Page 44 of Mafia and Scars

“Are you better, Mama?” Sofia asks.

“A little, baby, but you don’t have to worry. After you’re changed, go on and brush your teeth while I take care of your brother, okay? I’ll join you in a few minutes.”

As she moves to her bright-pink duffle bag, I turn my attention to Leon. Lifting him up, I coo at him, earning a small giggle before I settle him down on my lap.

I change Leon into his dinosaur pj’s. Balancing him on my hip, I slowly move toward the bathroom. Sofia hums softly to herself, going through her meticulous bathroom routine. At least that’s something she can do anywhere we go. She’s changed into her pink pj’s, little rainbows decorating the shorts. I stand beside her and help her with her teeth.

I hear the door to the room open, and I peer around the corner to spot Viktor once more.

I guide Sofia out of the bathroom once she’s finished. Silence greets us except for the gentle purring of Viktor’s cat where she nuzzles against his hand.

Viktor is standing before the window, his back to us. I swallow hard as I usher the kids into the bed, ignoring the way his black shirt tugs tight against his broad shoulders. Or the way my face heats from just staring at him.

I get back into bed, and Sofia snuggles down beside me while I perch Leon on my lap.

“Can you read to us, Mama?”

“Of course,” I reply to Sofia. It’s routine. And I wouldn’t dare break routine tonight. I know Sofia needs it. Maybe I do too. It’s some slice of normal when everything’s been so chaotic lately.

Viktor looks to us, brow crinkled, before he moves to a bookcase beside the window. “Here.”

I blink at the book he shoves in front of me. Its gilded edges give me pause. “It... Are you sure? It looks kind of expensive.”

Viktor pushes the book toward me again.

I take it, our fingers skimming just briefly.

His hand yanks back like I’ve bitten him, and I ignore the way my skin tingles from the brief contact.

A flush colors my cheeks as I examine the book a little closer. The gilded edges make way to a worn fabric cover.Alice in Wonderland.My fingers skim the embossed lettering. It looks well-loved. Worn down but still well taken care of.

“I’ll read. You need rest.”

I blink at his gruff words but nod. My throat feels raw as it is, and my eyes keep drooping. “Thanks.”

He sits on the bed beside us, adjusting himself against the pillows and headboard stiffly. A two-foot gap separates him and us. I want to tell him we don’t bite. That he can scoot closer. But we’re strangers. He’s just being respectful, right?

He clears his throat, looking at us from the corner of his eye before opening the book. A beautiful hand-drawn watercolor image greets us, and Sofia sits up to get a better look.

“Chapter One. Down the Rabbit Hole,” he reads, his voice deep and soothing.

I nestle into the pillows, cradling Leon as Viktor’s voice lulls me into a soft relaxed state. I must drift off slightly because the words of Lewis Carroll no longer sound around me, and instead, I hear Sofia’s voice.

“Is it an important book?” Sofia asks.

“It is,” Viktor answers.

“The pictures are very vibrant.”

“Babulya, my grandmother, gave it to me as a kid. I’ve read it a lot. The pictures were my favorite part.”

“The pictures are my favorite part too,” Sofia replies. “More books should have them.”

I open my heavy eyelids a little. Sofia looks absolutely captivated by the book’s pictures, and I swear I see a small smile tugging at thecorner of Viktor’s lips.

“Say goodnight.”

Sofia moves closer to kiss my cheek. “Goodnight, Mama.”