Page 46 of Claimed By Desire

I don’t care if she’s beautiful. Lovely, even. Fucking angelic.

He’s wrong.

“That isn’t true,” I say and even I can hear how lame and forced it sounds.

Lev sneers, shaking his head. “Just fuck off Alex. If my father hears you’re around, he’ll lose his shit. I already had to hold him back from coming after you again.”

“I married her for you. I married her for the family.” I blurt it out, because I think it’s true, but Lev’s face instantly changes.

“Don’t you say that shit again, you selfish piece of garbage. God, you’re so fucking delusional. Stepan would be fucking ashamedif he knew about this. Thank fucking Christ he’s dead, or else he’d fuckinghateyou right now, you piece of shit.”

Anger rolls into me. Rage flows into my veins. He’s throwing Stepan in my face now? My best friend? I lash out and shove Lev backwards, and that snaps the tension in half as Lev’s fist crashed into my face.

I grunt in paint and go at him. I hit his body, hit his face, and he hits me right back. He tumbles into the bench press and keeps struggling. I knee his thigh and he elbows my kidney. I headbutt him in the nose and he smashes a forearm into my mouth. I taste blood and keep going. Fuck Lev, fuck him for throwing Step at me like that.

We punch and struggle until we both end up sitting on opposite sides of the room. He’s bloody and bruised, and I’m sure I look worse. Neither of us moves, and finally some of the aggression’s been drained away.

Lev leans his head against the wall. He shows me a blood-covered grin. “You still punch like a fucking girl,” he says.

“You just can’t take it.” I grin back at him and gingerly touch my nose. It’s definitely broken.

He grunts and looks down at his lap. “I shouldn’t have brought Step into it. You’re right. But I’m fucking pissed at you.

“I know you are. I don’t blame you.”

“I just can’t understand why you’d do it. Why you slept with her to begin with.”

“It just happened.” How can I explain to him the music? The way she looked sitting there naked and gorgeous?

Maybe he’s right. Maybe all this time, I’ve needed her and never knew it.

“Everything just happens,” he says and pushes himself to his feet. “Go get her shit and get out of here before Dad finds you.”

I limp up the basement steps and start gathering boxes. I carry them out to the car, and once they’re all loaded, Lev appears.

He throws a towel at me. I use it to wipe the blood off my face and shirt.

“You’re going to need help with the Italians,” he says, head cocked to the side.

“You offering?”

“The fucking pricks destroyed our shop.” Real anger burns in his gaze, and for once, it’s not directed at me. “I’m not doing this for you.”

“I know you aren’t.” I turn away from him and head to my car.

“You’re going to take care of her,” Lev calls after me. It’s not a question.

I look back and nod once. He laughs and shakes his head before going back inside.

We’re not good. I doubt we ever will be again.

But he’s right—I’ll take care of her no matter what it takes.

Chapter 18

Natalya

“It’s fine,” Alex says, waving me way as I prod at his nose.

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