Lev: a Shot Callers novel(58)

Oh, that. I rolled my eyes. “I asked him to wear them. I’d never seen him in jeans. He looks great in them, don’t you think? Much more approachable.” I turned to look over at him at the very same moment he turned to look at me. I smiled and lifted a hand in a timid wave. “That ass, though. Grrr.”

Lev winked at me.

He freaking winked at me.

And my stomach flipped.

“Ewww,” Nas muttered, then her voice gentled. “I can’t believe he’s wearing jeans. I don’t know what you’re doing with him, but keep doing it. He’s loosened up a whole lot since you got here, kukla.”

I was too sad to register that she had paid me a major compliment. Instead, I pouted. “He said he would kiss me tonight.” I turned to look at her. “He hasn’t kissed me yet. I want it so bad it hurts.”

Nas’s eyes widened. “I’m going to pretend we’re not talking about my brother here for a second and tell you that if you want something, you’re going to have to fight for it.” She leaned against the bar. “Those are the rules.”

My mouth parted in shock as I glared at her. “There are rules? Why didn’t I know this?”

She shrugged. “You were homeless. I don’t think homeless people are down on the rules.”

I clicked my tongue and bit my thumbnail. “Damn being homeless to heck.”

Nas nudged me with a chuckle. I liked when we joked around like this. It was soothing. It felt so normal to have a friend to kid around with, and yet, it was so foreign to me.

I joined Birdie behind the bar and, with a quick hug in greeting, we started to work. It wasn’t long into my shift before Brick told me that Sasha wanted to see me in his office.

Sasha made me nervous. He always looked as if he had an ulterior motive. Perhaps it was hidden to the general eye, but I’d known many people like that on the streets and could spot them a mile away.

I knocked before stepping inside. “You wanted to see me?”

He stood by the side of his desk, going over some paperwork. He was dressed in a black tailored suit and white shirt. Sasha was tall, and I was sure that whatever he was hiding under his suit was close to the perfection I had seen on Lev. His dark brown hair cut into a faux-hawk, his frosty brown eyes looked up at me. “Shut the door behind you.”

He would be so handsome if only he smiled.

I couldn’t help it. Sarcasm was the language I spoke with Sasha. “Yes, sir. Cap’n, sir.” I closed the door and sat on the guest chair.

Sasha moved around the table and sat behind the desk, looking at me in the eye. “It’s been six weeks.”

I nodded. “Yes, it has.”

He tilted his head slightly and waited. When he realized I wasn’t going to add anything, he lifted his hands. “Don’t you think it was time you moved on?”

My heart shrank three sizes. My throat seized in panic. I couldn’t speak for a long while. Finally, I found my voice, shaky as it was. “I wasn’t aware my position here was temporary.”

“It’s not,” he said in complete calm. “But between you and me, it always was.” His eyes bore into me. “You knew that.” He searched my face, and whatever he found there, he wasn’t happy with it. He sighed, irritated. “You didn’t know that.”

I shook my head.

Sasha leaned back in his chair and I squeaked under his weight. “Lev likes pretty girls.” My eyes snapped up. “Extra points if they’re damaged.” His lip curled. “Like you.”

“I’m not damaged,” I whispered.

He smiled then, but it was harsh, cruel. “You’re a pretty girl, Mina. But Lev’s choices in women don’t lie. You might not be damaged, but you’re damaged goods.”

He was being unnecessarily insensitive. This was all I knew of Sasha. Nasty looks and cruel taunts. It was tearing me down emotionally. And that stunk, because I was finally in a good place with myself. “Why are you being so mean to me?”

At hearing my question, his brow furrowed in confusion. “You misunderstand me, Mina. I’m not being mean. I’m being honest. Sometimes the truth hurts.”

My self-esteem had taken a major hit. I was about ready to burst into tears at the humiliation. “So, I’m fired then?”

“No,” he uttered sincerely. “No. Not fired. But you’re going to leave us. Quit. You’re going to go far away and leave my brother alone.”

No. I wouldn’t. “No. I won’t.”

Sasha exhaled, long and slow. “I know you guys have some little flirtation happening. It’s cute. But you’re something he doesn’t need right now.”

“Who are you to say that? Maybe you should ask him what he needs.”

He scowled at me. “Listen to me. Irina will tear you apart, girl. She doesn’t want Lev, but she doesn’t want anyone else to have him. Her objective in life is to make him miserable. As long as you’re in the picture, he’ll never get Lidiya back. It’s her way or no way.”

“I don’t believe you,” I told him, even though part of me did.

He shook his head at me. “I didn’t want to insult you. You seem like the type of woman who would be insulted by an offer, but here.” He handed me a check. “A hundred grand. Two years of wages. You’ll be able to set yourself up from scratch, find a new job, and an apartment far, far away.”