Chapter 22 Liev
LIEV
The photographer and his assistants have transformed the penthouse into a makeshift studio, shoving the sleek furniture against the floor-to-ceiling windows to make room for their equipment. The air already feels warm from the lights, even though the shoot has barely started.
Keke stands in the center of the action, wearing nothing but a black thong, a short satin robe hanging from her elbows, while Dani powders her skin with a giant white puff thingy. Etienne and one of the other guards open a box containing Atelier Florian’s newest pieces.
Sera steps beside me and lowers her voice. “We don’t actually need to be in here. Watching.”
I grin at her but say with mock innocence, “She likes an audience.”
“She likes you as part of the audience.”
“I’m pretty to look at.” I swallow a smile when Sera steps hard on my foot in retaliation.
“You’re enjoying this a little too much.” Her face is scrunched, but she keeps her eyes forward not looking at me.
“If I were enjoying it,” I say, matching her low tone, “I’d be looking at her. Instead, I’m having to keep a brave face while you abuse me.”
Her mouth works for a minute, but she can’t stop the smile trying to break through. “I’m not abusing you. I was helping you with a course correction.” Her smile spreads. “Besides, I think you must like it, or you wouldn’t try to annoy me so often.”
I glance down at her. “But it’s so easy.” I lean sideways avoiding her elbow.
Near the door to the penthouse, two of the French guards stand watch—Etienne and the one who recognized me from Cypress. I catch him glaring at me and give him a hard stare. The man’s jaw clenches. I have a feeling he’s going to be a problem.
“His name is Anton.”
“How do you know that?”
Sera gives me a flat look. “I asked.”
I grunt.
Keke shifts her weight as the photographer shoots.
She knows how to move, how to angle herself, and I have to admit she’s good.
The photographer clearly agrees, heaping praise on her between instructions.
It would make sense for my attention to be on her, but it’s not. It’s on Sera. It’s always on her.
She’s standing close enough that I can feel the heat from her arm through my sleeve. My brain immediately imagines grabbing her hand, just to hold it.
As if I’m suddenly the kind of guy who holds hands.
Jesus fucking Christ.
Alex is going to laugh his ass off when he sees how gone I am for Sera, after all the shit I gave him for being obsessed with Madison when he barely knew her.
I get it now.
My mind drifts to his phone call last night.
“Took you long enough.”
“I was in bed.” I press my palm hard against my cock, which is extremely unhappy about this intermission. “And you’re interrupting.”
A quiet laugh comes over the line. “Already?”
“Careful,” I growl, which only makes him laugh harder. “I hope you wake up one of your kids and they won’t go back to sleep.”
His laughter cuts off. “That’s just mean.”
“It’s not my fault you have so many. You know how babies are made, right?”
“In exquisite detail, thank you very much. It’s just funny how the tables have turned.”
I sigh. “Were you calling for a reason because I’m about to hang up on you?”
There’s a pause, and in that silence, the hairs on the back of my neck lift. Alex’s tone changes. “Mikhail is cleaning house.”
“We already knew he was going to.”
“He’s more bloodthirsty than usual.”
I shrug. “That's not surprising. He needs to root out the ones who went behind his back. Send a message.”
“There’s been talk about Sergei’s death.” My spine stiffens and then relaxes at his next words. “I may have started a rumor that Mikhail was actually behind it.”
My brows lift. “How’s he going to feel about that?”
“He should appreciate it,” Alex says lightly. “Other people knew what your father was doing. If they believe their pakhan will take out even those closest to him for betrayal, it will make them think twice.” Another pause. “Whose idea was it for your mother to go on this cruise?”
“Katya’s,” I say, naming Mikhail’s wife. Red flags are shooting up in my head. “You think he wanted to get my mother out of the way?”
“I’m not sure. I believed him when he said he wanted you away for a few weeks, but if your mother is gone, then what will explain your absence? Also, there is the problem if Katya asks Irina about the night Sergei died.”
My blood runs cold.
“He’s been erratic this last week,” Alex continues. “That’s not like him. Could just be anger—This is the first time he’s faced a genuine challenge to his authority or...”
“Or he could be laying groundwork that the reason I’m gone is I’m in hiding because I fear retribution—because I was working with my father.”
A heavy weight settles over my chest. I have never been suicidal, but it’s hard to be optimistic about your life expectancy when people around you are constantly being killed. When you do the things I have.
But I have something to live for now. Someone.
If Mikhail decides he wants my blood, I won’t be able to do much about it. I don’t want to be another thing for Sera to grieve.
But I can’t let her go.
“There’s also the question of who will take over Sergei’s position, crew, businesses…”
“As my father’s son, my loyalty will always be in question to whoever Mikhail promotes.” I run a hand back through my hair. “Well, fuck.”
“I’ve already got something in motion. I just wanted to give you a heads up.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“You’re welcome!” Alex says cheerfully and hangs up.
“Where’d you go?”
I blink, the room coming back into focus. “My happy place,” I lie. “Why? Did I miss something?”
“A lot of nipple.”
“Damn.” I chuckle, her elbow catches me this time, but she’s grinning.
“What’s so funny?” Anton asks, coming to stand by us.
“Inside joke.”
Anton looks at me before his gaze returns to Sera. I fight the urge to push her behind me. My lips lift again as I imagine what her response to that would be.
“I’ve never worked with a woman before. How does that work?”
“Same as with a man,” Sera says coolly.
“Not quite the same…” He lets his words trail off suggestively.
“Wow.” Her lip curls. “I thought the French were supposed to be smooth.”
My body turns to granite. If this asshole thinks he’s testing my limits by insulting her, he’s going to find out—in a permanent way—I don’t have any.
Anton’s smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “I apologize. I was just marveling at how well the two of you work together. Ours is a strange business. It makes a difference when you work with people you care about.” His shark-like gaze turns to me. “Don’t you think, Kovalyov?”
He gives Sera a deliberately insulting once over. “And the two of you clearly… care.”
His message lands how he intends. The noise that erupts from my chest isn’t one I recognize. I bump Sera’s back as she steps in between us, and I take a step forward.
“You need to go back to your post. Now!” she snaps, when he squares up to me.
“Anton,” Etienne barks, followed by a string of rapid French.
“Is everything okay?” the photographer’s assistant asks. Only then do I realize we’ve drawn the attention of everyone in the room.
“All good.” Sera answers for both of us, because I’m tracking the French fucker across the room. When he reaches Etienne’s side, he nods as if he’s listening to the lecture he’s getting, but his eyes stay locked on me.
“They don’t share.” Keke calls out from her pose on her knees. One arm shields her breasts, while the fingers of her other hand toy with the necklace. “It’s really annoying.”
Her words make Anton’s eyes dip to Sera. The threat in his expression is impossible for someone like me to miss.
Dani sidles up to us beaming. “That was so fucking hot. You were all… don’t talk to her,” she mimics in a deep voice. “Rawr.”
“Don’t encourage him.” Sera sighs, but her hand rests on my lower back.
Dani’s cheeks look like they could split with how wide her smile is. “I’m totally shipping you two. Like hard. Total goals.”
My brows bunch. “Shipping?”
Sera pats my back. “I’ll explain it to you later, old man.”