Lev’s mouth curves into a smirk so sharp it’s almost a wound. He takes another step closer, close enough that I can smell the clean bite of his cologne. “Oh,” he says softly, almost a purr, “I’ll take care of that.”
The promise in his voice is a dangerous one. Not a threat, not exactly. But not a mercy either.
Noelle rushes to the bed the moment Lev’s footsteps fade down the hall. She drops onto the mattress beside me, grabbing my hands. “Why are you pushing him like that?” she asks, eyes wide, almost frantic.
I pull my hands back, shrugging. “Because…I don’t know. Everything’s happening too fast. He just…walks in and expects me to bend.”
“No, Sasha. Look at him,” Noelle says softly, her tone almost pleading. “Lev is on your side. He offered you a choice; he’s keeping you safe. That’s not something anyone else would do.”
I frown, biting my lip. “Safe, maybe. But it’s still him controlling everything. I don’t even get to decide what happens next. And—” I swallow hard, “—I can’t stop thinking about what it will mean. Being married to him. Living under his name. It’s…it’s overwhelming.”
Noelle shakes her head, tugging me closer. “I know it’s huge. And yes, it’s a massive change. But he’s the only one who can protect you from the alternative. Do you really want the Greeks involved? Do you really want to risk—”
I cut her off with a bitter laugh. “Of course I don’t. But that doesn’t mean I have to like it. That doesn’t mean I have to like him.”
Noelle presses her forehead to mine. “You’re allowed to hate him. But don’t forget he’s the only one standing between you and complete ruin. That’s…that’s huge, Sasha. And maybe…maybe that’s a place to start, even if it’s not love.”
I shake my head. “Let’s talk about something else. I feel like my head is about to explode.”
Noelle and I linger until late afternoon, laughing at old memories and talking about everything and nothing. Eventually, she checks her watch and sighs. “I’ve got lunch with Niko. You behave while I’m gone,” she teases, giving me a tight hug.
“I’ll try,” I murmur, letting her go, though part of me aches at the thought of being left alone.
She waves one last time and walks out the door, the click of her shoes fading down the hall. I stare at the empty room for a moment, the quiet pressing in.
I crawl back onto the bed, pulling the blankets around me. My body is still heavy from the long flight, my mind restlesswith thoughts I can’t untangle. I force myself to close my eyes, to let sleep take me again, even if it’s fitful and shallow. For a few hours, I let the world fade away—and Lev, and the Bratva, and every impossible thing he’s made me feel.
I don’t know how long I sleep for, but later, I jerk awake to the creak of my bedroom door. My heart spikes, and I sit up, frowning when Lev walks in. He looks great in black dress pants and a deep brown shirt.
“Lev,” I say, voice sharp. “Get out.”
He pauses by the doorway, hand raised like it’s nothing, casual as ever. “Dinner’s ready,” he says. “You can come down.”
I scowl, shaking my head. “I’m not hungry. Go.”
He doesn’t move. My stomach tightens. Finally, he shifts, half-turns at the door…then stops again, eyes catching mine.
“We’ll be married in three days,” he says, voice low and lethal, half-command, half-promise. “And you’ll be moving into my master suite.”
“I’m not moving into your master suite,” I snap, crossing my arms. “And I will never sleep with you.”
He laughs, low and amused, the sound rumbling in the quiet room. I can see the confidence in his stance, the way he tilts his head slightly and casually.
It annoys me more than it should. My jaw tightens, and just to spite him, I jab the words out. “Honestly, you’re not even that good at it anyway.”
Before I can even blink, he’s at my side. The air shifts, thick with heat and danger. In one terrifyingly smooth motion, he lifts me from the bed like I weigh nothing, pressing me against the wall. My arms flail for balance, heart hammering.
“Have you been sleeping around with other people?” His voice is low, dangerous, and close enough that I can feel the vibration against my skin.
I gape at him, heat flaring in my cheeks. “W-what?!”
His gray eyes bore into mine, unrelenting. “Answer me,” he growls, and I can hear the feral edge beneath the control, the need that’s always there, simmering just below the surface.
“Who are you comparing me to? Hmm?”
I push at his chest, chin tilting up just enough to be insolent. “What? You think I’ve been pining after you all this time?” My voice drips with sugar and venom. “Please. I’ve slept with plenty of men after you, Lev. You weren’t that special.”
The words land like a slap. For a heartbeat, he just stares at me, unreadable. Then his expression fractures—something dark, primal flashing across his face.
