Chapter 13 – Lev
I couldn't believe my eyes when my men brought her back to this cozy place she called home. It was beneath the standard of the woman I once knew, small and simple. Maybe a little too simple, considering her family's status.
She left everything just to build a life with a common man. Was that how much she loathed me?
As I stood in front of her tonight, watching her lips quiver and her chest rise and fall, I realized how much I'd missed her. She was still as gorgeous as I remembered, perhaps even more gorgeous. She'd gained a little weight, but only in the right places, and her curvy frame constantly drew my attention.
Despite this incredible growth, my anger still simmered beneath the surface. She was someone else's, and the thought of his hands all over her body quickened my pulse. Those lips that should have been mine were not someone else's to kiss.
Jealousy washed over me, and my jaw tightened, my fingers balling into fists as I stared into her blue eyes. I could see the fear dancing in their depths, even though a defiant scowl settled on her face. Her attempt to mask her terror was feeble, and her eyes betrayed her supposed composure.
However, beneath my anger was a sense of relief. She was okay, alive and well. At last, I had the chance to get all the answers to the pesky little questions she'd left me with. I could do whatever I wanted, and there was little or nothing that she could do about it.
She was aware of this fact, which was the reason for her fear.
As I approached, she slowly pulled away, holding my gaze. Her breathing became increasingly jagged as I closed the distance between us. Her signature perfume lingered in the air, invading my senses and reminding me of the intimate moment we once shared.
Ravyn stopped in her backward tracks, her scowl deepening. “You shouldn't be here,” she said through gritted teeth, eyes flashing with disdain. “I don't want you around. You're not welcome here, so leave.” She gestured toward the door as though her empty words were enough to get me moving.
My lips twitched at a corner, eyes roaming her body, subtly drinking in the sight of her curves. Her defiance was admirable, but it wouldn't help her at all.
“Lev, you shouldn't be here,” she said, her tone laced with a hint of caution as she blinked her eyes with controlled breaths. “You need to leave. Now .” Her voice was firm, dripping with authority.
It was almost like she was trying to prevent me from finding out something she was hiding. Too late. I already knew about the bastard in her life.
My brows arched at her effrontery and audacity, a soft, disbelieving chuckle escaping my lips. “It appears you've forgotten your place or who you're talking to,” I growled, my brows knitting together. “Perhaps these last five years have dulled your memory.”
Her throat wobbled as she swallowed, her chest heaving with a slow motion. “I don't want any trouble, Lev.”
“Then why did you run?” I asked, my voice dangerously low, eyes pinned on her like a hook to a fish.
She held my gaze, her lips trembling, her face pale, and I could see the tension in her body. Her muscles seemed coiled, ready to spring into action like she was bracing herself for the worst.
For a moment, I thought I saw a glimmer of tears simmering in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them back. I could sense the effort she was making to keep her voice steady and her fear at bay.
“For five years, you stayed hidden,” I began, eyes narrowing as I took a few steps forward. “Did you really think that you could run away from me and I wouldn't find you?”
“It's a free country, Lev,” she replied, withdrawing until her back met the wall behind her. “Besides, I'm a grown woman, and I can do whatever I want.” The courage and defiance in her tone were glaringly forced. “I left because I wanted to, and there's nothing binding you and me.”
For a fleeting moment there, I thought I saw something flicker in the depths of her eyes—a flash of uncertainty. On her last statement, a glimmer of doubt seemed to undermine the bravado in her tone. As her words hung in the air, I saw a shadow of fear, perhaps even desperation, dancing across her face.
Her eyes kept momentarily flying around like she was expecting someone. Maybe the bastard she started a family with.
Her statement, “There's nothing binding you and me,” sounded a little bit off, like she was trying to convince herself as much as me. The faintest whisper of insecurity had escaped that statement, and now my curiosity was piqued. My mind was racing with the implications, and a number of questions droned on in my head.
Nevertheless, I'd start with the obvious.
“Who is he?” I demanded, eyes narrowing to form creases between my brows.
She squinted, a puzzled look flashing on her face. “Who's who?”
My jaw tightened, and my hand snapped out to grab her wrist with a firm grip, my furious eyes boring into hers. She winced in pain, struggling to squirm out of my hold.
“Don't play games with me,” I warned, pulling her close and watching her body tremble, her fear slightly amplified.
“You're hurting me,” she said, her voice dropping to a whisper, a hint of anger flickering in her eyes. “Let go of me!”
Her resistance and defiance pushed me to frustration, my rage exploding as I tugged on her hair from the back. Her head jerked at the sudden pull that forced her to look at me.
“Answer me!” I snarled in her face, her eyes squinting, fear etched on her countenance.
As she shaped her mouth, ready to respond, the sound of a car pulling over by the driveway interrupted the moment. That instant, I watched the color drain out of her face, her breath lodged in her throat.
The car's headlights died down, and the sound of doors opening and closing was heard. Two tiny voices—one higher than the other—caught my attention with their laughs.
I returned my gaze to Ravyn's pale face, her heart pounding heavily in her chest. She wasn't just married to another man; they had kids, too. My jaw tightened, and I let go of her, a jolt of rage traveling across my body. I could pull out my gun and shoot the bastard as soon as he walked in through that door.
I could feel her unease. Her eyes misted, and her body trembled in ways I hadn't seen before. Ravyn was restless, her fingers scratching the back of her head as her feet tapped against the wooden floor.
“Lev, listen…we can, uh…” she began, her voice shaking.
“Shut up,” I ordered, my eyes fixed on the door, eager to see the bastard who walked into the room.
As the handle turned, her chest heaved quicker, her eyes wide open, breathless. Her unease and fear amplified my curiosity.
The door opened, and two adorable kids, neither above the age of four, ran into the room. At the sight of the strange men in their living room, both children stopped in their tracks, their gazes shifting across each of us.
Their laughs faded gradually, as if they could sense the tension in the air. Behind them, a woman around the same age as Ravyn stood, just as shocked as the kids. I assumed she was the driver, considering she was holding a set of car keys.
If this woman drove them home, where was the husband, the father of the kids?
Hold on a minute.
My eyes settled on the boy holding onto his sister's hand. He was looking right at me with a clenched jaw and hollow eyes that seemed to flicker with bravery and a hint of anger. He stared directly into my eyes without fear, a glimmer of warning dancing on his face.
The little boy was sending a subtle message not to mess with his family. I knew that look. I used to have it in my eyes when I was his age each time I was faced with a threat.
“Uh…Claire, is everything alright?” the woman asked, fear creeping into her tone.
Ravyn cleared her throat, a plastic smile playing on her lips. “Yes, Ms. Jenkins. Everything's fine. Thanks for bringing the kids home.” She flashed a dismissive grin at her as she walked toward the children.
Ms. Jenkins didn't seem convinced, but she was either too afraid to push further, or she just decided to trust Rayvn's claims.
She squeezed out a smile and turned to leave. “Have a good night.” Her gaze swept across me and my men before she dematerialized.
Ravyn lowered herself to the kids’ level, retaining her plastic smile. “Go to your room, okay?” she whispered, placing a gentle hand on their shoulders. Her voice cracked under the weight of fear.
“Mom, are these men bothering you?” the brave little one asked, his piercing gaze fixed on me.
“What?” She let out a dry laugh. “No, sweetheart.” She ruffled his hair. “Now take your sister upstairs, and don't come down until I come to get you.”
He hesitated for a moment, his eyes darting across our faces before leading his sister up the stairs. The way he held on to her hand was a clear indication that he would do anything to protect his sister.
Both kids were the same age, a little above four. So, if they were hers—and they were—that would mean that she must have been pregnant when she left five years ago. The timing was perfect.
The boy was a spitting image of me in more ways than one, and it was like looking in a mirror. Andrey glanced at me with a raised brow the moment he saw the kid. Despite the silence, we both shared the same thought.
The kid had my eyes, my deadly stare. The resemblance was uncanny and undeniable, and I didn't need a paternity test to know who the father was.
On the other hand, the girl was a carbon copy of her mother; she had the same blonde hair, blue eyes, and smile.
It all made sense now. This was why she ran away. She found out that she was carrying my children in her womb and decided to ditch town. How selfish and wicked.
I turned to her, her eyes dropping to the floor, unable to look at me. “They're mine…aren't they?”
She managed to raise her head, tears simmering in her eyes, her shoulders slumped in dismay.
This was what she was trying so hard to hide a few minutes ago. She never wanted me to find out. Things just got more complicated now that two children I never knew of were involved.