Page 31 of Dark Seduction

Lev’s booming voice pulls me back into the moment.

The world feels like it's spinning out of control, everything fuzzy and surreal.

I catch glimpses of flashing red and blue lights, the urgent wails of ambulance sirens slicing through the night air. Scenes flicker in and out, disjointed and hard to grasp.

I see Lev, his face a mask of concern, arguing heatedly with the EMTs, insisting on riding in the ambulance with me.

The interior of the vehicle is stark and clinical. Lev is there, his hand gripping mine tightly, his presence a comforting anchor in the whirl of chaos.

EMTs hover over me, their voices a distant buzz as they work. I try to speak, to ask what's happening, but a gentle "shush" from one of the EMTs stops me.

"Save your strength," they advise in grim tones.

Panic claws at my insides. Am I going to die? The thought terrifies me, making my heart race even faster. Lev's face swims into view again, his eyes intense and full of concern.

"You're going to be fine," he says, but the worry I see in his gaze makes me doubt his words.

I struggle to stay conscious, fearing that if I close my eyes, it might be for the last time.

Once we arrive at the hospital, I’m wheeled through the ER on a stretcher, everything blurring around me as we zip past bright hospital lights. Lev's right there, squeezing my hand, trying to calm me down with words I can barely hear over all the noise.

The shock is too much for my system and I succumb to the darkness.

When I come to, I'm in a hospital bed, groggy and confused. I try to piece together what went down. That crazy moment with the motorcycle speeding toward me snaps back into focus. I brace myself and check my body, half-expecting to see a broken mess, but it's just a few cuts and bruises.

I scan the room and my heart jumps when I see Lev, slouched in a chair, looking like he hasn’t slept in days. The moment he notices I’m awake he’s on his feet, his eyes scanning me like he’s checking for any missed injuries.

“Don’t move, just stay still,” he says as he rushes over.

He grabs my hand and gently squeezes, and I grip his right back, tightly. I'm hit by a wave of relief and weirdly thrilled that he's here.

"What happened?" I ask, my head pounding like it's hosting its own little rock concert.

Lev looks at me, a serious expression crossing his face. He looks so worn out. "Well, there was an incident at the gala," he cautiously begins to explain.

The memory of bikers and gunshots starts to click into place. "The bikers, the shooting…"

He nods, his expression grave. "Exactly. One of the riders lost control of his bike and nearly ran you over. You fell and smacked your head on the pavement trying to get away.”

Rubbing the back of my head, feeling the tender lump there, I quip, "Well, that would explain why my head feels like it's been used as a drum."

My thoughts dart as more details come back to me. “Luk and Maura. Are they okay?”

Lev nods reassuringly. "Luk's tough. Took a bullet in the arm, but it was a clean through-and-through. He'll be fine." His voice steadies me. "Maura and everyone else are safe, too. It's a damn miracle nobody was seriously hurt—it could've easily turned into a bloodbath."

Relief washes over me, but it's mixed with the realization of just how close we all came to something far worse.

I struggle to sit up, my voice edging with frustration. "Lev, I need to know what's going on. What was that? Why do you carry a gun? Who is trying to hurt your family?" My questions tumble out, each one sharper than the last, demanding answers.

He opens his mouth but just then the door swings open and a doctor comes in.

"Sir, I'll need you to step outside," he says to Lev.

He reluctantly agrees and leaves the room.

As the doctor examines me, my mind races through the possible explanations of what Lev hasn't told me yet, of how deep I'm getting into whatever world the Ivanovs belong to.

Maura’s words echo in my head, hinting at some intense and secretive lifestyle. It's a lot, and here I am, smack in the middle of it, still trying to piece together the full picture while lying in a hospital bed.

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