Chapter 17 - Lev
I lean against the doorframe of my brothers' office, arms crossed, as they fire off their complaints about Pippa. When they told me they wanted an urgent meeting, this was not what I expected.
Needless to say, I am pissed off.
"She shouldn't concern herself with Bratva business," Damien grumbles, his brow furrowed.
Boris nods in agreement, adding, "She had no right to rally against our plans for Lenny's daughter."
"Maybe she's right," I counter, pushing off from the doorframe and stepping into the room. "Pippa's got a mind of her own. She's not some helpless girl you can push around."
“Perhaps. But in this office, she should focus on what we tell her to,” Boris says. "You've always been reckless and impulsive, but this is too much. We're talking about the Bratva, not some playground game."
“Really, Boris?” I look at him and scoff. “Is this how we do things now?”
He raises his eyebrows, clearly not getting my point.
“Look, Brother,” Damien says. “She’s not from our world. We cannot expect her to understand the nuances surrounding it.”
“Well,” I cross my arms. “There were many people not from our world who are now our greatest advisors. Take Robin, for example,” I refer to Boris’s wife.
I watch their expressions shift, surprised by my defense of her. "She's starting to belong in our world, whether you like it or not."
"Lev," Boris sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Look," I snap, my temper flaring, "I'm not saying she should be involved in every little Bratva decision, but she has the right to voice her opinion when it comes to something that affects her life. And kidnapping Lenny's daughter? I now believe we’d be crossing a line that we shouldn't cross, especially after what I put Pippa through. Tell me, isn’t she right? Tomorrow, if one of us makes a mistake, how would we feel if our enemies came looking for Anoushka?”
Suddenly, my brothers go quiet.
“All I’m saying is, we should be more open-minded to what she has to say,” I add. With that, I turn on my heel and storm out of the office, slamming the door behind me. My heart hammers in my chest, and I know I need to see Pippa. Pulling out my phone, I dial her number.
"Hey, Lev," she answers, her sweet voice calming me down instantly.
"Hey, Sweetheart," I reply, trying to sound casual. "I was wondering if you'd like to go out to dinner with me tonight?"
"Sure," she agrees, her tone brightening. "Where are we going?"
"Somewhere nice," I promise, a small smile tugging at my lips. "I was thinking Italian."
"Sounds like a plan. See you by your car at six thirty." And with that, she hangs up, leaving me waiting to countdown till I can finally hold her in my arms.
***
By seven that night, we make our way to a classy, crowded restaurant and order some wine and appetizers to start, our conversation flowing easily as we catch up on the day's events.
I pour her a glass of wine and she tells me all about the politics in HR, and I tell her I had a pretty uneventful day. For some reason, I just can’t bring myself to tell her about the things my brothers said. If I want Pippa and them to have a good relationship, there are certain opinions I can keep from her.
I know my brothers will come around, eventually.
The waiter comes around to take our orders.
“What are you thinking?” I ask Pippa.
“Umm. I can’t decide between the prawn and the steak,” she says as she bites her lower lip.
I slam shut my menu and hand it to the waiter. “We’ll take both,” I tell him.
“You didn’t have to do that!” she protests, her eyes wide. “You should have got what you wanted.”
“I like both, and how about we share?” I suggest.
She nods, blushing slightly. We continue to talk about everything but the elephant in the room, my brothers' opinions of her.
Our food arrives, and I divide it into equal portions, both our plates home to the prawn and the steak.
“That waiter looked like we’ve lost the plot,” she giggles and gives me a conspiratorial wink.
“Maybe he’s never been in love,” I wink back at her.
Here, she stops, her fork mid-air. I suck in the air around me. Shit. Did I just say that?
To lighten the moment, I give her a sheepish grin. "You know what they say, love makes fools of us all, right?"
Pippa smiles, shaking her head, her cheeks flushed with color. "Yes, well, I'm glad you're a fool for me," she says with a playful roll of her eyes.
We continue to eat and laugh, our connection unbreakable. But I can’t stop thinking about how I slipped up and said we’re in love. And from the way she blushes and giggles, I know my feelings are reciprocated.
Something between us has changed over the course of this dinner. Pippa always felt like she was mine, but today, it feels like it’s etched in concrete.
We finish eating our meal and the waiter hands us the dessert menu.
"Lev, thank you for taking me here," she says, looking up at me with bright eyes. "You really know how to treat a girl right."
I reach over and caress her cheek. “I’ve got a lot of making up to do.”
She squeezes my hand and looks back down at the menu.
While I wait for Pippa to decide, I glance around the bustling room. My instincts kick in when I notice a group of suspicious-looking men watching us from a distance. I recognize them—members of a rival Bratva clan. My heart races, but I force myself to remain calm.
"Hey, Pippa," I say casually, leaning closer so only she can hear me. "I need you to stay calm and follow my lead. We're being watched."
Pippa tenses almost imperceptibly but nods. Smart girl. She knows better than to glance around or make a scene. I pay the bill swiftly and usher Pippa outside, hyper aware of our tails exiting after us. I guide her down the street at a brisk pace, one hand on her back.
"Where are we going?" she asks quietly, her voice trembling ever so slightly.
"To the car, immediately," I reply, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "Just stay close to me."
We round a corner into a dimly-lit alley, the quickest shortcut back to my car. But halfway down, four men melt out of the darkness, blocking our path. My heart sinks. It's an ambush.
I subtly shift in front of Pippa, shielding her with my body as I size up our opponents. Hardened criminals, tattooed and armed. They mean business.
"Evening, gentlemen," I say evenly. "Can I help you with something?"
Their leader sneers. "You can come with us in peace. Then maybe we won't gut you like a fish."
I feel Pippa tense behind me. Gut me? Over my dead body.
"I'm afraid I can't do that," I reply, adrenaline flooding my veins. No more talking.
I explode into motion, landing a brutal punch to the leader's nose. Blood spurts as the cartilage crunches. He howls in pain as two more rush me. I grab a trash can lid and slam it into one man's face, following up with a knee to the groin that drops him, whimpering.
The third man pulls a knife, but I rip a metal bar off a dumpster and knock it from his grasp. As he stumbles back, I swing with all my might, the bar cracking his skull like a melon. He crumples lifeless to the ground.
The leader is back on his feet, face contorted in rage. He charges, but I sidestep and clothesline him across the throat. As he chokes for air, I seize Pippa's hand.
"Run!"
We sprint for the car, hearts hammering. I floor the gas pedal, tires squealing as we peel out. A quick glance behind reveals two men giving chase in a black sedan.
I grit my teeth and push the car faster.
We race through the dark city streets, the black sedan close on our tail. I weave recklessly between cars, trying to lose them, but they match me move for move.
Suddenly, they ram us from behind. Pippa gasps, bracing herself against the dash. I clench the wheel, jaw tight.
"Lev, do something!" she pleads, desperation evident in her voice.
"Working on it, Sweetheart," I assure her, my mind racing for a plan. “Until then, just hold on!”
They hit us again, harder this time. My grip is white-knuckled as I fight to maintain control. We can't take much more of this.
I spot an upcoming intersection and make a hard right, tires screeching in protest. Horns blare as I cut across three lanes, but it provides us some distance and buys us some time.
In the rearview mirror, I see the sedan closing fast once more. I floor the gas pedal, coaxing every last ounce of speed from the straining engine.
We approach a narrow alley and I aim straight for it. Behind me, the sedan follows recklessly. They won't be able to fit two abreast. This is my chance.
But as I reach closer, I notice it’s too narrow for my car too. “Fuck,” I groan, and take a sharp right to keep going straight. But up ahead, I see a few too many cars to swerve through at the speed I’m at. This could cause an accident.
I look at Pippa, wondering if I should maintain the speed and just take the risk to keep her safe.
Just as I feel cornered and fear I’m going to crash into another car in the front, a mysterious sleek vehicle emerges from the same alley I’d been eyeing and positions itself horizontally across the road, effectively blocking the rival group's path. The sedan following us slams the brakes, but it’s too late. It plows into the sleeker car with a deafening crunch of metal and shatter of glass. I watch as our chasers bust a tire, and our mysterious benefactor drives off into the night.
I catch a glimpse of the car in my rearview mirror, but I don’t recognize it.
"Who the hell was that?" Pippa whispers, her voice a mixture of confusion and relief.
"Your guess is as good as mine," I admit, taking advantage of the distraction to speed away. But at the back of my mind, I simply can’t understand who would step in like that to save us. It was not a car I recognized, and I never saw the driver’s face.
“I guess we got lucky,” Pippa says, her face ashen-white.
“We did,” I repeat, my mind fumbling for answers but finding none.
I know we’re not yet out of danger, and I fear that the rivals might have reinforcements,
I weave through side streets and back alleys, wanting to put as much distance between us and our pursuers as possible. My mind races, trying to think where we can go to regroup and ensure Pippa's safety.
I know a place, an old warehouse I sometimes use as a hideout. It's isolated and secure with supplies and weapons stashed inside. We can hole up there while I figure out our next move.
Pippa is quiet beside me, her breathing finally starting to steady after the chaos of the chase. I glance over, taking in her wide eyes and trembling hands. Anger burns through me at the thought of her being hurt because of my enemies.
"Hey," I say gently, reaching for her hand again. "We're gonna be okay. I won't let anyone touch you."
She nods, mustering a small smile. "I know. I trust you."
Her faith in me, even now, makes my chest swell. I don't deserve it, but I vow to live up to it.
At the warehouse, I lead Pippa inside, securing the door behind us. It's not glamorous, but it's secluded and safe.
I make her comfortable, then begin preparing for whatever comes next. Our enemies could find a way to trace my vehicle.
I glance over at Pippa again as I'm checking the weapons cache. She's curled up on the ratty old couch, knees pulled to her chest. My lioness looks fragile now, her usual spark dimmed by residual fear.
Guilt twists my gut. She wouldn't be caught up in any of this if not for me. The violence I displayed earlier, while necessary, was the last thing I wanted her to see.
I move to crouch before her, taking her hands in mine. "Pippa, I'm so sorry you had to witness that side of me tonight. The brutality… I understand if you're horrified."
Her chocolate eyes widen in surprise. "Horrified? Lev, no. I was only afraid they would hurt you. I know you did what was needed to protect us."
Her absolution soothes me. This woman—this beautifully brave and compassionate soul—was worried about me, even amidst the chaos. It's humbling and heart-wrenching all at once.
She tenderly inspects me for injuries, her soft touch igniting sparks along my skin.
"I'm grateful for your protection," she whispers. "No one has ever cared so fiercely for me before."
“Oh, Pippa,” I whisper, kissing her forehead.
She pulls away and personally takes it upon herself to tend to my wounds—a few scrapes and bruises from the fight. Her gentle touch sends warmth through my body, grounding me in a way I didn't know I needed.
"Your hands are like magic," I tease, wincing slightly as she dabs at a cut on my arm. "Maybe you should become a nurse instead of studying business operations."
"Who says I can't do both?" she retorts with a smirk, playfully swatting my uninjured arm. "Besides, someone has to patch you up after your reckless heroics."
"Reckless heroics? Is that what we're calling it now?" I chuckle, shaking my head. "A few months ago, you would've called it 'Bratva nonsense’."
"Maybe," she concedes, rolling her eyes. "But that was before I knew it could save our lives."
As Pippa works her healing magic, I find myself lost in thought, wondering who our mysterious savior could be. But for now, all that matters is that we're safe, together, and ready to face whatever comes our way.