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I squeezed her hand again, hoping like hell that she could feel the depth of my sincerity.
“I would never be anything but gentle with you, Calista,” I added, pressing my thumb against her knuckles.
She stared back at me thoughtfully before replying with a teasing smile. “You do realize everything you just said completely contradicts your reputation, right?”
I smirked. “Reputation’s a tool. People see a wall of muscle and scars and think twice before crossing me.”
She tipped her head. “Is that all it’s for? My research has shown that you don’t tend to have a lot of personal relationships.”
I digested her words. “I will admit that I keep most people at a distance. But the right ones, the people who are supposed to be in my life, see past that tough-guy facade. They know the real me.”
Her smile was as serene as an angel’s, lighting up my heart.
“Am I one of those people?” she asked.
Her question was so simple, yet so complicated. How could I ever answer that?
“That’s for you to decide. Can you look past what you’ve heard about me and discover who I really am?”
“I already am,” she said.
I took a deep breath. Being physically close to her while having such an intimate conversation left my head spinning.
My pulse hammered as we sat side by side, the distance between us shrinking.
Her tone shifted, quiet and raw. “Leon…I think I could fall in love with you. And I’m not sure I want that.”
I traced the outline of her hand with my thumb and smiled. If only she knew I was already there.
Seven
CALISTA
Watching Laya cradle her son sometimes felt like watching the sunrise for the first time. Little Constantine’s stubby fingers curled around hers, his tiny hiccup breaking the quiet. I’d expected him to light up our family, but the real marvel lay in Laya herself.
She had once navigated the world with a surgeon’s precision, every emotion sealed away behind steel. Now, she slumped in the wooden chair, her face as soft as fresh dough, humming low as she rocked him.
When his eyelids fluttered shut, she pressed her lips to his forehead and whispered, “Sleep tight,” as though the words could banish every fear he might ever meet.
I was beyond grateful I could watch her love bloom day after day.
“He actually slept through the night.” Laya mopped milk from Constantine’s chin with the edge of her napkin.
Avra leaned forward, one hand resting on the swell of her belly, the other curling around her latte mug. “That must feel like a victory,” she said, her voice soft as sifting flour.
Sunlight poured through the café’s front window, warming the checkered tablecloth and tinting every fork and knife gold. The scents of fresh basil and garlic curled around us.
I stared at Laya’s contented grin and Avra’s bright eyes. “I still can’t believe you two are mothers.” My thumb traced lazy patterns on the table’s scarred wood. “It was just yesterday we were wandering cobblestones in Prague.”
“Prague seems like another lifetime,” Avra said, her smile wistful.
Laya tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and smiled down at Constantine. “And these changes—it all happened so fast. But look at this little guy.”
“He’s perfect,” Avra breathed. Then she leaned in, watching me over the rim of her glass. “What about you, Cali? Have you settled on your own big decision yet?”
My chest tightened. I pressed my fingers to my temples. “Not yet,” I said, letting my breath fall away. “I guess I’m still…undecided.”
The lie landed on the table between us.