“Nala.”
She comes out, and for a second, I regret bringing him at all. She’s too fucking beautiful. Her shirt clings to her chest, showing how full her breasts are. Jeans hug her small waist, clinging to her round ass. Her curls bounce with every step toward me.
I hear the exact moment Lev gets a full view of her, his low intake of breath. My jaw tightens as I keep moving forward. Her gaze darts past me to Lev. I crook my finger and she comes to my side.
“This is Lev.”
I turn to Lev. “She’s American. She’s just learning Russian.”
Lev doesn’t speak right away. His eyes move between me and Nala, studying us. “How is she American and here without a passport? It can’t be lost. She could easily get one at her embassy. What aren’t you telling me?”
“Is he angry?” Nala asks under her breath.
“No,” I whisper. “He just loves asking questions. Like you.”
Her lips spread as she holds back a smile.
I turn my attention to Lev, getting straight to it. “My father isn’t looking for a prostitute. He’s looking for Nala.”
Lev stares at me, looks away, then back, at me, then her. “This is the girl the Pakhan’s been ranting about? Accusing us over. Accusingyou.” His jaw hardens.“All this time you had her—your father’s whore.”
“Let’s get one thing straight,” I say, my voice firm. “Nala was never my father’s or anyone’s whore. I claimed her first. Don’t call her that again.
“Alright. Fuck.” He scrubs a hand over his face. “What is this? Why all the secrecy? Why the drama? How’d you even find her if she’s some kind of secret he keeps talking in riddles about.”
“Doesn’t matter how I found her. It’s where I found herthat counts. He was keeping her in a basement under the brothel. Had her trafficked from London to Moscow.”
Lev shakes his head. “That can’t be true. Why her? Why not put her to work with his other girls?”
“Ask the Pakhan.”
“Bullshit, Roman. You know more than you’re saying.”
“I’m supposed to understand why a fifty-seven-year-old man kidnapped a little girl, locked her away for years all because he thought she brought him luck. How am I supposed to rationalize that?”
“That’s what she told you? He kept her for luck.”
“That’s what I said.”
“You actually believe that?”
I hold his gaze. “My girl doesn’t lie to me.”
Lev studies me, brows narrowing, then lifts his hands in surrender. “I get it.” He backs off, knowing he’s not getting anything else out of me. “The passport… I need more details. She looks young. What about her parents? Is anyone else looking for her?”
“Her parents are dead. She’s eighteen. Free to be anyone, go anywhere, as long as the Bratva can never find her.”
Nala moves closer to me, confused and sensing the tension without understanding a word.
Lev lowers his voice. “How far ahead are you thinking? When she doesn’t need the passport anymore, what then? Are you keeping her?” He scoffs. “I can’t see that. That’s not you.”
His gaze flickers over her again, pissing me off.
“I get it,” he continues. “She looks good. She’s beautiful, but come on, Roman. How’s she going to fit in? Can you imagine her spending time with Pasha’s wife? Dimitri’s? She looks too soft. Too innocent.” His gaze lingers. “You won’t stop the others from looking at her the way you do. She’s different. Even you know that.”
“Are you done?”
“It’s not what you want to hear,” Lev says, raising one shoulder. “But it's the truth.”
