Page 35 of Savage Little Queen

I’d do anything for my little family.

Anything.

CHAPTER 12

Levin

“Can I come in?”Stefan called out softly from my doorway as I sat on the bed.

“Fuck off,” I grunted.

Stefan let out a sigh and stepped into the room anyway.

“Lev, man. Come on. We need to talk.”

“I’m not a fucking ghost whisperer. I can’t talk to the dead.”

“You know I’m not dead. I’m right here. I’m sorry for leaving. I had to. I needed to save Natalia. I know you know what saving your girl looks like. You know our father, Levin. He was going to kill her. I had to put an end to the fucking elders’ reign. Matteo is a madman. Come on. Please. Just talk to me. Tell me how you feel.”

I ground my teeth.

“You want to talk? Fine. I spent the last few years mourning my brother’s death. I hardened and hated the fucking world for taking you from me. In the fucking darkness I lived in, you were the only light. Mom was gone. It was you, Stefan. You were all I had in this fucking nightmare, and you decided I wasn’t fucking good enough to tell the truth to. So, if you want to know how I feel, I feel dead inside. I died with you that night. I’ve beenfucking dead ever since, so maybeyoushould mournme!” I rose to my feet, my chest heaving as I glared at him.

“Levin, I’m sorry. I wanted to protect you—”

“Right. By lying to me.” I scoffed. “Do you have any idea what your death even meant, Stefan?”

He stared back at me wordlessly.

“Let me remind you then. Not only did you fucking break my heart, but you threw me to the very wolves you were trying to protect me from. I go into the fold soon. I take your place.”

“No,” he snarled. “I’m not letting you.”

“You don’t get to fucking tell me what to do. The dead don’t make demands.” I glared at him.

“What about Dom and Vincent? Fallon? Your fucking girl, Levin? You going into the fold could hurt her and them. You know it. They want Dominic dead. Fucking dead. They’ll want her dead, too. You’re a goddamn mess! You’ve always been so fucking stubborn. It’ll get you killed!” His chest heaved.

“Good,” I snapped. “At least I’ll fucking stay dead and not hurt anyone else!”

I pushed past him. I couldn’t stand to see his face. I’d seen it in my nightmares on repeat forever, it seemed. There wasn’t anything in me that wanted to have another conversation with him.

And yet, there was because I missed him. I missed him so fucking much it had been killing me.

I stopped at the doorway, my heart aching.

“Levin,” he called out softly. “I don’t want to lose one another twice. Brother.Please.”

I swallowed hard and stood there for a few moments before I turned back to him. I’d learned a lot of things in the last few months. I’d lived through a deeper level of hell than any one man should. Losing bumblebee. Almost losing Dom. Losing Stefan.Bumblebee returned to me. She was my fucking miracle. Dom survived. And Stefan. . .

How many miracles were going to be handed to me?

I breathed out.

“I missed you, Stefan.”

His Adam’s apple visibly bobbed. “I missed you too.”

I went back to him, and we stared at one another for a long moment.

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