Chapter 16 —Lev
“Wait. Let’s see if I get this straight,” Alexei began, fingers deftly solving a Rubik’s Cube.
“So you’re telling us that you took your wife—a woman you don’t really like, by the way—to a Bratva meeting?
And not only that, but she also actually contributed to the conversation?
” His brows arched, disbelief lacing his tone.
At my desk, I poured myself another glass of vodka despite already having drunk too much. I was intoxicated, yet I kept the shots coming. It was the only way I could escape the guilt of gradually becoming something I wasn’t.
The office was dimly lit, the air thick with tension and smoke, blending with the scent of alcohol. I leaned back in my chair, my gaze shifting across the faces of my friends. They all stared at me in shock after explaining to them what had happened at the last Bratva meeting.
My cousin, Nikolai, was as silent as ever, lounging on a sofa by the bookshelf with a cigarette between his fingers. Smoke curled around his face, and his legs were crossed in a pose that radiated confidence and power.
Alexei was leaning against the wall, his tie sagging around his neck as he played with the Rubik’s Cube.
“Who would’ve thought that I’d live long enough to see Lev Tarasov grow soft over a woman.
” Lui snickered, seated in the visitor’s chair directly across from me.
He looked directly at me and, puzzled, said, “You were so worried about her that you couldn’t risk leaving her behind.
So, you decided to take her with you. Wow! Change really is unavoidable.”
Alexei laughed. “And to think she was actually your younger brother’s woman. I don’t think she had this much effect on Viktor.”
It was supposed to be a joke. But I didn’t find it funny. The scowl on my face revealed my displeasure. “This is the part where you brittle your tongue,” I warned him, my voice a low whisper.
A momentary silence fell, and hidden glances were exchanged.
“What’s the matter with you, man? Can’t take a joke anymore?” Lui asked me, raising an eyebrow.
I didn’t respond; I couldn’t risk my words escalating the situation, so I drained the vodka down my throat in one single shot.
“I don’t know about you people, but I believe Lev needs help,” Alexei said, combing his fingers through his blond hair.
“I don’t need help.” My response was swift and defensive.
He shrugged his shoulders. “That’s what someone who needs help would say.”
“He’s right,” Nikolai said, finally deciding to join the conversation. “You do need help.”
My eyes narrowed as I furrowed my brows. “Why?” I gave him a stern glare. “Because I wanted to keep her safe?”
“Because you’re starting to care too deeply about that woman,” said Lui.
That woman is my wife! I thought to myself, furious at the unexpected turn this conversation was taking.
“According to what you’ve told us, it sounds like you’ve gone soft on her,” Alexei said.
“I haven’t.”
“You said it yourself, cousin.” Nikolai released a puff of smoke. “She’s stubborn and unapologetic.”
“Which only means that she doesn’t know her place—because you haven’t put her in it.” Lui reached for the bottle of vodka on my table and poured himself a drink. “American women are always a problem.”
My blood boiled just listening to the way they spoke about my Ravyn, like she was less of a human than I was. A few weeks ago, this conversation would have been different—it would have gone more smoothly than this.
I couldn’t understand what about Ravyn was slowly changing my personality, especially when it came to issues concerning her.
My friends were right, though. I was getting soft, and she was the reason. Ravyn had slithered into my head, tattooed her name on my mind, and now it was nearly impossible to get her out.
I’d tried several times, and I’d failed woefully each time. Honestly, this was becoming problematic, and if I didn’t do something about it, I just might end up falling for this woman.
The thought alone sent a cold shiver down my spine. This sensation rushing through my blood felt awkward but oddly welcoming. No matter how hard I tried, I always caught myself thinking about her.
It had become worse after that stunt she pulled during the last Bratva meeting. I didn’t expect her to speak up so bravely in front of all those men. Yet she didn’t just speak; she impressed everyone in the room. Including me.
My perception of her changed after that day, when I realized what an asset she was to me. Ravyn had the mind of a businesswoman and the confidence to express it without fear.
She wasn’t held back by anything—not fear, not timidity, not even by the fact that she was a woman amongst powerful men. That type of confidence was rare among most of the women I’d come across in my time.
Perhaps when she spoke that day, she’d unlocked something in me—an emotion that haunted me like a ghost.
“She’s in your head, isn’t she?” Nik’s voice cut through my thoughts. “You can’t get her out.”
I swirled the vodka in my glass but didn’t respond.
“Silence means yes,” Lui added, his eyes pinned on me.
Alexei let out a soft laugh. “I think I know what’s happening here.” He drew closer, a teasing grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Lev’s falling in love with the girl.”
My scowl deepened, and I cast a stern glare at him. “Fuck you, Alexei.”
He laughed. “No. I think you wanna fuck her.”
Again, the room fell silent until Lui broke it with a voice laced with shock.
“Wait. You haven’t claimed her yet?” His brows arched in surprise.
“I told you he needs help,” Nik teased, his lips curling into a faint smirk as he reached for his glass on the side stool.
“It’s all part of my plan,” I answered.
“Yeah, of course. We don’t doubt that.” Alexei’s sarcasm was crystal clear.
“Your silence, Lev, is the reason the girl’s acting up.” Lui lifted his glass to his lips and took a sip, his dark hair catching the low light overhead.
“Listen, brother,” Alexei began, “I don’t wanna teach you how to manage your home….”
Then don’t.
“…but you have to teach her our ways,” he added. “Don’t get me wrong, I admire her spunk and the wonderful ideas she suggested at the meeting. But there are lines women don’t cross, Lev—for their own safety, of course.”
Alexei was right.
“I’ll handle the situation,” came my response, swift and dismissive.
“Alright,” he replied, pouring himself the last vodka in the bottle.
By the end of our little time out, I was even more confused about the whole thing than I cared to admit. I hated myself for harboring this strange feeling—like something had been turned on inside me, and it refused to turn off.
I told them that I would handle it, but I hadn’t the foggiest idea how. Ravyn had already sunk her claws into me and left a lasting mark on my stone-cold heart. She was in my head all day, all night—she was in my bed, in my world, and even in my blood.
She occupied my thoughts like she owned them, like she was there to stay.
Alexei was right when he insinuated that I was lusting after her—that I wanted to taste her. He was fuckin’ right!
Not claiming her body for now was truly part of my plan. But I hadn’t expected her to be able to turn me on so often without even trying. She was messing with my head in ways I never imagined.
I was always two steps ahead in every situation, and nothing ever caught me off guard. I’d trained my mind to anticipate every possible outcome whenever faced with a problem. That way, I’d be ready for whatever happened.
The issue with this Ravyn situation was that I’d underestimated her. I hadn’t treated her like a problem, and now I was tangled in a web of confusion.
It was normal to be attracted to her incredibly sexy body. What wasn’t normal for me was seeking something beyond physical attraction. I wanted to know her more, to study her like a book and understand her thought patterns.
Not for the purpose of manipulation. No. It was just sheer curiosity.
I’d lusted after women before—like Vivian—but it wasn’t the same this time. Something was different because what I felt was deeper than just lust. And that was really disturbing.
***
When I returned home later that night, she was already asleep in our bed. Even in sleep, she was gorgeous—a quiet beauty that held me captive at first glance. I towered over her, watching the gentle rise and fall of her chest beneath the silk nightgown.
The fabric hugged her in all the right places, accentuating her curves and contours. She was lying on her side, with the spaghetti strap of her nightie slipping off her shoulder. Her cleavage was exposed, revealing the alluring skin above her breasts.
It was crazy how even the tiniest things about her turned me on so easily. I felt my cock swelling in my pants, my heart pounding like a drum.
This was wrong—towering over her and drinking in the details of her body like a pervert. It didn’t matter how drunk I was, or how horny I was, I would never take her against her will—never force myself on her.
I rubbed my eyes and turned around, striding toward the bathroom as I took my shirt off. Quietly, I entered the shower without hesitation, turned the handle, and the water poured over me in a steady stream.
My fingers combed through my hair as I struggled with the illicit thoughts creeping into my mind. In my head, I imagined Ravyn being in here with me. It was so real that I could almost feel her hands on my back.
I felt my cock growing harder by the second, and before I could refrain myself, I was already stroking my length. I let myself drown in the crazy thoughts playing in my head.
She had her arms around my neck, her breasts pressing against my chest. The kiss was slow and reverent, her tongue sliding into my mouth and vice versa. I pinned her against the bathroom wall, my fingers caressing her thighs as she arched her back in response.
I fingered her pussy, reveling in the warmth of her cunt. Ravyn broke our kiss, her blue eyes casting a seductive look that drove me off the edge. She stroked my cock without breaking eye contact, her legs parting slowly as my fingers worked their magic on her pussy.
“Take me,” she whispered, her breath warm against my skin. “I’m yours, Lev. Take me, please.”
I pulled her to myself and massaged her butt cheeks. I reclaimed her lips, fondled her breasts, and then raised her leg. She grabbed my cock, positioned it outside her entrance, and looked right into my eyes.
“Fuck me, Lev. I want you to fuck me like you own me,” she said, her tone sweet and seductive.
With one of her legs in the air, I penetrated her pussy, her eyes widening as I traveled deeper inside her. She wrapped her arms around me, her nails raking my back while I ground my waist against hers.
“Harder, Lev. Harder!” she moaned, her breasts bouncing up and down.
I quickened my pace, ramming her with relentless strokes.
“Yes, that’s it—just like that!”
It wasn’t until I let out a guttural groan that I snapped back to reality. My legs trembled as I jerked off—rapidly stroking my dick. A jolt of electricity surged through me, and my groan deepened. I exploded in a flash, my load spraying over the wall as my face contorted in pleasure.
A moment later, an exasperated sigh fell off my lips. “Fuck.” I mumbled, rubbing my eyes, wondering what Ravyn had done to me.
I thought that I might feel better after jerking off to the scene I cooked up in my head. But I was wrong. I wasn’t relieved at all; rather, I wanted her even more, and it was driving me crazy.