Roman winked at me. “Then let them watch.”
Dmitri, who had been watching all of this from the doorway, finally stepped forward. “You realize this is probably the only time in the foreseeable future we’ll have peace, correct?”
Roman gestured grandly to the pool. “Then we should spend it like civilized people. Half-naked and in the water.”
Lev shook his head. “You’re a child.”
“Maybe,” Roman said, “but I’m a happy child.”
Before Lev could argue, I walked past them, dipping my fingers into the surface. The water was warm, sunlight glinting across the small ripples. “We could use a little peace,” I said softly.
Dmitri’s gaze flicked to me, then to his brothers. “Fine,” he said finally. “One hour.”
Roman whooped in victory. “That’s the spirit, brother!”
The moment my toes hit the water, everything else melted away. The pool seemed to stretch out into the sky itself. Honestly, it was like swimming at the edge of the world. Below, the city shimmered, skyscrapers catching the light. The sound of the water spilling into the lower pool was soft and constant, a heartbeat against the hum of Dubai far beneath us.
Lev joined me first, quiet and graceful as always, while Roman cannonballed into the deep end like an overgrown teenager. The splash drenched Dmitri, who hadn’t even taken off his shirt yet.
“Dickhead,” he intoned, his voice perfectly calm and his face not betraying a thing.
Roman grinned, pushing his wet hair out of his face. “You needed cooling off.”
Dmitri’s only response was to step into the pool fully clothed, the water lapping at his chest as he stalked toward Roman.
Lev and I exchanged a look.
“He’s going to kill him, isn’t he?” I murmured.
Lev smirked faintly. “Probably.”
I laughed, the sound echoing off the glass walls. It felt good—real and human, something I hadn’t felt since before ARCHEONblackmailed me into their service. For a few stolen minutes, I wasn’t the spy, the survivor, or the weapon. I was justme.
Roman backpedaled through the water, grinning. “Come on, Dmitri, don’t ruin the mood. You know you want to swim.”
Dmitri reached him, one swift hand shoving his head underwater. Roman came up sputtering, still laughing.
“Okay, I deserved that.”
“Yes,” Dmitri said evenly. “You did.”
Lev shook his head. “I can’t believe these are my brothers.”
“Admit it,” Roman said, floating backward. “You’d miss us if we were gone.”
Lev glanced at me, his mouth curving in a small smile. “Maybe,” he mouthed the word, shrugging.
Roman laughed, then turned his attention back to me. “You having fun yet, Kara-with-a-K?”
“Maybe,” I teased. “If you can manage not to drown your family for five minutes.”
“I promise, I promise,” he said, splashing water my way.
I splashed him back.
For a little while, it was easy to forget. Easy to laugh, to breathe, to justbe.The sunlight danced on the water, and the whole world felt weightless.
Then a faint, rhythmic hum. Mechanical. Out of place.
