The Beast

Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two
Safe With Him

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HANNAH

The elevator ride to my apartment was silent. I struggled not to touch my hair, trying to understand how Lev was so casual.

"You didn't have to come up with me, Lev," I said for the second time since entering the elevator. "I mean, you have to go all the way back down after to take your elevator."

He kept his head directed toward the doors. "Nervous, kukolka?"

I snapped my eyes to his face. "What? No, I... why would you think that?"

"You're fidgeting."

He noticed. Great. "I have to pee," I explained, only partly lying.

I did have to pee. But even since getting into his car, I realized being in a confined space with Lev Somov had dangerous effects on my heart. Especially my mind. Thinking about his fingers. His mouth. His coc—

"Is your... roommate home?" He asked tensely, and I stiffened.

"No, he's visiting his mom.... Why?" When he didn't answer, I spun around and stood in front of him. He unenthusiastically brought his blank eyes to mine. "No, Lev."

He raised an amused brow. "No?"

"You're not going to talk to him. Or look at him. Or acknowledge him. At any point of time."

"Am I?" His expression darkened, and he inched his head lower to keep his narrowing eyes on me. "Why are you defending him so much, kukolka?"

I could tell what he was accusing me of. "He's my friend."

"Hmm." He dipped his head lower, almost casually. But I saw how his eyes danced dangerously before he lowered his voice into an emotionless drawl, "I don't like sharing."

"What are you sharing?" I asked, utterly confused now.

Instead of giving me an answer, he grasped the ends of my hair and watched his fingers run through the strands. Even though I was wearing a jacket, goosebumps trickled down my arms as I watched him become preoccupied with my hair.

Just then, the elevator doors opened on the fourteenth floor. Lev seemed reluctant before he pulled away from me. I followed behind him, not at all surprised he knew which door belonged to me.

I'm brought back to when I caught him... hurting that man. Me running away, and him following me to my apartment. Him threatening Quinn and Nico while simultaneously caressing my face. He loved giving me whiplash, even now.

I was so close. He'd nearly given me an orgasm, and he just ripped it away from me.

Why on earth did he want me to say I belonged to him? This wasn't... this wasn't a long-term arrangement. There was no gold at the end of the rainbow. Soon, he'd get over the obsession and move back home, and I'd be... here.

For some stupid reason, it felt like knives shredded my heart.

Lev stopped walking, and it took me away from my grim thoughts.

I weakly pulled the keys out of my pocket, but I couldn't help but continue thinking about when Lev would decide to leave.

Shoving the key into the slot, I asked, "When are you leaving? Just out of curiosity."

There was a long pause. "Looking forward to me leaving, are you?"

"What?" I met his narrowing eyes with a gape. "N-no! I mean, I'm assuming you have to go back home eventually. Actually, why are you in New York? Is it for your sister?"