Page 29 of Paved in Fire

I open my mouth, earning me a smile when I swallow the soup. He quickly fills the spoon again, afraid I’m going to stop eating if he waits too long in between bites, but I don’t. I open my mouth for him every time, surprised at what a difference it makes to have him feed me. He’s put my focus on something else, and he’s changed the situation enough so that it doesn’t immediately make me think of Konstantin. After all, I was never spoon-fed by the bastard. When my mind starts to drift, Matvey murmurs a soft “ah-ah,” gently directing me back to the here and now.

“It’s just you and me,malishka. No one but us.”

I put my focus back on him and take the spoonful he offers. When I’ve eaten almost all of it, and I know I can’t take any more, I pull back and shake my head. He looks down at the remnants and sighs.

“You sure you can’t finish it?”

“I’m sure. I need to take it slow. I’m used to very small meals.”

He nods, and I can tell he’s storing up every single tidbit of information I give him, using it to feed his rage and holding onto it for when he can use it against Konstantin and Osip.

“You did good, baby. Thanks for eating so much for me.”

Putting the dirty dishes in the sink, he looks up and catches me yawning. The interrupted sleep mixed with my full stomach and everything that’s happened is catching up to me, and I can barely keep my eyes open. Giving me a smile, he walks over and picks me up, cradling me against his chest like I weigh nothing.

“You don’t have to carry me, Matvey.”

“You have no idea how badly I want to.”

I smile against his shoulder and wrap my arms tighter around his neck. The rocking lull of his movements has me almost asleep by the time he carries me to his bed. Tucking me in, he rests beside me, stroking my hair as my eyes drift shut. The last thing I remember is his lips on my cheek, kissing me softly before whispering that he loves me.

The room is darker when I wake, and the first thing I notice is that I’m the only one in the bed. I jerk upright, my heart in my throat, looking around for Matvey.

“Alina, it’s okay.”

I turn to see Lev sitting in the rocking chair that’s in the corner of the room. He gets up, walking over to me so he can sit on the edge of the bed.

“You’re safe.”

“Where’s Matvey?”

He lifts a pierced brow at me, and I know what he’s going to say before the words are even out of his mouth. “He waited as long as he could.”

I let out a heavy sigh, trying not to be hurt that he left without telling me. I knew he’d go to the mansion at some point. It has to be taken care of, but I thought maybe he’d wait a few days or at least not leave while I was sleeping.

“Don’t be mad at him,” Lev says, nudging my shoulder with his. “He has two years of rage living inside him, and it has to come out or it’s going to destroy him.”

There’s still enough light in the room for me to make out the blue of his eyes when he says, “These last two years nearly killed him, Alina.”

“I know,” I whisper. “I’m not mad at him.”

“He asked me to sit in here with you in case you had another nightmare.” He looks down and checks the black, complicated-looking watch on his wrist. “He’s been gone a few hours, and I’m under strict orders to text him as soon as you wake up.”

He’s about to text when I reach over and grab his wrist. Even though every part of me is screaming for Matvey and the safety he makes me feel, I don’t want to be a burden to him, and I don’t want him to see me as weak. “Let’s wait a while. I don’t want him to feel like he needs to rush back here. He deserves to have some fun.”

“He will be really pissed when he finds out about this,” Lev warns, but I see his lip ring lift with his smirk, and I know I’ve got him. “Of course, we both know it’s impossible for him to be mad at you, so you can just tell him it was your idea.”

“I will. I promise.” This time it’s me who nudges his arm. “Want to see if I can still kick your ass in that racing game?”

He gives a soft laugh. “You beat me in video games, and Matvey kicks my ass in pool every damn time. Between the two of you, I’m starting to get an inferiority complex.”

“Matvey’s still playing pool?”

Lev nods. “His insomnia has been really bad these last two years, so he’s had a lot of time to practice. He’s gotten freakishly good. I’m not going to tell you how many times he’s beaten me. It’s embarrassing.”

“It’s a good thing you’re a deadly underground fighter. That’s got to help the ego.”

“It does,” he admits with a laugh. “Come on, little sis. Let’s see if you’ve still got it.”

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