Chapter 22

Dalia

W e are silent in the private car as we weave through the streets of Chicago, Yuri focused on the road. It’s been a harrowing evening, nervousness sitting heavy in the air around us.

Finally, Elena breaks the quiet, turning in her seat to face me.

"How are you holding up, Dalia?" Her voice is soft, concerned.

I let out a slow breath, the scene from the tapas bar still vivid in my mind. "Still shaken," I admit, my voice a bit unsteady. "I’ve never had a gun pointed directly at me before."

Elena nods, her expression sympathetic but with a wry twist to her lips. "You always remember your first time.”

I can't help but arch my eyebrows. "Is that what it means to be an Ivanov?"

"It would seem so," she replies, her smile fading as she turns back to look out the window. “It would seem so.”

I look at Yuri. "Where are we going?"

Yuri glances at me briefly in the rearview mirror. "Ivanov Holdings HQ," he responds. "Lev's called an emergency meeting."

His words settle over me with a heavy weight, the night’s events clearly just the beginning of what’s to come.

As we pull up to the looming facade of Ivanov Holdings HQ, the seriousness of the situation hits anew. Before the car even fully stops, guards are rushing toward us, their movements precise and alert. Doors are pulled open, hands quickly reaching in to assist Elena and me out of the vehicle.

We’re ushered into the building, the guards surrounding us as if we're heads of state. Their presence is a solid wall of protection, and I find comfort in their efficiency as we’re led to a private elevator.

With a smooth ascent, we reach the C-suite, the atmosphere charged, the quiet of the floor punctuated only by our footsteps.

The main conference room is up ahead, its lights spilling out into the hallway, the only signs of life on this otherwise deserted executive level.

Despite everything, a flutter of excitement stirs in my stomach at the thought of seeing Lev.

As we step inside, I’m struck by the sight. Lev’s brothers, along with Vladimir, Vanya, and many other formidable-looking men who I assume are high-ranking Bratva soldiers fill the room. Their faces are stern, their postures alert. I scan the room quickly for Lev, but he’s notably absent.

Luk is the first to reach us, embracing his sister in a hug.

"Thank God you're both safe," he says as he lets go.

Then Vanya comes forward, his smile a mix of relief and worry as he turns to me. "Dalia, we're so glad you're okay," he says, drawing me into a warm comforting embrace.

Yuri grins. “Don’t forget your favorite driver made it out in one piece too.”

Vladimir’s next, and his hug is intense—almost too much for me — but I go with it, knowing he means well.

It’s clear everyone’s running high on emotions.

Just as we’re catching up, Lev walks in the room. He looks all business, his face set in a serious and grim expression.

Lev’s presence immediately shifts the atmosphere. At first, he's silent, pacing slowly at the front of the room like a caged beast, each step measured and heavy. The uneasiness builds with his every move, drawing all eyes to him.

After a moment, he stops pacing and turns his attention toward Elena and me. His approach is slow, deliberate, as he reaches out to take my hands. His gaze is intense, burning with barely restrained anger as he searches our faces.

"Are you both okay?" he asks.

"We're fine," I assure him, and I can feel the slight tremor of his hands, the controlled strength and fury in his grip.

He lets go of my hands and looks over to Yuri, his expression softening slightly. "He told me everything," Lev says. "Thank you, Yuri, for saving the lives of Dalia and my sister."

Yuri just nods, brushing it off with a slight smile. "All in a day's work," he replies, though the weight of the night is evident in his eyes.

I'm relieved to see Lev, to feel his concern, but there's a part of him that's frightening in this moment.

The rage simmering just beneath the surface is palpable, and it's clear he's struggling to keep it in check. This man, driven by fierce protectiveness, is both comforting and fearsome.

Lev strides back to the front of the room, turning to face the gathered men, his voice deep and growling with unrestrained anger.

"What the fuck happened?" he demands, letting the words echo ominously across the quiet room. Everyone's attention is fixed on him.

He continues, the fury in his voice building, "How did danger get so close to my sister and my woman?" He pauses, his gaze flickering to me for a brief moment.

A part of me thrills at the designation—it carries a possessive ring that, under the circumstances, feels strangely right.

"They were nearly killed tonight," he asserts, his tone hardening further. "I want to know how the hell two separate attempts on the lives of my people were nearly pulled off."

The raw rage in his voice sends a spike of adrenalin through my veins. It's a side of Lev I knew existed but have yet to see fully unleashed. The room remains silent, the gravity of his words settling heavily on all present.

Lev's voice cuts through the tension in the room like a blade. “It will never happen again. I promise you that.”

He pauses, letting each word sink in before he continues, his voice growing darker, more ominous with each syllable. "I'm going to rip apart, piece by piece, whoever the fuck dared to come near my family with violent intent. I'll destroy them, their associates, and anyone who stands in my way.”

Lev then turns to his lieutenants, his gaze fierce and commanding. "All attention is to be focused on this matter," he instructs them. His orders are clear, his authority absolute. "Prepare for war."

The lieutenants nod, their expressions resolute, as they begin to rally, understanding the gravity of his commands. Watching Lev in this moment, I can’t help but feel an undeniable thrill, an awe at the lengths he’s willing to go to protect his family, which now includes me.

He goes on. "Our work begins tonight. I will not accept failure.” His voice resonates with a lethal calm.

He then dismisses the room, signaling for his family, Vladimir, and Vanya to stay. As the room clears out, leaving only the requested few, Lev’s demeanor shifts slightly.

He addresses them. "I want extra protection on all of you."

Luk nods in agreement. "Maura and the kids are at home under heavy guard.”

Elena chimes in next, her usual vibrant tone tempered with seriousness. "My apartment is like a fortress already, and I'll be working from there. No one’s getting through."

“You know my head’s always on a swivel,” Yuri says.

Vanya adds, "I’ll be watching my back, don't worry about me."

Lev nods at each of them, pleased with their arrangements but his eyes betray a lingering concern.

Vladimir steps forward, his tone all business. "I’ll be meeting with my people, putting them on information-gathering duty.”

Lev thanks them then turns to dismiss the group, pausing as he addresses Yuri.

"Make sure Elena gets home safely," he instructs.

One by one, they leave the room, until only Lev and I remain. Alone with him, the atmosphere shifts. The intensity of his earlier commands lingers in the air, and I find myself both frightened and inexplicably drawn to the fierce protectiveness he exudes.

It's a disturbing realization, a mix of fear and attraction. His commanding presence has always affected me, but tonight, the stakes feel different, higher.

My heart races as I watch him, the earlier anxiety morphing into a different kind of beast now that we're alone.

I feel a flush of heat, my body reacting in ways that both confuse and excite me. I try to steady my breath, my gaze locked on Lev, aware of every move he makes in the quiet aftermath of the storm.

He rests his hand gently on my shoulder, and the simple touch sends a jolt through me, making my breath hitch. My heart pounds fiercely in my chest.

He looks into my eyes, his own searching, and I'm caught, unsure of what he'll say next. The room suddenly feels too small, every sound amplified.

"I'm sorry for putting you in harm's way," he says, his voice low and sincere.

"It’s not like you did it directly," I manage to say. “It’s okay.”

He shakes his head, his expression tightening. "It's not okay, not until the people who have done this pay," he insists. Then, shifting topics slightly, he asks, "Have you started moving in?"

"Just one suitcase," I reply, feeling a strange relief at the mundane question.

“Whatever else is still at your place, I'll have it sent over tomorrow. I don’t want you going back there at all."

The tone of his voice doesn't leave room for argument, not that I would challenge him on it, especially not now.

Then, Lev surprises me again. He leans in and kisses me deeply, his arms pulling me close. The intensity of his kiss sends a rush through me. For a breathless moment, I wonder if he's going to take me right here, right now, and I realize, with a jolt of surprise, that I would let him.

But he doesn't. Instead, he pulls back slightly, his eyes locked on mine, heavy with unspoken words. "We're leaving for my place now," he says.

With those words, I know my old life is gone forever. A new chapter is beginning, one entwined irrevocably with Lev's, filled with danger and passion. As I stand there, held close by him, the reality of my situation settles in.

I'm stepping into a world far removed from anything I've known, protected and claimed by a man who is both a sanctuary and a danger.