A Dance with Danger

Chapter Thirty-Nine

>> Tiberius POV<<

The crashing of waves against the shore filled the air as I stood at the edge of the glass balcony. The cool ocean breeze brushed against my face, tousling my dark hair.

My gaze drifted over the deep blue sea, a canvas stretching endlessly before me. My mind was restless, always alert. The mafia's influence stretched far and wide, but I kept my focus—until my phone buzzed, pulling me back into the present.

I didn’t need to look at the screen to know who it was. Connor’s name flashed in my mind as I answered with a swipe, bringing the phone to my ear.

“How’s everything going with the mafia?” I asked, my voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of authority. I could already picture Connor’s serious face, even without him being here.

“Perfectly well, Tiberius,” he replied almost instantly, his tone as firm and dependable as always. “Mr. Damien has been here to help as well, but he left immediately after receiving a call from Mr. Ilya.”

I let out a small sigh, the mention of Father and his sudden departure reminding me of the constant storm of emotions that our family had to navigate. My father was always there for us, but when his husband, Ilya, called, it was like everything else faded into the background.

I understood—Papa had his demons, and sometimes those demons came in the form of anxiety attacks. They were unpredictable and ruthless, dragging him down into dark places where only his husband could reach him.

His mind must be clouded again.

“Papa must be having another anxiety attack,” I muttered under my breath, though I knew Connor could hear me. It wasn’t a question; it was an observation. I didn’t need to elaborate.

I had seen the toll it took on him—how his thoughts would spiral, plunging him into a state of darkness. He was a leader, yes, but even the strongest men had their moments of weakness. Only Father could pull him out of that black hole.

Luckily it only happens when he thinks of something that relates to home.

Skylar was the one who usually managed to calm him down. He understood Papa in a way few others did. I didn’t know if I could ever understand the depths of Papa’s mind the way Skylar did.

But it was something we feared, all of us: that one day, Skylar might not be there to help Papa, and the darkness might swallow him whole. It hadn’t happened yet, but we could see the fragility.

Papa had always been the center of our world, our anchor. And I hated how vulnerable he was becoming.

Connor’s voice broke through my thoughts, drawing my attention back to the present.

“Tiberius, is everything okay on your end?” he asked, a slight edge to his tone.

I took a deep breath and let the sea breeze calm my nerves, then replied with practiced ease, “Yeah, everything’s fine. Just thinking.”

Connor seemed satisfied with my answer. “Anything else? You mean besides the fact that you’re clearly distracted by something... or rather, someone?”

Before I could reply, my eyes flickered over to the poolside, where I saw her. Estelle. She was sitting on one of the lounge chairs by the pool, an ice cream cone in her hand, her legs stretched out in front of her.

Her dress—a soft lavender that complemented her golden skin—fluttered slightly in the breeze. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun, strands of it escaping to frame her face. She seemed so at ease, so carefree, a stark contrast to the weight of my responsibilities.

Her gaze was distant at first, Estelle's attention absorbed by the horizon, the birds that flew toward the warm shores. I found myself studying her, caught up in the way the light played off her skin, the way her eyes shimmered as she watched the world around her.

It was hard to shake the thoughts of her—always lingering in the back of my mind, distracting me from everything else. My heart—my very core—was consumed by her presence.

The way she smiled, the way she laughed, the way she just existed… I couldn't stop thinking about her. And I knew, deep down, that I was starting to crave her in ways I couldn’t fully understand.

I didn’t even realize I was smiling until the sound of her laughter broke the spell. She had looked up, and our eyes met across the distance. That knowing smile, the one she only gave me, tugged at my chest.

My breath caught for a moment, a sense of warmth spreading through me. There was something about her—something that made everything else in the world feel less important.

I didn’t realize I was still smiling at her until I heard Connor’s voice again, this time much louder and more impatient.

“Tiberius! I’ve been calling you for the fifth time now!”

I blinked, snapping out of my reverie. “What was that?” I asked, half to myself and half to him, distracted still by the image of Estelle sitting there.

I could see Connor’s expression without even having to picture it. He was likely raising an eyebrow, probably annoyed. But that was normal. We had been through enough together for him to understand when I needed a moment.

“ Exactly! Distracted."

I turned away from the balcony, my focus shifting back to the present. That’s when I noticed Estelle walking toward me, her ice cream cone still in her hand. She looked at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes, that playful glimmer that made my pulse quicken.

She came to a stop in front of me, holding the rum raisin ice cream out as if offering it to me. Without thinking, I leaned forward and took a lick of it, the sweet flavor filling my mouth. A brief flash of delight ran through me, but it was fleeting. My attention was still entirely on her.

Her warm, brown eyes sparkled as she watched me. My free hand moved instinctively, resting at her waist. The touch was light, but it sent a wave of warmth through me.

She was close now, and I could smell the faint hint of vanilla mixed with the sweetness of her perfume. I had always been keenly aware of the way she smelled, the way she felt when she was near.

“Do you like it?” she asked, her voice soft, almost teasing.

Before I could answer, I leaned in closer, my lips brushing against her ear as I whispered, “I’d like it more if I could eat it off of you.”

Her breath hitched slightly, and I felt her body tense under my touch, but then she bit her lip—a little nervous, a little playful—and slapped me lightly on the chest.

“Stop it, Tiberius,” she muttered, but there was no real force behind her words. I could tell she was hiding a smile, and that only made my desire for her grow.

Her playfulness was like a spark that lit a fire inside me, a fire I couldn’t quite control. I could feel the tension building between us, a connection that had only deepened with time. I wanted to hold her, kiss her, make her mine in a way that went beyond anything physical. There was a part of me—my heart, my soul—that ached for her.

But before I could say anything else, Connor’s voice came through the phone again, now sharp and insistent.

“Tiberius, you’re still on the line?”

I glanced at the phone, still pressed against my ear. “I’ll talk to you later, Connor. Handle things on your end. I’ve got this under control.”

I ended the call, the phone slipping from my hand as I focused solely on Estelle. The world seemed to shrink, her presence consuming all of my attention.

She smiled, her eyes glinting with something more—something that hinted at the tension between us. There was something unspoken in the air, something that neither of us had addressed yet. But I knew we would have to. Eventually.

For now, I simply looked at her, my heart racing, and let the silence between us stretch out—an unspoken understanding passing between us.