Leveled: A Novella (Saints of Denver #0.5)(71)

I was surprised at what happened next.

Lev released me and went to his sister. He stood in front of her and, seeming lost, awaited her next move. When she looked up into his eyes, her anger faded as quickly as it came. She put her hand on his arm and spoke quietly, not a reprimand, but a reminder. “Watch your temper, moj brat.”

He nodded, looking relieved that she was no longer upset at him, and pulled her in for a quick one-armed hug. Lev truly loved his sister. She was the one person he sincerely wanted on his side. I didn’t blame him. Nas was a good person to have on your side.

He dipped his head and spoke directly into her ear. I didn’t hear what he said, but at her response of “It’s okay,” I guessed he had apologized.

Anika decided then was the best time to speak. “Well, I’d better be going now.” She looked to Lev, eyes wide. “Can you take me home?”

Lev looked from Anika to me, deciding where his priorities lay, and I liked that he didn’t give her a straight yes. But Nas, she was on to Anika. “Vik is showering at my place. He can take you home.”

But Anika looked down at her watch to hide the pink stain of her cheeks. “Oh, well, I really have things to do. I’d like to head back now. Lev?”

Nas wasn’t having it. Her tone quiet but firm, she told her, “You can wait.” Then Nas leaned in and uttered, “Ani, you’re my friend and I love you, but I know what you’re doing and I don’t like it.” She paused a moment then warned, “Stop. You’re going to get hurt.”

Anika’s face flushed the brightest of red. Her lips thin, she glared at Nas and spoke through gritted teeth, “Guess I’ll go wait at yours then.”

Without waiting for a response, she dashed out the door and made her way to Nastasia’s house.

I huffed out a long breath. “Okay, so it wasn’t just me then, right?”

Nas sighed, running a hand down her face. “No. Definitely not just you.”

Lev, clueless as ever, asked, “What are you two talking about?”

Nas scoffed out loud as I rolled my eyes. I stated calmly, “Anika is in love with you, sweetie.”

“No, she isn’t,” he immediately denied my claim.

Nas nodded. “Yes, she is, Lev. Always has been.”

His brow bunched in confusion. “What?” Then he shook his head. “No. We’re friends. Just friends.”

I wasn’t ready for what Nas would say next. She sounded pissed. “Oh yeah? Then why’d you take her virginity?”

My breath left me in a sudden exhale. “Excuse me? You slept with Anika?” My head spun with this new information.

“Yes,” Lev replied calmly then turned a glare on his sister. “I didn’t know she was a virgin.”

Nas stalked over to him, lifting her hand and poking him in the chest with her finger. “Don’t play dumb. She saved herself for you. Planned your whole f*cking lives together up until the time where you’d grow old together and have matching side-by-side tombstones. Then you f*cked her and gave her nothing. She’s been mooning over you since.” She glowered up into his face. “You f*cked up. You fix it. I am so done with this shit.”

Lev’s face lost all expression. He blinked, dumbfounded. “She loves me?”

I was worried by the way he said it, like he couldn’t believe that Anika could feel something for him. My heart began to race. It hurt to acknowledge the facts. Overall, she was the better option. She was Russian. She was prettier than me. Her family had been a part of Chaos. She had already told me that she could be there for him in a way that I couldn’t and she was probably right.

What did this mean for me? For us?

Slow as can be, a crack began to form through the center of my heart. This could be it. I could lose him. And so soon after I finally got him.

His gorgeous honeyed eyes met mine. “Wait. Has she been making you feel uncomfortable?”

Fear and anger had me spitting, “Only all the goddamn time.” Panic had me revealing it all. “She flirts with you. She touches you. She made sure I saw you beating on that idiot Moretti guy.” If it was over, it was over. My shoulders slumped. “She loves you, Lev.” I whispered this in a way that said If you want her, now’s your chance. “And she’ll do anything to get you.”

Lev held out his hand, waiting. I blinked down at it a long moment then sighed in relief, placing my hand in his. His fingers twined through mine and it felt like home.

He chastised me gently, “I told you I don’t read people well. Why didn’t you tell me, mouse?”

My heart slowed its pace. The feeling of his warm skin on mine calmed me. “Why would I? It would have caused problems. What can you do? It doesn’t matter.”

“Your feelings matter to me very much.” His free hand came up to softly pinch my chin. He lifted my face to look into his fierce glare. “I would have told her that my affections belonged to another, that I was happiest with my mouse. That all I could ever offer her was friendship.” He shook my chin lightly. “But you didn’t give me the chance to do that. And now you’re pouting.”

My eyes narrowed and my lips puckered. “I am not.”

“You are,” he called me out. Then his eyes softened and he kissed my pouting lips hard. “Now stop it or I’ll kiss them raw.”