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She chews on her bottom lip, clearly wrestling with whether to continue or not. The silence stretches, taut like a wire, until she finally caves.
“In case she gets hungry,” she mutters defensively.
The audacity of her answer irks me. “You think I’d let her starve?” I retort, a brow cocked in challenge. She opens her mouth to respond, but I’m quicker. “Get in the car.”
She glares at me, her pretty face a mask of stubborn fury. But she doesn’t respond, not this time. Instead, she silently opens the car door, sliding in next to Yulia.
Fuck, I can be a real dickhead sometimes.
I glance at the rearview mirror, catching sight of Sophia seated next to Yulia. Yulia’s soft snores fill the car; the kid’s already fast asleep. A pang of something hits me – affection, maybe, or a trace of guilt. The day’s barely started, and she’s already out.
And Sophia – she’s struggling to keep her eyes open. Her head tilts forward every now and then before she jolts awake, blinking in confusion for a second before the sleepiness takes over again. The sight stirs something in me, an unfamiliar warmth spreading through my chest.
She must be exhausted.
Thirty minutes into the journey, the hustle of the city is far behind us. Now it’s just open road stretching out ahead, flanked by green fields touched by the sun. The destination remains a mystery to Sophia, and I’ve kept it that way – until now.
“Where are we going?” Sophia’s voice is quiet, competing only with the hum of the engine.
“Almost there,” I say, leaving her in suspense a moment longer. Then, as I take a sudden turn off the main road, I add, “To our lake house.”
Before she can digest that, we’re there. Two guards snap to attention as we approach, their stiff postures relaxing as they recognize the car. They step aside to let us through, and I can see Sophia’s eyes widen in the rearview mirror at the grandeur unfolding before her.
“Will we be back for Yulia’s lesson?” she asks, her voice rough from fatigue. I look up to find her looking back at me in the mirror. The sunlight streams in through the window, lighting her face.
Fuck. She’s beautiful.
“No. Cancel everything,” I say, killing the engine as I pull up to the front of the house. I turn to her. “We’ll spend the night here.” Her surprise is unmistakable, her tiredness momentarily forgotten.
I watch her take it all in.
“It’s the family retreat,” I let slip as a wave of nostalgia hits me. This was our sanctuary, our slice of paradise away from the relentless mafia life. “This… This was our escape from reality. For a while, we’d come here and…pretend we were a normal family.”
She tilts her head slightly, curiosity mingling with astonishment. It’s clear she hadn’t expected this revelation. And quite frankly, I hadn’t expected to say it.
Pausing to draw in a breath, the familiar scent of the lake filling my lungs, I open my car door. I’m careful, mindful not to wake Yulia. Stepping out, I close the door behind me with a gentle click.
I open the door for Sophia. Her feet crunch on the gravel as she gets out of the vehicle. I can tell she’s drinking it all in. It’s a discreet luxury, a hidden holiday home that doesn’t show off but blends with the surrounding nature.
It’s been too long since I’ve come here, and I find myself taking it all in too. The meticulously maintained green lawn is framed by a copse of tall trees. To the side, a path winds toward the house through the garden.
And then there’s the lake.
Stretching out beyond the residence, its calm waters shimmer in the sunlight, offering a view that could steal the breath of even the most jaded city dweller. Even me. A private deck reaches out into the water, a sleek boat tethered and bobbing lazily.
The atmosphere is cleaner here, the air smells of the lake instead of city smog. I watch as Sophia breathes in deeply, her eyes gleaming with both awe and a tinge of disbelief.
“This…is so beautiful,” she breathes out, soaking in the surroundings. Just then, a bolt of fur shoots from the car as Yulia’s dog barrels out in search of a spot to pee. I don’t know if it’s the air or the view, but I find myself laughing as the damn animal bounds around, falling over his own feet. Beside me, Sophia’s husky chuckle has me looking down at her, and for a moment, the tension eases just a bit.
“Shhh,” I warn, casting a glance at Yulia, who’s still sleeping in the back seat. I reach for the car door, moving carefully to unbuckle her seat belt.
“Luka?” Half-awake, Yulia blinks up at me, extending her arms. I scoop her up, holding her close to my chest.
“Let’s head in,” I say to Sophia. She just nods, falling into step behind me. “It’s 2468,” I instruct her, pointing to the panel next to the front door. Sophia hesitates before complying, punching in the numbers carefully. There’s a beep, and then the door swings open, revealing the inside of the house
Sophia’s gasp is almost drowned out by the jingle of Max’s collar as he darts inside, but I hear it loud and clear.
“Wow,” she exhales as she takes in the interior. I can’t blame her. The fusion of tropical and modern styles gives the place a warmth that’s inviting, even as its luxury makes a statement.
