Page 102 of Bound to a Monster

“Oh, yeah? You think a week or two is going to make a difference?”

“I think when you come back, I’m going to beat the shit out of you on the piste.”

“I look forward to you trying.” I jab a finger in his side and he grunts. “And I look forward to winning.”

Chapter 41

Lev

Fed Jeweler looks different.

It’s not that it was rebuilt after the fire. Everything about the structure is new, but the neighborhood’s the same. It’s the same old shop in the same old diamond district in the same crusty section of Philadelphia. The same characters, the same problems. Nothing ever changes, not really.

But it’s different now. I can’t figure it out until I push my way in through the front door and greet Dasha. The salesgirl is leaning against the counter on her phone, looking bored.

“You’re back,” she says, perking up. “How was Canada?”

“It was so good I’m going back.”

“Really?” She seems skeptical. “I mean, it’s justCanada.”

“Business. Alex here?”

“In the back.” She waves a hand and sighs as she looks back at her phone. “Did I tell you about my new boyfriend?”

“There’s always a new one.”

“Not true! Sergei’s been around for—” She pauses, thinking. “Weeks. Probably. He’s such a bastard though?—”

“Tell me another time,” I say, breezing past her, and I realize what changed.

It’s me. I changed.

The old Lev would’ve sat there and let her go on and on about some guy that won’t ever matter, mostly just to keep up the facade. Good, charming, happy Lev, always easy to talk with.

But that’s not me anymore.

I’m the head of the Federov family. My father’s old associates are falling into line, one by one. Some via phone, others in person, but they’re bending the knee now that Valentin’s spreading the good word.

Lev Federov is back from the dead.

“How many people did you have to kill to make this happen?” Alex asks me, grinning huge.

“Just one. How’s the shop?”

“Profitable. Despite your best efforts.”

“Bastard.”

“Idiot.”

I shake his hand and dip forward into a tight hug. It’s good to see my best friend again. “How’s my sister treating you?”

“You know Natalya. She’s always perfect.”

“That’s not the girl I remember.”

“Then you clearly don’t know her like I do.” Alex stretches and smirks at me, and if I didn’t know any better, he was being disrespectful. Except he really is as obsessively in love with Natalya as he pretends to be, and now I finally get it.

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