He leaned back against his car. “Any possibility that you could be pregnant?”

“No,” I muttered. “But what if Jeremiah did hurt me? Could I have gotten pregnant?”

Pox made a hmmm sound. “Well, I’m guessing you stopped menstruating, because you were emaciated quite a while. But sometimes, on the rare occasion, women who haven’t been spotting at all can get pregnant, so although I’m not inclined to give a definite yes, I wouldn’t give a definite no either.”

It was enough beating around the bush. “I’m not on birth control.”

“Ah.” He smiled. “That’s what this is about.” He stood. “There are a handful of options. However, if you’re a little scatterbrained or work nights at a gentleman’s club and would forget to take the pill,” he winked at me, “I’d recommend an implant. There’s one—a small bar—that’s injected into the arm after it’s been numbed, and it’s good for around three years. It’s extremely popular amongst young women.” At my hopeful look, he shook his head. “I would not recommend getting that until you’ve had a chance to gain some more weight.”

I immediately argued, “I’ve already gained ten pounds!”

Well, almost. Nine-point-three pounds, to be precise.

He smiled kindly. “I’d like to see you add another ten to that.” At my glare, he caved, “Six more, at the very least.”

He handed me his card and told me to call when I was ready. I took the business card eagerly, stuffing it into my bra.

Later that week, I was undressing for the shower when Lev walked in on me.

At the look of shock on his face, I doubted it was deliberate. I didn’t judge the slack look on his face. I was shocked too. Being caught in nothing more than your plain white panties did that to you.

I opened my mouth to yell, “Get out!” but only a squeak came forth. When his cool brown eyes roamed my body, I lifted my arms to cover my bare breasts, having momentarily forgotten about the dark red hickeys all over them.

I was embarrassed. My cheeks flamed. My boobs were tiny. I looked like a young boy, rather than a young woman.

I would never—not ever—be one of those women who were comfortable in their bodies. I always had self-confidence issues. They had not improved with age.

He spoke then, and it was deathly quiet. “He did hurt you.” It sounded like an accusation. Aimed at me.

Reached for the towel, I draped it over myself. “It’s nothing.” I didn’t sound convincing.

He reached up with both hands, closed his eyes, and ran his hands over his face, slipping back up to massage his temples.

He looked ready to lose it.

“I’ll kill him,” he muttered. Then he threw his hands down, punched the door with his good hand, and snarled, “I’ll fucking kill him!”

“Lev,” I whispered fearfully. When he stormed out of the bathroom, holding the towel up, I took chase. “Lev!” My legs shook at the fear I’d felt then, but I made it down the upstairs hall and caught up with him. I stood in his way. “Lev, stop!”

He tried to move around me, but I held out the hand that wasn’t holding the towel. “Please, stop it.” He growled aloud and I shrank back, my quiet voice shaking as hard as my hand. “Lev, you’re scaring me.”

That seemed to hit home. His eyes regained focus and, panting, he looked down at my wide eyes and trembling body. His fists loosened and his face became pained. “I’m sorry.”

He was back.

My Lev was back.

My heart raced and I rushed over to him, wrapping my arm around his middle, placing my head on his heaving chest. I squeezed my eyes shut and hugged him tight. “I don’t need you to beat up every person who does something shitty to me, Lev.” My hand, behind his back, gripped his shirt, pulling him even closer. “I just need you to be Lev, okay?” I spoke into his chest, “When people do shitty things to me, that helps.” I looked up at him, my eyes shining. “You help. Just you.”

He peered down at me, confusion marring his beautiful face. “I won’t let anyone do shitty things to you, Mina.”

“No.” I shook my head. “You can’t stop people from doing what they’re going to do, sweetie.” I swallowed hard. “But after, if you could hold my hand, that would be nice.”

He did not delay.

Reaching down, he unhooked my arm from around him, led me back to the bedroom, lay on the bed facing me, and held my hand for the better part of an hour.

And something told me Lev needed it more than I did.

I was becoming bored at the house. It had been five days since I’d been at the club, and after hours of incessant begging, Lev granted me a boon, letting me come to work on the condition that I sat with him all night.

It was better than nothing. I didn’t even have to think about it. I jumped at the chance to leave the house. I was getting stir crazy.

Dressing in black jeans and my white tee with the golden elephant printed on the front, I slipped on my flat strappy sandals, grabbed my coat and met him in the kitchen.

Anika and Vik were already there, waiting for Lev. Vik came around and wrapped me in a bear hug, his enormous frame cocooning me. From the look of him, you would never guess that Viktor seemed to be the needy guy of the bunch, with all his tattoos. His body was his very own canvas to decorate.

Anika, however, eyed me as if I were ready to break at any moment. “You’re working tonight?” she asked anxiously then added in a cautious but patronizing tone, “Are you sure you’re ready?”

I wanted to bitch slap her.

Instead, I smiled. “No, I’m not working tonight. I’m just getting crazy being locked up in the house. I’ll just be observing tonight.” I added for Anika’s benefit, “Don’t worry. Lev will look after me.”

Vik grinned. “I’ll look after you, Mina.” He winked. “Hold your hand and everything.”

I tilted my head to the side, pouted my lips, cupped his cheek, and cooed, “Aw, Vik. Now why would I want you to do that?” I winked. “Who knows where that hand has been?”

Nas happened to walk in the back door at that very moment. And for some reason, I felt caught. She made me feel caught. Like a naughty child doing something I wasn’t meant to be doing. Especially when her eyes flashed at my hand on Vik.

She covered herself quickly, sneering at Vik in the way she normally would. “Ewww. Don’t touch that, Mina. You don’t know where it’s been.”

But Vik clearly wasn’t in the mood for Nastasia. I knew this, because he grabbed me around the waist, pulling me back into him, making a show of his hand being low on my hip. He stared right at her then lowered his mouth to my ear and mock whispered, “Don’t listen to her. We’ll run away together, fuck on every beach in every country, and have beautiful children together.”

Anika gagged in disgust. “Jesus Christ, Vik. Watch the shit you’re talking. My mouth was open and everything.”

Nas, however, looked hurt. I didn’t understand why. She sort of had it coming, what with the way she talked to him.

But Nas was my friend, and that meant taking her side, even when she was wrong. I could cut a bitch without a crowd, but in front of people, I had her back.

Bumping my butt into his thighs, I scoffed. “I’ve gone through trash, Vik. I’m not picky when it comes to food.” I turned to him and uttered, “And I still wouldn’t eat your dick.”

I heard Anika bark out a laugh and Nas snort at that, and Vik smiled proudly down at me. “That’s what you call a burn.”

The unfortunate thing was that as Vik bent down to kiss my forehead, Lev walked in. There was a tense moment of pressure building in the room as Lev’s eyes flashed at Vik’s hands on me. He had that look in his eye, the one that I’d met a few days prior, and I knew I’d have to intervene. Otherwise, Lev would rip his childhood friend a new asshole. He was protective of me. I got it. I understood it. That was what friends did.