Nas nudged me with a chuckle. I liked when we joked around like this. It was soothing. It felt so normal to have a friend to kid around with, and yet, it was so foreign to me.

I joined Birdie behind the bar and, with a quick hug in greeting, we started to work. It wasn’t long into my shift before Brick told me that Sasha wanted to see me in his office.

Sasha made me nervous. He always looked as if he had an ulterior motive. Perhaps it was hidden to the general eye, but I’d known many people like that on the streets and could spot them a mile away.

I knocked before stepping inside. “You wanted to see me?”

He stood by the side of his desk, going over some paperwork. He was dressed in a black tailored suit and white shirt. Sasha was tall, and I was sure that whatever he was hiding under his suit was close to the perfection I had seen on Lev. His dark brown hair cut into a faux-hawk, his frosty brown eyes looked up at me. “Shut the door behind you.”

He would be so handsome if only he smiled.

I couldn’t help it. Sarcasm was the language I spoke with Sasha. “Yes, sir. Cap’n, sir.” I closed the door and sat on the guest chair.

Sasha moved around the table and sat behind the desk, looking at me in the eye. “It’s been six weeks.”

I nodded. “Yes, it has.”

He tilted his head slightly and waited. When he realized I wasn’t going to add anything, he lifted his hands. “Don’t you think it was time you moved on?”

My heart shrank three sizes. My throat seized in panic. I couldn’t speak for a long while. Finally, I found my voice, shaky as it was. “I wasn’t aware my position here was temporary.”

“It’s not,” he said in complete calm. “But between you and me, it always was.” His eyes bore into me. “You knew that.” He searched my face, and whatever he found there, he wasn’t happy with it. He sighed, irritated. “You didn’t know that.”

I shook my head.

Sasha leaned back in his chair and I squeaked under his weight. “Lev likes pretty girls.” My eyes snapped up. “Extra points if they’re damaged.” His lip curled. “Like you.”

“I’m not damaged,” I whispered.

He smiled then, but it was harsh, cruel. “You’re a pretty girl, Mina. But Lev’s choices in women don’t lie. You might not be damaged, but you’re damaged goods.”

He was being unnecessarily insensitive. This was all I knew of Sasha. Nasty looks and cruel taunts. It was tearing me down emotionally. And that stunk, because I was finally in a good place with myself. “Why are you being so mean to me?”

At hearing my question, his brow furrowed in confusion. “You misunderstand me, Mina. I’m not being mean. I’m being honest. Sometimes the truth hurts.”

My self-esteem had taken a major hit. I was about ready to burst into tears at the humiliation. “So, I’m fired then?”

“No,” he uttered sincerely. “No. Not fired. But you’re going to leave us. Quit. You’re going to go far away and leave my brother alone.”

No. I wouldn’t. “No. I won’t.”

Sasha exhaled, long and slow. “I know you guys have some little flirtation happening. It’s cute. But you’re something he doesn’t need right now.”

“Who are you to say that? Maybe you should ask him what he needs.”

He scowled at me. “Listen to me. Irina will tear you apart, girl. She doesn’t want Lev, but she doesn’t want anyone else to have him. Her objective in life is to make him miserable. As long as you’re in the picture, he’ll never get Lidiya back. It’s her way or no way.”

“I don’t believe you,” I told him, even though part of me did.

He shook his head at me. “I didn’t want to insult you. You seem like the type of woman who would be insulted by an offer, but here.” He handed me a check. “A hundred grand. Two years of wages. You’ll be able to set yourself up from scratch, find a new job, and an apartment far, far away.”

He knew it was coming. How could he not? I took the check between my fingers and tore it straight down the middle.

Fuming, I stood and walked toward the door, pausing as I opened it. “How does it feel, Sasha? How does it feel that the homeless chick, the woman who has nothing, wouldn’t take your money?” I looked him up and down, shaking my head in revulsion. “Your brother is ten times the man you’ll ever be, and if you want me gone, you’ll have to take me away in a body bag.”

He grinned, amused at my sudden stand. “Calm yourself, viper. That won’t be necessary.”

I lifted my nose. “Is that all, Mr. Leokov?”

He waved me off. “That will be all.”

It was hard to concentrate after Sasha’s intervention on my relationship with his brother. Why was it any of his business anyway? What happened between Lev and me should stay between the two of us. It was none of his concern.

As the night came to an end, Birdie and I finished loading up the dirty glasses onto trays and took them into the back area to load up the industrial dishwasher. We wiped down the countertops and tables and lifted the non-slip mats for the cleaners, who would come in after we had left. We chatted amongst ourselves and waited for the others to be done so we could leave as a group.

Anika had disappeared halfway through service and I didn’t see her again. My guess was that she’d taken ill.

Birdie and I chatted away. I laughed at something she’d said when I heard, “Mina?”

Lev stood behind me. I smiled back at him. “Just a second, sweetie.”

Birdie continued her story and I listened intently.

“Mina?”

I turned around and bunched my nose. “Hold on, Lev. The story’s almost done.”

Birdie took me to the crescendo of her tale and we both burst into laughter. Then suddenly I squeaked as I was being lifted off the ground and my ass hit the bar counter.

I was quickly coming to realize that if Lev wanted your attention, he’d fight for it. I blinked, face-to-face with Lev, his hands on either side of my thighs. “Hi.”

He winced. “Hello.”

It was then that I noticed he was in pain and my heart panged. “What’s wrong?”

He shook his head but spoke through gritted teeth. “Headache. I’d like to leave now.”

“Okay.” I lifted my hands and touched his neck lightly while running the other over his forehead. He was a little warm. “But first, can I try something?” I ran my hands through his hair, gently using my thumbs to circle along his temples. He groaned out loud. When I thought he could stand more pressure, I pressed harder. His eyes closed and his lips parted as I massaged his temples.

Without warning, he stepped closer, a frown at his brow, fitting himself into the space between my knees, snaking his arms around my waist and resting his forehead in the center of my chest, moaning as I went about my ministrations.

He greedily snatched my attention, and I loved every moment of it. I loved that he took what he needed from me.

I placed soft kisses at the crown of his head and held onto him, my legs wrapping around his waist. After five minutes of massage, I released his temples and wrapped my arms around his shoulders, trying not to think about his crotch being so close to mine.

We stayed in that embrace for a long while after, just relishing in the warm glow we had created in each other.

After a minute, Lev lifted his head, his arms still holding me. His eyes sleepy and his hair messy, I couldn’t wait anymore. There would be no other moment as perfect as now. “Better?”

He grunted while nodding.

I smiled, cupping his cheeks. “Good.” Then I drew his face toward me, meeting him halfway and pressing my lips to his in a soft but deep kiss.

The arms around me tightened and pulled me closer. Our places of desire met full force.

I moaned, sliding my arms around his neck and pressing myself up against him, needing more of him. My head was swimming. This was the kiss I was hoping for and so much more. It was Lev in his purest form.

His hand came up and he gripped my chin between his thumb and forefinger, lifting my face to take more of my lips. His tongue, warm and sweet, dipped into my mouth and met mine in a delicious greeting.