Page 24 of The Bratva's Bounty

My eyes rolled before I could help myself. "Bitch, have you seen yourself? You might not be as outward as me, but you're one boss-ass bitch in your own right. Besides, who cares if you're submissive. I mean, it takes a lot of guts and respect to give yourself up to someone." Sometimes, I wish I could be a little more demure like her.

"What's your plan now, then?" Angel's voice toned back down as she looked at me inquisitively.

After a moment of thought, I shrugged my shoulders. "Don't know right now, but I'll work something out with my man."

Chapter 13

Lev

~3 days later~

"Mr. Volkov, someone ishere to see you."

The tired voice of my assistant instantly pulled my attention away from the mindless assignment Stepan had just dropped on my desk.

"And? If they don't have an appointment, then send—"

I didn't get a chance to finish before I broke out in a smile from Nicole barging her way into my office. "And as I told your stupid assistant, I am VIP. No appointment needed," Nicole argued, shoving the assistant out of my office and closing the door.

Instantly, I shot out of my seat, rounded my desk, and greeted Nicole with a big hug. "Zhizn moya." Unable to help myself, I pressed a kiss against her temple. "Did I miss a message about you coming? Did the assistant give you a lot of trouble? I would have told them to let you through if I'd known."

Nicole didn't look too peeved, but the assistant surely did.

Flashing me a reassuring smile, Nicole shook her head. "It's fine. I've handled much worse." Her smile quickly faded with the softening of her voice. "We needto talk."

Uh oh, those words were never good, especially in such a somber tone.

Without a word, I led her over to the couch and sat down with her in my lap. "If you're going to break up with me, then you better carve the tattoo out of my chest and take it with you." Having my ex permanently inked on me was not on my bucket list.

I hoped that wasn't the reason for this serious conversation, though. We barely started this complicated relationship of ours, if this whole thing could even be considered a relationship. It was a relationship to me because, well, why else would she continue to put up with me after I quit hunting her? Also, why the fuck would she brand me with a tattoo!?

Granted, we never really labeled this situationship, but at this point, I was more than confident that we were together after everything.

Even if that weren't the case, like hell would I let her end us.

No, she claimed me as hers, and she damn well belonged to me now.

Mine.

A surge of possessiveness tightened my arms around Nicole, trapping her against my body. "Shakhta." Grabbing her jaw, I forced her head back to attack her neck with aggressive kisses.

Gasping softly, Nicole reached back to shove at my head. "Lev, stop. We really need to talk." She struggled out between her heavy breaths.

"Tell me we're not breaking up, and I will." I bargained, dragging my teeth down the column of her delicate neck.

Scoffing, Nicole slapped my thigh and shoved her hand right into my face. "Okay, for one," she grunted softly as she spun around to face me fully and straddled me. "That's not even what the talk is about, little lion." Reaching up, she lightly slapped my cheek—playfully—a few times with a cheeky smile.

Snaking her arms around my neck, she leaned in close, ghosting her lips over mine. "Secondly, if that's how you're going to act with the impending threat of separation, I might actually try to see how far you go," she whispered deviously against my lips with a chuckle. "How far are you willing to go to keep me? How desperate will your love for me become?"

Those damn four letters had my body freezing up as if my bastard father had risen from the dead before me and brutally murdered everyone dear to me before my very eyes.

Liked? Yes. Coveted? Yes. Infatuated? Yes. Love!? No, no, no, that's where the line was drawn. No.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I averted my eyes from Nicole as I shoved her away to put some breathing space between us. "W-what did you want to talk about?" Safe to say, my mood was ruined, and a change of subject was desperately needed.

Nicole's face twisted with concern and confusion as she studied me momentarily. Her mouth opened and closed with what seemed like a pressing matter, but she dropped it with a sigh. "My parents… and my whole situation," she paused briefly to sigh heavily. "I'm going to stay, but I need some help dealing with them."

Shoving my thoughts and feelings of stupor from before away completely, I recollected myself. "What about your parents? Besides them being a pain in the ass." I was no stranger to the issues that her parents have been to the bratva.