AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“There’s more where that came from,” he teases me right back, his lips curving into a dangerous smile that makes my heart skip a beat.
I hum contentedly, reaching out to rest my palm over his heart. As always, it’s strong and steady—somehow incredibly reassuring. Adjusting so only one arm supports his head, Gleb reaches down to cover my hand with his. And the butterflies that erupt in my stomach leave me giddy with contentment.
“You hungry? I can cook breakfast since you made dinner,” he offers, the pad of his thumb brushing across my knuckles.
“Did your father train you to be both an assassin and a chef,” I tease, though I would love to see him in the kitchen. I know he can cook some good eggs and hashbrowns because he made breakfast for us the other day. But watching him at the stove, I suspect, might be entirely too appealing.
Gleb hums his amusement, the sound vibrating up against my palm, and his eyes dance playfully. “How do you think I got so good with knives?” he jokes.
I laugh, and the sound is effortless in this perfect moment. “Do I have time to take a shower?”
Gleb rolls back toward me and covers my kiss-swollen lips with his. “Absolutely.” He bounces out of bed with an agility that captures my attention.
I can’t help but watch as he leans down to scoop up the joggers that he carelessly tossed on the floor last night. And for a moment, I’m disappointed to watch him cover up a single inch of his athletic body.
But with the dark gray fabric slung low on his hips, he somehow manages to look just as enticing. He catches me watching him from the corner of his eye and winks. Then he pulls a T-shirt from his dresser and pulls it on as he heads to the kitchen.
Falling back onto the bed to look up at the ceiling once more, I take a moment to let it all sink in. Is this real? Can I actually be this happy?
I scarcely dare to believe it, and I grasp the back of my arm to pinch myself.
It’s not a dream.
15
GLEB
Adeep sense of peace settles in my chest as I pad quietly down the hall of my condo. And I pause outside Gabby’s door to listen. She’s still sleeping soundly, her soft hums assuring me her dreams are pleasant. The corners of my lips curve unconsciously into a smile.
This feeling of contentment is something I’ve yearned for all my life.
And somewhere along the line, I stopped believing it could be a reality.
At least, not my reality.
But right now, at this moment, as I step into my clean white kitchen, it feels as though my world is suddenly in balance. I know we still have issues outside our happy bubble that we’ll need to face sooner or later.
And loath as I am to step outside this perfect space, I know it’s up to me to finish this conflict with Vinny. But the thought of staying in this condo and soaking up the girls’ radiant energy sounds so much more appealing.
Before I can talk myself out of it, I shoot a quick text to Lev and Denka.
Then I turn my attention to the fridge, pulling out ingredients so I can whip us up a skillet.
My hands take over as I line up vegetables and start dicing, allowing my mind to wander back over the conversations Mel and I shared last night. I lay awake for nearly an hour after Mel fell asleep. And only after I turned to collect her in my arms—ensuring she couldn’t run without me knowing—was I finally able to relax enough to sleep.
I want to get past that nagging doubt, and for the first time, I have hope that we actually might. It just takes time.
And patience—which I don’t usually have in abundance.
But for Mel, I’ll find the will to keep my impatience in check.
The potatoes are frying, and I’m just about to start sauteeing the vegetables when Gabby’s tiny voice issues from behind her bedroom door. She’s quiet enough; I can’t tell if she’s anxious or just calling for her mom because she’s woken up.
But I can still hear my bathroom shower running. So I wipe my hands, turn the heat on the potatoes down, and stride toward Gabby’s voice before Mel gets worried.
“Hey, rybka,” I say, cracking the door to find Gabby sitting up in bed.
Her hair is tousled, her eyes sleepy as she rubs them with her fists, and her lips form a tiny o as she yawns. As far as I can tell, she’s not upset about anything. She’s still waking up.
