Page 49

As the clock neared 2 AM, Enzo said goodnight and set off on his naked quest, dragging a sun bed through the sand.
Alisa had already dozed off on the living room couch. When Maxim tried to move her to bed, she protested like a child, mumbling about wanting to see the sunrise over the sea. I was pretty sure the room she was staying in offered the same view, but we complied, covered her with blankets, and turned off the light.
Luka, the last one left, asked his older brother for the car keys. Casually dressed, he kissed his sister goodnight on the cheek and disappeared into the night.
In the unfamiliar space, I opened another bottle and settled on the patio.
With no sleep schedule and my paranoia creeping in, I didn’t bother trying to sleep. At least notfor a while.
The house and the area around it were dark, except for the LED strips lighting up the staircase. Outside, the moon was doing its part, casting a soft glow. If you lived in the city like I did, the sky was rarely visible. Tonight was a different story. I leaned back and took in the view.
There was something oddly peaceful about the silence that settled when everything else was still. It was exciting, not knowing what was lurking in the dark. I tuned into the night, feeling the stillness and letting my senses catch every little sound.
An orange glow alerted me to his presence.
He approached the house from the beach, a cloud of smoke swirling around his head as he leaned against the patio pole. Legs crossed at the ankles, he stared straight ahead, right where I lay.
Aware of his gaze, I flipped him off. Again. Partly to test his limits, but mostly to get a reaction. The cigarette dangled from his mouth as he returned the gesture with both hands.
Maxim pulled out his phone, the light casting a glow on his face. The change in environment brought out his curls, and the natural style suited him.
A text message notification beeped from the pocket of my dress. While I wondered if I should keep him waiting, curiosity won out, and I pulled out my phone.
MAXIM:Is this all talk, no game?
ME:Who is this?
Amusement flickered in his eyes at my pathetic attempt at a joke. His eyebrow arched in that familiar ‘Seriously?’ way when he looked at me.
I didn’t make him wait long.
ME:Depends on what game we’re playing.
MAXIM:The same one we started back at the club.
Before I could respond, another message came through.
MAXIM:Except the stakes have increased.
ME:How so?
MAXIM:Now I have something to prove…
ME:What?
MAXIM:That there’s someone in this house you’re interested in.
I cleared my throat, shaking off whatever had lodged itself there. Deciding to play along, I was curious to see where this would lead.
ME:Basement, 15 minutes. I’ll leave it open.
I entered the house through the sliding glass door, heading straight for the place I had in mind. Alisa was fast asleep on the couch, her hands tucked beneath her head.
Moving quietly through the house, I passed the dim hallway, heading toward the basement. Three doors down, the gray one waited.
As I entered, the room looked just as I remembered. Dominated by dark tones, shades of gray blended seamlessly with metallic accents and crisp white undertones. Modern art adorned the otherwise sparse walls.
Sophisticated, expensive, unmistakably so. At first glance, nothing seemed out of place, but a closer inspection revealed something else entirely.