Lev

“What did you do?” I asked the startled man, gripping his shirt in my hand.

Jeremiah stood his ground. “Nothing,” he said behind his beard. “We didn’t do anything.”

“Lev,” Nas spoke quietly. I turned to her, watching her run her fingers over the side of Mina’s neck. “She’s got a hickey.”

Just as I reared my arm back to beat the life out of Jeremiah, arms came across my stomach and my chest. I turned to glower at the person, but found Viktor standing there, looking me in the eye. “Calm down, bro. It’s okay.”

My heart pounded. I needed relief from the rage. Without relief, it would only get worse, and then I would hurt someone I cared about.

Like last time.

“It’s not okay,” I panted. “It’s not okay.”

Sasha appeared by my side. “It’ll be okay, Lev. I got you. We’ll take care of this.” Then he spoke to someone behind him. “Shut it down. Party’s over. Get everyone out.”

Anika frowned as she leaned over Mina. “This doesn’t make sense. She wasn’t this bad before.” She looked up at Viktor. “I think he might have slipped her something.”

A loud growl escaped me. I stepped back from the man, knowing full well I would kill him if I got my hands on him. My fisted hands came up to my head and slammed into my forehead.

Sasha took my hands, lowering them, stopping me from hurting myself.

Seeing red, my nostrils flared as I tried to get my breathing under control. Jeremiah didn’t look so confident now. He looked terrified.

I was glad. He should be.

Sasha cussed under his breath. “Nas, take Mina back to Lev’s. Call Pox; get him there to look her over.” He turned to Jeremiah, but spoke calmly. “What did you give her?”

“Nothing,” he said defensively. “She’s drunk.”

Sasha left my side and walked over to the sofa. He lifted Mina’s hand high and dropped it. She didn’t move an inch. He placed a gentle hand on her brow and frowned before moving toward Jeremiah. “I’m going to ask you one last time, J. What did you give her?” He opened his mouth to answer, but Sasha cut in, “I have a medic on standby. He can take care of her in a discreet way. If we take her to the hospital—and we could—and they find something inside of her that shouldn’t be there, you’re going to jail for assault at the very least. Even worse if they charge you with drink spiking. If you tell me what you gave her, you’ll leave here a free man…after you’ve had your ass handed to you, of course.” He eyed Jeremiah. “A pretty boy like you in jail…” He titled his head. “You’d be mighty popular.”

Jeremiah flushed; his pupils were dilated. He was high. He was sweating. “GHB.” He swallowed hard. “I gave her GHB.”

Vik’s arms loosened on me. I could hear the growl coming from low in his throat. Sasha sneered at him, his eyes low in disgust. “Nas, get her home. Ani, she’ll need your help.”

Blood roared through my ears as I bit out, “He’s not to remove her clothing, Nas.”

It was a warning and knowing Pox, he wouldn’t dare go against me.

The women helped Mina up with ease, due to the fact that she was so tiny. I watched helplessly as her head lolled to the side, her eyes partially open but clearly not seeing a thing. A sheen of sweat had beaded across her forehead, and she had a large hickey on the side of her neck.

My blood boiled.

This man thought he had the right to touch my mouse?

No one had the right to touch my mouse.

I found her, and I was keeping her.

The thought stu

I wanted Mina.

I wanted her more than anything, but she was so fragile right now. I would wait until the time was right.

She would be mine.

I would show her that life with me could be good. I would make her see past the damaged part of me to the little good I had inside. I couldn’t give her romance, or offer her marriage. I couldn’t give her more than I had to give. But I would provide for her, give her whatever she needed. She would laugh and smile like the mother she loved, and she would be happy with me. I vowed it right there and then.

The three of us alone with Jeremiah, I flexed my hands, cracking my knuckles.

Vik pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to me. “Have fun, you two.”

He motioned to Sasha and, reluctantly, he followed behind Viktor, leaving Jeremiah’s fate in my hands.

Jeremiah looked up at me from his place against the wall, his eyes wide. “I’m sorry.”

“No, you’re not,” I responded as I slipped the brass knuckle-dusters over the fingers of my right hand. “When I’m done with you, you will be.”

It took a solid hour to relieve myself of the fury. With every yelp and groan pulled from the disgusting excuse of a man, my rage ebbed.

As my calm was unearthed, Jeremiah found fear.

And with every punch, kick, and head-butt, Jeremiah discovered what sorry felt like.

Chapter Seventeen

Lev

I drove home without feeling my hands. Overexertion did that sometimes. I was numb, and as I pulled up to my house, I looked out from my car window, unsure of whether or not I wanted to enter my own home.

I was anxious. I didn’t like that.

Licking my dry lips, I stepped out of my car and made my way up to the front door. I opened it, listening out for any signs of life.

I heard nothing.

My heart skipped a beat.

The lights were turned off. The only room that had illumination was the kitchen. I headed straight for it, and found Nas sitting at the kitchen table, a mug of coffee in her hands. She sat there, eyes closed, a frown etched on her pretty face, obviously not hearing my entrance. I cleared my throat.

Her eyes snapped open and she spun around.

She smiled sadly. “How did it go? Is he still alive?”

I sighed, flexing my sore fingers. “Alive enough to feel my hands on him for a long time to come.”

Her brows rose. “You stopped?” She huffed out a breath. “I didn’t think you’d be able to.”

“I almost didn’t,” I confessed quietly.

Her brow furrowed. “Why did you?”

“Mina.”

My sisters brow softened, a warm look taking over. “She’s something, huh?”

“She’s a disaster,” I told her. “Trouble follows her everywhere. She corners me when I don’t wish to speak. She smiles and laughs at things that aren’t fu

She blinked rapidly, swallowing hard. “Uh, no. He says it looks like Jeremiah didn’t use much of whatever he gave her, probably because she was so drunk. He said she’d sleep through the night and maybe some of tomorrow. You’ll need to wake up every hour and check on her.” She lowered her eyes. “Make sure she’s breathing.”

“What?” I didn’t think it would be that serious.

Nas shrugged and cleared her throat, her voice cracking. “Pox wasn’t sure if Jeremiah gave her what he said he did. Without knowing exactly what he gave her, it’s hard to tell what the side effects could be. Because she’s so tiny, you know? We’re lucky that all she’s got are hickeys.” Her face crumbled and she dipped her chin to hide her tears. “It’s my fault,” she whispered, and her shoulders shook. “I should’ve been keeping an eye on her.”

It had been years since I saw my sister cry, and it hurt to watch as much today as it had back then.

I made my way over to her, grabbed her by the upper arm, and pulled her out of her chair. She didn’t need coaxing. She fell into me, pushing her head into my chest and sobbing quietly. I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and used the other to stroke her hair. “It’s okay.”