Page 17

Our destination was a house made for hosting.

The open-plan main floor offered stunning views of the ocean in the distance.

Floor-to-ceiling windows let in the light, and a sliding balcony door in the middle connected to the back of the property, where a backyard with a heated pool and jacuzzi awaited.

A roofed patio featured a dining table and bar.

The sleeping arrangements were more than enough, with five bedrooms and attached bathrooms to choose from.

On top of that, Enzo had his own upper floor, a private apartment within the house.

I knew too much about the kind of parties he hosted, but I restrained myself from thinking about the past events as I entered the lavish space.

Alisa disappeared for a moment to freshen up after the ride .

Enzo was still roaming around the kitchen when I teasingly asked about the sectional couch placed in front of the windows. “Is it safe to sit there?” I pointed toward the furniture, scrunching my face in the best way I could.

“Hilarious,” he retorted. “I tell you too much.”

A grin played on my face. “Yeah, you do. I’ll never look at you the same.”

I shrugged dramatically just as Alisa walked back into the room, setting her handbag on the nearest counter. Overhearing our conversation, she eyed the couch curiously. “Why wouldn’t it be safe?”

“Jesus Christ,” Enzo muttered, and it took all my willpower not to burst out laughing.

“I’m going upstairs to make some calls.” Before he moved, Enzo pointed toward the pantry. “Staff stocked the fridge. Rooms are ready. Pick one.”

I glanced at him in mock disappointment. “In my head, I gave you half an hour before you disappeared.”

Enzo ran his hands through his dark hair, messing up the long locks. “Making the calls now means more freedom later. And after the week I had, I plan on getting wasted and sleeping on the beach.” The sound of his shoes clicking faded as Enzo turned back with a mischievous grin. “Preferably naked.”

“I take it all back,” I called out, too busy taking in the space.

“You know where to find me,” he shot back before the door clicked shut.

The couch was bigger than I expected, and despite my earlier worries, I sank into it. Not even a second passed before Alisa was pulling on my arm.

“Oh my god. Taya, please tell me this is the house.” She tugged at me like a kid begging for attention.

I raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Don’t play dumb. Is this where… you know?” She gestured around, clearly expecting me to understand. “My friend went once. She won’t shut up about it.” A grin tugged at her lips, no doubt recalling the conversation.

I stared ahead, emotionless. “Maybe. How would I know?” Oh, I knew, all right .

Unconvinced, she shot me a look. “How come he didn’t need to show you around?”

I opened my mouth to answer, but Alisa poked me, landing a hit straight between the ribs.

“Gotcha,” she grinned, clearly victorious. “You’ve been here before.”

“Fine, once.” I held up a finger.

“You better spill all the details.”

I rolled my eyes. “I swear you Galkins are a family of gossipers.”

“Of course we are. How else do you stay entertained?”

A laugh escaped me. “Let’s just say I was young and careless. Received an invitation from one of my contacts. I never found out who sent it.”

“But you went,” Alisa fished for confirmation.

“I was too curious to turn down the opportunity. Mind you, I was nineteen and had just recently started having sex.”

“How experienced are we talking?” Alisa wiggled her eyebrows.

A puff of air escaped me, but before we got into the details, I knew the moment would be easier with something to wash away the taste. “I think this calls for a drink… maybe some snacks too. Be right back.”

I patted her on the knee before heading underground, to where I knew the goods were stored.

Pressing the button hidden behind Dante’s Inferno on the bookshelf, like I’d seen Enzo do before, a door opened in the wall, revealing a familiar staircase.

At first glance, you wouldn’t be able to tell the building had a basement area stretching out beyond the base of the house.

Enzo had it expanded shortly after purchasing.

I struggled to navigate the space without the neon lights pointing the way.

It was a maze of doors in different colors, and I had to open one or two before the right one revealed the cellar.

Bingo.

Alisa was still in the same position I’d left her when I returned.

Holding up the bottles, I presented the choices to my companion .

“Courtesy of Enzo’s secret stash. Some overpriced Italian wine I won’t attempt to pronounce. The rule is, the longer the name, the fancier.”

I set them down on the kitchen island, reaching for the wine glasses. “It’s like a maze down there. I almost got lost.”

Alisa shook her head. “I’m good. You go ahead. I need to fit into the dress, so I’m on a low carb. I’ll just grab water from the fridge later.”

“Suit yourself.” I wasn’t one to pressure her, so I poured myself a generous glass and made my way across on bare feet, settling back onto the couch.

We sat in silence, the waves crashing against the shore in rhythmic sound, accompanying our thoughts.

A sense of calm overtook me. The scenery was breathtaking, the endless ocean surrounding us.

I wondered if anyone ever tried to find the end of it, like with a rainbow, no one knew where it began or ended. What was the middle?

Similar to the life I led, the ocean too survived in crashes, unaware of its upcoming end.

Turning to Alisa, I found her poker face in place. Even if I wanted to pry, her thoughts were well hidden behind it.

A genuine friendship was building. Or so I thought. Maybe I was na?ve to believe something real could come from this way of life. Oblivious to the reality of the day, I might be on a path of self-destruction, letting all these people play a role in my life.

Could she be the one? Someone I could share my ups and downs with, without judgment? Or without an irrational feeling of betrayal?

Unaware of my internal battles, Alisa’s face lit up when our eyes locked.

“You go first,” I insisted, expanding on the conversation we started earlier.

“Okay.” She shifted closer and began. “My brothers were determined to make me attend a university. A degree might be useful, but I knew they were trying to get me out of the city,” she paused, giving me a quick glance.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m very grateful for all they’ve done, but it wasn’t their choice to make.

I was born into this family just like them, so I should be allowed to decide. ”

“Father didn’t see it that way,” she rolled her eyes. “While they were trained to be the perfect soldiers, I got etiquette lessons and party planning. What a useful skill in a dangerous situation.” Alisa let out a short, sarcastic laugh. “At least I’ll know which spoon to pair with gazpacho.”

“Your mother didn’t protest?” I knew the answer, but I asked anyway. My mother’s voice was the law, so the dynamics between our families were fundamentally different.

“She didn’t have a say. Our parents are old school. It wasn’t until my brothers took over the family that I had more freedom.”

I nodded, understanding. Though I wasn’t told what to do growing up, I’d been surrounded by people who tried to control us. Those who saw women as nothing more than property. We were told what to do, how to behave.

Some accepted orders without question, out of fear, or the belief that there was no other choice. Still, we all fought the patriarchy in our own ways.

“I can teach you some self-defense if you’d like,” I offered. I meant it, too. I hadn’t seen her as weak in any way. Just like my own training, I wanted to offer what I knew to anyone willing to learn.

“That would be great. But you’ll have to go easy on me.

I possess zero athletic skills,” she agreed.

“Anyway, university was an awakening. Suddenly, all these possibilities opened up. Everything that was forbidden before felt reachable. Andrei pulled a few strings so I could attend this prestigious institution in LA, filled with students from prominent families. Kids of politicians, governors, and even some mafia royalty. That’s where I met my friends.

We stuck together for the five years, but when we graduated, they all went back to their families.

We’re still in touch, but it’s not the same.

You know how you’re so close to someone, but then time and distance make you realize it’s not the same? ”

When I didn’t respond, she added, “Like the friendship worked for you in that moment, but it’s not who you are anymore?”

I shook my head once. “I don’t have many friends, so I can’t say for sure. Besides Enzo and Ilya, you’re my only female friend, and we only just met.”

Curiosity or practicality got the best of me. “They’re not coming?”

She lowered her gaze. “I didn’t invite them. They’ll be at the wedding.”

Her expression cleared, as if shaking off whatever emotion had surfaced, and she turned the conversation back to me. “What about your parents? What are they like?”

Somewhere in the depths of my layers, a long-forgotten feeling stirred awake upon hearing her question.

Alisa was the first one to ask about my family.

I always assumed whoever worked with me had done their research and came up empty.

That fact raised some red flags, but if anything, it added to my street cred.

There wasn’t much to know about me outside of my professional life.

My mother made sure of that. Bank accounts, the apartment, cars, everything I owned was in another name.

Practically untraceable. The younger version of me stressed about the possibilities.

What if they find out?

I had rehearsed an answer, a cover story in case the question finally came up, yet no one ever bothered.

I shoved the memories aside. “I’ve been on my own for a while now.”

“I didn’t know that.”