Lev: a Shot Callers novel - Belle Aurora Page 0,121

we loved each other. And that I was not going anywhere.

I turned to him, a smile spreading across my lips, but I did this shaking my head.

He winked at me.

I drew my face toward his shoulder, resting my lips there. “You know, we probably should have done this in private.”

He kissed the tip of my nose. “Nonsense. Like Anika said, we’re all friends here.”

I grinned. “So we’re getting married?” He nodded, smiling down at me, his tender expression softening his hard face. I asked on a surprised laugh, “And when will this wedding of ours take place?”

He shrugged lightly, looking all too pleased with himself. “I’ll leave that up to you, mouse. A day from now, a week from now, a year from now, I don’t care. As long as you wear my ring and promise to one day be my wife, I’ll be a happy man.”

His lips came down to kiss mine in a slow, warm kiss. When we separated, I looked around the table and announced with a smile and a shrug. “Looks like we’re getting married.” I finished by putting a hand over my mouth and laughing out loud, my disbelief evident.

It was surreal.

Three months ago, I was living in an alley, my alley, and struggling to keep myself alive. Today I was engaged to be married to the most handsome, thoughtful, kind man in the world. A man who saved my life. A man I loved with every beat of my aching heart.

It was finally happening for me.

Life was happening.

And I loved it. Every hard, trying, demanding second of it.

Right now, life was good. And although I wanted more out of it, I didn’t need it. My happiness was restored by the faith of one man.

One imperfectly perfect man.

My smile was bursting to show itself, but I had told myself that I needed to be cool. “Birdie?” I called. When she turned, I motioned with my fingers for her to come to me. She looked worried when I told her, “Sasha wants to see you in his office.”

“Is everything all right?” she asked slowly, carefully.

I forced a sigh and gave her a grave look. “Not really. Come on. We’ll talk about it.”

Down the hall, she paused before we went into the office. “Have I done something?”

I threw her a sad smile, opening the door, and she went inside. I followed and closed the door behind us. While Birdie moved to sit opposite Sasha, I stayed by the door, hiding my giddiness.

Sasha sat back in his chair. “How you doing, pretty bird?”

Birdie frowned. “F-fine, I guess.”

“Good.” He sat forward. “I’ve noticed you working with the girls. And after today’s rehearsal, I gotta tell you…” He paused for effect. “…I’m wondering why you never gave me an opportunity to give you a management position. Because I gotta say, Birdie…I need you.”

“Wha…?” She turned to look at me before facing Sasha. “What is this?”

Sasha grinned then. “This is you getting a promotion. A well-deserved promotion, if you want it.”

Her eyes bugged out. “Are you playin’, baby? Because that ain’t funny. I got two babies to feed and I need the money. So if…”

Sasha slid over a piece of paper. Birdie picked it up with shaking hands and she whispered, “What’s this?”

Sasha smiled softly. “That’s your base wage. Underneath that is the bonus you’ll be getting for last week’s overtime.”

Birdie stuttered, “But…but…but…” Then rasped, “But that’s double what I’m getting now.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “You saying you’re not worth that? Because I can adjust it to—”

She cut him off with a firm, “Don’t you dare! You hush now.”

And Sasha laughed. “Does this mean you’ll accept my offer?”

She raised a brow. “Slow down, sugar. You haven’t even told me what it is I’m gonna be doing. How about you start with that?”

I stepped forward, moving to stand by Sasha’s desk. I smiled down at my friend and told her, “Sasha was hoping you’d be the stage manager. Which puts you in charge of the girls, ordering new costumes, helping to choreograph their dance routines, setting up nightly rosters…that sort of stuff.”

Sasha nodded in agreement. “It also means you’ll have to work longer hours. Not too many, but at least another five hours a week.”

Birdie thought about it for a long moment then smiled up at Sasha. “I’ll make it work.” She held up the paper that Sasha had scribbled down her management wages on and waved it around. “For this, I’ll make it work, baby. You got yourself a