Leveled: A Novella (Saints of Denver #0.5)(53)

Handing her a mug, I smiled slyly. “Have fun with your company last night?”

She glared at me over the rim of her mug before lifting her nose. “He snores.”

Just then, a low, gravelly voice came from the open doorway. “She lies. And yes, we had fun. We always have fun. Played Yahtzee until just after dawn.” Vik grinned, his eyelids low from sleep. He wore his dress pants and not a stitch more. I was too amused to check out his taut and gorgeous tattooed body.

I snorted, almost choking on my coffee. “Is that what the kids are calling it these days?”

He winked at me before doing something that surprised me.

He made his way behind Nas’s chair, placed his hands on her shoulders, leaned in, and pressed his lips to the space just under her ear. She closed her eyes and smiled happily. He whispered something into Nastasia’s ear and her face turned soft. She lifted a hand to cup his cheek tenderly before turning her face to press a soft kiss to his lips.

These were not the actions of two people who merely slept together. These were the actions of two people very much in love. My mind went back to the moment Nas told me that Viktor didn’t love her back. Was she mental? It was clear as crystal, written all over his face. In his smile. The way he looked at her. Viktor Nikulin was head-over-heels for Nastasia Leokov. And he loved her in a way that most women dreamed of.

My heart smiled for the two of them. They had something special. Even if Nas didn’t know it yet.

Vik poured a cup of coffee then moved around the table, stopping to kiss my head before seating himself at the head of the table. “You feeling better, wifey?”

I smiled at his nickname for me. It was clearly designed to make Nas jealous, and from the way her nose bunched, it was working. “I’m feeling much better, thank you. Damn virus,” I lied.

Vik’s brow rose. “I thought it was period pain?”

I blinked at him before turning to Nas. “Is no man in this family squeamish?” I fluttered my lashes at Vik. “I was trying to protect your delicate sensibilities.”

He sipped his coffee. “That’s too many big words for morning, Mina.”

“So,” I dug. “Where’s Lev?”

Vik blinked at me, eyeing me curiously. “What’s it to you?”

My cheeks heated. “Nothing,” I uttered, dipping my chin.

Vik grinned, the shit stirrer. “Okay, then if it’s nothing to you, he’s gone to have breakfast with Anika.”

“What?” My head shot up, eyes blazing, unsure of whether he was lying to get a rise out of me.

“Oh,” Nas muttered, suddenly remembering. “Yeah, he is.” She shook her head then cringed, “Sorry. I forgot.”

Why was he having breakfast with Anika? Why wasn’t he having breakfast with me? More importantly, why didn’t he tell me?

Because it’s none of your business!

My mind’s statement hurt, because it was true. I wanted Lev to be my business. I wanted him to think about me when he made decisions, like having breakfast with a tall, gorgeous redhead who clearly wanted him for herself.

I shrank down in my chair and Vik’s smile fell. “You’re upset.”

“I’m not upset,” I blatantly lied, my cool tone giving me away. “Lev can do what he wants. He doesn’t owe me explanations.”

Nas tilted her head. “What’s going on with you and my brother?”

I shrugged, unsure about how to answer. “I don’t know. One second, he’s all protective and caring and giving me necklaces, and the next, he’s off hiding inside himself. I thought we had a thing, but it’s like he’s afraid to talk to me.”

Vik stretched. “He is afraid to talk to you. Well, not you, but people in general.”

Nas shushed him, but I reached out for all the information I could get. “What do you mean? He’s so confident at the club.” I was confused. “Why would he be scared to talk to me?”

Vik lightly nudged Nastasia’s arm. “Will you talk to your girl? She thinks she’s the issue. Give her a break, Nas.”

She looked down at the table and muttered a low, “We don’t talk about it.”

Vik shook his head before leaning across the table to me and asking, “You ever wonder why Lev locks his bedroom door at night?”

I nodded enthusiastically. “All the time.”

Nas spoke quietly, “Enough.”

Vik ignored her. “He does it to protect himself. He doesn’t feel safe at night, in the dark.” He shook his head in disgust. “He was just a little boy.”

“I don’t understand.”

Nas got up, walking over to the kitchen sink, trying to get away from the conversation.

“She used to beat him at night, after everyone had gone to sleep,” Vik explained.

My heart broke, raced, and wept all at the same time for Lev, the little boy. Part of me wanted to know, but the other part wanted to let sleeping dogs lie. “Who beat him?”

Nas, looking out the kitchen window, whispered a dead, “My mother. She hated him.”

Vik sneered. “Fuck, I hated that bitch. Always knew those smiles a’hers were fake.”

“How could she?” I spoke quietly through my thick throat. “How could she?” I turned to Nas. “Why?”