She shrugged, yawning. “I don’t know. I’m not his keeper.”
I bit the inside of my lip, my nose bunching. “Yeah,” I muttered, sounding disappointed. “Me either.”
Nas rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Go wait in the kitchen. Let me excuse myself from my company.”
As she walked back up the stairs, I called out a little too loudly. “Morning, Vik!”
I turned on the coffee pot and poured two mugs full as Nas came back into the kitchen, her hair tied in a high ponytail. She’d dressed in sweat pants and a loose sweater, with last night’s makeup still smudged under her eyes.
Handing her a mug, I smiled slyly. “Have fun with your company last night?”
She glared at me over the rim of her mug before lifting her nose. “He snores.”
Just then, a low, gravelly voice came from the open doorway. “She lies. And yes, we had fun. We always have fun. Played Yahtzee until just after dawn.” Vik grinned, his eyelids low from sleep. He wore his dress pants and not a stitch more. I was too amused to check out his taut and gorgeous tattooed body.
I snorted, almost choking on my coffee. “Is that what the kids are calling it these days?”
He winked at me before doing something that surprised me.
He made his way behind Nas’s chair, placed his hands on her shoulders, leaned in, and pressed his lips to the space just under her ear. She closed her eyes and smiled happily. He whispered something into Nastasia’s ear and her face turned soft. She lifted a hand to cup his cheek tenderly before turning her face to press a soft kiss to his lips.
These were not the actions of two people who merely slept together. These were the actions of two people very much in love. My mind went back to the moment Nas told me that Viktor didn’t love her back. Was she mental? It was clear as crystal, written all over his face. In his smile. The way he looked at her. Viktor Nikulin was head-over-heels for Nastasia Leokov. And he loved her in a way that most women dreamed of.
My heart smiled for the two of them. They had something special. Even if Nas didn’t know it yet.
Vik poured a cup of coffee then moved around the table, stopping to kiss my head before seating himself at the head of the table. “You feeling better, wifey?”
I smiled at his nickname for me. It was clearly designed to make Nas jealous, and from the way her nose bunched, it was working. “I’m feeling much better, thank you. Damn virus,” I lied.
Vik’s brow rose. “I thought it was period pain?”
I blinked at him before turning to Nas. “Is no man in this family squeamish?” I fluttered my lashes at Vik. “I was trying to protect your delicate sensibilities.”
He sipped his coffee. “That’s too many big words for morning, Mina.”
“So,” I dug. “Where’s Lev?”
Vik blinked at me, eyeing me curiously. “What’s it to you?”
My cheeks heated. “Nothing,” I uttered, dipping my chin.
Vik grinned, the shit stirrer. “Okay, then if it’s nothing to you, he’s gone to have breakfast with Anika.”
“What?” My head shot up, eyes blazing, unsure of whether he was lying to get a rise out of me.
“Oh,” Nas muttered, suddenly remembering. “Yeah, he is.” She shook her head then cringed, “Sorry. I forgot.”
Why was he having breakfast with Anika? Why wasn’t he having breakfast with me? More importantly, why didn’t he tell me?
Because it’s none of your business!
My mind’s statement hurt, because it was true. I wanted Lev to be my business. I wanted him to think about me when he made decisions, like having breakfast with a tall, gorgeous redhead who clearly wanted him for herself.
I shrank down in my chair and Vik’s smile fell. “You’re upset.”
“I’m not upset,” I blatantly lied, my cool tone giving me away. “Lev can do what he wants. He doesn’t owe me explanations.”