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“Woof!”
“Luka!”
The sounds reach me simultaneously, Max’s bark and Yulia’s shriek mingling in the air. I enter Yulia’s room and can’t help but feel a tug at my heart as the pair run toward us.
Sophia’s trying to stifle a laugh, but her green eyes betray a trace of fear. I catch it, a quick, unsettling flash that she can’t hide from me. Dimitri’s looking at Yulia’s suit, a mix of amusement and disbelief in his eyes. Erik’s pretending not to care, but the smirk on his face gives him away.
“What’s with the suit, Yulia?” I can’t help but ask, a grin spreading across my face.
Yulia puffs up her chest, a serious expression on her face. “I’m the boss today, Luka.”
Erik snorts, unable to contain himself. “The boss of what, exactly?”
“The boss of everything!” Yulia declares, hands on her hips.
“Alright, Boss Yulia,” I say, still chuckling. “What’s our first order of business?”
Yulia looks at me, her eyes bright and serious once again. “Our first order of business,” she declares, “is to go have some ice cream!”
I can’t help but laugh again. Dimitri doesn’t seem to share my amusement, though.
“Ice cream now?” his voice booms, and he moves his large frame toward Yulia, something hidden behind him. He’s gruff, almost growling.
Yulia meets his gaze without flinching. “Yes, Dima, ice cream now.”
Dimitri softens immediately, twitching into a smile. “Alright then, ice cream it is. And after that…” He glances at the large dollhouse he’s shielding. “Perhaps something else?”
Yulia’s eyes widen and her face lights up with delight. “Oh, Dima, is that for me?”
“No one else, sestrichka. No one else,” Dimitri murmurs, the corners of his eyes crinkling.
Yulia’s arms circle Dimitri’s neck, her excited voice bubbling with happiness. “Thank you, Dima! Thank you!”
“You deserve the world, little boss,” Dimitri says, his voice thick with emotion as he kisses her forehead.
“And not just from Dima,” Erik interjects, moving closer with a surprising gentleness in his eyes. “Happy birthday from all of us.” He bends down and kisses Yulia on her cheeks, a smile transforming his face.
Yulia beams at Erik, her excitement bubbling over. “Thank you, Erik! This is the best birthday ever!”
I listen to Yulia’s laugh, a pure sound in a world that’s anything but.
But a nasty, gnawing thought edges into my mind.
Tonight.
Tonight, we end Aleks.
He’ll be a dead man walking, and we are cutting out a tumor, one that’s been poisoning us for far too long.
Sophia steps up beside me, and for a split second, I get distracted by her. The green dress she’s wearing clings to her just right, accentuating her figure. A soft emerald shade that compliments her eyes, making them pop. The dress is no-nonsense, clean-cut, with a subtle neckline and a skirt ending just above her knees. She looks stunning, but then she looks up at me, and her expression wipes away any other thoughts.
“Luka,” she mutters, voice almost a whisper. “I need to speak to you.”
Chapter 63
Sophia
EVERYONE’S ALREADY out of the room, heading to get ice cream. A brief moment of privacy.
