Midnight Purgatory (Bugrov Bratva #1)(50)

“Actually, Lev and I were gonna prepare a picnic lunch.”

Lev takes a step towards Uri and puffs his chest out. “Outside,” he adds proudly.

This is the first time I’ve seen the brothers interact up close. I’m fully aware I’m gawking.

“You sure, buddy?” Uri asks, clapping Lev on the shoulder.

“Uh-huh.” He nods vigorously, his eyes never leaving Uri’s. And I get it—he wants his big brother’s approval. He wants to make Uri proud.

None of that explains why I’m about to bawl like an idiot just watching it.

“But—” Lev’s voice dips low. “—can you come, too?”

My heart shivers. It’s so sweet and vulnerable the way he asks. Somehow, it’s even more endearing coming from a man only a few inches shorter than Uri himself.

Uri answers right away. “Of course.” He glances at me right after, though, and I wonder if he’s doing this purely for Lev. Or if maybe, just maybe, I’m part of the reason, too?

Don’t be an idiot.

“Then you can help me figure out where everything is,” I interject, “because this kitchen is a maze.”



Twenty minutes later, the three of us are sitting on a picnic blanket underneath the huge oak tree on the south-facing lawn. Lev is pressed up against the trunk, his legs pulled up to his chest and his eyes darting around at every squirrel and crow that passes within a quarter-mile of us. It’s not quite the relaxed picnic vibe I was going for, but I’m hoping that he’ll ease into it the longer we sit out here. He certainly seems a little calmer when he’s eating his cornflakes.

“How about a sandwich after you’re done with that?” Uri asks.

“No.”

“Brat, you have physical therapy in an hour. You’ll need the strength.”

“No.”

Uri drops it. At no point do I detect even a hint of impatience or annoyance. “Okay, I’ll make sure to keep some snacks ready after you’re done with therapy, okay?”

Lev ignores that completely and keeps eating.

How is it that a man I used to think of as rude, unapproachable, superior, even brutish can be so damn… kind? So compassionate and patient and caring?

We eat in companionable silence. Lev never loses that jumpy, nervous quality through the lunch and because of it, I can’t quite relax, either. I’m stumped as to how Uri can lie there, looking like a GQ model, completely unbothered, completely at ease.

Because this is his life. Day in, day out—he will never stop being Lev’s caretaker.

That’s probably the moment I realize that, where Uri is concerned…

I’m in big trouble.





27





ALYSSA


Lev leaving changes everything. Gone is the easy relaxed vibe, the breezy summertime chill. Now, I’m hyper-aware of every last thing. My head spins on a swivel, clocking every squirrel that dares wander close, listening to every nuance in Uri’s inhales and exhales.

From afar, Uri and I probably look like a couple on a date. And a very romantic date at that.

I remember when Elle and Liam had just started “hanging out,” one of their first dates was a picnic in Joshua Tree. Ultimate panty-dropper move, Elle had told me afterwards.

She’s not wrong; it’s just that this particular picnic was not meant for me and Uri. It was meant for me, Uri, and Lev. Someone up there must be pulling strings and laughing at my expense. The thought that it might be Ziva makes me feel slightly better.

Uri is resting on his forearms, his head angled towards the house. Is he trying to figure out how to leave? Is he just going to ignore me for a bit, then burp up some lame excuse about being busy? Is he regretting joining us in the first place?

My God, I’m so bad at silences.

“He still has physical therapy?” I blurt.

“Two hours a day, three times a week.” Uri slowly turns back to face me. “Every week. The accident destroyed his leg and his spine. He was this close to being paralyzed for life, but the doctors managed to save him from that fate, at least. Still, he needs to do specific exercises to make sure his limbs remain usable.”

“And he doesn’t mind the therapy?”

“Not anymore. We have George to thank for that. There were six PTs before him and none lasted more than a few months.”

I can’t help a shy grin. “Did Lev scare off the others?”

Uri shakes his head wearily. “Lev is unpredictable. When he’s calm, he’s calm. When he’s out of control, he’s a force of nature. It’s hard to know who he’ll bond with—but when he does, he bonds hard.”

He gives me a glance that feels almost… accusatory? But as usual, I’m just taking a stab in the dark here. Guessing what Uri is feeling is a dangerous game.

“I’m glad he’s found someone he’s comfortable with,” I remark. “I’ll bet that doesn’t happen very often.”

“Outside of the family, George is the only one.”

Is that another accusing glance? Why do I get the feeling he’s trying to tell me something without actually saying it?

I tilt my face up towards the sun and sigh. “It feels so good to be out.”

“Enjoy it while you can. You’ve got five days of sunshine.”