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I raise a brow, the lobster claw inching closer to her ticklish sides. “And…?”
“And back!” she giggles.
“Who is the most important person in my whole life?” I ask.
“Me?”
“Of course it’s you.” I lower my hand and kiss her perfect little head. “It’s you and me, babe. No one else.”
I move to close the door, but Yuliana catches my hand and pulls my arm in for a hug.
Shirtless man on the beach, who? This little girl has already answered all of my hopes and dreams. I don’t need anyone else.
3
KIRILL
The beach house looks exactly as it did the day I left.
Really, it looks the way it did the daybeforeI left. The living room I destroyed with my own two hands after Ilya’s death has been pieced back together. The end tables have been replaced, the sofa reupholstered, the dents in the wall repaired.
You’d never know anything bad happened here. You’d never know I carried my brother’s lifeless body down the hallway and laid him behind the couch.
I close my eyes against the image of his graying face.
My phone rings and I’m grateful for the distraction. I answer without checking who it is. Because I already know.
“I found the key, Sonya.”
“Of course you did,” she says brusquely. “You’re capable of finding a key under a mat. I’m calling about staffing. I’ve had a cleaning crew coming in once per month to keep the dust at bay and make sure nothing was going drastically wrong at the house, but you’ll need a steady staff of people if you plan to stay for a while.”
“Okay.”
There’s a beat before Sonya sighs impatiently. “Do you plan to stay for a while?”
It could be said Sonya has become too comfortable with me. She doesn’t believe in “service with a smile.” I’d care if she was bad at her job, but she’s the best.
“A while,” I say noncommittally. “Don’t hire a full staff. Half should be fine for now. We can reevaluate later.”
She starts mumbling something. I know she’s making notes in her schedule. By tomorrow, she’ll have a stack of applicants she approves of for me to look at. I’ll refuse and tell her to make the decisions herself. It’s our pattern.
That being said, last time I did that, Rayne slipped through the cracks. So maybe I should look through the applicants this time after all. Anyone distractingly beautiful will be cut without question.
“Your chef will be there tomorrow, so you’re on your own for dinner tonight.”
“Mhmm.”
“If you open the liquor cabinet before you open the fridge, I’ll put a lock on that cabinet. It will be a combination, too.”
“If you put a lock on it, I’ll fire you.”
“That’ll be an empty threat if you drink yourself to death.” It’s a quick comeback, but there’s exhaustion in her voice.
“For your sake, you better hope I drink myself to death then.” I hang up before Sonya can start in on a lecture and pocket my phone.
My drinking has never tipped into excess. Certainly not enough to be a worry. Sonya just has an overactive imagination. It’s why she is so good at anticipating my needs and solving problems before they arise. She exists in a world of worst-case scenarios.
Just like she said, the liquor cabinet is unlocked and fully stocked. I grab a bottle of whiskey and move into the kitchen. The fridge has the basics: eggs, milk, butter, and some fresh produce. The pantry leaves a bit to be desired, though. There’s a stash of non-perishables on the top shelf that have probably been there for the last five years. Otherwise, there’s a loaf of bread and some peanut butter.
