The spring in my step was a sure sign that although I’d had an average and somewhat alarming night, I’d had a good morning. A very good morning.
As I made my way to Nastasia’s around ten, I was 90 percent sure she would be awake. If not, I’d just have to get my knock on. When I arrived on her doorstep, I lifted my hand to pound it on the door, but thought better of it. Instead, I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and sent her a text.
Me: Are you awake? I have brownies.
The door was thrown open a minute later. Nas blinked down at me, awake, dressed, and wide-eyed. She smiled, but when she glanced down at my empty hands, she scowled. “There are no brownies, are there?”
I pushed my way inside and snorted a laugh. “No. That was all part of my dastardly scheme to get you to let me in.”
She sounded insulted. “Not cool, shorty. Not cool.” She watched me climb the stairs. “Hey. Where are you going?”
“I’m going to say good morning to my hubby.” I smiled to myself. “Do you mind?”
I opened the door to Nastasia’s room and let myself in. The curtains had been drawn and clothes were flung around the room. Vik was sitting up in bed, a sheet pulled up to his waist, arms folded behind his head, watching the morning news on the TV Nas had on the wall. The moment he saw me, he beamed. “Damn, wifey. You lookin’ good today. You’re all glowin’ and shit.” He grinned cheekily. “You got lucky, didn’t ya?”
I loved Vik. I actually had a hard time believing that he and Anika were made from the same sperm and egg, that they shared DNA. Sometimes I wanted to give him my condolences on the fact that his sister was a giant asshole.
Today, I smiled at him. “I’d come over there and hug you if I wasn’t so sure you were buck-naked under that sheet.”
He gave his hips a light thrust to show me he was indeed bare under there, and I held a hand over my eyes, groaning.
He was such a pig. A lovable pig.
Nas walked into her room with a tray of coffees and I took one from her, giving her waist a light squeeze. She knew me too well. She winked at me, and I took a seat on the farthest edge of the bed, while Nas sat cross-legged next to Vik. She handed him a coffee, and he leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. And, God, it made me smile.
I loved how much he loved her.
“So,” Vik began. “How are you feeling about what you saw last night?”
Nas’ brow bunched as she trained an eye on me. “What did you see last night?”
Vik shrugged. “Business. Dealing with the Moretti prick.” Vik threw me a sympathetic look. “Mina saw Lev doing his thing.”
Nas’ shoulder slumped and she sighed. “Oh, Mina. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”
They acted like it was a simple misunderstanding. It was the kind of reaction I’d have expected if they’d made an appointment with me they had to break, like it was so easy to understand and forgive, and yet I was still so confused. I held both hands around my coffee mug, warming them. “I don’t know how I feel about it. Lev didn’t exactly tell me much when we got home last night. I’m just really confused. Which is why I’m here.”
Nas reached across the bed to place a hand on my knee. “I wish I could have warned you.” She looked disappointed with herself. “I’ve been wanting to for weeks, but held back. Then when you started dating Lev, I thought he’d tell you about it.” She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, as if he would, right?”
I didn’t get it. “Why wouldn’t he tell me?”
Nas looked to Vik and he answered for her. “You know, Lev’s no stranger to female company, Mina.” Why do I need to hear this? I scowled at him. He grinned and carried on quickly, “But those women were there for one reason, and he made sure he spelled it out for them. Something about you has him treating you differently. He’s never let a woman sleep in his room before. Not ever.”
Nas smiled at me. “Not until you.”