He just blinks once, slow, like he’s absorbing the words. Like they’ve landed somewhere deep.
And then I see it. That tell. The one I haven’t seen in years. His jaw locks, a muscle ticking near his temple… and his hand lifts, casual, almost lazy. He rubs his earlobe. Just once.
Like he’s thinking. Like he’s bored. Like this is nothing but an awkward conversation between exes.
But I know that move. I know it the same way I know my own heartbeat.
That’s what he does when he’s deciding. When he’s measuring a threat. When he’s about to act.
His eyes don’t harden. They go empty. It lasts only a second. But it’s enough to make my stomach roll again for an entirely different reason.
Dad blows out a breath as I reach for my coffee, and Dad subtly stops me by squeezing my thigh.
The vibe is so weird that it’s making my heart race. And then memories slam into me like a sledgehammer.
That was my dad's secret code with me. When shit was going down, he’d always discreetly squeeze me. Whether it’s my hand, foot, or thigh.
“That’s a shit name,” He says, his tone deadly calm.
I stare at him, my pulse thudding in my ears. Because it isn’t what he said. It’s how he said it, like the name means something. Like it isn’t just a business.
It’s a threat.
Suddenly, the coffee in front of me doesn’t feel like coffee anymore. It feels like a test.
“I-I just need to go throw up,” I blurt out.
It’s my mom. What could possibly be going on that’s that bad?
I run into my room and slam it shut behind me. My hands are shaking so badly that I can barely twist the handle. I stumble into the middle of the room and press my palm to my stomach, trying to breathe through it.
My ears strain for sound downstairs. For shouting. For anything. But all I can hear is my own heartbeat.
Not long after, I hear heavy footsteps.
“Lily,” Dad says.
I slowly open the door.
He’s right there. Close enough that I can see the vein in his neck. The tension in his jaw. The way his shoulders are set like armor.
“You remembered?” he whispers.
I nod. Now I really want to be sick.
“Safe room. Now. Do not come out until Drago unlocks it. No matter what you hear or see.”
My throat tightens. “W-what? Dad?”
He presses his finger to his lips. “Keep calm, Lily. Please,” he whispers.
I blink hard, and my eyes burn. Because he’s asking me like I’m grown. Like I’m strong enough.
But I’m not. Not today. Not after everything.
He steps closer, and his hand cups the side of my face. The touch is gentle. Too gentle for the man he is.
His eyes flick over me like he’s taking one last look, just in case. “Be brave for me, solnyshko,” he whispers.
