Leveled: A Novella (Saints of Denver #0.5)(75)

My head resting on Lev’s chest, I listened to his heartbeat. It was almost four a.m. when I whispered, “Tell me about Irina.”

Lev’s hand, entwined with mine over his right pectoral, stiffened. The thumb caressing my hand stilled. “I don’t like to talk about her.”

I knew this. I had seen his reactions to her name being mentioned. But this was important.

I had to tell him in a way he would understand. “I’m around, Lev. I’m bound to meet her one day. It’s your duty, as my man, to inform me what I’m up against.” I let that sink in. “I love you. I love Lidiya. I’m a part of your life now and I know it’s hard for you, but give me something, sweetie. Anything.”

He remained quiet a long while, but I heard the beat of his heart increase. He let out a long sigh. “She was beautiful.”

Ouch. Not a great start.

He went on. “She was also untouchable. It was widely known the Alkaev girls were off-limits until such a time that their father chose who they would marry. So when Irina approached me, I was cautious. We formed a friendship of sorts. I liked to listen to her talk. A month went by and she kissed me. I told her I wasn’t looking for a relationship; she told me she wasn’t either and that what we did together would remain private so her father wouldn’t know.”

Nothing too sordid so far. I listened on.

“Imagine my surprise when we made it to the bedroom and I found out Irina was well acquainted with sex. It stunned me. She knew things even I didn’t know. It should’ve tipped me off that something was wrong, but I told myself that Irina was my friend. We had sex multiple times over three months, always using protection.” He sounded dejected. “She insisted on protection. I never assumed we were at risk. I never thought she would be the one to tamper with the condoms.”

A small gasp came from me. “You’re saying she tricked you into getting her pregnant?”

“Yes and no,” he said calmly. “Her father forced the situation on her. He planned it from start to finish. It all came out after the pregnancy was confirmed. Her entire family met with Sasha, Nastasia, and me at Sasha’s house. Her father, the smug bastard, told me I would marry Irina and come work for him, with his firm, Zakon.” He shook his head. “He didn’t know me well enough to guess that my answer would be no. Irina was certainly surprised. She told me that she would never marry a retard like me anyway.”

A louder gasp escaped me. “She didn’t!” I growled. “The bitch!”

He kissed my forehead. “She did, but I don’t think she meant it. It was only after she found out I didn’t want to marry her that she got nasty. I think she expected we would have Lidiya together, raise her together, and stay friends. When I told Irina that I wanted the baby but not the marriage, her father went to plan B. Told us that Irina would have to terminate the pregnancy if she were to remain husbandless. I told them they’d do that over my dead body.” He huffed out a harsh breath. “I paid them a lot of money to prevent Irina from getting an abortion. I moved her in here, hired Mirella to care for her, and to make sure she wouldn’t harm the child. As long as the money kept coming, Irina’s father, Igor, remained happy with the situation.”

“Why?” I asked. “Why did he want you in his firm? Didn’t he know you refused your own father’s firm?”

He nodded. “Yes, he knew. Igor Alkaev was a part of Chaos. He worked under my father. He knew all too well that I wouldn’t join. He tried to force my hand because he knew how well my family had benefitted from my knowing the stock market like the back of my hand.”

My brows rose. “You have stocks?” Then they furrowed. “Wait. Just how rich are you?”

His body shook silently. “Rich enough to provide for my child. She will never want for anything.”

“Okay, so he wanted you because they’re hard on money.”

He shrugged. “Far as I know, they’re extremely well off.”

Bastards. “Just greedy then.”

“Yes, I’m afraid so. It’s how the rich stay rich, mouse.”

Some people were rotten to the core. “And now?”

“I pay them money they don’t need, and Irina doesn’t disappear with my daughter.” His voice came out a growl. “It makes me so angry. She moved to another state just to spite me. Just to make things difficult, so I couldn’t see my Lidi.” He spoke quietly, “I hate her.”

I didn’t blame him. He was right to hate her. He told the story of a girl who was a victim to her father’s cruel antics. I didn’t buy it. She went along with it knowing full well what she was doing. Irina Alkaev was an *.

“I miss her,” I stated, realizing full well I was not helping. “I miss Lidiya.” Lev didn’t say a word, just ran his warm hand down my arm and back up. “She has a home here, Lev. She belongs here.”

He lightly pinched my chin, forcing it up to look him in the eye. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” I whispered immediately, because I did trust him.

He planted a soft kiss to my lips, speaking against them, “Then trust me.”

His words caused a shiver to go down my spine.

It sounded like he had a plan.

It sounded like a promise.