Page 27 of Forced Bratva Wife

I shoved past her, heading for the bedroom. Igor’s blood still clung to me, the smell of all that destruction fresh, and I needed a damn shower. The fact that I was deeply considering making it a cold one because Parker was riling up my veins like a damn hit of cocaine didn’t mean anything.

“Get good and comfortable, little one. Tomorrow, you and I are taking a little trip.”

Parker’s steps followed me down the hall, and I could hear her shouting at my back, even as I refused to turn around.

“Lev! For what?! You can’t do this! Please! You’ve seen what I can do. I need to get back to the hospi—”

“You need to pick out a dress. The judge is marrying us in the morning.”

I wasn’t about to hear any more of her savior nonsense. She’d helped Igor to get in my good graces. Well, tough fucking luck, sweetheart. You still belong to me.

With that, I just pressed further down the hall toward my room. I wanted that fucking shower, and I wanted it now.

Chapter 14 - Parker

Lev strode down the hallway toward his room, but I was frozen in place. I’d just got done saving one of his men; I was presently covered in his blood, and Lev sees fit to announce that we’re getting married—tomorrow. What the absolute fuck?!

My pulse ticked up another notch, and I clenched my hands. No, no way. He wasn’t getting away with acting like that after I’d saved his friend’s life. Why couldn’t he just admit I’d done him a favor? Hell, I was practically a damn saint for not running when I had the chance and actually saving one of the people who was actively helping to keep me his prisoner.

Speeding down the hallway after him, I shouted again at Lev.

“Why are you acting like this?” I slipped in behind him as Lev opened the door to his bedroom. “You really can’t just say thanks?”

I could see the tension in Lev’s shoulders as he walked to the closet, peeling off his stained shirt and tossing it in a hamper. “Parker, if you know what’s—”

“Well, obviously I don’t, do I? I came and helped. That clearly wasn’t what was good for me. I want my thank you.”

Lev spun around, crossing the room to me in a flash. His eyes were wide with a swirl of expressions, not the least of which was anger. I backed up instinctively, landing against the poster of the bed. It bit into my spine, but Lev quickly closed the distance, pinning me there.

I got an eyeful of the tattoos that I’d noticed before, the ones hidden behind his shirt most of the time. A large, stylized grim reaper spread across his chest and dipped down his stomach. It was massive, still as beautiful as the rest, and depicted in pristine black and gray.

Damn.

As muscular as I’d expected, the flat plain of Lev’s stomach was ribbed with stark abdominals. He was incredibly fit, and the menacing black hole where the reaper’s face should be managed to stare into me all the same, making me shiver.

Lev’s eyes raked over me, sweeping down to the tight fit of the stupid skirt I was wearing. “You want your thank you, hmm? What about your gratitude for this?”

Lev took the loose collar of my shirt and yanked at it. The fabric fluffed up as he pulled and dropped it against my chest, likely revealing the bra underneath. Heat and tension and basic fucking insanity flared behind my ribcage, and I did something really, really stupid.

Pulling the hem of my blouse from where I’d tucked it into my skirt, I whipped the thing over my head, the white marred with red splotches now, and tossed it in Lev’s face.

“You can have your fancy clothes. I didn’t ask for them. I didn’t ask for any of this. And I still played doctor for your men.”

I did everything to fight against the shiver that tickled up my back as the cooler air of the room hit my skin. As it was, I couldn’t do anything to stop the goosebumps that rippled over me. Worse, a terrible heat filled my cheeks as I sat in the realization that I was practically topless in front of Lev—again. The slim bra didn't do much to conceal my body, even if it was better than my crossed arms, and Lev’s eyes dropped immediately to my chest.

“You’re playing a dangerous game, little one.”

His voice was low, barely a whisper, and the tremble in my limbs grew. When Lev’s dark eyes hit mine again, his stare was lidded, coming for me as he tilted his head back—studying me.

“I’m…” I had to suck in a deep breath, my response starting too weak. “I’m not afraid of you.”

Lev smirked, a tiny chuckle escaping him. “Yes. You are. And you should be, too.”

“Tell me what happened. Why were your men hurt?” I swallowed as he leaned forward, just enough so that I could feel the warmth of his breath on my skin. “Just tell me.”

Narrowing his eyes, Lev released a single, hard laugh through his nose, his jaw tightening. “Who do you think?”

His presence pressed down on me, and my stare fell to the floor. I followed the dark lines and swirls of the wood beneath my feet before sighing.

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