Lev was innocent.

We were led to a small room where we were told to wait. We waited in complete silence, and when the door opened, in came Mirella holding a sleeping Lidiya, followed by a woman in a suit. Mirella tried to smile, but she looked tired. She handed Lidiya over to Lev and he held his sleeping daughter tight.

The woman, who introduced herself as Detective Maria Palmer, asked Lev to tell her a little about his relationship with Irina. Lev told her that he didn’t have a relationship with Irina Alkaev.

She nodded in understanding. When she asked if he knew Irina had been undergoing counseling for depression, Lev replied he didn’t.

Detective Maria Palmer had told us Irina’s death would not be treated as suspicious, that they had reason to believe Irina had been planning this for a while. When the police had searched Irina’s computer, they found an open search engine titled ‘easiest ways to kill yourself’.

She looked down at Lidiya and shook her head sadly. “My deepest condolences to you all. You’re free to take your daughter home. We don’t want to cause any undue stress. If we have any questions, we’ll call.”

Lev thought about catching the next flight home, but I advised against it. Instead, we got a hotel room at the airport, and once inside the suite, he laid Lidiya down on one of the double beds, covering her. Lev then turned to Mirella and asked quietly, “Did you do this?”

Mirella shook her head wearily. “No.”

“How did this happen?” he questioned.

“I don’t know,” she responded. “Irina must have been planning this for a while. She was clearly unwell.”

“Then what happened to the drugs you planted?”

“Confiscated, along with all the others.” Mirella looked up at him. “The bag was untouched, Mr. Lev. I swear.”

He sat on the bed with a sigh. “Shit. Then I didn’t kill her? She really offed herself?”

Mirella spoke softly, “Yes, I believe she did.”

I sat down on the bed next to him, resting my head on his arm before turning to kiss his shoulder. “What now?”

He looked from Mirella to Lidiya then back to me. “Now we take Lidiya home and give her the life she was meant to have.” He looked up at Mirella. “You coming?”

Mirella smiled weakly down at the little girl sleeping on the bed. “Where Lidiya goes, I follow.”

The next morning, we flew home. Lidiya held onto her daddy the entire way.

Chapter Forty-One

Mina

Nas and Sasha greeted us at the door, hoping to get some Lidiya love, but sadly, she’d fallen asleep in the car.

Mirella took her to her room to nap in peace, and Sasha hugged his brother, clapping him on the back tightly. “Everything okay?”

Lev sighed. “Yeah. I think so.”

Nas asked gently, “What happened?”

Lev looked down at me before turning to his brother and sister. “Irina swallowed a bunch of pills.” He huffed out a breath. “Left a note saying I’m sorry.”

Nas gasped softly and Sasha’s brow furrowed. “She killed herself?”

Lev nodded. “Yeah, the cops aren’t treating her death as suspicious, so I guess, yeah, she did.”

Sasha got down to the main point. “And Lidiya?”

Lev sighed tiredly. “She’s home for good.”

Nas smiled sadly at that. “I know you wanted her home, but I’m sure you didn’t want her to come home this way.” She wrapped her arms around Lev’s waist. “I’m sorry, Lev.”

He gave her a light squeeze. “Thanks.”

When Nas released him, Sasha squeezed his shoulder. “We got you. You need anything, you let us know.”

With their kind offer, they left, and taking Lev by the hand, I led him upstairs to our bedroom, locking the door behind us. I pulled Lev toward the bed and he took the hint, lying down. I curled into his side and waited.

He stroked my side a long while before he whispered, “I thought I killed her.”

I kissed his tee-covered chest and spoke softly, “You didn’t, sweetie.”

“I know,” he drew in an unsteady breath, “but I thought I did.”

I didn’t respond. He’d tortured himself enough over the passed twenty-four hours. It was haunting him that he could have been the cause of Irina’s death. He needed time to come to grips with the fact that he didn’t do anything wrong.

And I would be there, even in silence, if that was what he needed.

A week passed rather quickly.

Under the unforeseen circumstances, Sasha decided to close the club up until the following Thursday, re-opening next Friday, giving us all time with our little Lidi bear.

She had adjusted well, if the shrieking giggles were anything to go by. We all fought for her attention, but the place she seemed most comfortable was in Lev’s arms, just watching the world from way up high.

The change in Lev was incredible.

He was smiling more, laughing more, and not even just at Lidiya, at everyone. My sweet man was trying hard to be the daddy Lidiya deserved, but Lev was Lev. He was special that way, and one day, I knew Lidiya would see him for the man he was.

Bunches of flowers started to arrive at the house. Letters of condolences followed. Igor Alkaev politely asked Lev to attend Irina’s funeral, but Lev respectfully declined. He told the man, “I’m sorry for your loss, Igor, but let’s not pretend here. Irina made my life hell in any way she could. I’m sorry she’s dead, but I won’t be coming to her funeral. Neither will Lidiya.”

It was a sad moment, but I was proud of him.

Igor asked Lev if he and his wife would be able to see Lidiya on occasion, and Lev told him he would need to think about it. We spoke about it at length, and Lev called Igor back to tell him that if they wanted to see Lidiya, they would have to come to the house and do so under Lev’s supervision. The old man was offended at the offer and hung up on Lev.

Two hours later, his wife called back and accepted the offer.

We understood they were grieving, but after all the shit they pulled, they were lucky Lev was offering even that. Igor Alkaev did not deserve to see Lidiya, but we both understood they genuinely loved Lidiya, and she should not be punished because their families didn’t get along. The fact Lev was giving them an opportunity to see her at all was a miracle, in my opinion.

I walked into the living room, smiling wide at the sound of Lidiya’s wild laughter. I found her on the floor, kicking through her laughter, with Sasha noisily pretending to eat her belly. “Stop, Asha!” she cried through her mirth. “No mo! No mo!”

It was hilarious to see a man in a suit reduced to this.

Sasha lifted his head. “No more? Are you sure? Because I’m still hungry.”

Another peal of giggles. “No mo. No. Asha pay a me?” she asked as she stood up and ran to the corner, where I set up her tea set.

Sasha checked his watch. “Baby, I would love to play with you, but I need to go.” He walked over to her. “Come here.”

Lidiya was already holding her arms up. I watched from the door as Sasha lifted her and cuddled her tight, holding a hand at the back of her head tenderly. “I love you,” he told her quietly.

She pulled back, puckering her pouty lips. “Kiss?”

Sasha smiled, smacking a loud kiss to her lips before putting her down. “Bye, princess. Be good.”

She sat on the carpet, waving in that way an almost three-year old did, up and down and super floppy. I smiled at Sasha as he went past. He jerked his chin at me and let himself out.

I walked into the room and sat by Mirella. “How are you doing?” I asked quietly.

She let out a long sigh. “I’m doing okay.” She was clearly lying.

“You need a break,” I told her honestly. “You’re exhausted.”

She shook her head, but her mouth betrayed her by yawning. “I’m fine.”

I stood, pulling her up by her arm. “Go. Shoo. Get some sleep. And don’t you dare come down until tomorrow morning. You’re off duty.”