But for a moment, under his intense gaze, she remembered what it felt like to be beautiful.
Luerna hardened herself. He was a boy; of course, he found her attractive. Anything with tits and a vagina was attractive at his age. She straightened herself, rebuilding the walls that had been momentarily forgotten. “My sister will treat you well. If you would kindly do the same.” Luerna went to step by him, but Levka stepped in front of her, and she snapped her head up again.
“I don’t want your sister,” he boldly explained, hoping she heard in the subtle lines of everything he couldn’t say.
A scoff and a soft annoyed smile. “When has it ever mattered what we want?”
“Shouldn’t it?”
She shook her head, annoyed. “I think it’s incredibly arrogant of you to preach to me. But why am I surprised? You’re a man. The world revolves around whatyouwant. As long as your dick’s happy, who cares about anybody else?”
Levka could only smile at her. This was the woman he’d known over the years. It reminded him of a caged tiger pacing the bars of her cage, daring anyone to let her out so she could claw their face off. It was good to know that underneath her depression, the fight in her soul still existed. He wanted to be the one to free her. To unleash her on the world and let her ravage the land. For the life of him, he couldn’t understand why Yakov kept her chained when she so clearly was fit to lead the Morozov empire. “You are a ray of sunshine, Mrs. Morozov,” he replied with a sneaky grin.
Luerna wanted to punch him in the face.
“Luerna?” Rurik’s voice sounded down the hall.
Levka stepped back at the exact moment Luerna pushed herself away. He watched her, desperate to know why she separated from him so fast as if she was caught doing something she shouldn’t. “Here,” Luerna called out, tightening the jacket around her.
Rurik came around the corner, and he eyed Levka with disdain for a moment before he turned his attention to her. “What happened?”
“It was an accident,” she assured. “We bumped into each other, and his drink spilled over me.”
He glanced back at Levka and waited. Quickly, Levka bowed his head. “I apologize, Mr. Morozov.”
Rurik turned his back, dismissing Levka and gripped Luerna’s arms. “Did you plan this?”
Luerna scoffed, flinching out of his hold. “No, I didn’t plan this.”
Levka backed up. He knew he didn’t belong in this conversation and should go, but Rurik’s aggressiveness kept him still.
Rurik kept his voice barely above a whisper, “You didn’t want to be here, and now look at you. Stay here, and I’ll send a servant to get you a dress.”
“I just want to go home.”
“You’ll do what I tell you. I have many business partners here, and you will not embarrass me. What will they think, you abandoning my birthday? Your father will think it’s my fault.”
“You care so much what my father thinks of you, it’s ridiculous.”
Rurik grabbed her arm, pulling her close. “Shut your mouth.” He took hold of the jacket and snatched it from her arms. “You smell like a wolf.” Rurik chucked it at Levka. “Get the hell out of here, boy. Think I’m stupid? Think I don’t know what you were trying to do?”
Levka went to speak, dumbfounded on what spilling a drink on his wife could possibly mean, but Luerna interrupted with a sharp reply, “You gonna fight a teenage boy, Rurik? Really?”
Levka fisted his jacket and clenched his teeth as he looked at Luerna, but her blue eyes were on her husband, dangerous and combative. He shouldn’t despise her for the insult, but it hurt more than he was willing to admit. He pushed himself further back, even though it ripped him apart, leaving her with her husband.
“All I asked you for was one night. One night, Luerna. I have given you months of space. I deserve a little credit.”
Levka turned the corner and pushed himself down the hall.
Chapter three
Threat
Levkastaredatthedoor through the crowd, waiting for Luerna to come out. He didn’t know what he would do if he saw a bruise on her. He’d like to believe that her family wouldn’t allow her to remain in an abusive relationship, but would Yakov actually protect her?
Rurik returned, fixing his suit, and hair. Levka sneered, sipping his drink and watched the man return to Yakov like an obedient dog. Rurik only excelled in life because Yakov wanted a puppet on the throne of the Justice Department. But the man didn’t come from any Mafia line. He didn’t have any power until Yakov gave it to him.
When Adrik approached the bar, Levka turned his rage toward the man. As a second born son, Adrik reeked of envy, wanting something he could never have. The fact that they had something in common, only pissed Levka off more.
