Authorโs POV.Later, once the bedroom was a crime scene of discarded blankets and very satisfied bodies, Sofia slipped out from between them with a soft smile.She tiptoed past Nikolaiโs armโhe was starfished across the bed like heโd fought in a war and barely made it. Nial mumbled something about โpeachesโ in his sleep (she wasnโt asking), and Nadei let out a contented sigh, flipping over to steal her pillow. The traitor.She padded quietly to the window, tugging the curtains open just a little. Morning sunlight poured in like honey, soft and golden, catching on the scattered chaos of their lives. Half-finished drawings from Jade. Lorelaiโs pink unicorn slippers. A little handmade bracelet she hadnโt taken off since Jade had proudly given it to her.Her eyes softened.But then they driftedโjust a bit farther. To the picture tucked in the frame of the mirror. A candid one. Blurry. Taken at the cafรฉ weeks ago when she wasnโt looking.Arsen.Holding Alexei. Smiling at her like she was t
Authorโs POV.Sofia woke up to the quiet hum of the early morning, her body sore in that deeply satisfying way that made her cheeks flush just remembering why. She stretchedโgingerlyโlike a cat, her legs tangling in silky sheets, and blinked up at the high ceiling of the tripletโs guest house master bedroom.The scent of rose petals and something a little more sinful still clung to the air.She smiled. Noโshe grinned, slow and smug, because last night? Last night was a movie. A scandal. A sacred ritual. A group effort that deserved an Olympic medal and a Vatican ban all at once.Sliding out of bed quietly, she tiptoed over the chaos of discarded towels, a suspicious-looking whipped cream can, andโwas that a sock stuck to the wall?Okay. They were definitely banned from bath bombs and wine combos forever.She wrapped herself in her robe, trying to remember which leg was currently operational and which one was still on strike, and made it halfway to the kitchen whenโโHE STOLE MY PANDA!
Author's POV.The sun cast a golden hue over the estate, illuminating the meticulous birthday setup Sofia had poured her heart into. Balloons in navy, silver, and gold adorned the grand hall, each one bearing the names of the tripletsโNial, Nadei, and Nikolai. Sheโd even matched the tablecloths and napkins, arranged lilies into elegant centerpieces, and added her personal touch to every detail. The scent of fresh linen, lemon polish, and lingering vanilla cupcakes danced in the air.It was perfect. Wellโalmost.As Sofia adjusted a slightly crooked candle, the unmistakable sound of something combusting came from the kitchen.โWhereโs the fire extinguisher?!โ Arsenโs voice rang out like a warning siren.Sofia froze. Then sprinted.Smoke billowed from the oven. Arsen stood mid-chaos, oven mitts on, waving a towel in front of what could only be described as a cake-shaped brick. He looked more offended than apologetic.โI followed the damn recipe!โ he howled, face buried in his hands. "Why
Nikolai.It was just him and me for a whileโAurelio and I.Sitting on the stone steps of the estate as the sky turned from bruised peach to deeper lavender, as though the world was holding its breath before nightfall. The estate, for once, was quiet. No voices, no clatter. Just the occasional chirp of birds and the way Aurelio would tap his footโrestless but grounded, like some part of him still knew this was home, even if he didnโt remember why.He hadnโt said much.Didnโt need to.We werenโt good at talking, he and Iโnot in the normal way. We were better in movement, in action, in that sharp-edged language that required fists or guns or pacing tension. But this? Sitting still beside him, sipping whatever herbal nonsense Arsen had convinced me to try? This was... grounding.Healing didnโt always look like breakthroughs. Sometimes it was just a man breathing easier beside someone who knew not to ask questions.โYou used to complain about the birds here,โ I said eventually, half-amused
Nikolai.The sun was beginning its slow descent, drenching the estate in a thick, golden haze. The gardens looked like they belonged in a painting, every blade of grass and stone path lit up like someone had dipped them in honey.The air had that crisp, early evening bite to itโthe kind that hinted at colder nights ahead, the kind that made your breath puff out in little clouds if you waited long enough.It was the kind of quiet that settled not just around you, but inside you.I hadnโt realized how bad I needed that silence until I was drowning in it.Not the fake kind you get in the middle of chaos when your brain just...short-circuits.No, this was real silence.Healing silence.Aurelio sat next to me on the stone steps, hunched forward slightly, elbows resting on his knees. His hand curled loosely around the iron railing beside him, fingertips absently tracing the cold metal. His gaze was fixed out past the gardens, past the trees, locked on some point on the horizon only he could
Nikolai.The sun had just started its lazy climb when I stepped outside, coffee mugs in hand and sleep still clinging to the corners of my mind.The estate grounds were soaked in golden light, the grass jeweled with dew like nature had cried a little last night but decided to make the best of it this morning. A breeze swept through the lemon trees, carrying that light citrusy scent Sofia always said reminded her of summers in Italy. The air felt warm but not heavy, peaceful but not silentโalive in a way that made my ribs loosen.It smelled like hope.And after everything weโd survivedโeverything we were still clawing our way throughโI wasnโt going to waste that. Peace like this was rare in our world. You had to hold it tight, two hands and all heart.Across the lawn, I spotted her first.Sofia sat on a picnic blanket under the olive treeโher olive tree, the one sheโd stubbornly refused to let the gardeners trim because โIt has character, shut up.โ Lorelai was perched between her legs,
Sofia.The house was quiet again. Not the warm hush of family sleep like beforeโthis was different. Tense. Coiled.I closed the door to the master bedroom behind me with shaking fingers. They werenโt here. Iโd kissed them all goodnight. Told them I loved them. And then Iโd said what none of us had ever dared to say aloud.โI want to be with him tonight too. I want Arsen.โThereโd been silence. Tight jaws. Clenched fists. But theyโd nodded , nevertheless. Not because they wanted to, but because they respected it. Me. Him.And now I was in the hallway, heart thudding like a warning bell.His door was open.The room was barely litโmoonlight spilling across the bed where he sat, shirtless, head bowed, tattoos twisting over his arms and shoulders like shadows, his scars full on display. He didnโt look up. โAre you going to come in,โ he said, voice low, โOr are you just staying and leaving a second after?โMy throat tightened. I walked in.He still didnโt move.โI'm sorry I couldn't stay wi
Sofia.The house had settled into sleep. Deep, contented sleepโthe kind that comes after too much food, too much laughter, and just enough wine to make your muscles hum. Iโd tucked Lorelai in with Aurelio, kissed her goodnight, and left them curled up like something sacred. It made my chest ache in the best way.But nowโฆNow I was tiptoeing back into the room I shared with my husbands.The lights were low, golden and soft like candlelight, spilling across skin and sheets. Nadei was sprawled on the bed like heโd been sculpted thereโshirtless, his long legs tangled in the duvet, green eyes glinting as he scrolled through his phone. Nikolai stood at the mirror adjusting his watch strap, because even undressing was apparently a production with him. Nial was at the foot of the bed, all quiet storm in his black tee and sweatpants, sipping his herbal tea from a mug like he wasnโt watching me like prey.My mouth went dry.โHi,โ I said, breath catching a little.Nadei grinned, stretching like
Authorโs POV.The house had quieted down into that soft, post-dinner lullโwhere even the shadows on the walls seemed to breathe slower. Distant murmurs echoed from the living room, where the others were watching some awful old mafia film Luca claimed was โa classic.โ Someone was already asleep on the couch. Probably Renzo. He always passed out after too much pasta like some kind of carb-loaded bear who was getting ready to hibrenate.Aurelio wasnโt with them.He was in the hallway upstairs, sitting at the edge of his old bedroomโthe one he hadnโt dared sleep in yet. Too many pieces of him still scattered like glass inside it. Too many ghosts watching from the corners.He stared at the room like it might bite him.The bed was made. The same comforter. Same shelves. Someone had even fixed the frame of the photo heโd apparently shattered during one of his more violent post-surgery episodes. A picture of the five of themโSofia in the middle, arms folded, eyes rolling. Him grinning with an