25. Lexi
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
LEXI
Someone is speaking, their voice pulling me from sleep, but the words elude me as I linger in a dreamlike haze. I slowly open my eyes, finding the morning light streaming through the curtains, filling the bedroom with its warm, golden glow.
“Valentin,” I whisper, feeling the weight of his absence as I wake up without his arms around me.
I turn to see him sitting on the edge of the bed, with his back to me. His bare shoulders rise and fall with steady breaths, but there’s a brewing storm beneath that calm exterior.
“I’ll be there in an hour,” he says into the phone before tossing it onto the nightstand with irritation.
“Valentin,” I say, sitting up and fixing my gaze on him. “Come back to bed.”
He glances over his shoulder at me but then turns away again. “Just go back to sleep, Krasotka.”
“I guess you didn’t sleep?” The sheets pool at my waist as I gently place my hand on his warm back.
His muscles seem to tense momentarily before he exhales, softening slightly under my touch.
He remains silent, but there’s still such a heaviness weighing down his shoulders. It pains me to witness him like this. And it’s strange, too, since it almost makes him human. This man usually moves with such confidence, but for the first time, I feel I am witnessing him stumble.
I pause for a moment, brushing my fingers softly along his spine. “Please, talk to me.”
He finally turns to face me, his dark eyes filled with something unreadable. He barely spares me a glance, as if it’s deeply irritating that I am breaking into his thoughts at this time. “We can talk later,” he murmurs gruffly. “I need to go meet with the Pakhan.”
I take a deep breath, trying to push aside the almighty sense of unease coiling in my stomach. “Is it something serious?” I want to urge him to tell me. I want to plead, so that he doesn’t leave me here in such a state of tension and unknowing. But I dare not ask. Dare not demand anything.
Inside my gut, I am almost asking myself, is it about me? But no, of course it isn’t. It’s just that I have never seen him this way before, so distant and so emotionally disturbed.
Valentin’s expression changes, a flicker of danger gleaming in his eyes. “It’s about my retirement.”
I sit up straighter. My unease mostly dissipates, and I can breathe again. “I thought that’s what you wanted.”
His jaw tightens, betraying his struggle and inner turmoil. “I do, but I want it on my own terms—not dictated by Andrei or influenced by Elise.”
My teeth grind together at the mere mention of her name. What are you up to, Elise?
I meet his gaze softly. “What if I went with you?”
Valentin watches me carefully, his silence heavy, evaluating. Finally, he exhales and runs a hand through his hair. “You’re too young to throw your life away.”
“I just want to be with you, that’s all.”
His dark eyes pierce into mine, filled with a fierce intensity, something dangerously compelling. “If only it were that simple, Krasotka.”
He exhales deeply, running a hand down his face before rising with an aching, exasperated sigh. His fingers are twitching slightly, no doubt aching to curl into fists, yet he battles to maintain his composure in front of me. Finally, he leans down, pressing a kiss on the crown of my head.
“I’ll be back later.”
A painful cry wells up in my chest, fueled by my unease over his meeting with Andrei. I shut my eyes tightly, turning away from Valentin as he dresses in silence. I remain still, eyes closed, when he kisses my forehead in what seems to be a final goodbye.
As I hear the soft click of the door, I open my eyes and gaze out the window. The gentle brightness spills into the room, but it does little to relieve the heavy burden in my chest. With a resigned sigh, I pull myself out of bed and push through the weight of the day as I head to the bathroom.
I step into the shower, warm water cascades over me, washing away much of the anxiety about Valentin’s meeting today. The steam covers me, filling my lungs and mind with revitalizing energy and clarity. I have my own shit to deal with today.
Wrapped in a towel, I wipe the fog off the mirror, taking a moment to admire myself.
The tattoo encircling my neck is a symbol of pride, and the marks on my body are a testament to our lovemaking over the past few days.
Now is the time for me to submit fully to Valentin, and for that reason, I must have an honest conversation with my friends.
I promised Valentin one day off, and that’s all he’ll get.
I’ve got my own businesses to run, after all.
As I thank the chef for the delicious breakfast she prepared— a croissant stuffed with bacon and eggs in one hand and coffee in the other— I dash down the warehouse stairs to call a cab.
I’ve never owned a car and don’t drive much.
I borrow Lacey’s car only when necessary for a job.
I usually cab it around the city. I chuckle to myself, thinking maybe I should seriously consider Valentin’s tempting offer for a car.
As I step onto the main floor of the warehouse, I see Lev waiting next to a vehicle. “Is Valentin back?” I ask, scanning the area.
“Nope,” he replies with a smirk. “I’m on your security detail today.”
“I don’t need security,” I assert, attempting to walk past him.
He firmly grips my arm, pulling me back. “Let’s not make this harder than it needs to be, Lexi. Either I go with you, or you stay here.”
“Do you really think you can stop me?” I challenge, annoyed.
“I’ll tie you up if I have to,” he warns, and I know he’s serious.
With a frustrated huff, I stomp my feet as he opens the back door. I slide into the seat, crossing my arms, while Lev takes the spot beside me. He remains silent during the ride to the casino while I stew, eating my sandwich and sipping my coffee, my irritation palpable.
I get that he’s just following Valentin’s orders, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.
Lev opens the door for me, and I step out of the vehicle. The casino’s sign, a champagne pink, blinks over the doorway. When did we get that?
As I enter, I see Robyn and Lacey already hard at work, setting up for the bustling night ahead.
“Hey!” I call out, casually dropping my purse onto one of the tables. “Did we get a new sign?”
“Look who showed up!” Robyn teases, handing me a steaming cup of coffee. “We got it last week. You didn’t notice?”
Guess not. I take a sip of the warm liquid, letting the caffeine settle as I think of all the things I have to do today.
Lacey stops when she sees me, her expression tightening, hinting at more than just the usual morning irritation.
“What?” I respond, my voice sharp and hard like a blade honed for business.
“Didn’t expect you here,” Lacey states, her voice tinged with irritation.
“I took one day off,” I snap, fury and dread cutting through me.
“Must be nice. I wouldn’t know what that feels like,” Lacey says quietly now.
I ignore her, having more pressing matters to deal with.
I grab the security surveillance tablet, and the screen lights up with grainy footage. The camera angles shift and flicker, showing an empty street, interrupted only by the occasional pedestrian on the sidewalk.
I quickly search for footage from the other night, and all I see is myself walking down the sidewalk, disappearing around the corner. A black vehicle with no license plates pulls up, and the occupants remain hidden. Nothing I can use to find Petrov.
I notice Lev at the end of the bar, his back pressed against the wall, eyes fixated on me. Robyn and Lacey are aware of him, too.
He pretends to read a newspaper, but his gaze never leaves my direction. He reaches for a bottle of Scotch, pouring it into a cup nearby, but he doesn’t even bring it to his lips.
“Seriously?” Robyn raises her eyebrows, glancing away from her paperwork. “He’s going to scare off our customers.”
I slam the tablet onto the card table. “Meeting now.”
Lacey, balancing beer glasses that she’s unloaded from the dishwasher, looks frustrated. “We have too much to do, Lexi. We don’t have time for your bullshit today.”
I feel the tension in the room, my fists tightening as I prepare for a necessary discussion.
“Now!” I growl. “Office.”
Robyn sighs, putting her paperwork aside, while Lacey pauses her task with the glasses. They both move toward the office.
I shoot a quick glance at Lev to ensure he stays put. He’s watching, but remains in his seat, an unsettling presence in the atmosphere.
The girls settle on the couch, but I can’t bring myself to sit. Anxiety is surging through my veins, driving me to pace back and forth in front of them, my fingers anxiously twisting as I tremble.
“What’s going on?” Robyn asks, her intuition sharp enough to recognize when something is off with me.
“Look, there’s something I need to tell you,” I say, my voice trembling. Taking a deep breath, I sit at the edge of the chair, my knees pressed together, my leg restless and shaking.
I pull my sleeves over my hands, consciously placing them on my lap to stop them from being rolled up into a ball. “The other night when I closed up by myself, Petrov’s men were waiting for me.”
Both their eyes snap to mine right as I raise my hand. “Valentin arrived just in time.”
“I assume Petrov’s men won’t be showing up anytime soon?” Robyn asks, her brows tightly knit.
I give a firm nod, a silent confirmation, and we all understand what it implies—they’re dead.
I settle into the chair, the weight of my secret pressing down on me, knowing it’s time to reveal it. “I didn’t tell you everything that happened that night.”
Robyn leans closer, fear flickering in her eyes.
“They hurt Ruby because of me,” I confess. My throat tightens, replaying Petrov’s words in my mind.
Lacey’s expression pales, her freckles standing out starkly against her skin, while her lips turn almost white. “So, it wasn’t just a random attack?”
I shake my head and wrap my arms tightly around myself. “No, they used Ruby to get to me.”