Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83814 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83814 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
“I wouldn’t say that.”
He stalks away over to a water bottle in the corner of the room. “You’re so convinced you have all the answers, and when you fuck up, you get to fall back behind all the old excuses. Oh, poor me, I’m Alexander, I was raised by a couple of abusive assholes that more or less ignored me when they weren’t hitting me, and that somehow makes me morally superior to everyone else.”
I grimace and look away. I don’t talk about my past often, and definitely not to Lev, but I guess word’s gotten around.
He’s right though. I grew up in a very bad household, which is why becoming Step’s friend saved my life. If not for him and the purpose the Bratva gave me, I would’ve ended up like my dad, an alcoholic gambling addict, dead from a drink driving accident when I was twelve, or like my mother, strung out on pills until she switched to heroin and finally overdosed alone in some shitty parking garage in Baltimore when I was nineteen.
I would’ve been all on my own after that. Except Step took me in and Oleg practically raised me like one of his boys, and now I’m doing this to them.
“I don’t think I have all the answers,” I say and look back up at him. “All I know is, I got your sister pregnant, and I couldn’t abandon her to marry a stranger. I couldn’t let her raise my child with a man I don’t even know. I have to be there for my kid, Lev. I have to do the right thing.”
Lev’s lips pull back and he storms over to me. His face is red from exertion and anger and he throws his water bottle onto the floor. “That’s the thing though. You didn’t have to do anything, but you did it anyway. You always wanted Natalya, and now you fucking got her.”
I take a step back as he shoves a finger in my face. “That isn’t true.”
“Fuck you, yes it is. You two bickered like god damn wild cats. The tension between you was off the fucking charts. Even Step mentioned it. You clearly wanted Natalya, but you were too loyal to ever do anything about it. At least until now.”
I stare at him, trying to make sense of this. He’s totally wrong about that—I’ve always hated Natalya. I’ve gone out of my way to avoid dealing with her.
She’s a spoiled-rotten Bratva princess, the total opposite of everything I’ve wanted. I need a strong woman, one with a spine, one that can stand up to anyone and knows the value of hard work.
That’s not Natalya.
She’s soft and sweet. She plays piano, reads in multiple languages, was handed everything on a silver platter, and never worked a day in her life.
I don’t care if she’s beautiful. Lovely, even. Fucking angelic.
He’s wrong.
“That isn’t true,” I say and even I can hear how lame and forced it sounds.
Lev sneers, shaking his head. “Just fuck off Alex. If my father hears you’re around, he’ll lose his shit. I already had to hold him back from coming after you again.”
“I married her for you. I married her for the family.” I blurt it out, because I think it’s true, but Lev’s face instantly changes.
“Don’t you say that shit again, you selfish piece of garbage. God, you’re so fucking delusional. Stepan would be fucking ashamed if he knew about this. Thank fucking Christ he’s dead, or else he’d fucking hate you right now, you piece of shit.”
Anger rolls into me. Rage flows into my veins. He’s throwing Stepan in my face now? My best friend? I lash out and shove Lev backwards, and that snaps the tension in half as Lev’s fist crashed into my face.
I grunt in paint and go at him. I hit his body, hit his face, and he hits me right back. He tumbles into the bench press and keeps struggling. I knee his thigh and he elbows my kidney. I headbutt him in the nose and he smashes a forearm into my mouth. I taste blood and keep going. Fuck Lev, fuck him for throwing Step at me like that.
We punch and struggle until we both end up sitting on opposite sides of the room. He’s bloody and bruised, and I’m sure I look worse. Neither of us moves, and finally some of the aggression’s been drained away.
Lev leans his head against the wall. He shows me a blood-covered grin. “You still punch like a fucking girl,” he says.
“You just can’t take it.” I grin back at him and gingerly touch my nose. It’s definitely broken.
He grunts and looks down at his lap. “I shouldn’t have brought Step into it. You’re right. But I’m fucking pissed at you.
“I know you are. I don’t blame you.”