35
Lucia
By the time I come back to the kitchen, a heavy, decadent smell pervades the air as the cake I’d put in the oven earlier continues to bake. There are no traces of the mess we’d made earlier. It’s as if nothing happened here at all!
I look toward the counter. Everything is still its place, including the cut-out cookies I’d laid out on a tray to decorate.
“Thanks,” I say, glancing up at Damien. “No one’s going to know anything about the mischief we got up to in here.”
His blue eyes shine with warmth. The scars on his face twist horribly but I know he’s smiling.
“I’ll put those cookies in to bake too,” I say, moving toward the counter.
He comes with me, standing beside me while I sprinkle the cookies with chocolate chips and chopped nuts.
“How long will it take for the cake to bake?” Damien asks as I start clearing the counter.
“Not long now,” I say. “Maybe another five minutes?” A thought sparks in my mind and suddenly, I’m grabbing his arm. “Is everyone here today?”
His brows rise questioningly. “Why?”
“Nothing tastes better than hot chocolate cake and coffee,” I say with a grin. “If everyone’s around, we can gather around the table and have some.”
“Put the coffee on,” he says, taking his phone out. “I’ll get them here.” With that, he walks out of the kitchen.
I look around and find a modern coffee maker. Moving toward it, I see it’s ready to be used. Instead of switching it on right away, I decide to set the table first.
“They’ll be here soon,” Damien says, walking back into the kitchen.
“Do flowers grow around here?”
“What?”
I straighten up and fix my gaze on him. “Is there a garden here? I want to have some flowers on the table.”
“There’s barely much in this weather,” he says. “But I can go out and take a look. Some of the late roses might be blooming now.”
I nod. “A single rose will be enough to brighten this place up.”
“This is an assassin’s lair, Lucia,” he says in a grim tone. “Death is the only thing that’s permanent here. I doubt a single rose can make a difference.”
“We’re all alive, aren’t we?”
He lets out a sigh and reaches out to caress my cheek gently. A thoughtful expression comes over him as he gazes into my eyes. Without a word, he steps away and walks out of the kitchen.
The aroma of hot chocolate wafts into my nostrils, telling me the cake is ready to come out of the oven now.
Going over to the oven, I take the cake out and set it on the table to cool before unmolding it from the tin. My creation looks dark and decadent but I decide to take it to the next level.
Measuring out some chocolate chips, I add them into a saucepan with milk and cream. A hot fudgy, chocolate sauce will taste amazing drizzled over the top of the cake.
The sauce is nearly ready when my first guest arrives.
Mikhail strides over to me, his silvery eyes shining with curiosity. He gazes at all the ingredients spread out on the counter and moves closer to me as I stir the sauce.
“I forgot you could bake,” he says. “I’ve missed this smell.”
“It’s been a while since I last baked anything,” I confess. “I hope the cake tastes good.”
“It looks good enough to lick.” To my surprise, he leans over it.
“Don’t!” I cry out, wrapping my arms around his waist and pulling him away from my precious creation.
Chuckles escape him as I tackle him.
“It’s for everyone,” I shout as he fights against me.
“Leave that cake alone!” a third voice calls out.
Next moment, Mikhail cries out, straightening up so quickly, I’m nearly thrown off him.
“You’re such a bitch,” Mikhail bites out.
“Yeah?” Lilja challenges, stomping inside the kitchen. “You’re one too!”
I notice a thin needle sticking out of Mikhail’s left cheek. A tiny trickle of blood appears on his unblemished skin.
“Are you okay?” I ask anxiously.
“He’s fine,” Lilja mutters, walking over to us. She’s about to reach toward Mikhail but he swats her hand away, looking pissed.
“I told you not to do this,” Mikhail huffs, pulling the needle out. “You’re not fucking six anymore and it’s not cute!”
“You could do this at six?” I ask, absolutely impressed by her aim and talent.
“Stop sounding impressed,” Mikhail says through clenched teeth. “It’ll get into her head.” He stomps away and sinks into a chair at the dining table.
“Thanks,” I whisper, turning toward my friend.
Lilja winks at me and goes to join her brother. She spends the next several minutes trying to make it up to him and promising him ridiculous things like she’ll clean his motorcycles for a month if he didn’t tattle about the incident to Damien.
A smile comes onto my lips as I watch them. Suddenly, I’m glad the Volkov pack doesn’t send their daughters away like they do with their sons.
Lilja would’ve definitely stuck to her brothers if that happened. Cold washes over me just imagining how Callum would’ve hurt her if she’d been unlucky enough to meet me back then.
Maybe this is the only reason she doesn’t want to hurt me like the others. Her heart is still unscathed by betrayal and the need for revenge.
Damien and Leon come in last to join their siblings.
By the time they arrive, the cake and the chocolate sauce are ready to go as well.
“That looks amazing!” Lilja gasps as I carry the food to the table. “I’m sure I can have the entire bowl of this sauce.”
“Have a taste first and see if you like it,” I say, feeling nervous.
Lilja stands up and grabs the knife. Glee settles into her eyes as she cuts out a large chunk of the cake.
“Leave some for the rest of us,” Mikhail mutters, still looking disgruntled.
I hurry away to get the coffee and settle down at the table.
“This is so delicious!” Lilja croons, closing her eyes. “It’s so hard to find a good chocolate cake. This one hits the spot just right.”
“The secret is to splurge on all the chocolate you’ve got lying around,” I say with a chuckle.
“I don’t like sweets but this is good,” Leon says with a serious expression. “There’s a hint of bitterness that I’m enjoying.”
“I love my sweets,” Mikhail says, polishing off his piece quickly and grabbing another one.
I look toward Damien, waiting for his verdict.
He glances at me, a forkful of cake hovering at his lips. “It’s okay,” he says shortly.
“Just okay?” Leon asks, nudging him with his elbow.
“It tastes like home,” Damien says, staring right at me.
My heart pounds in my chest. Is he telling me he remembers the taste of my chocolate cake from all those years ago?
“Now that we’re here, let’s talk about the upcoming gala,” Lilja speaks up after a while.
“Not again,” Damien mutters.
“Ignoring it won’t make it go away, dude,” Leon says, wrapping his arm lazily around Damien’s chair’s backrest. “You’ve got to gear up because we need to make a statement this year.”
“What are you guys talking about?” I ask curiously. “Does ‘gala’ have the same meaning here as in the outside world?”
“Yep,” Lilja says. “There will be gowns, jewels and fat, old men in tuxes.”
“Here?” I ask, surprised. Volkov Manor is too grim a place to host a party.
Mikhail chuckles. “Is it that surprising to know we throw balls and parties here?”
“Kind of,” I mumble honestly.
“This gala happens once every five years,” Lilja explains. “It’s the only opportunity for outsiders to step into our home. You have no idea the lengths some people go to get our invites.”
“Why?” I ask, wondering why anyone would want to come to this cold, desolate manor in the middle of nowhere.
“Why?” Mikhail echoes. “Don’t you understand who we are yet, Princess? We’re assassins. The most powerful men want us as friends and allies so they don’t end up being our prey. We’re offered a ludicrous amount of cash to stop us from accepting a job for their heads.”
“This is our first time as hosts,” Leon says in a serious tone. “Our dads took care of everything before us. It’s our turn to manage this pack’s affairs now.”
“You guys never told me about your parents,” I say, looking between the three brothers.
“Wait! She doesn’t know about our dads?” Lilja questions, staring at her brothers.
“It never came up,” Damien mutters.
“We have four dads, Lucia,” Lilja says, glaring at her brothers.
“Each generation of Volkov brothers bonds a single omega,” Lilja explains with a serious look on her face. “Her children belong to all the brothers and become heirs to this organization.”
While it’s not unusual for a pack of alphas to bond an omega as their mate, it’s rare. Most alphas are territorial in nature, refusing to share their mate with another.
I stare between Damien, Leon, and Mikhail. From the very beginning, I was attracted to all three of them. Instead of fighting over me, they always shared me.
“This is our pack’s tradition,” Damien explains in a grim tone. “It’s different from the monogamous marriages you’re used to. Our way ensures all Volkov men stay together. With one woman uniting them, they avoid all conflicts that come with forming relationships with outsiders.”
“What happens to the female children of this family?” I ask, gazing at Lilja.
“Girls are free to marry whoever they like,” Lilja says, grinning. “But, there’s a catch. If we attach ourselves to someone who’s not a part of this world, we’ll have to break all ties with our family. It’s the only way to ensure the safety of the girl’s future with her mate and children.”
“And that’s the reason you can’t marry a fucking banker or a postman,” Mikhail mutters in a serious tone.
Lilja sticks her tongue out at him. “I’m marrying the Rossi brothers!”
Mikhail sniggers. “Yeah, right! As if they’ll want to marry a brat like you.”
Lilja glares at him.
Damien moves the cake and the bowl of remaining chocolate sauce out of Lilja’s reach before she can chuck them at Mikhail. I can’t help but smile at him. He’s used to keeping the peace between them.
“What are you wearing to the ball?” I ask, hoping to distract Lilja. Mikhail doesn’t need to get stabbed a second time today.
“You want to see?” Lilja asks with a sudden smile. “My dress is already here.”
“I’d love to,” I reply.
“We should work on a dress for you too,” she says thoughtfully. “You’ll be accompanying my brothers, so you’ve got to dress to impress.”
“I still haven’t decided if she’s coming,” Damien says in a grim tone. “I’m not even sure if I’ll be making an appearance either.”
“Lucia is coming,” Leon says. “We have to take this opportunity to declare her as ours so no one else makes the mistake of helping Callum again.”
“You’re our pack’s leader, Damien,” Lilja says in a grim tone. Her face is wiped off all humor. “You have to be there to greet the guests.”
“They’ll all be staring at me,” Damien says, not meeting her eyes.
“Let them,” says Mikhail. “Who cares what they think or say?”
“They’ll be even more scared of you,” I say. “No one knows how you got those scars. All they know is someone did that to you and you still survived.”
He gazes at me. “Will you walk beside me?” he asks. “Will you be able to take the weight of their gazes on you?”
“I don’t like people’s attention on me,” I say honestly. “But if you want me on your arm, I’ll happily do it.”
Damien scoffs. “You’ll be the freak’s date?”
“You’re not a freak,” I say immediately. “Didn’t I prove to you what I like doing with your body?” My cheeks heat with embarrassment as the whole table stares at me but I don’t look away from Damien. He has to know the scars on his face don’t define him.
“Did you get kinky with my brother?” Lilja asks, winking at me.
“I...uhh...”
“Did you give him a lap dance or something?” Mikhail asks, his silvery eyes gleaming.
“No.”
“Leave her alone,” Damien snaps.
“It’s decided, then,” Leon says, rolling his butterfly knife between his fingers. “Lucia is coming to the party.”
“When is it taking place?” I ask.
“Next week,” Lilja replies. She’s up on her feet in an instant. “Come on. We have to find you a dress within that time.”
Warmth bursts through me. They’re all including me among them for the very first time. A smile blossoms on my lips as I hurry after Lilja to catch up to her.