Chapter 9 Liev
LIEV
I spot her before she sees me.
The car pulls beneath the portico, headlights flaring briefly against concrete, and my attention locks on her pretty face visible through the windshield as I walk to her side of the car.
The woman in the driver’s seat watches me with a nervous expression. I give her a polite nod before my attention zeroes in on Sera.
I wait until she’s shut the car door to speak. “Can I come up?”
She hesitates, then nods. “Sure.”
Waving goodbye to her friend, I follow her through the lobby ignoring the curious woman behind the desk.
“What’s going on?” She turns from punching the elevator call button and jumps a little to find me so close behind her.
Too close to be casual but I can’t seem to help myself.
“We’ll talk upstairs.” I look pointedly at the security cameras mounted in the ceiling.
Concern flashes in her hazel eyes, but she presses her lips together as if she has to physically keep herself from asking questions.
It’s kind of adorable.
She turns to face me once her front door is closed behind us and folds her arms across her chest. “Why are you here?”
That’s a loaded question.
I want her so badly I can barely breathe.
I keep my hands at my sides. It would be easy to reach out. Pull her against me and ravage her plush mouth but…
I don’t. I can’t rush this.
My mind drifts back over the last couple of hours and Alex’s fucked up boys club and the dubious advice I’ve been given. I’m an idiot to listen to Alex and Declan, but they’re both happy, so…
“Is everything okay?” Sera is staring at me with a nervous expression.
“Yes,” I say automatically, not wanting her to worry as I catch her finger where it’s rubbing her thumb.
Then I remember my new plan. “No, I mean—nothing is an immediate problem. I just… needed to tell you something. The story is out now. Officially.”
Her brows knit. “What story?”
“My father’s death.” I hold her gaze “He was found behind his nightclub early this morning.” Her eyes widen. “I found him and another man, Petyr Petrov. They killed each other in a fight. The scene was cleaned, and no authorities were notified.”
Sera’s mouth opens and closes before she finally says in a weak voice, “I’m sorry?”
“I’m not,” I answer honestly.
She tilts her head to study me. “Mutual combat?”
I nod.
She frowns. “I thought I wasn’t supposed to know all the details.”
Fuck.
I drag a hand down the back of my neck. “You’re not, but I could tell it was bothering you.” Not totally a lie.
“For a gangster, you’re a terrible liar.”
That earns a ghost of a smile from me. “I don’t have much practice. I don’t generally have to lie… I just do what I want.”
A tiny laugh escapes her lips. “What are you doing here… really?”
That’s the billion-dollar question.
“I’m out of a job for a while, and I need your help.”
Her spine straightens immediately.
“Out of a job… how?” she asks. “I mean—how does that work when you…” She gestures vaguely at me. “Do what you do.” Her brow furrows deeper. “They kicked you out… because of… everything?”
“Yes,” I say simply. “Temporarily anyway. While the dust settles so to speak.”
Sera blinks at me, brows knit tight. “What can I do to help?”
“I thought maybe your brother could use an extra man.” I feel like an ass.
She stills. Her eyes widen a fraction before narrowing again, shoulders drawing back as something cautious slips into her expression. “Brady?”
“For a while,” I add quickly. “I’m only out of the bratva temporarily. With my father gone…” I hesitate, then finish it. “There will be expenses. For my mother.”
Her mouth parts, her shoulders dip, and the way she looks at the floor makes me feel awful.
Fuck.
“Forget about it. It was a ridiculous thought.”
“If you need money maybe I could lend—”
Guilt slams through me, and I smile reassuringly at her. “It’s okay. Forget I said anything.”
“But your mother.” She chews her lip.
“Will also be fine.”
“I’m so sorry, Liev. I just don’t know—”
“Seriously. Forget about it. This isn’t your problem,” I cut in.
Sera’s eyes drop to the floor between us.
Fucking Declan and Alex. They made it sound easy.
“A little white lie for the end result that’s best for both of you.”
But they left out the part about how shitty it would feel. Even though I technically haven’t lied about anything, I’m letting her draw the wrong conclusions from my vague comments. Neither my mother nor I need money. Our family has more than we could spend in multiple lifetimes.
I can’t do it. I can’t manipulate her like that. I guess I can’t be in their stupid club after all, which is a blessing. Listening to the two of them earlier gave me a terrible headache.
“Liev’s obsessed with Sera Worthington,” Alex says, the minute I enter the room at Alex’s private club.
I gape at him. “Remind me to never tell you anything ever again.”
“I have to give him an explanation why you’re here.” He shrugs.
“Brady’s sister?” Declan’s brow wrinkles. “I think I remember her. You don’t like to make your life easy, do you?”
“I don’t think he’s as scary as you,” Alex says, “and your sister is married.”
Declan lets out a heavy sigh. “I’m used to it now, but Wes doesn’t come with the same danger the two of you do.”
“You got your wife kidnapped and almost killed,” Alex points out. “It all worked out fine in the end. Tell Liev he should go for it. He’s being annoyingly noble.”
As irritated as I am with Alex sharing my secret, Declan’s comments reinforce my hesitation about pursuing Sera.
My life is dangerous.
“Sera is a lot younger than both of your wives, and the other big difference is, unlike the two of you, my life isn’t really my own.”
Declan taps his fingers on the armrest of the leather wingback chair he’s sitting in. “I met Olivia when she was Sera’s age—early twenties, right? I was worried about keeping her safe, too. But I made the critical mistake of walking away thinking it was for her own good.”
He makes a face. “It cost us twelve years we could have been together. One thing I’ve learned is no one’s life and safety can ever be guaranteed. No matter who they are.”
I’m stunned, and Alex looks at the billionaire with an odd smile. Declan throws back the rest of the whiskey in his glass, and I wonder how many the two of them have had before I got here.
“If I had it to do over again, I never would have left her. You can ask my brother James when he gets here. He made a lot of stupid assumptions about his wife Cami, and they were separated for a decade. Don’t waste time.”
“My life is very different than yours or your brother’s. It’s not even my own. With my father dead, I’m not even sure where I will fit. Who I’ll answer to. What I’ll have to do.”
“True,” Declan muses. “But mine isn’t what you imagine it is either.
Alex can attest to that.” He sits forward and braces his elbows on his knees.
“If you want to be with Sera, then you just have to commit to keeping her safe. No matter what it takes. Even if she doesn’t always understand why you do things…
And if she’s anything like our wives, she’ll fight you every step of the way. ” He smiles. “But it will be worth it.”
I want to believe what he’s saying with every ounce of my being, but this is crazy. “I don’t even really know her.”
Even if it feels like I do.
Alex scowls. “Why do you have to make it so complicated? Get to know her.”
“What does she do?” Declan asks. “What are her hobbies? Her friends? You could find a way to spend time with her through those.”
“Listen to you.” Alex snorts. “You picked up your wife in a bar.”
“You met your wife the same way,” Declan growls back.
“Technically, it was a restaurant opening.”
“Why am I taking advice from the two of you?” I groan.
Alex’s icy blue eyes bore into me. “Because we know what it’s like to meet the woman you are meant to be with.” He lifts a finger when I stare at him incredulously, thinking of how long it took him to admit to his feelings for Madison. “Even if we weren’t ready to admit it to ourselves right away.”
“We’re trying to save you some time.” Declan smirks.
“It’s not that simple; she’s young, and it’s complicated.”
Declan lets out another laugh. “We understand complicated. The decision you have to make is whether you want her. And if you do, what are you willing to do to make that happen? If you’re worried she’s young, take your time.
But don’t bow out, because someone else will be more than happy to take your place. ”
The thought of another man with my Little Warrior sends fury coursing through me.
“Look at his face,” Alex chortles.
There is entirely too much amusement in this room for these dour assholes to not be drunk.
“I’ll admit I already looked into her today.” I ignore their smug smiles. “All she does is work. She doesn’t go out or have many friends. There’s only one she has gone out with, and she only met her recently.” At her group therapy, but I’m not sharing that with them.
“It probably needs to be through her work, then.” Alex observes.
“That’s easier said than done.”
“Particularly since she works with her brother,” Declan agrees.
“You’ve got some free time now,” Alex looks thoughtful. “You won’t be able to convince her you need to hire a bodyguard, but there might be another way…”
“Liev,” Sera begins but then coughs, her hand rising to her throat.
“Your voice sounds worse than earlier.”
“Too much talking today. I just need some water.”
I follow her to the kitchen and wait until she’s taken several sips before I ask, “Talking?”
Sera stares at me for a long moment and then takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Last night I reacted when you asked… I know you know what happened with…” She shakes her head. “Anyway, I finally told the truth about everything at therapy tonight.”
Alarm spikes hot and immediate. “The truth about?”
“No,” she blurts out. “Not about last night. About Aaron, my ex. About everything he did.”
I exhale slowly. “Did it help?”