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I didn’t say anything to him yet, not while it seemed like he still had some things to get off his chest.
Nik met my eyes then, and I could easily see how troubled he looked. “I can’t keep up with the Caprises anymore, not while I’m married to a Levov. Having you in my life is more important.”
Surprised that he didn’t need much convincing, I studied him closely. “When did you decide this?”
“The moment I realized all of this was far bigger than me. When I knew I couldn’t harm the people you loved, even if my boss demanded it of me,” he said, dropping that tough exterior as the emotions moved through his eyes. He was being vulnerable. “None of it is worth losing you. I can’t pretend otherwise, Anastasia. I won’t go back.”
Warmth spread within my chest at his words, immediately grateful to hear them from him.
Without missing a beat, I wrapped my arms around him and soaked in the comfort of being surrounded by him. He held me tight and rested his head against mine as he pulled in a deep breath.
“Thank you,” I murmured to him, beyond relieved that he was able to see the predicament from my perspective. “Everything will turn out fine.”
While I could tell Nik wanted to believe me, there was no missing the hint of doubt that emanated from him.
Chapter 25 - Nik
I never thought I’d ever concede to the Levovs, but since I married one of them, I supposed it was inevitable.
Ever since Anastasia and I were eventually let go from the interrogation room after she told her cousins about my final decision, I had been avoiding work. I got rid of my phone entirely, we immediately moved to a secure location owned by the Levovs, and I was diligent about not going anywhere unprepared.
I would be tracked down by Erasmo sooner or later for deserting the family once he caught wind that I was still alive, but until then, the Levovs had given me a temporary shield, and I was more than willing to take advantage of it. It felt isolating, and I knew I had to do something about it eventually, but in the meantime, I was enjoying the chance to be with Anastasia.
After I had nearly been killed and became aware of just how easily Anastasia could be taken away from me, I wanted every moment I could get with her.
She was everything to me, and risking it all just to work for her family’s enemy didn’t sit right with me.
She deserved better than that constant fear, even if I was still on edge about my old coworkers coming after me.
To my relief, at least, Anastasia was more than happy with the arrangement. Not only did we get to stay together, but she was able to see her family again, too. Even if I was intimidated by that fact, I was glad she felt like she regained a better sense of normalcy. I wanted her to see that I valued her life and her ability to choose.
Given that I no longer had to worry about her going to her family behind my back, or potentially selling me out, Anastasia was free to do as she wished.
She chose to offer her loyalty to me, and at the same time, she was able to be around her family again. She was gaining everything back, and I also had everything I needed. Yet, I couldn’t ignore the dread that loomed over me.
The paranoia that Erasmo and his men could be anywhere.
We had the start of a new and better life ahead of us, yet I couldn’t escape that fear.
A few days after I came to my decision, the two of us were called to a meeting with the other Levovs. Before I knew it, I found myself in a conference room surrounded by Anastasia’s family, from Andrei and his brothers to Yaro and Vik, as well as the new vein of cousins I was sure Erasmo wouldn’t be pleased to hear about.
Everyone was there, and despite their willingness to give me a chance, I felt like a house cat in comparison to the wild big cats around me.
But I knew I couldn’t focus on that, I had to at least try to integrate myself into the family. I was legally connected to them anyway, and if I had any hope of being in Anastasia’s life for as long as possible, then I needed to comply.
At the very least, I knew Anastasia felt a bit strange being included since she'd never had much to do with the business before.
“I suppose we might as well cut to the chase,” Andrei said, leaning back in his chair with his air of authority. “I know I’m pulling you all away from important work for this, so here it is.”
Everyone looked toward Andrei for his next words, but I couldn’t ignore their straying eyes on me. I was the odd one out. The troublemaker. I was the reason they were all gathered.
It was bad enough that I had been talked to by Yaro about the situation, but being involved with Andrei and facing him only proved just how serious the situation truly was.
“Nik and Anastasia, I called you both here specifically to go over what recently happened. I was fully debriefed, and while I wasn’t entirely surprised, I was furious that you acted against Yaro’s justified ultimatum,” Andrei said, voice stern as he aimed his attention at me. “I don’t doubt you’re well aware of the potential danger you put yourself and Anastasia in by getting married while still working for Erasmo Capris. It was reckless and, frankly, stupid of you to try and get around it. But since you clearly wish to be in Anastasia’s life, you cannot be a fence-sitter anymore. I hope that is abundantly clear.”
I gave him a single nod of understanding, unsure of what else was expected of me. I didn’t know what it was like to be at the mercy of someone who had the power to eliminate me at a moment’s notice while being connected to them through marriage.
I felt incredibly vulnerable, but I had to have faith that they meant to respect Anastasia’s wishes. It was obvious how much they all cared about her, and if nothing else, that was beneficial to me.
