Made for crime

play date

Nina's POV

The sun was shining brightly as I sat in the living room, watching Aura and Jason play on the carpet, their giggles filling the air. For the first time in what felt like forever, the world seemed peaceful. Aura's smile was infectious, and Jason's excitement was almost impossible to contain. They were inseparable, like two little firecrackers, always lighting each other up with laughter and mischievous grins.

I glanced over at Kai, who was leaning against the doorway, arms crossed, watching the two with a look of amusement. Seeing him this way—relaxed, happy—made my heart swell. It was moments like these that reminded me why I fought so hard to keep going.

"Kai," I said, breaking the silence, my tone playful but with a hint of nervousness. "I've been thinking."

He raised an eyebrow, a small smirk playing on his lips. "That sounds dangerous."I rolled my eyes but smiled despite myself. "Aura and Jason have been talking nonstop about going on a little 'date' together. You know, like a playdate but for them, where they get to pretend to be grown-ups."

His eyes flickered toward the kids, and I could see the protective edge sharpening in his expression. "A date? They're kids, solnishka."

I laughed softly, shaking my head. "I know, I know. But it's adorable. They just want to go out for ice cream, maybe a walk through the park. Rosetta can take them, and there would only be one guard with them, just for supervision. What do you think?"

Kai's frown deepened, his jaw tightening. I could practically hear the wheels turning in his head. I knew how protective he was of Jason—and me—but I also knew that Aura and Jason needed a chance to just be kids. To have some normalcy in the chaos that had become our lives.

I reached for his hand, lacing my fingers through his. "Please, Kai. They'll be safe. Rosetta and i will be with them the entire time."

He glanced at me, his eyes softening as he took in the hopeful look on my face. With a sigh, he finally nodded. "Fine. But only because it's Rosetta and you .And only one guard, someone I trust."

I smiled brightly, squeezing his hand. "Thank you."

Later that afternoon, Rosetta arrived, her warm smile lighting up the room as soon as she entered. She knelt down to hug Aura and Jason, already as attached to them as they were to her. "So, I hear we've got a little adventure planned today?" she asked, her voice full of excitement.

Aura and Jason's eyes lit up, bouncing up and down with anticipation. "Ice cream!" they both shouted at once, earning a chuckle from Rosetta.

Kai made his way over to me, his hand resting protectively on the small of my back as we watched the three of them prepare to leave. I noticed the guard Kai had assigned—tall, broad-shouldered, and wearing sunglasses that hid most of his expression. He was a silent presence, blending into the background, but something about him made my skin prickle. I couldn't put my finger on it.

As he turned to glance at the children, my heart stopped. There, on his jaw, was a scar. A long, jagged line that ran from the edge of his cheek to the corner of his jaw. It was unmistakable. Familiar. My stomach twisted painfully as the memory of my kidnapper's face flashed before my eyes.The scar. The man who had—

I blinked hard, trying to steady myself. No. It couldn't be. My vision blurred for a moment, and my chest tightened. I gripped Kai's hand a little too hard, and he turned to me, concern flashing in his eyes.

"Nina? You okay?" he asked softly, his voice low and grounding.I nodded quickly, forcing a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... tired."

I tried to shake off the feeling, telling myself it was just my mind playing tricks on me. The guard had the scar, but that didn't mean anything. There could be dozens of men with scars like that. It wasn't him. It wasn't.

Still, I couldn't help but glance at him again, the unease settling deeper in my bones. But Aura and Jason were so excited. I couldn't ruin this for them. Not now. Not after everything."Okay, guys," I said, forcing my voice to sound cheerful. "Have fun, and don't forget to save me some ice cream!"

Aura ran over to me, hugging me tightly. "I will! I'll get your favorite flavor!"

Jason followed suit, hugging me and then flashing a grin at Kai. "We'll be back soon!"Kai ruffled Jason's hair, giving him a nod. "Be good, kid."

And just like that, they were off. The door closed behind them, and the house felt oddly quiet. Kai noticed my tension, his hand resting on my lower back again, a steadying presence. "You sure you're okay?"

I hesitated for a moment, the image of that scar still haunting me. "I just... I thought I saw something, but it's probably nothing."His brow furrowed. "What did you see?"

I shook my head. "It's fine. Really. I'm just being paranoid. I'll feel better once they're back."

Kai looked at me for a long moment, his eyes scanning my face, and I could tell he didn't fully believe me. But he nodded anyway. "If you're sure."I leaned into him, resting my head against his chest. "I'm sure."---**A Few Hours Later**The sound of laughter filled the air as Rosetta, Aura, and Jason returned from their outing. Aura's face was smeared with ice cream, and Jason proudly carried a balloon in one hand, his other hand holding tightly to Aura's. Rosetta was smiling, clearly amused by their antics.

I exhaled in relief, the tension I hadn't realized I'd been holding finally releasing. They were safe. Everything had been fine.

"How was it?" I asked, kneeling down to wipe the ice cream from Aura's cheek."It was amazing!" Aura exclaimed, bouncing on her toes. "Jason said I can be his girlfriend!"I

 blinked in surprise, glancing at Rosetta, who was laughing softly. Jason blushed and scratched the back of his neck. "Well... yeah. We're gonna get married."

I couldn't help but chuckle at their innocence, my heart warming at the sight of them so happy, so carefree. Kai, standing beside me, smirked and raised an eyebrow. "That so, Jason?"Jason grinned, puffing out his chest. "Yep! We're in love."Kai shot me a glance, and I couldn't help but laugh. "Guess we better start planning the wedding, then."

The rest of the evening passed in a blur of laughter and joy, the earlier fear that had gripped me slowly fading into the background. Aura and Jason continued their playful banter, and Rosetta entertained them with stories as the night wore on.

But as I sat on the couch, watching them, I couldn't shake the feeling entirely. The scar. The guard.

Maybe it was nothing.

Or maybe it was the beginning of something I wasn't ready to face.