30. Lev

30

LEV

The moment the door slams shut behind me, I know it’s all over.

And from the look on Elle’s face as Lucia led her away, she knows it too.

Anton and Danil are standing in the center of the living room, each looking just as murderous as Alexei. Both of them have their arms crossed over their chests, and I don’t miss the handguns tucked into the waistbands of their black slacks.

“I suggest you start talking,” Alexei snaps from behind me as if he can read my thoughts.

I eye the well-stocked bar cart in the corner of the room. I’m desperate for a drink to try and calm my nerves, but I think if I were to just go over and start helping myself to the no doubt very expensive liquor, it would be a sure-fire way to get me killed.

So, I stay put. “Don’t you want to wait for Dimitri?”

Anton scowls. “Dimitri is none of your concern. So, talk. ”

I glance at each of the Koslovs in turn, seeing a small part of myself in every one of them.

In another universe, my father brought me back home with him and raised me alongside his boys. I would have grown up in a house like this one and lived a life filled with laughter and fun. But best of all, if ever I was caught in a sticky situation, I would have brothers to call on who would be at my side, no questions asked.

There’s a little part of myself in each one of them, and I feel a deep-rooted grief as I think of what could have been.

I know that Elle is hoping there is still a chance I could have that, but there is nothing I can say to them that will clear my name.

“I have nothing to say.” I tuck my hands into my pockets.

Mikhail steps up to Anton’s side. “You do realize your fucking life is on the line here.”

“I am aware.”

Alexei grabs me by the shoulder and turns me around to face him. “Don’t be fucking smart with us. Elle might think you’re a hero, but I’m not buying your shit.”

His face is barely an inch from mine, and I can smell the coppery twang of blood that clings to his clothes.

“I’m not a hero.” I stare into the eyes of my brother. “I’m well aware that I’ve only had to save Elle’s life because of the mistakes that I’ve made.”

Mikhail nods. “Glad we can agree on that.”

I take a step away from Alexei. “I don’t know what you want me to say. I have no memory at all from that night.”

“Bullshit,” Anton spits.

I’m trying to stay calm despite the interrogation because the last thing I need is to blackout in a room full of men who want me dead. But the dull ache starts to pulse in my temples.

I screw my eyes shut and try to take a deep breath. “It’s the honest to god truth.”

Alexei moves but I don’t know where. “How fucking convenient.”

“I know how it sounds?—”

“It sounds like a fucking excuse for murdering our parents!”

I force my eyes open to find Alexei red-faced as he tries to control his temper. A thick vein is throbbing in his temple, and I know I’m one wrong move away from having my throat cut.

I hold my hands up and slowly turn so I can look at Anton.

“I’m assuming Nina told you everything? About the blackouts?”

Anton glances warily at Alexei, but then nods.

“She mentioned them, yes.”

“Blackouts?” Danil looks between Anton and me. “What’s he talking about?”

I shrug. “Igor doesn’t take being disobeyed lightly. When I decided to run into the fire to save Elle, he beat me within an inch of my life, which included a significant blow to the head. He never took me to a hospital, so the extent of the neurological damage was never confirmed, but I’ve suffered with blackouts ever since. I could be out for minutes or hours and when I come around, I have no memory at all of what I’ve done.”

Mikhail scoffs. “A well-rehearsed story, I must say.”

“You wanted the truth?—”

Alexei grabs me by the neck and pulls me backwards.

I barely have a chance to even trip over my own feet before he slams me against the wall with such force that it knocks the breath from me.

“I’m all out of fucks to give, Lev.” He tightens his grip around my neck. “Time’s up.”

My eyes start to water as I fight for air. None of the Koslovs makes a move to stop Alexei.

They know he has the final say here.

I know he was the one to find his parents lying in pools of their own blood. If anyone gets to kill me, it’s him.

“Just do it.” My hands wrap around his wrists, though I make no attempt to try and fight him off.

Alexei’s eyes almost unfocus as he tightens his hands around my neck, as if he’s in a trance. As the last of the air leaves my lungs, the pounding in my head intensifies.

In a matter of seconds, I’m either going to die at the hands of Alexei, or I’m going to blackout and wake up in a pool of blood with a bullet lodged in my chest.

Either way, I’m a dead man.

“Give me one fucking good reason why I shouldn’t just end you right now.”

Alexei’s head snaps in the direction of the door which has just opened to reveal Dimitri. “I’ll give you one.”

“Where the hell have you been?”

His grip on my neck has loosened just enough that I can choke down a breathful of air, but not enough to relieve the ache in my lungs.

“I found something that might be of interest to both of you.” He glances at me. “Lev.” He dips his chin at me like we’re old friends.

Alexei narrows his eyes at him. “Dimitri.”

“I have a police report from the night our parents were killed.” He reaches into the inside pocket of his jacket, pulling out a folded piece of paper. “It says that Lev was in custody that night in a precinct in Brooklyn after being found passed out on the side of the road. He was then hospitalized when he wouldn’t wake and was kept in for observation until the following day.”

“A police report can be forged. How can you be sure that the report is real?”

“I had Zara’s father look into it for me. He’s the one who sent me over the report along with the CCTV footage from the precinct as well as the hospital. The evidence is all there to confirm it, Alexei.”

My eyes sting. “What are you saying?”

Dimitri looks right into my eyes. “I’m saying that there’s no way you could have killed our parents.”

Alexei’s eyes narrow on me, as if he doesn’t believe any of it to be true. Though I don’t blame him. I can hardly believe what I’m hearing either.

“You can let him go, Alexei.” Dimitri sets a hand on his brother’s arm. “Lev is innocent.”

“Oh my god.” Elle sobs from the doorway as Alexei releases his hold on me. I suck in a lungful of air as my legs threaten to buckle beneath me.

Innocent.

I never thought that word would ever be used to describe me.

I know I should be feeling relief, but I don’t.

For over a decade, I was made to believe that I had murdered Andre Koslov and his wife in cold blood. Igor used to describe it to me in grave detail to the point where I started to see them bleed out in my dreams.

Their deaths have shaped who I’ve become.

Their blood has stained my hands for so long that I’m not sure who I am without it.

I had no choice but to distance myself from everyone I loved and cared about for most of my life in order to protect them from what I was.

A monster.

But now?

I have no idea who I am.

Elle sobs. “Lev.”

I barely register her throwing her arms around my neck and kissing me. Not even the feeling of her soft lips against mine can snap me out of my thoughts.

“Did you hear what Dimitri said?” She pulls away, looking up at me with tear-filled eyes. “You’re innocent, Lev.”

Innocent.

“Elle.” I bend down to take her face in my hands, kissing her fiercely.

I don’t care that there’s a room full of people watching us. All I care about is the woman right in front of me, and the child that is growing in her belly.

When we finally pull away, blood burns my cheeks as I realize all eyes are on us.

I wrap my arm around Elle’s waist and pull her against me.

“Do you remember being in the hospital?” Dimitri sinks into an armchair and tosses the police report on the coffee table as if it’s nothing more than a parking ticket.

I’m too stunned to even think straight, let alone remember one of the many times I woke up in a hospital.

“Honestly, no.”

“But you said there’s CCTV footage, right?” Elle’s eyes fill with hope as she looks from me to Dimitri. “So, it checks out.”

“Elle—” Alexei starts, but she holds up a hand to silence him .

“I don’t want to hear it, Alexei.”

I don’t miss the flash of anger in the bratva Pahkan’s eyes, but he doesn’t push Elle any further.

“Is Lev free to go now or what?”

Alexei’s eyes flick to mine, and I hold my breath.

“We can talk more later.” Alexei heads over to the bar cart, pouring himself a drink.

Elle takes my hand in hers, but before I leave with her, there’s one last thing I want to say.

“Alexei?”

Alexei downs his drink in one swift gulp before pouring himself another without bothering to even look at me.

“What?”

“I just want you to know that I want Igor to face justice just as much as you do.”

Alexei glances over his shoulder and dips his chin at me.

It’s a small gesture, but a powerful one.

For the first time, I let myself imagine what it would be like to be a part of this family.

I know it will take time to build trust. I would be naive to think we could forget the past as if it never happened, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be the first one of us to extend a hand.

“It might be worth checking out the 69th street pier in Bay Ridge.”

“I don’t follow.”

“The docks. He’s moved some cargo over there in the last few weeks.”

Alexei looks surprised. “You know where he is?”

“Not at this moment, but I know he’ll be checking in there soon. It might be worth getting eyes on the place in case he decides to pay a visit. Plus, there’s plenty of stock on hand that could be worth something if you wanted to help yourselves.”

Alexei frowns as he glances at Mikhail and Dimitri who both shrug.

“You seem surprised that I’m telling you this.”

“A little,” Alexei admits.

“Trust me when I say, I want him dead just as much as you do, Alexei. If not more.”