Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 63786 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63786 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
This morning, I woke up in his arms, and it felt like a new beginning. Like all the darkness is finally behind us, and we can look forward to a future together. The three of us.
Now it’s evening, and after a day spent enjoying each other in all the sexiest, yummiest of ways, we’re walking down the hospital corridor toward Igor’s room.
But it seems our friend doesn’t share our lighthearted mood. When we walk in, Igor is arguing with the nurse. He wants to go home, and he wants to go home now.
“Leave us,” Lev says in that commanding voice of his, and the nurse does as he says.
He sits on the edge of Igor’s bed. “It’s not like you to give the nurses hell.”
“I want to go home. I am well enough.”
“That may be so, but you’re still on IV antibiotics and strong medication. The doctors say you’re better here than at home. They’re concerned about infection.”
“I will go mad if I have to stay here another second looking at these same walls and the same ceiling, day after day, night after night.”
“It’s only a few more days.”
“Which is a few more days too long. I’d rather eat my gun.”
Enya, who is walking in carrying a juice, gasps in the doorway. She hurries to put down the juice and goes to him. “What is wrong, my lion?”
“He’s throwing a tantrum,” Lev drawls.
I notice how Igor’s mood seems to calm in Enya’s presence. She climbs on the bed and wraps her arms around him, and he is instantly soothed.
“Our pakhan is right. It’s only a few more days, and you can come home.” She pushes her gentle fingers through his hair in a nurturing way that tells me he is going to be well taken care of when he returns home. “Until then, you have to listen to the doctors. I need you to be well, my love.”
“I know the days are slow in here.” Lev stands. “But as it happens, I’ve got something that might cheer you up.”
“I doubt it,” Igor mutters.
Lev chuckles. “And you call me grumpy.”
“Not to your face.” Igor folds his arms. “What is the surprise?”
“Well, that’s the thing, I need you to come outside and take a look for yourself.” He walks over to the wheelchair parked in the corner of the room.
“You’re being very mysterious,” Igor grumbles.
“Because I am a mysterious guy.” Lev winks at him. “Now, how the hell do we get you into this?”
Because he is so big, it takes the three of us to get him out of the bed and into the wheelchair.
“I haven’t seen the sun in weeks,” Igor says as Lev steers him out of the hospital room.
“Then get ready, my friend, because the sun is due to set soon, and it’s going to be fucking beautiful,” Lev says, pushing his friend down the hospital corridor toward the elevators.
I’ve never seen this side of Lev before. And it makes me fall even deeper for him.
Lev is right—outside, the sun is easing lower into the horizon, painting the sky in a thousand different tones of red and gold. It’s stunning.
The four of us pause to look at the brilliant sunset.
Igor closes his eyes and sucks in a deep breath, and slowly lets it go.
When he opens his eyes again, Lev is dangling a set of car keys in front of him.
“What are they?”
“A set of car keys—what do you think they look like?”
He points the wheelchair in the direction of a brand new Rolls-Royce Phantom glinting in the fading sunlight.
“You bought a new car,” Igor says, his eyes twinkling as he looks at the gleaming beast. “She is a beauty. Hopefully, I will be able to return to work and drive her soon.”
“No need. This isn’t a car for driving me around,” Lev says. “This isn’t even my car. This is your car.”
Igor looks from the Phantom to Lev, then back to the Phantom. “I don’t understand.”
Lev takes his hand and places the keys in his giant palm. “She belongs to you.”
“Pakhan—”
“I was getting tired of the Phantom anyway. I think I want something else. But I’ll figure that out when you come back to work in about ten to twelve weeks.”
“I won’t need that amount of time off work.”
“Yeah, you will. After your rehabilitation ends, I’m sending you and Enya on a much-earned vacation. Anywhere you want to go.”
Igor looks moved. “There is no need for this generosity.”
Lev’s expression is serious. “Yes, there is, my friend. You almost lost your life, and that isn’t lost on me. I was always going to give you the Phantom, but fate beat me to it. This isn’t me buying your forgiveness. This is me saying thank you.”
46
LEV
After we leave the hospital and return to the Zarkov Estate, I lead Brooke into my office and close the door behind us.