54. Lena
CHAPTER 54
Lena
“ B ye, Lena, have a good evening!” Susan, one of my fellow singers, waves goodbye after final rehearsal before our new show goes live tomorrow. I’m nervous but excited. I walk out the back door and around to the front of the theater. The city bustles as the billboards glow bright. I look across the road, and red streaks my cheeks, but I’m also really proud. I’m in the photo advertising the show.
“You’re late,” Alek growls as he steps up beside me and slips his gloved hand into mine.
“Sorry, rehearsal took a little longer than expected,” I admit. I look him up and down. He’s in his usual attire, and I smirk. Even in the middle of Times Square, he stands out.
“It’s busy here,” he complains .
I offer him a smile. “Then why don’t you take me somewhere quieter?” I ask as I slide my arms around his neck. Any sign of complaint leaves as he leans in and kisses me, unfazed by anyone else who might be standing around or watching.
He’s picked me up every evening after rehearsals. The only nights he’s had Tyson collect me instead are the ones when he has his gun auctions. It’s taking me time to process exactly what he and Anya do during their auctions. And— as River so kindly explained to me a few nights ago—that the pair are known as gatekeepers to the underworld in New York.
They run this territory, and everything has to be passed by them. If someone tries to conduct business without their permission, then there’s consequences. Bloody consequences.
It feels strange to have a man like that, holding me tenderly in the middle of Times Square.
“Where are we going?” I ask as I pull back to look up at him. I haven’t returned to my apartment for over six weeks and have been staying with Alek, but it’s definitely a commute to get to work every day since Alek’s home is in a more peaceful area outside the city.
“It’s a surprise.” He grabs my hand and leads me through Times Square. It’s strange to have an evening stroll with him because, for the most part, Alek always wants to leave the rowdiness of the city immediately.
He asks me about my rehearsal, and I happily tell him about the cast, the performance, when I sing, and the swirl and excitement for the first official performance tomorrow.
It’s nice to tell him these things. That he listens and lets me rile myself with excitement about all the possibilities. He watches me adoringly, and I now feel genuinely supported in what I do, when I was chastised for so many years for following my dream.
We come to a stop in front of a tall building. It looks fancy, and I can’t tell if it’s a hotel or restaurant. I think it’s both. The doorman greets us as we walk through.
“Are we having dinner here?” I ask. I’m still getting used to the restaurants that Anya and Alek take me to. But they never seem to really care about which fork is used first or what other people think. And more often than not, they book a private room or the whole restaurant, because they can’t stand other people.
“Soon,” he says as he leads me to the elevator. I’m confused as he pushes the button for the penthouse.
“Are we staying here for the night?”
The corner of his mouth lifts slightly, and I can tell he’s trying to hide a smile. Which is sinful. I admire his profile, his shaved head and sharp jaw. There’s not one angle on this man that isn’t devilishly handsome.
The doors open to the penthouse, and I’m confused because it’s completely empty. Large white pillars with golden frames flank the entryway, and there’s an unobstructed view to the kitchen from here. But my jaw drops at the sight of Times Square beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows.
“Why is there no furniture in this place?” I laugh as I step toward the big bay windows to admire the view.
“You were complaining about the daily commute to work, weren’t you?”
“Well, yeah, but—” My jaw snaps shut as realization dawns on me. “Aleksandr, what is this?”
He holds out a gold card. “Yours.”
My eyes bulge. “Alek, I can’t accept this. It’s too much.”
He steps into my space and raises my hands to his chest. “Then think of it as ours.”
I stare at him in disbelief. “Alek, you hate the city. Hate the rowdiness.”
“Yes, but I love you . Did you not say right now you want to focus on your career? Is this not the perfect place for this time in your life?”
I’m speechless. “You can’t just buy girls apartments, Alek. ”
He smirks and squeezes my hand. “I don’t do anything for anyone. But I’ll do everything for my woman,” he says as he leads me to a large balcony. I’m trying to figure out what’s being built on it with wooden pillars.
“You said you wanted a vegetable garden, didn’t you?” he says, almost shyly, as if I might not like it.
I cover my mouth with my hand, overwhelmed he remembered that.
Living with him was a brief solution until I found a new apartment, but I wanted to wait to move out until after he’d fully recovered.
But this…
“Alek, it’s too much.”
“It’s not enough for the shit I put you through. But I’m trying. And I’ll even let you fill it with furniture, but please have Anya restrain herself. Our taste in art is different.” His jaw tics, and I laugh.
“Are you… serious about this? Wait, are you trying to ask me to move in with you?”
He casually shrugs. “I don’t recall asking.”
I laugh. “Alek, we don’t have to live in the city if you hate it so much.”
“I wasn’t asking,” he growls, and my heart fills when I look up at him.
This gloved monster.
This vault of a man who, little by little, is growing.
For me.
For us .
I look back at the vegetable garden.
“Should we get a dog too?”
“Let’s see if you can keep the plants alive first.”
I laugh as I wrap his hands around my waist from behind and admire the view.
He dips his chin to the crook of my neck, and I know, no matter what, we’ll be okay.
No matter what obstacle or demons we have to face—no matter how gory.
We’ll protect one another.