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I waved her off, then wiped my face. “I have something in my eye.”
“Do you need eye drops?” Her hand on my shoulder startled me. “Here, let me have a look.”
Blinking up at her, I mustered a half smile. “I think it’s gone.”
“I’ll check just in case.” Her voice was warm and full of concern, her touch light.
She tilted my head up and then prodded my eye. I felt horrible about deceiving her, but explaining the tears would make me feel even more uncomfortable.
Althea released my face. “I can’t see anything, so it must be gone.” Sitting back in her seat, she picked her cup of coffee up. “So, what should we do today?”
“I’m happy to hang out at the house.”
“The pool is heated, so no matter what the weather does, you’ll be nice and warm.”
We finished our breakfast, talking about my hobbies—of which I had none except for reading books—and she told me stories about her kids. It was evident in her every word and the bright smile on her face how much she loved them.
It made me wonder if I’d be a different person if I’d grown up with someone like Althea. Someone who cared. Who loved me unconditionally. My Mom hadn’t been around in so long, I barely remembered what she looked like, her hugs a faint memory.
Once we were done, I went back to my room to change into shorts and a shirt. Althea was already outside, sitting on a sun lounge, another full cup of coffee on the table next to her.
Her face lit up as soon as she saw me take a tentative step outside onto the marble. The pool glittered in the sun, making me feel like I wasn’t in the usually cold and windy Chicago but on vacation on a tropical island.
“Have a seat.” She patted the lounger next to her. “Do you want something to drink?”
She didn’t say anything about me not wearing a bikini. I’d always felt self-conscious about the scars on my back and hadn’t worn a swimsuit or bikini since I was a child.
I sank onto the plush cushion with a happy sigh. Sitting next to Althea, enjoying the sun and talking about nothing important, put me at ease. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been content. I could just exist, with no pressure to perform. No set schedule. And the best thing of all—I hadn’t had to work out at all today.
An hour-long workout in our home gym had always been the first item of my day. I had hated every second of it. I loved reading and watching old movies. I’d never much cared for doing anything physical.
But my preferences mattered little. I was now a skilled dancer, no matter how much I hated ballet. I could run five miles without getting out of breath, no matter how much I despised running. And I was a skilled swimmer, no matter how much I didn’t enjoy swimming.
After spending a few hours in the sun, I was drowsy.
Althea noticed my eyes closing. “Should we retire to our rooms before lunch?”
I sat up, thinking I either needed to move or take a nap. “Sounds great. I think I’m getting a sunburn.”
I wasn’t used to baking in the sun, and despite using sunscreen, my skin was now a light pink.
Althea gathered the various magazines and books she’d brought outside with her. “Do you want to eat outside?”
The huge table was under a vast umbrella, providing plenty of shade. “Sounds great.”
She clutched her things to her chest. “I’ll tell Nim to have everything ready in an hour.”
We parted ways, and I took a quick shower and changed, an idea forming. Everyone except Nim and Althea were out, so this was the perfect time to have a look around the house.
My body trembled at the thought of betraying a family that had been so nice to me. But it was nothing compared to the fear I felt when I thought of not getting information for Aleksándr.
Opening the door to my room a few inches, I peeked through the gap. Everything was quiet, or at least I thought it was; it was hard to tell over the loud thumping of my heart.
Creeping down the hallway, I made my way downstairs, stopping every few steps to listen for any noise.
The house remained deathly silent, the only sound the soft padding of my steps. I started my search at Constantine’s office, praying it wouldn’t be locked.
Setting a trembling hand on the door handle, I twisted, nearly falling over in relief when the door creaked open. Shutting it behind me, this time not making as much noise as when I opened it, I took a few deep breaths in.
