Page 24

The kitchen was far too bright after the night I’d just had.

As I turned the corner in search of breakfast, I was grabbed by the arms and gently pulled into the pantry.

Alisa stood in the middle, her eyes glossy.

Piles of snacks cluttered the counters. Half-bitten cookies, spilled Skittles separated by color.

I briefly assessed the room before she spoke.

“Let’s go out.”

“Out where?”

“Anywhere. I wanna dance.” A ghost of a smile appeared on her face. “I never had a bachelorette party,” she pleaded.

I studied her closely. Whatever went down last night, Alisa was eager to forget. But what she was asking for went against everything Ilya instructed. Violated every safety protocol they’d put in place.

Good thing I didn’t work for the man .

“Okay.”

“Thank you, Taya,” Alisa whispered, hugging me tightly as she slipped past me on her way out of the pantry.

I leaned against the counter, grabbing a handful of the scattered sweets.

The eye-level window faced the endless sand dunes, a light summer breeze carrying the sand on the wind. I frowned at the waste of this view in the pantry.

As I lingered, stuffing more Skittles into my mouth, the understanding clicked.

Only someone with a lot on their mind would come here, would take the time to separate them.

A hint of a smile appeared on my face. The view was exactly where it should be.

I stayed a little longer, holding my own thoughts at bay.

When they all settled, I pulled out my phone and began researching.

***

Despite the place being advertised as popular among residents, the parking lot was filled with sports cars from various states.

If it were up to me, we would’ve ended up in some local dump, listening to gossip over a beer.

Summer was prime season in the Hamptons, with the high-end houses attracting all the rich.

There probably weren’t any locals left, judging by the diners in this fancy bar.

I hadn’t seen this much linen under one roof…

well, ever. Looking around at the beige and light browns, I almost missed the black suits typically surrounding me.

There were no doors, no windows separating the bar from the patio.

Ambient lighting added to the seaside atmosphere. Palm trees rooted in pots lined the poles. Since we had little interest in the food, we were seated at the bar. A bowl of peanuts landed in front of us while Alisa discussed the wine menu with the staff.

I couldn’t believe the stunt we pulled worked .

Though we knew it was only a matter of time, we hoped we’d have enough to enjoy ourselves. Alisa was an expert at sneaking out of the house.

Combined with my knowledge of the basement, we worked out a perfect escape plan.

At this precise moment, there were three enraged mafiosos trapped together in a sex dungeon below the house. That thought alone was my entertainment for the night.

I don’t think the restaurant even had a dance floor, but it was the best I could do. It got her out of the house.

We left our phones at home, not just to make it harder for them to track us, but also because I couldn’t stand seeing the screen light up with Malek’s name one more time. Twenty missed calls were where I drew the line.

Maybe I should have stopped when he called from a different number. I thought I was clear at the meeting, but the extra text I sent him should’ve reinforced that.

It wasn’t over, because nothing ever really began. Whatever fantasy he had in his head better dissolve by the time we meet at the wedding.

Alisa and I were wrapped up in conversation for a good hour when the hairs on my arm stood up. I focused, calming my breathing.

Time was up.

I kissed her cheek and excused myself, happy to take the bullet for both of us.

Blinded by the light, I squinted, observing the darkness. When my vision adjusted, the silhouette came into shape. There he was, in the center of it, like he owned the very color. Like he purposely painted his body to blend with the shadows.

Maxim leaned against a tree in the dark part of the parking lot, arms crossed.

I hesitated, expecting a shower of angry words. None came. For a split second, I debated returning inside to warn Alisa we’d been compromised.

That’s when the darkness spoke to me .

I stepped closer, aware of every move. Summer temperatures brought out the tank top, and I was here for it.

He stayed quiet, watching as I approached.

While I expected a million questions, he asked none.

I spoke instead, “When did you have the time to get all these?” I eyed the art again, hypnotized.

He shrugged with a playful smile. “I’m not always where I say I am.”

I rolled my eyes at his vague answer.

“I had fucking years to collect them,” he added, his unrestricted smile flashing in the dark.

“How many?”

Maxim reached into his jeans pocket, lighting up a cigarette. After the first hit, he answered, “A lot.”

“Not tattoos.”

A puff of smoke accompanied his laugh. “I know.”

We seriously had to stop meeting at night. I wanted to observe his expressions closely. I wished to stare into his eyes when the sun brought out their color. To see more than just flashes of who he was through the shadows the world wrapped us in.

I’d already seen the darkness. Now, I strangely craved the light.

“Turn them off,” he ordered.

“What?”

Maxim pointed to my head, circling his finger. “The wheels turning in your head.”

His body entered my personal space, flooding every sense with its overwhelming presence.

He looked down, deep into my eyes. “We both sense it,” he hinted, running his fingers up my arm. “You and I are the biggest danger out there.”

Goosebumps covered my skin in anticipation, but I held his gaze.

“Wouldn’t that mean I should be alert around you? ”

Maxim chuckled. “You sure were alert last night,” he rubbed the memory in.

The darkness hid the evil side-eye I threw his way, or maybe he just ignored it. Either way, I resorted to action. I lifted my knee, but he blocked the attempt, pushing my leg back down.

“You’re safe with me.”

A snicker slipped out of me. “I’m not looking for a dark knight.” I tapped my index finger against the middle of my chest. “I’m my own weapon.”

His gaze traveled the length of my body, assessing. “You look like you’re capable of handling two.”

Safe. I laughed internally. The word had nothing to do with capability.

There was never a time in my life when I was truly safe. No one was. Not even with numbers.

“Promises don’t mean much to me,” I confessed.

“I don’t give those,” he shot back, standing firm. “I’m giving you my word.”

I let out a puff of laughter, the sound floating between us. “I’ve yet to meet a gangster who keeps it.”

“Another generalization.” Maxim shook his head in disapproval, his tone one of disappointment. “Baby, we’ve got so much to work on.”

He slid his warm hand around my neck, rotating me to face the opposite direction. Together, we took a step toward the entrance, the sun-warmed pavement crunching beneath our sneakers.

His stubble grazed my ear when he whispered, “I’ll prove you right for every wrong they’ve convinced you of.”

A light kiss brushed my neck where his hands had just been, before he returned to his spot.

Without a glance back, I made my way to Alisa at the bar. Sweat beaded on my neck as I tried to ignore the heat, lowering myself onto the stool.

Alisa sat straight, her maxi dress trailing to the floor .

“They’re here,” I murmured, my voice low.

She remained still, her rosy cheeks matching the color of her shoes.

“I noticed,” she said softly, her chin lowered.

When the meaning registered, I scanned the room. Enzo was the first I spotted, sitting at the end of the bar, wiggling his eyebrows when our eyes briefly met.

“Great,” I chugged the remaining wine.

“That’s not all.” Alisa nodded off to the side.

Luka appeared in the right corner, his hand flat against the wall. Beneath him, a short brunette hung on every word. He paused, flashing me his perfect smile.

I knew, if I faced the left corner, Maxim would already be there.

They covered each front, forming a triangular trap. Us dangling in the middle like bait. He drew me out, so the rest can close in.

Alisa gave in to the pressure, scanning the room for her brother. When her face lit up, I got my confirmation. A moment passed before her focus snapped back to me.

“What did he do now?” she asked teasingly, a smirk on her lips.

I drummed the tips of my nails against the wine glass. “Rotated me like a rotisserie chicken,” I huffed.

Alisa’s drink sprayed across the polished bar top. Her cheeks flushed, but she giggled loudly, attracting the attention of several nearby patrons.

“I mean it literally,” I snorted, attempting to set the record straight, but her dreamer’s mind wasn’t accepting the answer.

Enzo’s face was a display of emotions when I cocked my head in his direction.

“And him?” I asked Alisa.

“Absolutely nothing,” she fidgeted with her hands.

I looked around, the bar getting more packed as the night progressed.

“Now what? ”

“Now we feel the moment.” She smiled, not letting the men ruin her time.

And we did. We laughed, discussed fashion, snorted far too often for the type of establishment.

When the waiter came to check on us, we ordered a third bottle, despite Alisa’s previous restrictions.

The guy lingered around, smiling widely.

He glanced at Alisa’s hand as we arrived, spotting the diamond that pulled her finger down.

Even my best stare didn’t deter him when he turned his eyes to me next.

I figured the first few heated glances were in hopes of a generous tip. We exchanged eye rolls with the bride next to me. The fifth glance came with a wink, and that unleashed me. I flagged him down, leaning over the bar.

“I don’t think you’ve got what it takes,” I cautioned, my voice daring. “But then again, does anyone?”

The waiter’s mouth gaped like a fish out of water, but it wasn’t me behind his reaction.

Tattooed arms eloped around me, placing knuckles against the surface.

“It’s not on you tonight,” Maxim reminded me, his voice softer than I’ve ever heard him speak. Enzo and Luka were already on their way over from across the bar.

“ Brat ,” Alisa greeted her brother, smiling from ear to ear.

A low sound came from the waiter, but Maxim was quicker. “Shut your dumbass mouth before I permanently shut it for you,” he growled. He stepped in between, holding out a hand to help us down, then let Luka take over.

When we fled the damn place, I turned just in time to see the color drain from the waiter’s face at Maxim’s parting words. He pointed his finger at me, and when they both turned, I mouthed, “Fuck this place,” and walked out.

We each clung to Luka’s arm, with Enzo trailing behind us. Every twenty meters or so, I turned back, checking on him .

I returned to the same bedroom I’d slept in the previous night. Just like then, the door to the basement remained open.

When Maxim showed up much later, he headed straight to the bathroom.

The rainforest shower gushed out streams of water, the droplets dancing against the marble. I urged my body to leave the comfort of satin sheets, seeking him.

I leaned against the vanity, watching him rinse off.

The steam partly hid his figure, my body fighting the urge to join him or, better yet, wipe the fog off the glass to see him more clearly.

I fought with all my might, but my eyes…

they betrayed me. I stood there, tracing every move, every drop that slid down his skin.

It felt like an invasion, to witness something I wasn’t meant to see.

If there was a canvas worthy of the image, and if I had the talent, I’d rush to capture it.

Maxim cut off the water, stepping out of the red puddle. He reached for the towel and wrapped it low around his hips. His steps led him right to me, our feet touching when he reached over, grabbing my chin between his fingers, denying me the mouthwatering view by tilting my head.

We stayed like that for a while before I pushed up on my toes and placed a kiss on his cheek. His eyes searched for answers, something unreadable flashing through the greens. I gave him nothing, just a smile before slipping back under the sheets.

I tucked my hands under my head, breathing in the moment. The mattress dipped under his weight, the sheets ruffling. His hands searched my back, tracing the scarred lines.

“What would you be in another life?” he asked in a throaty voice.

“Yours,” the word escaped me in a whisper. It was a fleeting thought, clouded by the fog of sleep, because the word felt like a commitment I could never keep .

Closing my eyes, I forced my thoughts to calm and focused on the even breaths of the man beside me. As I neared the sleep gate, Maxim kissed my shoulder blade, his voice a low murmur in the dark. “In another life.”

Maybe it was a dream, a trick of my groggy mind, but I answered anyway.

“There is no such thing,” I whispered, my voice barely a breath.

And I crossed the sleep realm’s door.