Lev (Shot Callers 1)

I stood so quickly that my chair screeched. I wrapped my arms around her and she accepted what I was offering. Her slim arms came around me and she spoke quietly. “My father removed Lev’s shirt and looked him over. He was bruised all over.” Her breath stuttered. “Lev spoke again, and his first words to my father in an entire year were ‘I’m sorry’. Father cleaned me up, hugged me tight, and then put Sasha and me back to bed. Lev slept by Father’s side, and we never saw our mother again.”

God, she was hurting. “I’m so sorry, Nas. I’m so sorry.”

She pulled back and looked down at me, dejected and teary-eyed. “No. I had one night of it. Lev probably endured years of it. I’m sorry it didn’t happen sooner.”

Sadness enveloped me. “Why did she hate him so much?”

Nas explained, “He was inferior, in her opinion. She couldn’t believe that she, a high-class woman, could produce something so flawed. She hated that he wasn’t normal. Went so far as to get a DNA test to prove he wasn’t hers, that they’d made a switch at the hospital. When the results came back that he was indeed hers, she hated him even more. He was the worst thing that happened to her.” Nas frowned. “But she didn’t even know him. She didn’t want to know him. He was so sweet and kind. And she broke him.”

No. No, that wasn’t right.

“He’s not broken, Nas,” I told her. “He’s in there. I see him. He’s just…stuck.”

“Yeah,” she agreed then sighed long and slow. “Don’t give up on him, Mina. He doesn’t trust easily, but once you’re in with him…you’re in. Put in the effort and you’ll be rewarded.” She added, “Just talk to him and be patient if he makes you do all the talking. He might not respond a whole lot, but he’s listening to every word. He’ll speak if he thinks something is worth saying.”

I left soon after, walking home and waiting for Lev.

I didn’t understand all of him, but what I knew of him, I understood a lot better.

A piece of my heart I had hidden long ago opened right then.

Lev was a clink in my armor, a crack in my wall, and I just knew that if he really tried, I would open myself to him completely in the hopes that he would do the same.

I would do that for him.

I would do that, because he was worthy.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Mina

The sound of one-sided chatter aired as soon as the front door opened. I listened in from the kitchen as I went about my business, making toast and pouring myself a glass of orange juice.

“Lev, all I’m saying is that she probably feels awkward here,” stated the familiar melodic voice.

I stilled mid-pour and my stomach boiled with liquid hot lava rage.

She was stooping to an all-time low. If Anika had an issue with me, she should have the balls to tell me to my face, not go behind my back and try to remove me from the picture.

Lev sighed. “This is none of your business, Ani.” He sounded tired.

“Okay,” she muttered in defeat. “Don’t say I told you so when she leaves though.”

Lev walked into the kitchen, and as soon as his eyes landed on me, the lines on his forehead softened. That was enough for me. My jealousy over his morning outing left me in a rush.

“Morning, sweetie,” I said through a smile as I made my way over to him. I wrapped an arm around his middle and gave him a squeeze. He returned my embrace, leaning down to kiss my hair.

“Good morning, Mina.”

We separated, and Anika stepped into the kitchen wearing an easy but false smile. “Morning, Mina.” She looked me up and down. “You look…comfortable.”

I glanced down at myself.

Confusion went through me. What offended her? My black tank, or my overly long grey sweats? Perhaps it was the fact I wasn’t wearing a bra under said tank.

When I looked back up at her and found her glaring at the small indents my nipples were making in the material, I almost smiled. I wanted to tell her it was okay, because Lev had already seen them in real life. But I didn’t. Instead, I shrugged. “Sure, I guess so.” I smiled, teeth gleaming. “So, how was breakfast?”

Anika frowned. “How did you know we were at breakfast? We didn’t know we’d be out for breakfast.”

I bit into my toast, fighting the urge to throw my juice in her face. I chewed slowly then shrugged. “Vik told me.”

Anika straightened, her face paling slightly. “When did you see Vik?”

Lev poured himself a glass of orange juice. His brow furrowed. “Yes, when did you see Viktor?”

Oh my.

Is that jealousy I smell, Lev Leokov?

It certainly seemed so. I decided to experiment with that. I lowered my lashes. “This morning. We did coffee.” I smiled secretly, biting the inside of my lip. “It was…nice.”