Boris snorts. “Though it explains his mood most days.”
Mary’s shoulders twitch like she’s holding in a laugh.
Lev just leans back in his chair, chewing slowly, watching her like she’s entertainment.
“What?” he asks.
“Nothing,” she says, but her mouth quirks. “Just trying to decide if you’re always this… much.”
Boris chuckles, and Mary’s got this small, almost cautious smile now. She looks… at ease. Like she’s found the rhythm here, slipping into conversation with Lev and Boris like she’s known them longer than a day.
I don’t like that.
I don’t like that she’s making them comfortable—and worse, that they’re doing the same for her.
Because if she belongs here, she’s mine.
And if she’s mine, then I’ve got no excuse for why I’m sitting here smelling her hair like a fucking addict instead of getting up and handling the problem that brought her here in the first place.
Lev points his fork at me. “What do you call this anyway?”
Mary answers before I can. “Lunch.”
He grins. “Best lunch I’ve had in months. Which, considering the last thing I made was ramen with jerky in it, is a pretty low bar.”
Mary wrinkles her nose. “That’s… horrifying.”
Boris shrugs. “Not as horrifying as whatever Anton had before this. Bet it was cold.”
I shoot him a look.
Lev grins wider. “Bet it was something out of the fridge you didn’t bother heating up.”
Mary bites her lip. “Is that true?”
Lev tilts his head at me like he’s asking permission to tell her. “Half a chicken cutlet. Standing over the sink.”
Mary stares at me, then laughs—actually laughs—and my cock twitches again, because apparently all it takes to short-circuit me now is her making a sound my men get to hear too.
Lev leans his elbow on the table. “See, boss? You needed this. A little garlic. A little rosemary. A little,” he waves his fork in her direction, “Mary.”
I put the fork down before I snap it in half.
The cat chooses that exact moment to wander over. He hops onto Mary’s lap, curls his tail around himself, and gives me a slow blink.
Mary strokes his head. “Hey, Gordo.”
Boris raises a brow. “Your cat’s fitting in fast.”
Mary shakes her head. “He’s Essie’s, actually. He just… shows up at my place.”
Lev reaches over to scratch the cat’s chin. “Smart animal. Knows where the good food is.”
I glare at him because now even the damn cat is too close.
Mary looks up at me. “You okay?”
No.
