Page 24 of Innocently Imprisoned By the Bratva

Chapter 10 - Pippa

The morning sun filters through my curtains, casting a warm glow on the bedroom floor. I groggily stretch and feel my lips, reminding myself what it felt like to feel Lev’s on mine. Thoughts of him cascade through my mind, but I force myself to stop and jump out of bed. It was just a kiss, nothing more.

I prepare myself for another day of classes. I get dressed, grab a piece of fruit, and walk out the front door, expecting to see Dmitri waiting for me in his usual spot by the car. Instead, I’m surprised to find Lev leaning against the car.

This morning, he’s got on soft brown trousers and a half-sleeved, off-white linen button-down shirt that fits his lanky, tall frame slightly tight, highlighting the muscles beneath. His arm tattoos are on full display; a dragon carving down his forearm, emitting fire, trailing over to his wrist. His hair is tied up in this man-bun sort of thing that makes him look incredibly hot.

I feel the sweat beading down my neck, and it’s definitely not because of the heat. It’s just that I thought the kiss last night had to have been a mistake. There’s no way a man like Lev Zolotov could actually have wanted to kiss me, is there?

I initiated it with how I whispered his name, my gaze on his lips. Maybe he was just being nice, not wanting to turn me down after angering me.

"Where's Dmitri?" I ask, trying to sound nonchalant, though my heart races at the thought of all the reasons he might have kissed me, each of which constantly tells me it was a mistake from his end.

"Decided to take the day off," Lev smirks. "I figured I'd give him a break and accompany you to your classes today. You know, since I'm so bored around the house."

"Great, just what I need," I retort, rolling my eyes. Secretly, I am confused by the prospect of spending the day with him. Secretly, I wonder if he’ll say something about our kiss. I decide I won’t be the one to broach the topic, given how it might not have meant anything to him.

On campus, Lev walks beside me, showing an unexpected interest in my academic pursuits. "So, what fascinating subjects are we delving into today?" he teases.

"First up, we have Art History," I reply, trying to match his wit. "Followed by the oh-so-exciting world of Statistics, and to end it up, we’ve got marketing."

"Ah yes, because nothing screams fun like analyzing data," he chuckles, letting his hair open for a moment to run his hands through it before retying the man-bun at a slightly higher point above his neck.

"Hey, it's important!" I protest, though all I can do is think about how masculine his hands are. For a second, I wonder what it would feel like to be held by them.

I’m brought out of my daydream, thank god, when he asks what my major is. “Business operations,” I tell him.

“So, why the Art History?”

“I like to feed my soul, too, once in a while,” I shrug.

“Ah, yes,” he nods, seriously. “And here I thought feeding my soul with some scotch and a little animal planet was enough to do the job. Just so you know, my soul hates me now after the perks you give yours.”

I can't help but laugh at his unexpected response, the way he effortlessly turns a simple conversation into something amusing. Despite his reckless attitude, there's a sharp intelligence in his eyes that catches me off guard.

As we walk, I notice several girls eyeing Lev appreciatively. His height, his chiseled face, the preppy man look, and his blue-gray eyes seem to captivate anyone who crosses his path.

"Looks like you've got some admirers," I say, nodding toward the gawking students.

"Can you blame them?" Lev smirks with an exaggerated shrug. "But they should know that I only have eyes for one curvy, brown-eyed beauty."

“Who?” I ask innocently, looking around the campus with a thundering heart. When he says nothing, I turn to find him staring at me with an amused expression.

Suddenly, I feel like a fool. Oh. Oh. He means me.

He just chuckles at how shocked I look, and shakes his head. “Let’s get you to class, before you melt from sheer disbelief.”

“Yeah, right,” I manage to squeak out, but my heart soars. For the first time today, I entertain the idea that perhaps he truly had meant to kiss me. It wasn’t a mistake!

By the time we settle into our seats in my marketing class, I've grown accustomed to Lev's presence. The room buzzes with excitement at the sight of him, but he seems disinterested in the attention.

"Alright, everyone," Professor Jenkins begins. "Today, we're discussing the impact of social media on branding. What strategies can businesses use to leverage social media to their advantage?"

Several students raise their hands, offering ideas like influencer collaborations and customer engagement through comments and likes. To my surprise, Lev chimes in with an insight that leaves me impressed.

"Businesses should focus on generating user-generated content," he suggests. "Encouraging customers to share their experiences with the brand can have a huge impact on credibility and reach."

"Interesting point, Mr…?" Professor Jenkins prompts, unsure of Lev's name since he isn't officially enrolled in the class.

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