“Can you deal with him?” Luerna beseeched Alexei. “He seems to think I need saving. Well, little brother, I’m fine. I’ve been caring for myself for years now, and I don’t need you.” Luerna pushed through both of them. She hated it when her brothers returned. They always acted like they never left, like the power dynamic hadn’t shifted, like they had any clue what life was like here in Russia. But they were ignorant, and it wasn’t technically their fault. Luerna was never forthcoming with information. She wished they would just mind their business.
Luerna shoved her way, keeping her head to the ground so no one would stop her. But inevitably, someone stepped in her way. When she looked up to snap at them, Levka stood in front of her. Hugging his bicep was a young college girl with a stupid grin. Luerna hated everything about her even though there was literally nothing to hate.
“Mr. Borisyuk,” she greeted, subtly using his last name to remind him they were not friends and would never be again. “I’m surprised to see you here.”
“Mrs. Morozov,” he respectfully bowed his head. “We were invited by Fedor Utkins himself.”
She pulled back faster than she probably should have. “Curious. With my family and yours at odds with each other, it does seem motivated.”
“I’m sure it is. But who am I to say no to a superior?”
“Well, at least you know your place.”
Levka clenched his teeth and forced a smile. “I certainly do.”
Her coldness was something he feared. All the progress he had made before had been destroyed. It had been so difficult to get into her bubble and now he wasn’t sure she’d ever allow him in again. But he had to try. The only problem was Levka wasn’t ready yet to take her from Rurik. He was months away, so close and yet too far to reach out to her.
Levka shouldn’t have come tonight. He was a starving man searching for a morsel of food and she was the only thing that could sedate him. He thought if he could just get a piece of her, talk to her, see her, it would ease the pain in his chest, but now he realized his mistake.
A piece wasn’t enough.
“Well, if you’ll excuse me.” She stepped around him, but a hand was on her elbow.
“Wait.”
She snatched out of his touch a bit too harshly. Levka’s girlfriend’s smile faded.
“I have a business venture.” He pulled out a card and quickly wrote something on the back.
“Why would I care about that?”
“It’s about horses.” He held out the card, desperate for her to take it.
Luerna flicked her eyes wildly over him. The eagerness of his gaze told her everything and she almost laughed, wanting nothing more than to slap it out of his hands. If he thought he could come back and she’d just be waiting at the door like a pathetic dog he didn’t know her as well as he claimed.
“Call me. Please.”
She told herself no, but her fingers closed around his for a fraction of a second before he was gone. She didn’t need to look back to be sure. She felt the emptiness of his presence like a hole in the bottom of a pool, sucking all the water out and leaving her drained and heavy.
Chapter twelve
Ready
Luernasteppedintothesalon with a nervousness she didn’t know how to smother. Her guards stood at the doorway, glancing around but otherwise uninterested. “Hi, I have an appointment. Sunshine Sally.” The nickname sounded stupid, but the old woman said nothing as she waved her along. They moved to the back and her guard moved to follow her, but Luerna quickly waved a hand. “Unless you want to explain to my husband why you saw my naked ass, I’d stay out here.” The spark of fear made her giggle as she passed through the curtains.
In the third room on the right, Luerna entered the medical room to find two gurneys and a cosmetic stand before she found Levka, leaning against the counter. He wore a gray tank top that molded into every dip of his muscle. Her gaze traveled down his beautifully shaped pectorals and over his rippled abs. He had on workout shorts and sneakers.
It took the door closing to snap her out of her stupor, and she nervously shifted on her heels.
“Hey, sunshine.”
The term of endearment would have melted her, if she wasn’t steel. Luerna had given herself a pep talk and was firm on her resolution. His showing up like this meant nothing.
“I snuck out of the gym.” He gestured to his outfit. “Plus, I wanted to show off a little.” He glanced at his bicep, which was as big as her thigh.
His charm was doing nothing for her. “Why am I here?”
Levka crossed his arms, studying her. But whatever he was looking for, he wasn’t going to find. Luerna turned for the door.
