Lev: a Shot Callers novel(64)

He held his fist up, a brass knuckleduster fitted across his fingers, his face screwed up, chest heaving. I gasped lightly, my hand flying to my mouth. That was when he spotted me.

The blood left my face, leaving me feeling cold and confused. My lips parted in shock, and my heart began to race.

The streets were not kind to me. I’d seen things that would make the regular person lose their lunch and this was nothing compared to that. What shocked me was that this was Lev.

Safe, protective, wouldn’t-hurt-a-fly Lev.

Then all three men were looking at me.

Lev’s brow furrowed and, lowering his balled fist, he moved to step toward me. “Mina—”

I couldn’t look at him. Lowering my gaze to the floor, I uttered, “I’m sorry,” and I saw myself out, shutting the door with a light slam. I turned to walk away, but jumped when I saw Anika standing there, her face emotionless. I licked my dry lips. “Sasha didn’t want to see me, did he?” She lifted her nose in defiance and crossed her arms over her chest. My mind was a chaotic mess of puzzlement. “Why? Why did you do that?”

“You want a life with Lev? This is life with Lev.” She looked smug and I hated her right then. “You want in. You needed to know.” Her tall frame straightened and she spoke down on me, judging me for judging them. “This life isn’t so pretty now, is it, Mina?”

My heart squeezed. “Why do you hate me?”

Her face softened then, but only marginally. “I don’t hate you. I just don’t think you can be there for Lev in the way that I can.” Lifting her hand, she threw it out to Sasha’s office door. “Can you handle that?” I honestly didn’t know if I could. She stated confidently, “Because I can. And it doesn’t change the way I feel about him.”

I rushed past her, throwing my shoulder into her arm, and as I did, she called out, “You’ll thank me for this one day!”

No. No, I wouldn’t.

Lev attempted to approach me approximately a half-hour later, but I couldn’t bring myself to answer his call. I ignored him till he physically walked behind the bar, took me by the hand, and pulled me into the dark, empty corner of the bar. “Mina?” And still, I avoided his gaze. “Mina, talk to me.” His hands came up to cup my cheeks and he spoke a hair’s breadth away from my lips. “Please.”

My voice hoarse, I responded, “Can we talk about it later?”

He ran his thumbs lightly across the apples of my cheeks. “Okay.” Then he brought his lips to mine and kissed me in what I believed was an attempt to make me forget about what I had just seen, but the memory played on a loop. I turned my head to the side, disconnecting our lips, heartbroken.

Who was that version of Lev in Sasha’s office?

Certainly not the man I fell in love with.

I didn’t know that man, and it petrified me that our relationship may have been built on assumptions and lies. I asked myself if I knew Lev at all.

I would find out later that night.




We drove home in silence. Lev pulled my arm across the center console and held my hand, but my hold remained loose.

The drive felt longer than previous nights, where I would sing along to the radio, not even mildly caring about my tone deafness because I was too damn happy with my current life to give a damn. I had Lev, and that was all I needed.

But after tonight, I asked myself which Lev did I have? There were two of them, I had discovered.

I required an explanation.

The silence was heavy and growing thicker by the second.

We made our way upstairs, undressing, and for the first time in a week, I dressed in my yellow pajamas. Lev noticed. The distasteful look in his eye as he glanced at the hideous ensemble said so. I sat in the middle of the bed, my legs crossed.

Standing in front of the bed dressed in nothing more than his black boxers, he let out a soft sigh, unable to meet my eyes. “I understand you’re confused.”

My brow rose and I let out a soft grumble of agreement.

His hand came up and he scratched at his chin. “There are things you don’t know about me, Mina.”

I laughed humorlessly. “I can see that.”

“He owes Sasha money.”

My blood began to boil.

Lev went on, “This is how business is dealt with when you’re a Leokov.”

I swallowed hard, anger causing my stomach to dip.

“The man you saw tonight owes Sasha a hundred thousand dollars.”

That was it. I’d heard enough. As my mouth opened, anger spewed forth, and something I hadn’t planned on saying came out. “Who cares if the guy owes him money? He offered me the same amount to leave you, dammit!” I scowled. “Money is clearly of no object to Sasha.” I snarled his name.

The moment I realized what I had just told Lev, my face blanched.

Lev’s jaw steeled and his cheek ticked. His hands curled into fists and his stomach tightened. His voice was low, dangerous. “What did you say?”

No, no, no, no, no, no, nooooooo.

What had I just done? Blood roared in my ears and I heard my pulse loud and clear. My mouth dry, I attempted to bring some moisture to my lips by licking them. I pulled a pillow over my lap and hugged it tight. “I didn’t take it, obviously.” My voice was small. Tiny.

His eyes narrowed, and he spoke again through gritted teeth. “He what?”