sorry. I should’ve been watching you.”

I pulled back to look up at him and whispered, “What did he do?”

Lev searched my face. “Nothing, I think. Nas noticed the hickey on your neck right away, but I’m sure we interrupted before he could do any real damage. Now that you’re awake, maybe you can tell me if you’re sore.”

“I’m sore everywhere. My body aches.”

He shook his head. “No, Mina. Can you tell me if you’re sore anywhere you shouldn’t be?” He gave me a pointed look. “Intimate areas.”

I was too shocked to blush. I was still stuck on Jeremiah’s attempt to use me as a real life sex doll.

Focusing on the area he’d mentioned, I shook my head. “No, I don’t think so.” Then I got angry. “Where is the asshole? Where is Jeremiah?”

He lifted his hand and brushed back the hair that had fallen over my forehead. “He’s not going to hurt anyone anymore. Trust me.”

I did trust him. I trusted him with every piece of my broken soul.

If there were anyone looking out for me, I’d want it to be Lev. I trusted him to protect me and keep me safe, and to be honest with me.

Then I looked down between us, and my brows rose. “Who undressed me?”

No hesitation. “I did.”

“I see,” I murmured, and quickly realized that perhaps I’d been hanging out with Lev too long when I gave answers like that. My eyes passed over his tented boxers and my brow rose higher. “Want to explain that?”

He frowned and squirmed. “I thought it was self-explanatory.” Then I did flush. “You were pressed up against me all night. I was told to check on you every hour and I did. I only did what the doctor ordered.”

My ego shrank ten whole sizes. “So you were only doing your duty.”

His brow furrowed, and he sent me a curt nod. And the remainder of my ego popped like a balloon and went whizzing through the air before it flew out the window.

Then he sighed as if he needed to get something off his chest. “It’s difficult to hold a beautiful woman all night and not be affected. I’m sorry if that offends you, but I don’t always have control of my body and its reactions.”

My ego flew backwards through the window and whizzed around the air before it came back to me, inflating six more sizes.

It was time to say something, preferably something clever. “I need to pee.”

Lev seemed frustrated. “Mina, I just told you that you were assaulted by a man who probably would’ve raped you, and you have yet to react.”

I looked Lev in the eye and told him honestly, “It wouldn’t be the first time.” I didn’t wait for his reaction. I slipped out of bed, held my pounding head, and shuffled to the bathroom, closing the door behind me, making an effort to lock it as loudly as possible.

The tears got to me in the shower. It seemed like an appropriate place to let them fall.

Sure, I acted like it didn’t bother me, but when I undressed and saw the hickeys covering my breasts, my pride fell fast and it hit me how serious the situation could have been.

I lifted my hands to run them over the deep red marks and hissed as my fingers brushed my tender nipples. His mouth had been there, and it had been harsh. I didn’t like that. And what was worse was that I couldn’t remember any of it.

It wasn’t a blur. It wasn’t a fuzzy memory. It just wasn’t there. And that didn’t feel good. It was confusing, and appalling, and it made me feel dirty, regardless of whether or not I was a willing participant.

I showered in silence and reasoned with myself. No one would see the other hickeys. I would enlist Nas to help me cover the one on my neck as best as we could. It would all be forgotten soon enough, an incident I would push aside and soldier on past. Just as I did with the other bad things in my life.

When I was done, I dressed in my yellow pajamas, as I intended on going back to bed, and walked back out into the bedroom. The curtains had been drawn open, sending sunlight flooding in. My eyes burned, but I was too busy focusing on the furious man, pacing by the bed.

I took a step closer. “Lev?”

He continued to pace.

Another single step closer. “Lev? What’s wrong?”

He turned to face me, his eyes blazing. “Who hurt you?”

My brow bunched and I shrugged lightly, indicating that I didn’t know what he was talking about.

He paraphrased, “‘It wouldn’t be the first time.’” His bare stomach clenched as he gritted his teeth and growled, “Who hurt you? Tell me. Tell me and I’ll kill them.”

Was it wrong to be turned on by this scene?

Something told me it was highly inappropriate. Somehow, that didn’t stop the flow of warmth sailing through me, or the feeling akin to winning something big, like the lottery.

And Lev was a fine lottery to be won.

But then I looked closer, and that feeling receded. He was distressed. He also looked as though he didn’t know how to deal with that. I could feel the anger and frustration pulsing off him.

Knowing that anger wasn’t directed at me had me by his side in a second flat. I took his hand and led him to the sofa, sitting and pulling him down next to me. I placed his hand in my lap and covered it with mine. “I was on the street for a long time, Lev.” I tilted my head and gave him a regretful look. “Shit happens.”

“No,” he uttered, shaking his head. “No, it doesn’t. People cause those things to happen, and they need to be punished. They need to suffer the consequences.” He declared, “There is always a price to pay.”

“You want to search the streets to find a group of young thugs who tried to force sex on me years ago? Does that sound like a normal thing to do?”

Lev lowered his head and revealed, “I’m not normal.”

I wasn’t about to lie to him. “No, you’re not.” Then I admitted quietly, “But sometimes I think you’re better than the normal person. Extraordinary. Unique. Elite. Gallant.” He didn’t look up at me. I didn’t like when he tried to hide from me. I squeezed his hand. “Hey. They didn’t succeed, you know. That knife you took from me when I first got here…it did its job.”

When I ran my thumb over his fingers, he winced. My brow drew taut as I lifted his hand to examine it.

My heart stopped.

The middle finger on his left hand was swollen, purple, and very obviously bent in a direction that it shouldn’t have been going in. “Lev, sweetie,” I spoke calmly. “I think your finger is broken.”

He nodded as if that wasn’t news to him. “It’ll be fine.”

“Jeremiah?” I asked.

He grunted affirmatively.

I sighed. “I suppose you’re going to tell me that it doesn’t hurt.”

“No.” He shook his head lightly. “It hurts very much.” He turned to me, looking me in the eye. “But the reason behind it was worth every ache.”

I am falling in love with you, Lev Leokov.

This time, the sudden thought didn’t surprise me. I think I’d known it a while now.

Chapter Eighteen

Mina

Another week went by, and as I was forced to take a week off work (doctors orders), I spent every waking moment with Mirella and Lidiya, learning as much as I could about the little girl’s likes and dislikes.

Turns out, Lidiya loved only one of her dolls. She was extremely attached to the Cabbage Patch Kid named Ivy Gail.

I didn’t know this. I thought she liked Cabbage Patch Kids in every way, shape, or form. So, early in the week, when Nas and I went to the mall, I bought Lidiya a new Cabbage Patch Kid, called Annabel Cherish, with some of my tip money. I got this one, because it looked a bit like the chubby little cherub. I also bought a tiny doll stroller so Lidi could walk her new friend around.

When we brought it home, I showed it to Mirella who, through a grimace, told me that although it was very sweet of me, Lidiya would likely not take to it and that she was very particular.

I was slightly devastated. And I moped.

Why would she not like my doll? I bought it just for her. She should like my damn doll! I spent fifty dollars on this freaking doll and stupid stroller.

But when Lidiya woke from her nap, I handed her the doll, and sulked all the way upstairs without waiting to see her negative reaction. I threw myself under the covers and was rudely interrupted from my pouting when Mirella called for me.

Flipping the covers down off my face, I called out, “Yes?”

I could hear her smiling. “Lidiya is asking for you.”

My feet shuffled the entire way down, but when I entered the living room, my attitude changed.

Lidiya sat in the middle of the floor with Annabel Cherish, hugging her to her side and muttering, “Eena, pay. Mine.” Then she spotted me and smiled. “Eena. Lookit.”

She stood and rushed over to me on her little legs, showing me her new dolly. I beamed, “You like it?” She thrust the doll at me and I gave it a little squeeze. “Her name is Annabel Cherish.”

Lidiya took the doll, hugging it around the neck. “Eena.”

I shook my head. “No, angel pie,” I corrected. “Annabel.”

“Eena,” she muttered as she walked the doll over to meet her kin, Ivy Gail.

Mirella chuckled. “I don’t believe it. She’s had other Cabbage Patch dolls. She never took to them. Only to Ivy.”

I smiled at the woman. “Now she has Annabel.”

Mirella shook her head lightly. “No,” she observed. “Now she has Mina.”

And that was how little Mina came to be.

Lev would come down on occasion and thoughtlessly interrupt my time with his daughter, often times sneaking in lunch or snacks with us.

A nice man with a pockmarked face and glasses who the guys called Pox came down every day that week to check on me. When I asked if he was a doctor, everyone seemed to avoid the question.

He told me it didn’t look as if there would be any lasting effects from being drugged. I was glad to hear it, not that I was worried. I took Lev by the uninjured hand and sat him down, forcing Pox to look at his finger. Lev tried to argue, but I wasn’t hearing it.

Everyone seemed stunned that Lev was allowing the man to look over him, including Sasha. But he sat in silence with my hand on his shoulder and let the doc splint and buddy tape his fingers, leaving me satisfied.

I asked for a moment of privacy with the doctor and, reluctantly, Lev watched me walk him to his car. As soon as we were out of hearing distance, I cleared my throat. “I want to thank you for checking me over that night.”

He smiled lightly. “You’re welcome. But I have a feeling you didn’t call me out here to thank me.”

“No.” I chuckled nervously. “I guess I didn’t.”

He spotted my discomfort and tried to soothe it. “Mina, whatever you tell me will be kept in confidence. Lev could beat the shit out of me and I’d never tell.”

I chuckled for real then. “Sounds like something he’d do.”

His smile fell. “Mina, when Jeremiah…” He cut himself off and spoke quietly, “Did he hurt you?”

“No!” I gasped, placing a hand to my chest. “Not in that way, no. But that’s sort of what this is about actually.” I scratched at my arm, embarrassed. “I haven’t had my period in months.”

He leaned back against his car. “Any possibility that you could be pregnant?”

“No,” I muttered. “But what if Jeremiah did hurt me? Could I have gotten pregnant?”

Pox made a hmmm sound. “Well, I’m guessing you stopped menstruating, because you were emaciated quite a while. But sometimes, on the rare occasion, women who haven’t been spotting at all can get pregnant, so although I’m not inclined to give a definite yes, I wouldn’t give a definite no either.”

It was enough beating around the bush. “I’m not on birth control.”

“Ah.” He smiled. “That’s what this is about.” He stood. “There are a handful of options. However, if you’re a little scatterbrained or work nights at a gentleman’s club and would forget to take the pill,” he winked at me, “I’d recommend an implant. There’s one—a small bar—that’s injected into the arm after it’s been numbed, and it’s good for around three years. It’s extremely popular amongst young women.” At my hopeful look, he shook his head. “I would not recommend getting that until you’ve had a chance to gain some more weight.”

I immediately argued, “I’ve already gained ten pounds!”

Well, almost. Nine-point-three pounds, to be precise.

He smiled kindly. “I’d like to see you add another ten to that.” At my glare, he caved, “Six more, at the very least.”

He handed me his card and told me to call when I was ready. I took the business card eagerly, stuffing it into my bra.

Later that week, I was undressing for the shower when Lev walked in on me.

At the look of shock on his face, I doubted it was deliberate. I didn’t judge the slack look on his face. I was shocked too. Being caught in nothing more than your plain white panties did that to you.

I opened my mouth to yell, “Get out!” but only a squeak came forth. When his cool brown eyes roamed my body, I lifted my arms to cover my bare breasts, having momentarily forgotten about the dark red hickeys all over them.

I was embarrassed. My cheeks flamed. My boobs were tiny. I looked like a young boy, rather than a young woman.

I would never—not ever—be one of those women who were comfortable in their bodies. I always had self-confidence issues. They had not improved with age.

He spoke then, and it was deathly quiet. “He did hurt you.” It sounded like an accusation. Aimed at me.

Reached for the towel, I draped it over myself. “It’s nothing.” I didn’t sound convincing.

He reached up with both hands, closed his eyes, and ran his hands over his face, slipping back up to massage his temples.

He looked ready to lose it.

“I’ll kill him,” he muttered. Then he threw his hands down, punched the door with his good hand, and snarled, “I’ll fucking kill him!”

“Lev,” I whispered fearfully. When he stormed out of the bathroom, holding the towel up, I took chase. “Lev!” My legs shook at the fear I’d felt then, but I made it down the upstairs hall and caught up with him. I stood in his way. “Lev, stop!”

He tried to move around me, but I held out the hand that wasn’t holding the towel. “Please, stop it.” He growled aloud and I shrank back, my quiet voice shaking as hard as my hand. “Lev, you’re scaring me.”

That seemed to hit home. His eyes regained focus and, panting, he looked down at my wide eyes and trembling body. His fists loosened and his face became pained. “I’m sorry.”

He was back.

My Lev was back.

My heart raced and I rushed over to him, wrapping my arm around his middle, placing my head on his heaving chest. I squeezed my eyes shut and hugged him tight. “I don’t need you to beat up every person who does something shitty to me, Lev.” My hand, behind his back, gripped his shirt, pulling him even closer. “I just need you to be Lev, okay?” I spoke into his chest, “When people do shitty things to me, that helps.” I looked up at him, my eyes shining. “You help. Just you.”

He peered down at me, confusion marring his beautiful face. “I won’t let anyone do shitty things to you, Mina.”

“No.” I shook my head. “You can’t stop people from doing what they’re going to do, sweetie.” I swallowed hard. “But after, if you could hold my hand, that would be nice.”

He did not delay.

Reaching down, he unhooked my arm from around him, led me back to the bedroom, lay on the bed facing me, and held my hand for the better part of an hour.

And something told me Lev needed it more than I did.

I was becoming bored at the house. It had been five days since I’d been at the club, and after hours of incessant begging, Lev granted me a boon, letting me come to work on the condition that I sat with him all night.

It was better than nothing. I didn’t even have to think about it. I jumped at the chance to leave the house. I was getting stir crazy.

Dressing in black jeans and my white tee with the golden elephant printed on the front, I slipped on my flat strappy sandals, grabbed my coat and met him in the kitchen.

Anika and Vik were already there, waiting for Lev. Vik came around and wrapped me in a bear hug, his enormous frame cocooning me. From the look of him, you would never guess that Viktor seemed to be the needy guy of the bunch, with all his tattoos. His body was his very own canvas to decorate.

Anika, however, eyed me as if I were ready to break at any moment. “You’re working tonight?” she asked anxiously then added in a cautious but patronizing tone, “Are you sure you’re ready?”

I wanted to bitch slap her.

Instead, I smiled. “No, I’m not working tonight. I’m just getting crazy being locked up in the house. I’ll just be observing tonight.” I added for Anika’s benefit, “Don’t worry. Lev will look after me.”

Vik grinned. “I’ll look after you, Mina.” He winked. “Hold your hand and everything.”

I tilted my head to the side, pouted my lips, cupped his cheek, and cooed, “Aw, Vik. Now why would I want you to do that?” I winked. “Who knows where that hand has been?”

Nas happened to walk in the back door at that very moment. And for some reason, I felt caught. She made me feel caught. Like a naughty child doing something I wasn’t meant to be doing. Especially when her eyes flashed at my hand on Vik.

She covered herself quickly, sneering at Vik in the way she normally would. “Ewww. Don’t touch that, Mina. You don’t know where it’s been.”

But Vik clearly wasn’t in the mood for Nastasia. I knew this, because he grabbed me around the waist, pulling me back into him, making a show of his hand being low on my hip. He stared right at her then lowered his mouth to my ear and mock whispered, “Don’t listen to her. We’ll run away together, fuck on every beach in every country, and have beautiful children together.”

Anika gagged in disgust. “Jesus Christ, Vik. Watch the shit you’re talking. My mouth was open and everything.”

Nas, however, looked hurt. I didn’t understand why. She sort of had it coming, what with the way she talked to him.

But Nas was my friend, and that meant taking her side, even when she was wrong. I could cut a bitch without a crowd, but in front of people, I had her back.

Bumping my butt into his thighs, I scoffed. “I’ve gone through trash, Vik. I’m not picky when it comes to food.” I turned to him and uttered, “And I still wouldn’t eat your dick.”

I heard Anika bark out a laugh and Nas snort at that, and Vik smiled proudly down at me. “That’s what you call a burn.”

The unfortunate thing was that as Vik bent down to kiss my forehead, Lev walked in. There was a tense moment of pressure building in the room as Lev’s eyes flashed at Vik’s hands on me. He had that look in his eye, the one that I’d met a few days prior, and I knew I’d have to intervene. Otherwise, Lev would rip his childhood friend a new asshole. He was protective of me. I got it. I understood it. That was what friends did.

Taking a moment to gather my thoughts, I removed myself from Vik and quietly made my way over to Lev, lifting my hand, palm out, and communicating with him in complete silence.

He looked down at my hand then up into my eyes. The sharp edges of his face softened and he took it without a word, holding it tightly. The gesture said so much more than words could have. I would be his rock when his reason floated away. And he would be the person I needed to remind me that I was no longer alone in the world. A perfectly imperfect friendship had somehow formed, and losing Lev was not an option.

He found me, and whether he knew it or not, I was his, in a way.

You know what they say…

Finders keepers.

The club was not very busy for a Friday night.

It was unusual since Fridays had been a major moneymaker in the past, according to Lev. Men who were finished with the work week came to Bleeding Hearts to unwind, drink in good company, and treat themselves to a private dance or four.

Lev and I sat in the far corner on the left side of the stage. It was the perfect place to watch the room with a view of everything and everyone.

I watched in curiosity as Lev pulled something out of his pocket and showed me an earpiece before he put it on. He spoke into it, “Cam, you ready?”

From the right-hand side of the stage, a young man in a suit raised his hand to show Lev he could hear him.

Lev sat back, turned to me, and stated, “Tonight will be a good night.”

Was he trying to reassure me? I was convinced that the safest seat in the house was sitting next to the hot guy in the suit, giving orders over an earpiece. I didn’t need reassurance.

The girls took to the stage. First, Lana, doing a pole routine, then ChaCha with her slow striptease, then Birdie came by with a glass of soda and a hug for me, telling me she’d been so worried about me.

A feeling of warmth bloomed inside of me. Yes, I was sitting in a gentleman’s club, watching women take their clothes off for cash, knowing the man by my side would hurt anyone who looked at me funny, but I had never felt more at home in a place apart from my family home, when I lived with my mother.

Lev spotted a man sitting on his own, looking forlorn. He spoke into the earpiece. “Cam. Table twelve. Send him a whiskey neat on the house.”

My brow rose. “He looks pretty down. You sure you want to liquor him up some more?”

Lev kept his eye on the floor, but tilted his head toward me. “Free anything makes people happy. Watch.”