Lev: a Shot Callers novel - Belle Aurora Page 0,43

as the bitter sweetness hit my tongue, and then straightened and garbled, “Oh, I’m sorry. Were you going to eat that strategically hidden brownie?”

His lips thinned and he glared at me. “Yes, I was.”

I had to cover my mouth and laugh by how put out he sounded. “I’m sorry. I know better than to take food from someone. On the streets, that kind of thing could get a person killed.”

His expression grew somber at the mention of my time without a home. “It’s okay.”

Without waiting for an invitation, mostly because I didn’t think I’d get one, I pulled out the guest chair and sat opposite him. I know it had only been a few days since I asked him, but I wanted to know if any progress had been made. “Any luck finding the Petersons yet?”

His jaw set, he pulled his laptop close and began typing. “No.”

I nodded slowly. “Okay.”

Suddenly, he shut the lid of the laptop and asked, “Why do you want to find them? Nastasia told me what they did, that they’re the reason you were homeless.” He paused. “They aren’t good people, Mina.”

Well, someone was a little judgey today. “You don’t even know them, Lev. They took me in when I was twelve years old, hating on the world, and they gave me a home.” I stressed, “One mistake doesn’t undo all the good they did. And, by the way, they didn’t force me into the street. I did that on my own.”

He leaned over the desk, his golden eyes hard. “Because they made you feel unsafe.”

True enough, but I wasn’t about to admit that. I shrugged, feeling helpless. “If you don’t want to help me find them, that’s fine. I’ll find someone else to help.” I stood, turning toward the door.

His voice had me stopping mid-step. “I can’t control the report, Mina. It might not be all good news. Do you understand that?”

Holding the doorframe, I kept my back to him and reiterated, “I just want them to know I’m okay.”

I didn’t listen for a response. My feet took me back to our room, where I spent the remainder of the afternoon lying on my back in the giant bed I had fallen in love with.

***

Mina

The night started off well. Learning that my shift behind the bar would be shared with the tall, African-American beauty with the crazy-beautiful afro, Birdie, rather than Anika, made me mentally cheer and do cartwheels.

I didn’t mind Anika, but we didn’t have a common interest…apart from Lev, of course. And I had a feeling we wouldn’t be seeing eye-to-eye on that matter.

Men flocked to the bar to be served, and although it was busy, Birdie and I kept it under control. During the night, I’d seen Birdie clink shot glasses with men and down them. She’d done this multiple times, and I wondered how she wasn’t stumbling over her feet. The girl could hold her drinks.

So when a group of men bought a round of shots and added an extra for me, I looked to Birdie. She smiled and nodded. So I went for it.

I picked up the glass, lifted it to my mouth, and tipped it back, listening to the men hoot and cheer as I sputtered and coughed.

Holy shit, that burned.

Coughing up a lung, I raised my hands and grimaced through a smile, showing them all I was okay. They shouted and applauded some more and, thankfully, stayed close to my side of the bar.

I knew the tips would be off the charts tonight. The men had money to burn, and with every round, I was left a nice, neat sum for myself.

My body started to feel warm all over and my head spun lightly. And this was only after the first shot.

After the fifth, I could barely stand without swaying from side-to-side.

The sixth shot had done it.

Laughing to myself, I held onto the bar, because the ground was spinning in circles. It was sucking me in.

I should tell Lev about that. That’s an occupational health and safety issue, if I ever saw one.

Birdie was by my side before I knew I was lying on the floor behind the bar. “Mina, baby, what’s wrong?”

I laughed out loud. “Oh, God, Birdie. The floor won’t stop moving. Make it stop. My stomach hurts.”

“Shit,” Birdie uttered as she moved away from me.

A minute, or it could’ve been an hour later, she returned with Nas who knelt by my side, taking my arm and helping me stand. She took me out the door