The door opened, and Luerna stepped in with a clear face and Rurik’s jacket over her shoulders. She ran her eyes around the room and found him. Levka was tempted to go to her, but when her head snapped away, he depressed. She left the banquet, going for the car.
Anger swelled and with it stupid thoughts. And the only way he knew how to get out of his mood was to start a fight. Levka knew the exact words to provoke the last son of the Morozov line. “Adrik, I have a question for you.” The man’s gaze floated to him with boredom. “How should I prepare for the wedding night? Is your sister a virgin? Or–” He didn’t get to say anything else before Adrik slammed his fist across his face.
The pain only spurred him. Levka took no time to recover and dived into Adrik, lifting him above his head only to slam him into the ground. Levka kicked him hard in the stomach, but Adrik gripped his leg, keeping him still, battering him in the thigh, giving him a dead leg. The pain shut up like a bolt of lightning, but it didn’t stop Levka from punching Adrik in the side of the head. But that was all he got before Alexei came from the side, swiping him to the ground like a defensive lineman in a football game. Alexei straddled him and repeatedly hit him as Levka held his head, trying to protect his face. Alexei’s hits were concrete blocks, and it rattled his brain. It was the only moment of regret he had till Alexei was physically removed from him.
Levka lay on the ground, panting. The pulsating pain was welcome and it calmed the wave of anger.
Guards lifted him to his feet, and the first face he saw in front of him was Yakov Morozov.
The three boys stayed silent, huffing from the adrenaline. Blood dripped from Levka’s lip. He was pissed that he had gotten destroyed in a fight. If Alexei hadn’t come from out of nowhere, Levka would have won against Adrik.
“Bring them to the back,” Yakov ordered. “It’s okay, everyone. Teenage boys, am I right?”
A collective laugh rolled through the crowd, and it was another jab that Levka couldn’t stand.
“Fuck you,” Levka spat.
Adrik and Alexei both bucked, struggling against the hold of their father’s soldiers.
Yakov turned his attention to Levka. It was a gaze that made Levka suddenly unsure of why he was fighting at all. It was a douse of ice water, chilling him, and he dropped head.
“Take them,” Yakov reiterated, and the soldiers yanked them down the hall.
Levka struggled against their tight holds, cursing as he went. They sat him roughly in a chair, putting a hand firmly on his shoulder when he tried to get up. With Adrik and Alexei in chairs beside him, he waved the soldier off him, giving up. Levka held his jaw. The pain was reverberating up into his head. He was thankful when a soldier handed him an ice pack. Adrik got one, too, but Alexei was perfectly fine, his leg bouncing from adrenaline.
“Not exactly what I was insinuating,” Alexei mumbled.
Levka shrugged. “I ran with it.” With a glance, Alexei smirked, and Levka smiled. He hoped it worked. “What the fuck you got in your fists? Steel?” Levka groaned, sitting back. His head was spinning.
Alexei tapped his bicep. “All muscle. I’m gonna go out for World’s Strongest Man.”
Levka’s interest piqued. “What do you bench?”
“185,”
“Shit, I’m at 150.”
“Well, I work out for 3 hours every day–”
“Can you both shut the fuck up?” Adrik dropped his head back on the chair, annoyed and over it.
They sat in silence for several minutes. Levka didn’t know what damage he had done but hoped it was enough to end his engagement. He’d make it up to his father somehow. He’d go to college and do whatever his father ordered for the next few years. If Ivan gave him a chance, he could take care of the Stephanovs himself. He was dying for the opportunity to prove himself.
The door popped open. Levka didn’t need to look back to know who came. He stood in respect along with the brothers but kept his head down at his feet. He never liked disappointing his father, but what choice had he been given?
Yakov stood in front of them.
“So,” Yakov began. “Tell me.”
Adrik explained, “He disrespected Kira. I don’t want him marrying her. She’s too fucking good for this piece of shit.”
“Watch your mouth and sit down,” Yakov ordered.
Adrik threw himself in the chair with his elbows on his knees, clenching his fingers. Levka withheld an eyeroll.
Yakov directed his glare to Alexei. “Where were you?”
Alexei stared back. “What do you mean? I was around.”
