The Bratva’s Bounty (Volkov Bratva #3)

10. Nicole

Chapter 10

Nicole

"Did you poison that?"

My wary eyes narrowed at Lev when he took a seat across from me and placed the coffee cup in front of me.

"Come on, if I were to kill you, it'd be bloody. Do I look like a loser who'd poison a hot girl's cup to watch her choke on her own spit?" He faked his offense with a scoffing chuckle before taking the cup back, sipping it, and then returning it to me. "There, not dead yet, so it's safe."

Rolling my eyes, I quickly flipped him off before picking the cup up and drinking from it. The moment the taste hit my lips, I couldn't help but look at him with wide eyes. "Caramel latte with vanilla and salted caramel whipped cream." I knew he stalked me, but he got my order down to a tee, and I never said my order out loud at this point in time because the baristas knew what I wanted with simple words. At most, all I ever said whenever they asked me what I wanted was 'caramel,' and they automatically knew my add-ins.

So, how in the fuck did this bozo know?

"I believe the words you're looking for are 'thank you'," Lev smugly replied with a smirking chuckle .

Now that was another surprise, him responding and not in a grouchy way. "Are you sick? Oh my God, are you high right now?" This did not feel too much like the Lev I'd been bugging the past few week.

Actually, now that I think about it, he hasn't been himself—or at least my version of him—ever since our confrontation that day when I tried to bribe him. What changed? What was he getting at now?

"Listen, we got off on the wrong foot," he started with a long sigh, running a hand down his face as he looked at me somewhat cautiously.

"You stalked me, pretty sure we started out in the wrong universe," I quipped back with a roll of my eyes, taking a few sips of the drink as I eyed him warily. "If you think being nice to me will make me go easily with you, then you're dead wrong. I will not hesitate to blow up your car again, this time I might even aim for you." Which would be a shame because I didn't want to make him look more rugged and handsome.

Or maybe I might mark him up a little more and keep the other girls away from him.

Shit, the hell am I thinking?

Why should I give a single damn about other women going near him? Not like he was mine or anything. Nor did I want him to be. A fat wall of muscles with little brains and creepy stalker tendencies too. Besides, he was working for my parents, so that put him in the trash for me.

Sighing heavily, Lev leaned over onto the table on his elbows and looked at me a soft frown and apologetic eyes. "I'm going to terminate the contract I have with your parents. I really am sorry for being a little pain in the ass to you for the past few weeks, and it's partially my fault for not doing my due diligence with digging further into your parents and their request."

He seemed sincere enough, or at least he could lie sweetly enough to keep me interested. "Go on," I urged, narrowing my eyes softly while pursing my lips to express my wariness with my cocked eyebrow.

"They told me you ran away and hit some weird rebellious stage in your adult life. I shouldn't have let them play me and all, but when they showed me some pictures of you, I had to take the assignment," he strained that last bit out with a long sigh as he ran a hand through his hair .

"What? Saw pretty lil' me, and you couldn't resist? Thought you might take a bite before giving me back?" I don't know why I got a little snappy with him. He probably didn't mean anything bad by his words, but I kind of took it wrong. He made it sound like I was some pretty prize to go after and claim.

Holding his hands up, he leaned back a bit in his seat while chuckling. "Oy, cool it. I didn't mean it in any bad way. I just saw how pretty and cute you were, and those sad eyes of yours, and my heartstrings were snagged," he stammered out the last part, almost embarrassingly as he averted his eyes from me.

My posture relaxed into a playful one as his words sank in. Smirking, I leaned onto the table on my elbows and rested my tilted head on clasped hands. "You think I'm pretty and cute?" The part about my having sad eyes could be touched on later; I needed something to make me feel good. So, yeah, sue me for fishing Lev a little for some compliments.

"W-well duh, have you seen yourself? Someone would have to be blind to not see how pretty you are. And if they were blind, then I'd be sorry for them because they wouldn't be able to witness such perfection." Lev paused with his mouth opened slightly, his face twisting in thought before a lightbulb moment seemed to go off. "Actually, I take that back. I'd be glad they're blind because then I don't have to worry about them looking at you or sharing your beauty with them." Arrogantly, he grinned and crossed his arms as he leaned back in his seat.

Not gonna lie, that flattered me more than I cared to admit. "Greedy one, aren't we? What makes you think I'd let you have such a joy of having me in your life? This could be our last little date for all you know." I teased with an empty smile.

I don't know why, but the thought of this possibly being our last encounter with each other punched me in the gut. I mean, this wouldn't be our last, but hypothetically speaking.

Yeah, Lev was a little annoying with his stalking, but I grew used to him sooner rather than later and appreciated the sense of safety I got from him. It was a little weird feeling safe with my stalker around, but I had a somewhat good feeling about him under my paranoia .

"What makes you think I want your crazy ass in my life?" Lev shot back with an offended scoff. "You beat me with a wooden stick and tattooed me after gassing me," he added with a tilt of his head and pointed eyes.

Rolling his eyes with another scoff of disbelief, he chuckled and shook his head softly at me. "And if you think this is a date, then you gotta raise your damn standards. Also, I feel a little offended that you would think if I were to take you on a date, then it'd be something shabby and simple like this. Seriously, who do you take me for? You'd be wined and dined at a five-star restaurant or some other bougie place or whatever you like, and of course, I'd be a fucking gentleman and kiss your damn feet the whole time."

Clicking my tongue, I chuckled playfully and tossed him a challenging look. "What if I didn't like that shit? What if I wanted to go dumpster diving? Or out into the middle of the desert?" Okay, now I wanted to be difficult for shit and giggles.

"Then I'll pack us some food for a picnic if we're going to the damn desert for some stupid ass reason, and if you wanted to get down and dirty, then I'd make sure you're dressed properly so you don't get fucking tetanus from a cut or some shit like that," Lev replied with a sarcastic sneer and roll of his eyes. "Though, I would have to question why the hell you'd want to go out into the desert like that." His eyes raised at me quizzically as he quickly raked his eyes up and down my body.

Smiling my eyes, I painted an innocent smile on my lips while my eyes remained mischievous. "Take me out to the desert, and you'll find out."

Narrowing his eyes suspiciously at me, he studied me for a moment with his lips slightly pursed. "Planning to kill me and leave me for the vultures?" he questioned with a voice full of suspicion.

I denied it instantly with a scoff and wave of my hand. "Oh god no, that would be way too boring." It was the truth, and I was so glad the café was so dead at this time, and there wasn't anyone near us because this conversation would be very worrisome to anyone in their right mind.

"Honestly, if I were to kill you…" Trailing off, I looked at him with a nervously playful smile as I debated whether or not I should finish that sentence .

Intrigued, Lev's smirk morphed into an excited and interested smile as he leaned forward. "What? Go on, don't leave me hanging, baby." His icy blue eyes sharpened with a crazed look as he eagerly awaited my answer. "How would you kill the Savage Volk of the Volkov Bratva?" It was almost as if he challenged me to do it.

"Tick, tick." My finger wagged along with the words as my own smirk deepened almost crazily before I smacked them together to make a pop with my lips.

"Boom."