M For Moscow

33 | drunk on happiness

"Hold on a minute. I'm going into my mother's room." I told Luka, dropping my bag on the floor and slipping past the door. I took a seat by the window, snuggling into a comfortable position and said, "Hi."

"Hey. Are you OK?" he asked softly.

"Yeah, I'm just tired. We just came back from dinner with my mum's boyfriend." I leaned my head against the glass and closed my eyes.

"You and your brothers?"

I snapped my eyes open. "Oh, no. Alexey and I. He's the son of the boyfriend."

Luka made an 'ah' sound followed by silence. I cleared my throat.

"How's everything in Moscow? Little bit more sane without me?"

He laughed before getting serious. "Sergei and Karina are under investigation now but there's not enough proof to put them under cuffs yet. On the plus side, Miron's fashion line is the number one trend, and Reneé, Liliana and Olivia have all been scouted by top agencies. You really made a difference in their lives, Mace."

I smiled at the thought, cuddling the phone to my ear. "That's so good to hear. You've been spending time with the girls, then? And Miron?

"Yeah, kind of. They just stop by sometimes."

There was more quiet over the call. It was becoming the norm.

It wasn't that we didn't know what to say to each other, it was just that the time and distance made it difficult. We would call for hours without saying anything, and although it wasn't awkward, it wasn't anything either.

So, I said the only thing I could say: "I miss you, Luka."

"I miss you, too." he admitted with a loud sigh.

"How long do I have to be here?"

"Until we know, for sure, it's safe for you to come back. You don't know my sister like I do. There's no limit she'll go to get what she wants." he repeated.

"Can't we get extra bodyguards? Maybe install one outside the suite?" I asked, completely fed up with the long distance. I folded my knees and leaned my head against them so I was facing my belly. The sadness clear in my voice. "Is this really necessary, Luka?"

"Yes, it is. When all this is over, I'll get you a plane back, I promise." he reassured me once again, his voice strong and steady. "Look, I got to go. I've got some people coming over and--"

I removed my phone from my ear to glance at the time. "Isn't it only midday there?"

As far as I knew Luka Gold, he was never one to make plans until the afternoon.

"Yeah," he said, sounding suspiciously annoyed, "but this was urgent. I really have to go, I'll talk to you tomorrow? Yeah, okay. Bye, love you."

"I love you, too." I replied although I wasn't sure if he meant it.

I shut my phone as I closed my eyes, fighting back the tears that threatened to leak out of my eyes. I hated this feeling of vulnerability, I hated Luka for making me feel it.

I was the type of person who used to cry when her mother caned her. Or cry when her mother sent her more than halfway across the country. But ever since Moscow, ever since I started living, I had become a totally new and improved person with a whole new identity and a whole new wardrobe of clothes.

When I walked down the streets of my hometown, I was unrecognisable.

There was a knock at the door.

I wiped away my tears and called for him to come in.

Alexey walked in cautiously, a look of worry in his eyes. He must've heard the sobs.