“Why?” I asked. “Why did he want you in his firm? Didn’t he know you refused your own father’s firm?”
He nodded. “Yes, he knew. Igor Alkaev was a part of Chaos. He worked under my father. He knew all too well that I wouldn’t join. He tried to force my hand because he knew how well my family had benefitted from my knowing the stock market like the back of my hand.”
My brows rose. “You have stocks?” Then they furrowed. “Wait. Just how rich are you?”
His body shook silently. “Rich enough to provide for my child. She will never want for anything.”
“Okay, so he wanted you because they’re hard on money.”
He shrugged. “Far as I know, they’re extremely well off.”
Bastards. “Just greedy then.”
“Yes, I’m afraid so. It’s how the rich stay rich, mouse.”
Some people were rotten to the core. “And now?”
“I pay them money they don’t need, and Irina doesn’t disappear with my daughter.” His voice came out a growl. “It makes me so angry. She moved to another state just to spite me. Just to make things difficult, so I couldn’t see my Lidi.” He spoke quietly, “I hate her.”
I didn’t blame him. He was right to hate her. He told the story of a girl who was a victim to her father’s cruel antics. I didn’t buy it. She went along with it knowing full well what she was doing. Irina Alkaev was an asshole.
“I miss her,” I stated, realizing full well I was not helping. “I miss Lidiya.” Lev didn’t say a word, just ran his warm hand down my arm and back up. “She has a home here, Lev. She belongs here.”
He lightly pinched my chin, forcing it up to look him in the eye. “Do you trust me?”
“Yes,” I whispered immediately, because I did trust him.
He planted a soft kiss to my lips, speaking against them, “Then trust me.”
His words caused a shiver to go down my spine.
It sounded like he had a plan.
It sounded like a promise.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Lev
“Mina,” I whispered into the dark.
With her back to my front, she fit me perfectly. No one had fascinated me like this little creature.
My Mina. My mouse.
She said she loved me. She seemed sincere. I wanted to believe her.
I did believe her.
Her light grunt told me that she was falling asleep fast. My arms around her waist tightened a little. I never wanted to let go. “I don’t know what love is,” I started quietly. “But if I could love anyone…” I pressed a gentle kiss behind her ear, pulling her close. “I would love you. Very much.”
I didn’t know how to be what Mina needed, but I vowed to try my hardest to be a man she would be proud of. The thought of disappointing her made me anxious.
She had faith in me. She believed in me.
Disappointing Mina was not an option.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Mina
My eyes fluttered open and I was greeted by Lev’s handsome face. I smiled, stretching. “Don’t you ever sleep?”
His lip twitched. “On occasion.” He smiled softly and it gave me chills. I would never be desensitized to Lev’s gorgeous smile. “You’re beautiful.” Then he frowned at his compliment. “I’m sure you get told that a lot.”
I laid my hand against his rough cheek. “Not the way you say it.” I ran my thumb over his lips. “Never the way you say it.”
He reached up to hold my hand, biting the pad of my thumb. “You’re important to me, Mina.”
I blinked. This was a little deep for first thing. “And you’re important to me, sweetie.”
“I want to go with you to meet your brother.”
Everything stopped.
I had been trying for a solid week to get Lev to speak to me about my brother. Every time I brought it up, I was shut down before the conversation even began. I was desperate to meet my brother, but I needed Lev to be okay with it too. I gave him time and space away from the subject. And it looked like my patience had paid off. “Really?”
“Really.” He stroked my shoulder, trailing down my arm. “We’ll organize a dinner with Laredo. It’s not like Sasha will miss us for one night, not with the way the club’s going.”
It was harsh but true. “Okay. I’ll call today.” I grinned.
“No.” He shook his head. “I’ll call today. I don’t want you speaking to Laredo without me.” At my defiant look, he added a placating, “It’s not because of you, mouse. He can be rather manipulative.”
Did I even care? Um, no. Now was not the time to be indignant.
I was going to meet my brother.
I grinned. “Set it up.”
I lay my head back in the passenger seat of the Camaro, listening to the radio as Lev drove. I tried not to hyperventilate, but it was hard to breathe regardless. I was on the way to meet my brother for the very first time.
I had so many questions—about my mother, about my father. I was in Laredo’s debt. I was pretty sure that was a situation not many people wanted to find themselves in.
We drove for a long while before Lev pulled up to a house big enough to rival the Leokov complex. With giant wrought iron gates, intricately designed to look as if black vines and golden leaves covered them, I sat up straighter as my heart skipped a beat.
Whelp…no backing out now.
Nas helped me dress for the momentous occasion. We settled for something understated, with high-waisted black pants and a loose white shirt tucked in. I wanted to wear heels, but Nas objected. She said it was no use wearing heels when your face would be planted firmly on the ground.
The bitch.
I found my black ballet slippers and slid them on while Nas straightened my hair before putting on my makeup. My long lashes held four coats of mascara, and with my lips glossed, I deemed that was enough. I didn’t want to look like I was going to a club. I wanted to look like I was making my way to a casual family dinner.
I managed to talk Lev into wearing his jeans—Hooray!—with a white shirt under his black V-neck cashmere sweater. He rolled his sleeves up his forearms and I was ready to call the night off, almost preferring to undress him slowly and devour his body with my glossed mouth. But my brain reminded me there would be time for sexy fun later.
Lev pressed a button and his window descended. He leaned outside and pressed the button on the small speaker box. A loud buzz sounded before a man spoke through the speaker, “Yes?”
“Mina Harris and Lev Leokov.”
The speaker buzzed again. “Of course, sir. Come right in.”
The gates rattled before they parted in the middle and slowly opened wide, allowing us entry. I swallowed hard. “How rich is Laredo?”
Lev clicked his tongue before shooting me a look. “Richer than me.”
Well, that was just great. Now I’d never get comfortable here.
It took us five minutes to arrive at the house. I wondered if we’d ever get there. It looked as if Laredo owned the entire block. I felt faint. The house was enormous. It made me wonder how one person could live in something so large. My brow furrowed. “Does Laredo live alone?”
Lev tilted his head to the side. “I’m not sure. When we were children, he always had people staying with him. When one went, another came. But he doesn’t have a significant other, no.”
Lev helped me out the car, and as we walked, the front door opened and out came a smiling Laredo. He was followed by five other men. And four of those five men smiled at me. The other did not smile, and he had scars all across the right half of his face.