Page 71 of Sinful Scars

Her eyes roam over me, and she pauses, her demeanor cautious as she takes me in.

I stay silent,too overcome with emotion to speak. Gone is my little sister who used to sneak into my basement room to show off her dances as a way to bring some form of light to my otherwise dark existence. In her place is this grown woman who seems so self-assured, so…happy.

And here I am, being a selfish bastard yet again for dragging her into my mess.

“Fuck, Nina, I’m sorry for calling.” I run my hand over my face.

“Are you okay?” She pushes her bangs out of her eyes.

I nod, too lost in my head to speak.

“Did you blackout? Is that why you’re…here?” She glances around, and all color drains from her face as she takes in the edge of the cliffs behind me.

I stalk toward her, my eyes fixed on the ground.

“Lev? Are you still getting help from that psychiatrist I set you up with?”

I shake my head, a heavy weight settling in my stomach.

“It helped for a while, but it didn’t fix the problem, so I stopped going.” I lift my gazeto meet hers.

She nods, looking past me at the view of the cliffs, lost in her own thoughts for a moment.

“Let’s get you home.” She turns, heading back to the car.

I follow behind her, my feet dragging with exhaustion. When I climb into the passenger seat of the car, I glance over my shoulder and cringe at the sight of the pink car seat, yet another reminder of how everyone else’s lives have moved on.

Nina catches me looking but says nothing as she turns the engine on.

She stays silent as she begins the drive back to the city, and I rest my head against the window, closing my eyes.

I joltawake as the car comes to a stop outside my apartment building.

“We’re here.”

“How do you know where I live?” My thoughts are still muddled from sleep.

“I have contacts too. But don’t worry, they don’t know.”

I know she means Alexei and the rest of the Koslov bratva.

Nina has no reason to keep my location safe, but I’m grateful all the same.

“I can’t keep all of this from my family, Lev.” She stares straight ahead with her hands on the steering wheel.

My eyes linger on the huge diamond engagement ring and matching wedding band, given to her by Anton.

Things really have changed…

“Elle is a part of that family, and Luciaespeciallyhas a right to know.”

“I don’t want you to keep it from them.” I rub my hands up and down my thighs.

“Really?”

“Alexei should know. Igor was likely the one behind Elle’s kidnapping, and she needs to be protected. You of all people should know how dangerous our father is.”

“He’s behind this?” She turns now to face me.

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