Chapter 9 Lev
LEV
Zeno follows after only a few minutes, coming to stand beside me where I linger by his car. He scans the school grounds littered with students and families. Having arrived this morning to oversee the furniture delivery and check out the grounds, none of this is new to me anymore.
Doesn’t make it any less headache inducing.
Sapienza University’s property is vast with lots of grass. Old-style building line the edges, and at the edge of the property sit the few dorms. Paths cross between the buildings, leading every which way. Its openness will be helpful in observing Serafina from afar.
“Hopefully, she meets up with Vitale soon, and we’ll be able to figure out if I’m wrong or not.
” Zeno shoves his hands into his pockets, scanning the other dorm buildings.
“Had the records of this place pulled and no one under the Vitale name is registered, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s going by a fake name.
He may not even be a student at all. Before today, if he was lying to her, she wouldn’t have known the difference. ”
“If he’s not a student, he was watching her and planned for this. You said they met during her tour months ago? It seems like a lot of effort for an arrangement that’s supposed to go through. Wonder what their endgame actually is.”
“That’s what’s bothering me. Alessandro knows I’ll refuse to release her, so maybe it’s insurance.”
“Striking war would be the most logical route from their side. Weaken you and all that.”
Zeno shoots me a side glance, calculations rolling through his mind. “Never thought of that. I suppose they haven’t either. I’m pleased you agreed to this.”
Nearby, students shout, likely greeting each other after a summer apart. Zeno grimaces, and my head thrums. I count the students for something to focus on.
“You have my number. The sooner he comes out of hiding, the better. For now, I entrust her to you, and I owe you huge. It may not say a lot about my own men, but finding one who won’t lose her, get her killed, or fuck her was a greater challenge than I originally thought.
She’s everything to me, Lev, so imagining her well-being in anyone’s hands is difficult.
” He glances up at the fifth-floor level, chuckling.
“I should go before she invents nefarious reasons I’m hanging around. Good luck.”
He gets into his car, backs out of the spot, and drives away with a final parting flash of his lights. It’s a distraction from the nearby noise, and I long to tune them all out, return upstairs, and get to work helping Dimitri again.
In the time since I agreed to come to Italy and Dimitri’s arrival in Toronto, his father came out of hiding, but only to threaten a woman from Dimitri’s past. Now that Katya, said woman from his past, is safe inside the Bratva mansion, Dimitri’s returned to Toronto, hunting for Ivan once more.
Ivan no longer has his phone, which makes tracking him almost impossible, but at Dimitri’s request, I’ve been compiling lists of criminal groups in the area he may be able to contract.
Turning away from the parking lot, I take the fifty stairs from the first to fifth floor two at a time, figuring working out daily won’t be happening until my mission is finished.
Any chance at exercise is a good one. Shame, because working out calms the noise in my head, and with what’s about to come, I’ll need it more than ever.
Even a jog around campus will be out of the question, because it’ll mean leaving Serafina behind.
Why the fuck did I agree to this?
Inside the dorm, sounds come from behind Serafina’s shut door. She’s likely unpacking and will ideally keep busy, which will hold off the inevitable: talking.
Zeno’s already warned me of her dislike of having someone around, and her comment as she entered the building earlier, which I don’t think I was supposed to overhear, indicated as much.
Ideally, we’ll be two people living together in silence.
She won’t want to talk to me, and I won’t feel the need to.
The job will pass quickly. We’ll determine if her boyfriend is a Vitale. She’ll be kept safe.
And I’ll return home to my quiet basement, where my head will take a damn vacation after this hell.
Once again, I question my agreement to do this.
She asked for me.
Because I kept her safe. She trusts me for some reason. To Serafina, I’m a tool, the same way others see me—useful for their needs.
Passing my room, I skip unpacking. Not planning on being here for long means there’s no need to get comfortable.
I cross the room to the couch, dropping onto the soft leather, pleased Zeno replaced the old one.
Considering Serafina will probably often be studying in her room, this couch is about to become my workspace.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and while it could be a few people, I suspect Anastasia, because she never skips any opportunity to bother me.
Annoying Twin
How’s school?
Me
Fuck off.
Annoying Twin
That good, huh? Lots of homework?
Me
Classes don’t begin for another two days. She’s unpacking. Mancini just left. People here are young as fuck and just as annoying as you are.
Annoying Twin
You say that like we’re ancient.
Me
We? You’re not the one uprooted from home.
Annoying Twin
WE because we’re the same, dumbass. Also, YOU agreed. Why did you, btw? Could have said no.
Me
She’s Vanessa’s half-sister. Pretty sure that constitutes her being a Volkov by extension and therefore someone we’re duty-bound to protect.
Annoying Twin
Whatever. Can’t wait to hear about your classes, study sessions in the library. Trailing her as she hangs out with friends. Stalking her dates. That’ll be fun. The late nights when she doesn’t sleep because she’s busy working. You two already have something in common.
Me
It won’t be that bad.
It’ll suck.
Annoying Twin
Let’s not forget about the parties.
On second thought, I should be the one with her!
Parties was one of many things on my list when Zeno asked me to do this, one of the main reasons to deny him.
They’re noisy and make me want to crawl inside my own skin.
Downright painfully uncomfortable, and something that’s ceased since Vanessa’s takeover.
Bratva parties are political and well-mannered, and they nearly do me in, but here?
The alcohol will be cheap beer and flavoured, fruity canned drinks versus the delicacy of Russian-brewed vodka.
Music will be loud and brash. Kids will make it a competition over who can get the most drunk, fuck the most people, and be the loudest. These events will be seared into my brain, a trauma to carry forever.
Me
She might prefer to stay in.
Annoying Twin
Only if you’re lucky.
The door to Serafina’s room opens, and she slips out in, scowling when spotting me. “Oh. You’re back.”
“You sound thrilled.”
“Sorry. I just…” She crosses her arms, her expression flickering between the soft woman who sat by my bedside and the scowling creature she is around her brother. “Having a bodyguard isn’t what I want. When I envisioned moving away from home, you were never in the picture.”
“Ditto, printessa.”
Princess? Where the fuck did the nickname come from?
I don’t nickname people—ever. Anastasia becomes Ana because her name is a mouthful and she’s bothered me enough times.
Besides, sharing a womb gives me that right.
But everyone else has names. Why do they insist on shortening them or calling them something else entirely?
Always found it stupid, but hers one flies out before I can stop it.
First an angel, then a princess. A Cosa Nostra princess, the same thought that struck me when she climbed into my bed.
“I’m not a princess.” Her foot taps on the hardwood, not at all doing her counterargument any favours.
“Close enough,” I drawl, lifting to my feet and slowly crossing the room. I hadn’t paid much attention in the mansion’s kitchen, but she’s about Anastasia’s height, which, according to my sister, is average for a woman. Still, she’s shorter than me, though Ana claims I’m simply tall.
Coming closer was a mistake. Why did I? When my nostrils flood with peach and vanilla, it becomes a horrifying fact this will be my immediate future. There’s no escaping it when her scent will travel back home with me, probably clinging to my clothes for months to come.
Blyat.
Her teeth snap together, like a little chihuahua—all energy in a small form. “As I was saying, I don’t—”
“Want me here, I get it,” I cut her off with a wave of my hand.
“Seems it’s not an option for the time being, and we both have a job to do.
Go about your life and pretend I’m not here.
Attend classes, be a good student, do your homework.
I promise to stay in the background. You won’t even notice I’m here. ”
Her eyes scan me, her form slumping on her next exhale. “Why’d you agree to do this?”
“For Vanessa.” A partial lie. “Same question. Why did you ask for me?”
“Zeno was insistent on protection. I, someone with zero training, got away from his soldiers. If Z’s ‘internal issue’—whatever the fuck that means—is as bad as he claims, I wanted someone trustworthy.
I got kidnapped under his guys’ watch, while you took a bullet for me.
” Her gaze flicks to my shoulder, which sometimes still aches if leaned on.
She licks her lower lip, and when she speaks again, it’s without the venom, reminding me of the woman who sat by my bedside.
“You saved my life, Lev. During a terrifying moment, you were the safe one. Maybe that’s a trauma bond or something, but either way… that’s why.”