ICEBERG

I am this close to feeding this phone to Duke. Or I’ll feed Dmitri to him. Whichever happens first.

I’ve been trying to sleep for about half an hour. For normal people, this might be considered an early hour, and I wasn't someone who usually slept at this time anyway. But my mother, Francesca, hadn’t stopped shoving mouthfuls of food into my mouth at dinner that evening. Despite all my protests, she fed me like a baby in a high chair. It’s not that I was complaining, but before I won my mother back and moved back in with her, I had a strictly healthy and balanced diet. I usually skipped breakfast, especially on school days. I would have a light lunch, and after working out in the evening, I would eat a protein-heavy meal. My metabolism didn't exactly welcome these carbohydrate attacks that my mother had suddenly reintroduced into my life. To be honest, I have no idea where she got the idea that I was malnourished. I eat quite balanced, I go to the gym, and occasionally I do some cardio by hanging out with my girlfriend at night. Maybe I sacrifice a bit of my sleep, but I’m happy with my situation. Ever since we put my father behind bars, I’ve felt mentally sharp as well. I started seeing a psychologist. Not of my own free will, of course. I agreed after Jaz and my mother set a trap for me. I’ll never admit it to them, but the sessions are actually working. I used to think I’d be diagnosed as a sociopath and locked in a room. But that didn't happen at all. On the contrary, the guy turned out to be a pretty good therapist, and he never judged me for the things I tricked Jaz into doing or the things we did together. Maybe it’s because money is involved and there’s a Glock tucked into my waistband. I guess we’ll never know. As I put my head back on the pillow, a new bombardment of messages began. I wasn't the kind of frugal person who could risk muting the group and missing out on unnecessary gossip, so I continued trying to read the messages. I knew, of course, that Dmitri was up to something again. It was either that or there was a real crisis. If it were the latter, I wouldn't say a word. I opened the group, and the messages started pouring in. To understand what was going on, I started swimming against the current—meaning, reading the previous messages. Dmitri had written, “D’yavol isn't licking me!” “Which one of you upset my lizard?!” Dmitri and his damn leopard gecko… I have no animosity toward D’yavol; the animal is cute. Unlike its owner, it has traits that people actually like. But Dmitri is obsessed with it. Just last week, he was worried because the animal was sleeping. Unlike Dmitri, it seemed strange to him that D’yavol—a real living form—was sleeping. Now he was blaming us for something completely normal.

Kai chimed in, “Maybe the animal is just disgusted by your greasy face, Volkov.” I rolled my eyes at this stupid argument and exited the group chat. Instead, I opened my messages with Jaz. It had only been a few hours since we last spoke. When I told her I was going to get food, she had made a joke, saying, “Forget the food, eat me.” At least, I hoped it was a joke. I didn't want to add cannibalism to our already crazy fantasies. Yes, I might like her biting me in bed, but that doesn't mean I support cannibalism. It just means I’m a masochist.

I checked the time. It wasn't even eight yet. I thought it was a great time to go to the gym. When I moved to Brooklyn permanently with my mom, I found a new gym, and it stayed open until 10 PM. If I left now, I would probably be there in five minutes. I used to love my old gym, and I have to admit that at first, I missed training with my friends. To be more precise, I missed those stupid Saturday afternoons where I trained, Dmitri posed in the mirror, and Kai put on his headphones and isolated himself from the world among the weights. Since I returned from the undercover mission, we hadn't been able to have a guys' night or day. I had a mother who wanted me by her side every second; Kai had a new relationship, and Dmitri needed his sleep. The operation had drained us all, and it seemed we needed some time to recover. Just so we wouldn't get bored of each other and fight, we had made a decision not to meet with Jaz outside of the friend group. I only went to her house when she felt bad and needed someone to talk to. I mostly remembered to use the door now, but I can never describe the adrenaline rush of sneaking in through the window. I still remember the first time I entered Jaz’s room at night. She had pointed a gun at me… She had made me fall in love with her at first sight, and while I was lying to her, my conscience kept cursing at me. But I had no other choice; it was the only way to put Vincenzo Veleno in jail. Even if my goal was good, I could never justify the path I chose to myself, and I will always carry the regret of that. But I’m such a lucky bastard that Jaz—even if it took some time—forgave me. How could a person be so perfect?! Impatient, impulsive, stubborn, sarcastic, thoughtful, bossy, understanding… And her appearance is as beautiful as her character. If today were my last day on this earth, I would want to drown in the floral scent of her hair and bury myself in the brown of her eyes. I would want the last thing I hear to be her saying my name, and I would want my last words to be whispering Jaz’s name. As I took my last breath, I would want to whisper "Jasmine..." to my angel of death and pray to God to take care of her after I was gone. The girl who was supposed to be my enemy had turned me into a drenched, drunken lover. Call me obsessed, call me a maniac, I don’t even care. I am in love with Jasmine Monroe. I would go to hell for her—which you could say I already have.

As I was brushing my teeth in the bathroom, my phone in my pocket was vibrating like a machine gun. Kai was sending about five messages a second. Honestly, I can't wrap my head around this kid’s technological skills. It seemed the photo Dmitri sent had fueled the chaos because Tianna was hurling insults at Dmitri. Hoping he hadn't sent a photo of his privates or something, I opened the photo with fear. Thank God… It was just a photo of Dmitri Volkov pursing his lips into a duck face while combing his blonde hair back. I didn't understand what Tianna was cursing about.

Tianna: Ugh! Volkov! I didn't need to see your greasy face on my screen!

Dmitri: My face isn't greasy, for one thing!

With one hand, as much as I could manage, I typed, "For God's sake, shut up!" But of course, they didn't listen. I don't even think they saw the message.

Tianna: How about you try a change in your life and try shaving or taking a shower?

Dmitri: He doesn't even have a beard to shave!

Dmitri: I actually do! You can't see it because you aren't wearing your glasses, Nakamura! Besides, it’s not like yours grows that long either!

Yura: Kai’s beard does grow, actually! But unlike you, he prefers to be a clean-shaven individual, so he shaves regularly.

Dmitri: Welcome, Yura… Did you even know about this group? I notice you popped up the moment I said something about your boyfriend.

Yura: Don't be ridiculous, Dmitri. I’m actually quite active in the chats.

Tianna: Honey, as much as I hate to admit it, Volkov is right. You’ve been offline too much for the past few days.

I rinsed the toothpaste out of my mouth and finally used both hands to reply: "Yes. You’ve been training too much lately. I think you should take a break." There was no sound from Yura for a while. Honestly, I started thinking she was dead. Then Kai wrote: "You work hard and get tired. The world won't collapse if you take a break, baby." That was the moment Kai Nakamura wished he were dead. Because Yura did one of the most passive-aggressive things a girl could do and left Kai’s message on "read."

Kai: Fuck…

Dmitri: And another red card for Nakamura.

Tianna: Dmitri, shut your mouth.

Dmitri: Why aren't we fighting now, Tianna? That way, every couple on the team would be fighting.

Tianna: We are not a couple!

Dmitri: Then what are we? Because if I remember correctly, you were the last one to kiss me.

Tianna: THAT WAS A STUPID MISTAKE MADE IN A MOMENT OF EMOTIONAL VOID! I HATE YOU, VOLKOV!

Dmitri: Really? Because good girls don’t kiss people they hate. What does that truth say about you, Vance?

While I was typing in anger, I was also trying to get dressed: "Volkov, for God’s sake, shut your mouth before I tear your fingers off."

Dmitri: Relax, man. Honestly, the only person who can control this kid isn't active right now. We could all die at any moment. Someone give this guy some Jaz.

I rolled my eyes and threw my phone aside. As I was preparing my bag, I thought about how much I missed Jaz. When was the last time we slept together? The night of the operation? No… Wow… I really needed some Jasmine. Just thinking about her was enough to make me feel aroused. When I reached down to check, for a moment I thought there was a rock where my equipment should be. But you have to give her credit. Jaz was perfect. In every state, in every shape. As I walked down the stairs with my gym bag on my shoulder, I heard the sound of the television and a fork scraping against a plate from the living room. Then that smell… I would recognize this smell anywhere. My mother had made panna cotta. When she saw me standing at the door of the living room, bag on my shoulder, holding the keys to the black Porsche—which was my mom's belated sixteenth birthday gift to me—looking confused, she lifted her plate to show it to me.

“Do you want some dessert too?” I swallowed with difficulty. There were two things in this life I couldn't say "no" to. The first was undoubtedly Jaz, because if she told me to jump off a cliff, I would jump. The second, by a very small margin, was panna cotta. If Jaz had been covered in the same fruit sauce, maybe the gap might have closed. Actually, it definitely would have. Just imagining it suddenly sparked a hunger for her inside me. But I couldn't eat dessert while playing out this fantasy in my head. I was going to the gym. No matter how big a battle of willpower I had to fight. I had faced tougher ones. Like every time I saw Jaz during the last school term. “Mamma… I really need to go to the gym. I’ll eat when I get back. Can you save some for me?” Before my mother could say anything to convince me to stay, I shot out the door like a hurricane. The air was unusually cool for early July in New York. I regretted not taking a jacket with me and jumped into my car with quick steps. As I started the car, my phone rang. One part of me wanted it to be Jaz, but that was illogical because we had decided to miss each other. I don't know how long we stayed in the same house. Mostly, in our spare time, we either fought or had sex. Sometimes both at once or one after the other. That's why we took a break. But not like the break in that old show Friends that Jaz loves so much. Because we hadn't fought, and I would never cheat on Jaz. This break was more about missing each other, and believe me, it was working. I missed her down to my cells. That's why my face fell when I saw it was Dmitri calling.

“Bro, do you know how perfect you are?” I could tell from his tone of voice that he wanted something.

“What do you want, Dmitri?”

“How rude. Can’t I want to remind one of my best friends how wonderful he is?” My silence made him realize how ridiculous what he just said was. “You’re right, that’s not really me. I show my love by bothering you guys.” As I turned out of the driveway, I said sarcastically, “Yeah, we’re really grateful for that. Now get to the point.”

“What are you doing?”

I sighed. “I’m going to the gym, I’m driving.”

“Great! Pick me up on your way.” I rubbed my forehead. “Why?”

“To come with you, obviously, you idiot.”

“Isn't there a gym right next to your house, Volkov?”

“There is, but I’m going to sign up for the one you go to.” Yes, he was definitely up to something.

“What did you do this time?”

“What makes you think I did anything?” Even though he denied it, I could tell by the rise in the pitch of his voice. As I was signaling, I said, “Just say it already.”

“I want to get out of the house. They’re fighting again.” That was it… I didn't need to think twice. Because he was either going to come to the gym with me or go drinking. While we were trying to get him to quit alcohol, that wouldn't be good. Even if it was completely in the opposite direction of my Manhattan route, I couldn't leave Dmitri in that state. “I’ll be there in five minutes.” Dmitri, trying not to hide the hurt in his voice, said, “Thanks. I won't hold you up, you’re driving. You’ll have an accident or something.” “Actually, stay on the line, Dmitri, talk to me.”

“Okay… What should I talk about?”

“About nice things?”

Dmitri dropped the bomb: “How does it feel to be loved by your mother?”

“I think our definitions of ‘nice things’ are different.”

Dmitri: “That’s what I need right now.” I took a deep breath. How could I describe my mother’s love? Since I’m not as “poetic” as Kai, I can’t use expressions like “luminous .” But I think if I wanted to describe my mother’s love, the words I would use would be: “Warm… Peaceful… Like a calm harbor I take refuge in after the whirlpools I fight every day. Just like how your father’s love for you feels.” There was a long sigh from the other end of the line.

“Your father was a piece of shit too, wasn't he? Tell me, is there anyone among us whose family is actually any good?” I laughed through my nose. “I don’t think so. Are they still fighting?”

“No. Her Majesty Nadia Volkov went out again for her very important business. And my father locked himself in his study. I have no idea what he’s doing in there. Why would a gynecologist need an office at home anyway?” “Ask him that,” I said, but then remembering Dmitri might actually ask that, I added: “Actually, don’t you dare ask.” A light giggle came through. “How is that staying-away-from-each-other thing with Jaz going?”

“Pretty good. We only talk when one of us needs the other. And the classic good morning, good night messages, etc.”

“And are you happy with that?” “Why wouldn't I be?” I was sure Dmitri was grinning at the phone right now. “Either you’re really happy, or you found a way to make yourself happy. The latter is more likely.”

Trying to make it feel like that was absolutely not true, I said, “What? You think I lock myself in my room and satisfy myself every day?”

“Your words, not mine.”

“It sounds more like your words.” This time he laughed for real. It was nice to see his old cheerfulness returning. I let him know as I was about to enter the road to the Brooklyn Bridge. “I’m entering the bridge. If you aren't ready when I get there, I’ll break your head.”

“Dude, I still have to shave and shower.”

“Then hurry up. I don’t want to run into your privates when I get there. We aren't at that stage in our relationship yet,” I joked. I could feel the grin on his face. “You would have liked it though,” he said.

“You’re disgusting, Volkov. I’m glad you’re back to your old self.” “Me too.”

Then we hung up, and I focused on the road. Dmitri had probably gone off to give Kai some more stupid advice. He was definitely going to stall because he had to get ready! But I loved all my friends with these quirks. I loved that Yura possessed a killing machine inside her when she was at the point of not hurting even an ant, that Kai was the occasionally lagging processor of the group, that Tianna kicked everyone’s ass, Dmitri’s stupidity, and Jaz just being Jaz. That annoying little voice inside me said, “Of course you’ll love them. Do you have any other friends, you idiot?” It was right, though. I didn't have any friends other than these five people. And there was no need for more anyway. I was happy with my small social circle.

When I stopped at the lights, I rolled down the window and leaned my elbow on it. While I was patiently waiting for the red light to turn green, my eye caught the side mirror. There was a motorcycle a little behind my car, and someone wearing a helmet was sitting on it. Since the light was red, they had cut the throttle and both feet were on the ground—technically standing—still. It was obvious the driver was a girl because wavy hair was sticking out from under the helmet. I scolded myself, “Maybe it’s a man with long hair? Why are you being so sexist?” But there was no possibility that the driver was a man. Unless they were trans or something, I didn't think a man could have breasts like that. Wait a minute… Could this be Jaz? I would recognize those breasts anywhere. Maybe it sounds a bit obsessed and disgusting, but I’m serious. I had mapped those breasts with my fingers, painted them with my tongue, and signed them with my lips… Thinking about the things I did to Jaz like this made me feel like a pervert… At least Jaz had enjoyed it. I hadn't realized the light had turned green until one of the cars behind me honked. For some reason, I wanted to pull that guy out of the car and shoot him. Fuck… I really change when Jaz isn't with me. More aggressive, impatient, arrogant… In short, I was becoming like my father. No matter how much Jaz tried to convince me otherwise, that’s how I thought. At some point in my life, I was terrified to death of turning into a piece of shit like him, hurting everyone I love, and losing them. Sometimes he would get into my dreams—or rather, I would have nightmares where I did worse to Jaz than what my father did to my mother. In each of them, I was a different piece of shit. Every time I remember, my blood drains away, and I start to get cold. My eyes were watery again, but I wasn't going to cry right now. One of the few non-psychopathic things my father taught me was to always act like you are being watched. Always perfect, scary, intimidating, strong… Especially toward women, because apparently, women don't like "weepy" men. How ironic, dear father; the toughest girl you could ever know—the girl who tore down your empire—loves me even more in my emotional moments. Take that.

When I turned into the street where Dmitri lived, I suddenly remembered how thirsty I was. Since I didn't drink water at dinner, it must have been at least five hours since I last had water. Like I said, my brain doesn't work properly when Jaz isn't with me. I would deal with this little problem after I parked the car. It had only been five hours since I last drank water; I wasn't going to die. God, I need someone to tell me how stupid I am; meaning, I need Jaz.

Cursing along the way, I parked the car three blocks from Dmitri’s building. Luckily, I saw a shop that was still open nearby. When I entered the shop, that familiar smell of slightly stale food and cleaning supplies filled my nose. I walked quickly between the aisles and grabbed the coldest water from the fridge. Just as I was about to turn around and head to the checkout, Dmitri’s never-ending "I'm hungry" whining echoed in my ears. Knowing that hungry dog would drive me crazy by saying, “Moretti, I'm done, my blood sugar dropped, I'm dying, bro!”, I grabbed a ready-made sandwich from the shelves that looked random but relatively edible. I didn't even check whether it was chicken or tuna; it’s Dmitri, he would eat it even if it were poison if you dripped some vodka in it anyway.

When I reached the checkout, I took out my phone and checked the time. Dmitri was probably still singing to himself in the shower. I put the two things I bought on the counter for the cashier to scan. The cashier kid felt surprisingly familiar. When I saw the small tattoo on the back of his neck, I realized he was one of the runaways my father had trained as a soldier. He kept looking away from me. As if… as if he were afraid of me. But there was no reason for that. Of course, my gun was in my back pocket, but that was just for safety. Maybe he was intimidated by my mismatched eyes like other people and thought I was carrying some kind of contagious disease. He couldn't even look at me while asking if I wanted a bag. Watching him carefully, I said, “No.” When he handed the items toward me, the piece of paper on the sandwich caught my attention. When I started to open and read the paper, the cashier had already turned his back and started dealing with the coins as if it were the most important thing in the world. When I read what was written on the paper, I had to read it again because I didn't want to accept that this was real. "Vincenzo could get out of prison at any moment. Hurry. Do something."

I looked at the cashier who was still busy with the coins. What? He was telling me about the possibility of my father getting out and just ignoring it? Fuck this shit! I pulled a Franklin out of my wallet and threw it on the counter. “Keep the change,” I said and left the shop. When the cool wind hit my face, I felt like I was in a trance. The world was like a carousel spinning at a hundred miles an hour around me. If that piece of shit, my father, got out of prison, he would make our lives hell. I didn't think he would kill me because he would probably want me to beg him to kill me. Honestly, I didn't even care what he wanted to do to me. I had always viewed my own life as worthless. I was a piece of meat carrying the blood of a lowlife, a cheater, a piece of shit who massacred innocent people. No… My real concern was Jaz and my mother. If my father got out, he would torture Jaz to death. As for my mother, he would doom her to a life worse than death again. Well, would I be able to protect them if my father got out of prison? Or would I be the first one to fall? I needed to get these thoughts out of my head. There was no point in thinking about the worst. That would only make my father happier. So I threw the sandwich and water onto the car seat... and went to raid the Volkovs’ house.

I climbed the stairs to the Volkovs’ penthouse in Tribeca because, as if the world had a grudge against me, the elevator was broken. His father opened the door with a warm smile and then retreated to his study. I could see the fatigue on the man’s face. Ivan Volkov was a very good man and deserved a better wife who loved him. Why did the good people always suffer the most? Another philosophical question I’ll ask Jaz. When I burst into Dmitri’s room, he was standing in the middle of the room with a towel around his waist. Calling this a room would be an insult to other rooms. This place was a barn. I hadn't seen many barns, but even a barn was probably cleaner than this place.

Dmitri grunted: “Don’t you ever knock on a door?”

“Don’t know. Do you ever clean your room?”

Dmitri: “Don’t ask questions you know the answer to.”

Grinning, I said, “Don’t ask then,”... and then I picked up two pieces of clothing from the floor that I hoped weren't dirty and threw them at Volkov. “Get dressed, come on, come on. I’m late again because of you,” I said and went outside. While waiting in the hallway, I looked at photos of Dmitri with his family. It was mostly just him and his father. Nadia Volkov appeared in very few of them. One photo was probably taken in Russia because there were Russian street signs behind them. Dmitri must have been about six years old in that photo. Both of them were wearing those fur hats Russians wear. Even if I don't like admitting it, baby Dmitri was pretty cute. When we got in the car, I handed the sandwich to Dmitri, and his face lit up. “Bro! You’re an angel!”

“Just eat this, Volkov. But if you drop even a single crumb, I’ll wipe you off the face of the earth.”

Dmitri raised both hands. “Relax, man. Don’t you know I’ve heard of M.I.R.?” As I pulled the car out of the parking spot and started moving slowly, I was confused. “What the fuck is that?”

“First of all, you’re swearing more than usual. You urgently need Jaz.” I rolled my eyes, but it was true. Just thinking about her was enough to get my equipment erect... and since I’m not a pervert, I wasn't going to look at her photos and masturbate. But if things kept going this way, my testicles would turn purple.

“Second,” he continued, “M.I.R. stands for Moretti’s Indisputable Rules.”

“And what are these M.I.R. rules?” He started counting with his fingers. “One; anyone who messes with Jaz dies, footnote: either you kill them or Jaz beats you to it and handles it herself. Two; it is dangerous and forbidden to disturb Enzo while he’s making out with Jaz. Three; as long as you aren't Jasmine, no matter what happens, you don't wake up Moretti before eleven on weekends. Four; dirtying Moretti’s car is not recommended for those who enjoy having ten fingers.”

I couldn't hold myself and laughed out loud. “Not bad.”

“Not bad? It’s a masterpiece!” he said. Dmitri continued counting the M.I.R. items along the way. He finally shut his mouth when I parked in front of the gym. I thanked God for that three seconds of silence when I pulled the handbrake and got out. We entered the building together. Dmitri proudly threw the sandwich wrapper into the first recycling bin he found. He would brag about this for two hours now. While he was signing in at the reception, I had already started. I had thought the weights would free me from the weights in my mind, but that didn't really happen. Every time I lifted the weights, while the cold metal of the bar burned my palms, my mind wouldn't stop. Usually, while bench pressing, I would only focus on the tension of my muscles, but that note tonight had ruined everything. My father… Vincenzo Veleno. If he got out, this wouldn't just be a “family reunion.” It was a declaration of war. I imagined his icy, calculating gaze. I thought about how he would imprison my mother in that dark mansion again, how he would slowly gnaw at her soul. Just when I started making Francesca smile again, I couldn't let that monster ruin everything. Then I thought about the rest of the team. Kai, Tianna, Dmitri, and Yura… Right now they might be at each other’s throats in the group over a stupid lizard case, but at the end of the day, we had no one but each other. If Vincenzo got out, everyone who had a bond with me would be on his target board. I didn't want to drag them into this piece-of-shit situation any further. But there was nowhere to run. Finally, my thoughts settled on that station as always: Jasmine. I thought about Jaz’s sharp gaze, that perfect balance in how she held a gun, but at the same time, that softness she only showed when she was with us. I had missed her so much that I felt a physical pain in my chest. This “longing distance” we had put between us felt like the most stupid idea in the world right now. I had to protect her. I had to protect her from all the evil in the world, especially from that demon who was my own blood. I put the weight down hard. The sound of the iron clashing echoed in the gym. “Damn it,” I muttered to myself. These weights weren't enough. I needed to suppress that adrenaline rush inside me, that uncontrolled anger, and longing. I turned to Dmitri, who was struggling with dumbbells next to me. “Hey Volkov! Leave those toys alone. We’re moving to cardio.”

Dmitri raised his eyebrows in surprise. “What? We just started, bro, my chest muscles haven't even said ‘hello’ to the world yet.”

As I walked toward the treadmills, I said, “Because you don’t have chest muscles.” “Come on, I need to get this energy out of me. Are you up for a race? The loser buys tomorrow’s protein powders.”

Dmitri’s eyes lit up. When there was a race and free stuff involved, he would stop at nothing. “Deal, Moretti! But let me warn you, Russian lungs aren't like New York air; I’ll leave you on the track.” We chose two treadmills side by side. While I started setting the settings to the highest levels, Dmitri also started playing with the screen next to him with excitement. “3… 2… 1… Start!” With my command, both of us started sprinting. The rhythmic sound of the treadmill turning beneath us was mixing with the gym’s music. Dmitri was performing quite well next to me; even though his breath was becoming irregular, he had no intention of giving up. As for me, I was only focused on the mirror in front of me. With every step I took, I felt like I was getting a little further from my father, and with every breath, I felt like I was getting a little closer to Jaz. At the fifteenth minute, Dmitri gasped, “I’m dying… bro…” His face had turned beet red. Increasing my speed by a notch, I shouted, “Hang in there, Volkov! M.I.R. item five: It is forbidden to leave halfway when racing against Moretti!” Sweat was pouring from everywhere; my T-shirt was drenched, but I didn't stop. On that treadmill, I continued running as if I were running away from my destiny. Between the gasps of Dmitri who was breathless next to me, I felt the dark clouds in my mind clear up a little. Maybe I couldn't solve everything immediately, but at least my condition needed to be at the highest level to fight. And Jaz… When I saw her, I was going to make her pay for the pain of this longing. When the time on the treadmill’s digital screen ran out, Dmitri had already thrown in the towel, leaning his hands on his knees, trying to throw up his lungs. As for me, when I slowed down the treadmill and stopped it, I was breathless, but I had that ambitious grin of victory on my face. Tugging at the collar of my sweat-drenched T-shirt, I turned to Dmitri. While waiting for my pulse to slowly return to normal, I said, “I like my protein powder peach-flavored, Volkov, don’t forget.”

Dmitri tried to straighten up with a crimson red face. “You… cheated…” he spoke breathlessly. “Your… your treadmill was definitely slower, Moretti. This is some Brooklyn-style favoritism, I don’t accept it!” Laughing, I said, “Get out of here, Dmitri.” “Just admit that your condition is dragging on the ground. It was all fine when you were burying those sandwiches, though?”

He grunted behind me: “I’m not being a sore loser, I’m just pointing to a technical injustice!” We left the gym’s air, which was heavy with the smell of sweat and iron, and passed into the locker room. The cold, metallic silence of the room hit my face. When we got in front of our lockers, both of us started taking off our clothes without speaking. I shuddered as the sweat on my back cooled, but the adrenaline rush inside me still hadn't subsided. Dmitri sat on the bench next to him, and while taking off his shoes, he continued to grunt. “Fine, fine, I’ll buy that damn powder. But next time we’ll race in Manhattan, on my turf. Gravity is fairer there.” While taking my clean T-shirt out of my locker, I said, “Sure, sure.” I paused for a moment. My mind drifted back to that note in the shop. Vincenzo. I looked at myself in the locker room mirror; I was tired, but there was still that wild light in my eyes. After Dmitri remained silent for a while, he toned down his voice a bit more. “Enzo… Are you okay, bro? You were looking at that mirror the whole training as if you were going to kill someone. Okay, we get it, you missed Jaz, but this time was different.” I pulled my T-shirt over my head and pulled it down, sitting on the bench next to Dmitri. After checking around to make sure no one could hear us, I took out that crumpled note in my pocket and handed it to him. “I got it from the shop. The cashier was one of my father’s old men.” Dmitri read the note quickly, the playful expression on his face replaced by deep seriousness. “Fuck… Vincenzo? Enzo, this is a serious situation.” Lowering my voice, I said, “I know.” “But look, Dmitri, for now, nobody will know this. Not Kai, not Tianna, not Yura… Especially not Jaz and my mother. I don’t want to scare them, at least until the situation clears up. I want you to keep this note to yourself for a while. Don’t say a single word to anyone.” Dmitri swallowed... and handed the note back to me. “Understood, Moretti. It stays between us, promised. But we have to be prepared.” As I was packing my bag, I said, “We will be prepared.”

“Kai already bottles everything up, and Yura started breaking herself during training. Tianna has joined with water. I think we all need those old, stupid Saturday afternoons. A time when there are no fathers, mafia bosses, or undercover missions.” I was surprised Dmitri was speaking so logically. “You’re right,” I said. “Maybe we can arrange something for next week.”

“I hope so,” Dmitri said... and then that old grin came back to his face. “Then Jaz comes too, and you don’t walk around like a powder keg like this. Seriously, Moretti, your sex life has started to threaten our personal safety.”

“Shut your mouth, Volkov!” I shouted and threw my empty water bottle at his head. He dodged with an agile move... and walked toward the showers, laughing. Before leaving the locker room, I tucked the note into the deepest corner of my pocket. Dmitri was right; I was like a powder keg. But when this barrel explodes, the first person to remain in that fire would be Vincenzo Veleno. I knew that.

The heavy and sweat-smelling air of the gym had settled on me completely after that heavy conversation in the locker room. When we threw our bags over our shoulders and stepped outside, the cool night air of New York feasted my lungs. Pointing to the small green area across the street, Dmitri said, “Let’s go over there, by the park.” “We’ll get some fresh air, and your pulse will settle completely, Moretti.” As we walked, Dmitri rummaged through his bag and pulled out two ice-cold Monsters with a triumphant air. “Think of this as a down payment for the sore loser penalty,” he said, throwing one to me. The coldness of the can suppressed the heat of that note in my palm a little. We collapsed onto one of the empty benches in the park, under the dim light of the street lamp. At the same time, the notification lights of both of our phones started flashing like crazy. As Dmitri opened his can, he said, “Fuck.” “What’s going on in the group again? How did 140-something messages accumulate so quickly?” When I took the phone in my hand, the messages were still continuing to flow. Kai and Tianna’s never-ending bickering, Yura’s messages trying to intervene and calm the environment but not working, had covered the screen. Just as I was preparing to write “Enough is enough!” I saw that name on the screen. Jasmine. She had left a message in her famous, authoritative style that melted my insides: “My mom and dad are going on a ‘business trip’ for a few weeks. The house is mine.” My heartbeat started to beat faster than it did even at the highest level on the treadmill. Jaz being home alone meant that the ‘longing break’ we had put between us was officially over. The dark thoughts created by the note flew away for a moment. My fingers moved like they were flying on the screen: “Exactly when are they leaving?” The second I sent the reply, the rest of the group pounced as if they were waiting for this moment.

Dmitri: Ooo, Moretti’s engine started immediately! The sweat on the treadmill hasn't dried yet, bro, slow down!

Kai: Enzo brother, should we carry your suitcases? Your stay there will probably last ‘a few weeks’ now.

Tianna: This is the first time I see Enzo typing this fast. The man practically destroyed the keyboard while asking the question.

Yura: Leave the kids alone, the kid is just… curious about the logistical details, right Enzo? :)

Dmitri poked me next to me and grinned. “Logistical details, huh? Enzo, if you go at this speed, you’ll be a doormat at the Monroes’ door by tomorrow morning.” I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't help grinning while taking a big sip from my Monster. Vincenzo’s shadow was still there, but the possibility of being so close to Jaz’s scent was more real than any threat for now. I typed, “Shut your mouths,” and continued. “Jaz, baby. Are you going to answer, love?”

Dmitri—preferring to type even though he was sitting next to me—: “I love Moretti being so clear. It’s immediately obvious what the man is craving.” I popped one on the back of his neck and took my phone back in my hand. Jaz’s message bubble was appearing and disappearing, and depending on that, I was involuntarily grinning one moment and frowning the next. Dmitri was also squirming like a snake to make fun of my changing facial expressions. “Stop it now,” I said. The moment the message came from Jaz, I jumped to my feet: 15 minutes. If I left now, I would drop Dmitri home, and from there I would go directly to Jaz. “Come on Volkov, time to go home.”

Dmitri pouted like a little child. “But daddy…” he teased, “I don’t want to go home! Can’t you fuck your mom another time?” I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't hide my grin. “Walk, come on!” Looking at the face of Dmitri grinning in the seat next to me, I said, “I’m not joking,” and took a big sip from my Monster. Dmitri whined: “What? We just sat down!”

“The plan changed, Volkov. Now listen, we’re going to call my mom. I’m staying at your place tonight, we’ll do an all-nighter, play games, etc. And you’ll shout from the back a few times like ‘Enzo, I couldn't pass this level, help!’, okay?”

Dmitri rolled his eyes. “So we’re connecting to a soap opera again for your love life. Fine, fine. But I expect the same favors one day.”

I felt like joking, “Sure, if you ever lose your virginity one day,” but it wouldn't be useful for me to anger Volkov right now. I called my mom immediately. Luckily, probably because of the sugar coma from the panna cotta, her voice was quite soft. When Dmitri successfully carried out the task given to him and shouted from the back as if he were in the middle of a boss fight, my mother was convinced. “Okay caro, don’t stay up too late, say hi to Dmitri,” she said and hung up. Despite Dmitri’s grumblings, I dropped him off at his house in a hurry. This kid was really like our own child. I waited until he entered the apartment... and the moment he walked through the door, I floored the Porsche. On those quiet streets of Manhattan, the engine sound of this black monster, which was my mother’s gift, was tearing the silence of the night. I had lurked like a hunter for Arthur and Elena Monroe’s flashy vehicle to pull out of the driveway. The moment I was sure they had hit the highway, I parked the car a little further down the street and started walking with quick steps. When I got in front of the door, I straightened myself up, tensed my muscles, took a deep breath, and put the most flirtatious, most “you’re in trouble” smile on my face. I rang the bell. Seconds later, the door opened. The view in front of me instantly reloaded all the energy I had spent on the treadmill. Jaz was at the door. Her hair was damp; the waves pouring down from her shoulders screamed that she had just come out of the shower. She was wearing one of those gray-colored, baggy T-shirts of mine that she had walked off with last month. The T-shirt was so big that it completely camouflaged that tiny jersey short she was wearing underneath; it created an atmosphere as if she were standing there only in my T-shirt. Jaz, displaying that stubborn smile on the corner of her lips, said, “I knew you would come.” I didn't answer. Talking was just a waste of time. The moment I saw her, I realized how big a mistake that weekly longing break we had put between us was. In a single step, I closed the distance and pounced on her. While wrapping my arms around her waist, I buried my face in her neck, in that skin that was still damp and made me dizzy with her floral scent. Without feeling the need to hide the hunger in my voice, I whispered, “I missed you so much.” I was holding her so tight that I had no intention of letting even a breeze pass between us. When Jaz’s arms wrapped around my neck, the world was mine. I couldn't lose any more time. The real cardio was starting now. I joined my arms under Jaz’s hip and lifted her up. Jasmine, who let out a small scream with the sudden change of position, giggled without complaining. God, I had missed this sound so much. We needed to go up to Jaz’s room, but I couldn't stop kissing her, and since it wasn't very safe while climbing the stairs, we got in the elevator. I leaned her against the wall and kissed her belly, which smelled of cold and coconut shower gel, under her T-shirt. When the T-shirt restricted my range of motion, I pulled it off. I didn't even check if it was torn or not. It was just Tommy Hilfiger. I would go buy five more later. I probably wouldn't, because it’s waste, you know.

When we got out of the elevator, I put Jaz down because I needed to get rid of my own clothes. Jaz walked slowly toward the bed in her sports bra and shorts. This impatience of mine was amusing her. But she didn't know that I was going to make her pay dearly for not being able to touch her for weeks.

The moment I got rid of my sweatpants and was left with only my underwear, I pounced on Jaz. I fixed both of her hands above her head using one of my hands. When I pounced on her lips, I forgot everything. Now my mother’s panna cotta didn't seem that tempting because today I was going to lick and swallow Jaz until she went into a sugar coma. When I sucked her neck, Jaz moaned slightly. My goal was to suck, but I couldn't hold myself and bit her. When my teeth touched that sensitive skin over her carotid artery, a scream mixed with a moan escaped Jaz’s mouth. I wanted to hope I hadn't hurt her because I couldn't stop now, I wouldn't stop. Jaz was stubbornly trying to free her hands and take control, but I wouldn't allow that. I slid my hand into Jaz’s shorts. When I pushed her underwear aside, my fingers met her vagina. “Be a good girl and moan for me, Volpicina.”

“I missed hearing this name so much,” she said between her breaths. I took her clitoris between my index and middle finger and started moving my hand back and forth. As my movement accelerated, Jaz’s breaths started to become jerky. Using my other hand, the one that fixed her hands, I had to take off her shorts. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Jaz also pulled her sports bra over her head, threw it aside, and sat up in bed, throwing her head back and moaning. While my fingers were busy with her most sensitive point, I kissed the inner part of her thigh with my mouth and then ran my teeth over it. Jaz normally found this movement ticklish, but as long as she didn't make a sound, I didn't even care. I caught the edges of her underwear with my teeth and tore them. I would brag about the power of my jaw muscles later. Jaz bent her knees and spread her legs even more. I ran my tongue at the entrance of her wet vagina. I slowly went upward with my tongue and completed a full tour around her clitoris with my tongue. Jaz screamed, “Ah!” “Enzo… yes…” The fact that she was chanting my name had fueled me even more. Getting rid of my own underwear, I pulled out my equipment. While one hand was drawing circles on Jaz’s clitoris, I was stroking my own equipment with the other. Jaz was dangling her tongue down my throat. I took one of the condoms I had pre-stocked in the drawer of Jaz’s nightstand and put it on in a snap. Usually, I would put it on without Jaz noticing because, for a reason I didn't understand, Jaz didn't like using condoms. Well, what do I care, I’ll put it on! When I entered Jaz at once, both of us moaned. Finally! It might not have been a very long time, but for my body, it had been a long and torturous enough time that I hadn't been inside Jaz. Normally, I would start slow to drive Jaz crazy, then speed up, but this time I was going crazy too, so I started the motor without waiting at all. While I was moving my hip by pushing and pulling, I was also sucking and nibbling on those erect nipples of Jaz. Jasmine screamed, “Ah! Enzo!” “Don’t you dare stop!”

Why would I disappoint you, love, I thought to myself. While I continued to stab my equipment in and out, I couldn't leave her clitoris alone either. I joined two of my fingers and was rubbing that area where the nerve endings were dense. Jaz was screaming, moaning. “God!” And her breathing was very fast and irregular. I understood she was coming. She was tugging at her hair, the sheet, the pillow with her hands, and finally, she was coming with a big moan, trembling on top of my equipment. I continued to stab my equipment, which was even more slippery now, in and out. When I came, both of us were exhausted, but Jaz seemed like she wanted more. She had wrapped her own body around me, pushing her hip toward me so that my equipment would remain inside. Was this girl trying to make me come again in less than five minutes? I would tell her I wanted to rest, but my dominant Moretti charisma would be scratched. So I focused on her clitoris. Jaz liked this more than her uterine orgasm. Of course, she hadn't told me this herself. As a real gentleman, I had analyzed her moan tones and come to this decision. My observation was extremely correct because a moan was pouring from Jaz with every movement of my mouth.

When I sucked, “Ah!…”, when I rubbed with my fingers “Faster… Faster…”, and when I took it between my teeth, the real pleasure screams were rising. I licked her clitoris one last time with my tongue and lay down next to her. Jaz, holding onto my hand that was wet with her fluid, said, “Enzo, please.” She was practically holding onto me, and her voice was so desperate, so begging that I was almost going to pass to the second round. “Please don’t stop.”

Wow! I had never heard Jaz talk like this before. Also… wait a minute… were her eyes watery? I stroked her cheek with my dry hand. “Why are you crying?” I said. I was worried about her. But Jaz was still in the mode. “Because you took away one of the most beautiful feelings in my life,” she said, looking as if she were really disappointed.

I left a long kiss on her lips. “Your family isn't here, forgot? They won't return for a few weeks. I’m yours until they return.” She lay on my chest, sat up on one elbow, and performed a walking movement on my chest with two fingers.

With a flirtatious smile on her face, she said, “Let’s correct that, you’re always mine.” I tucked a strand of her messy hair behind her ear. “You’ll be my death, Monroe.”

She giggled: “That’s my job.” She snuggled up to me and placed her head on my chest. I placed one hand on her bare hip and stroked it slowly. I had missed her warmth so much. I wanted to lock her in here and stay like this only forever. I wanted to bury my face in those soft hair and never take it out again. Am I overly dependent? Yes. Do I care? Not at all. I adore this girl, and if it meant keeping her with me forever, I would do anything.

Jaz passed her hand through my hair. “So, how did my sweet boyfriend’s day go?”

Let me think; I learned from the cashier in the shop I entered just for the purpose of getting a bottle of water that my father could get out at any moment... and that if we didn't do something about it, he would make our lives hell and probably kill you. I put my hand under my head and pretended as if I were comfortable. I stared at the ceiling and sighed. “It was good.”

Jaz lifted her head from my chest and looked at me with skeptical eyes. “Are you sure? Your voice doesn't sound like that at all.”

I smiled with all my effort. “It was good, really. I was with you, wasn't I? What more could I want?”

She tilted her head. “This isn't your real smile.” She moved very close to my face. “Don’t lie to me.”

Grinning, I said, “Or what would happen?” because I wanted to close this subject and fool around. Unfortunately, Jaz realized my intention. “I’m serious, Enzo. Tell the truth. What happened today?”

Fuck, she was looking at me with those eyes again. This was the “you tell me before I find out myself” look. Maybe it would be better if she found out in her own way. Maybe she would pounce on me, bite my equipment, torture me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a masochist—I think—but when it comes to Jaz… you know. I tried to distract her attention by being affectionate, but when she sprained my wrist while I was going to grope her chest, I moaned in pain and gave up. “Okay! Okay! Damn it…” When she let go of my wrist, there was a glow of victory on her face. Both of us sat up in bed and turned to each other. “I was at the gym with Dmitri before coming here—” Staring at my abdominal muscles, she said, “I can see…” Then she shook her head and turned to me. “Please continue.”

“Before I took Volkov, I entered a shop to get water. Something happened at the checkout.”

When she saw I paused, she asked impatiently: “What happened, Enzo?” I took a deep breath and told her about the note and my fears. She listened to me looking into my eyes, held my hand. When I finished, she formed a sentence worthy of herself. “If he tries to harm me or you, I’ll tear his ass.”

I laughed out of being caught off guard. I adored these states of Jaz. “Also,” she continued her words, “we have enough evidence for the court. We can get him life imprisonment without parole!” I looked at her in surprise. “How will we do that?” She froze as if she realized she had said the wrong thing. She was roving her eyes between my eyes, looking down. This state of Jaz was both worrisome and suspicious. “Locking your mother in a mental hospital unjustifiably? Bribing a fake doctor? Wouldn't these be enough?”

They wouldn't be enough, and Jaz knew that too, but for some reason, she was playing dumb. Slowly, I said, “They wouldn't be enough.” Was she making fun of me? Jaz was the smartest person I ever knew, smarter than even me—I can never admit this to her—but this was basic information. Very large penalties wouldn't come out of these types of crimes.

“To be honest, I don’t understand law,” she tried to recover, but this was also a lie. Jaz was born to be a lawyer. She was stubborn, determined, arrogant, detail-oriented, and she had the gift of the gab. Also, she was studying pre-law psychology. The girl’s target was to get into Harvard law school. She was working harder than anyone else for the LSATs. I looked at her face carefully. I had seen this expression before. After she talked to my mother privately…

“Jaz… Is there something you want to tell me?” She avoided her eyes from me and said in a low voice, “No.” It was so obvious that she was lying. But the problem is: Jaz was a very good liar. Okay, this isn't a very nice trait, but when Jaz needs to lie, she does it without even blinking, her heartbeat doesn't change, she acts as if she were telling the truth. Reminding her that she could tell me everything, I said, “Are you sure?” She moved away from me, suddenly shouting, “I’m sure!” “What’s this interrogation all about?!”

I flared up too: “There’s nothing! I just asked a question! Just like you did!”

“No! I asked you what was bothering you! You, on the other hand, implied that I was hiding something from you!” I wanted to deny it, but it was true. She raised her voice even more. Now tears were coming from her beautiful eyes. “After everything you’ve done to me, all the lies you’ve told, when I chose to leave them all behind and trust you again, are you accusing me of lying?!”

I backed off and hugged her. Not because I believed she was innocent, but because I thought I had pushed her too much. Also, the feeling of guilt given by the last thing she said was scratching my ass, but it’s not that important. She had just surfaced the mistakes and regrets I was trying to overcome with my therapist, and I could really fight with her right now, but something stopped me. Maybe my soft heart couldn't endure the crying of the girl for whose sake I would burn worlds. Maybe it was angering me that the person who upset her was myself, while I had sworn to wipe those who upset her off the face of the earth. “I’m sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you this much.” If I said my insides didn't ache while my naked girlfriend was crying on my chest, you would call me a piece of shit. For the last few weeks, both of us were trying to heal. I pulled her even closer to me and stroked her hair. I inhaled that fascinating floral scent. “I love you so much that the thought of losing you stressed me out. I’m sorry.”

When Jaz’s sobs ceased on my chest, the shaking of her shoulders left its place to deep and shaky breaths. To destroy that disgusting feeling of having hurt her, I kissed her hair and inhaled her scent. "I’m sorry, Volpicina... It’s just the idea of losing you disables my logic," I whispered.

When Jaz lifted her head and looked at me with moist eyes, that sadness suddenly left its place to a much more intense and dark desire. The moment our lips joined, both of us attacked each other with that hunger we had been accumulating for weeks. I lay her down on her back slowly. I wouldn't rush this time.

I dived my hand between her legs, to that point which was still wet and hot from our previous union. While slowly pushing my index and middle finger in and out, I started rubbing her clitoris with my thumb with hard circular movements. Jaz’s hip lifted from the bed, she sank her nails into my shoulders. Jaz wasn't standing idle either, she was reaching her hand down and cupping my throbbing equipment and stroking it rhythmically. The warmth of her palm was about to drive me crazy. While I was passing my teeth onto her neck and leaving small, sucking bites, I buried my fingers completely inside. Just when I was about to settle right between her legs and surrender myself to that hot depth...

The silence of the room was broken by the two phones next to the bed bursting into a group call at the same time.

"No way… Really?!" Jaz shouted, burying her head in the pillow.

When I saw the names “Dmitri, Kai, Tianna, and Yura” in the group call on the screen, the hair on my head stood up. Jaz declined her own phone, but mine wouldn't stop. With irritation, I grabbed the phone and put it on speaker.

"Dmitri! If you aren't having an accident right now, I’m going to create that accident!" I roared.

From the other end of the line, Dmitri’s famous, dirty grin, which you could tell even from his voice, came the answer: "Ooo... Your voice sounds very busy, Moretti! Wait, don’t hang up! Can we listen too? Live stream it, bro!"

“Dmitri, you’re disgusting,” said Tianna. I could feel her curling her face, “Give people some space.”

“Personally, I’m in favor of people not being disturbed while having sex.”

“How would you know that?” Dmitri burst into a laugh, “As if you and Yura had sex.”

“We did!” Kai snapped, but his voice lowered, “Almost…”

From the other side, Yura’s fed-up voice came, “Kai, please shut up.”

“I’m sorry, love.”

A fake annoyed voice rose from Dmitri, “I’m the only one left as a sap between these sticky lovers, Tianna. Should we do something too?”

Tianna said with a sarcastic voice, “I don’t want to, leave it.”

Dmitri sighed too, “One day, for sure. Русалочка… Ugh, whatever. Enzo, you guys continue, bro, we aren't here.”

"Fuck off, Volkov!" I shouted just as I was about to hang up, Yura’s voice intervened: "Jaz! Don’t forget tomorrow!"

Jaz frowned and leaned toward my phone. "What? What’s tomorrow, Yura?"

But I had already hung up the call. Jaz looked at me in surprise. "What’s special about tomorrow, Enzo? Do you know about it?"

"It’s Sunday tomorrow, Jasmine. There’s nothing special about it," I said while throwing my phone under the bed. "They’re probably making it up to bother you. Forget them."

Jaz paused for a moment, as if she were weighing something in her mind, but then she gave up and shrugged her shoulders. "You’re right, they’re definitely making fun," she continued thoughtfully, ",but Yura doesn't make such jokes. I wonder what happened?"

I lay her back on the bed and settled between her legs. "Forget tomorrow," I whispered toward her lips. "There’s only today right now, and today you’re only mine."

When Jaz wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me to herself, all those confusing outside noises in the room disappeared once again. With Jaz wrapping her legs tightly around my waist, my last bond with the outside world also broke. Yura’s warning or our friends’ stupid jokes had remained completely meaningless next to this smell of sweat and lust intensifying inside the room. I leaned my hand on the headboard and surrendered myself completely to that hot depth of hers.

"Ah... Enzo," Jaz moaned, throwing her head back and opening her neck completely.

I rose on my knees and increased my tempo. With every strike, Jaz’s nails were opening new marks on my back, but this pain only caused me to become more ambitious. Every time my sweat-drenched chest hit her chest, I could hear our hearts beating with the same irregular rhythm. There was no more slowing down or playing games; I was only focused on quenching that wild longing inside me.

I leaned down and took her breasts into my mouth, while I was tugging at her nipples with my teeth, I continued to push my hips hard. Jaz was writhing under me, rambling meaningless words in a state where she didn't know what to do out of pleasure. Making her reach this state, keeping her control completely in my hands was flattering my pride.

"Look at me," I whispered with an authoritative voice.

Jaz struggled to fix her steamed-up eyes, which had reached the peak of pleasure, to mine. There was everything in that gaze; love, passion, and that unshakable belonging to me. I passed my hand through her hair and fixed her head and closed on her lips hard. While my tongue was pillaging every corner of her mouth, I took my tempo to the highest level below.

Jaz’s body started to stretch like a bow. I could feel how the muscles inside her were squeezing my equipment. "Enzo... I’m coming... please!" she shouted, her voice echoed in the room.

The moment I felt her coming trembling, I couldn't hold myself either. With the last few hard strikes, I emptied all that tension, anger, and desire that had accumulated for weeks into her. Again… While we were both holding onto each other in a breathless state, the world plunged into silence for a moment.

For minutes, we stayed like that without speaking, just listening to our heavy breaths. Finally, I rolled next to her and pulled her under my arm. Jaz pressed her sweaty forehead against my chest and let out a deep sigh.

"Whatever happens tomorrow," she muttered in a sleepy voice, "it can’t be in a better place than where I am right now."

I grinned and wrapped her tighter. "M.I.R. item seven, Monroe: Tomorrow hasn't come yet, so enjoy it."

“This M.I.R. is getting longer and longer. It will take time for me to learn.” Jaz said between breaths. I hope I didn't tire her too much. But she definitely seemed satisfied. Her facial muscles had relaxed. Her eyes were closing and opening, and there were small smiles on the corners of her lips.

I rubbed my nose against her nose, “You don’t need to learn, my love. You can do whatever you want. Both my mind and my heart belong to you, and you write the rules there.”

I leaned down and kissed her for a long time. Even though my intention was only to kiss, Jaz seemed ready for the third round already. However, my body was in a collapsed state. As I tried to move away, Jaz was pulling me to herself.

“I’m really tired,” I said breathlessly.

As for Jaz, she pouted like a little child, “But I’m bored,” she crossed her arms under her bare breasts and made her breasts rise upward. She was trying to provoke me, but both me and my equipment were overly tired. But my hands weren't tired. As for my brain, it was still working like poison. This was a miracle because while I was with Jaz, mostly my brain was shutting itself down.

“Let’s watch a movie then,” I said, “and you choose the movie.”

She frowned and looked at me, “Movie?”

“Yes,” I said confidently, “That way our bodies rest a little, my love.”

Even if Jaz wasn't fully convinced, she got out of bed to get the remote for the television in her room. God… Her ass was very beautiful and tight. Whatever she was doing in sports was evident. I wanted to go and squeeze and bite them. One second… Does a person have one ass or two? Interesting…

“Jaz… How many asses does a person have?”

Jaz, who took the remote from the drawer, turned to me and laughed as if I said something very ridiculous, “What? Of course, one. One ass, two lobes.”

“I see… But there are two breasts?”

“Yes because they are two independent pieces,” she said and squeezed her breasts in turn. I pressed the duvet over my equipment so that my erection wouldn't be visible.

“I see, thank you,” I said quickly, trying to close the subject. But I didn't understand a bit.

When Jaz returned to bed with the remote in her hand, she was still laughing at this ridiculous argument we had about ass lobes and anatomical independence. She snuggled next to me, turned on the television, and chose a random romantic-comedy on Netflix. Actually, it didn't matter in the least what we were watching; the colorful lights on the screen were just a decor to scatter that intense silence in the room.

While Jaz was resting her head on my shoulder and trying to focus on the screen, my hands had already started drawing their own route. My body might have been tired, but my hands couldn't stop without touching Jaz. I slid my fingertips gently from her kneecap up, toward that soft inner part.

"Enzo..." Jaz said without taking her eyes off the screen. "Didn't we say we were going to watch a movie? It hasn't been five minutes yet."

"We are watching, aren't we," I said, maintaining that mischievous tone in my voice. I brought my hand a little higher, started to roam my fingers over that most sensitive area. "My eyes are on the screen, my hands are on you. We can do both at the same time."

Jaz shifted slightly in her place, her breath had already started to shorten. I placed my palm between her legs and found that small, hardened point with my middle finger. I started rubbing her clitoris with very slow, circular movements at first. Jaz’s gaze broke off the screen, she threw her head back and buried it in the pillow.

I accelerated my movements. The friction created by my fingertips was enough to make Jaz writhe in bed. While her body was shaking rhythmically, I increased my tempo completely. Just when we approached that highest point, a sound I didn't expect came from Jaz; a small, jerky giggle mixed into her moan.

I didn't stop but leaned toward her, laughing. "Are you serious, Monroe? While you should be in a sugar coma right now, are you laughing?"

While Jaz was shaking with that strange feeling given by pleasure and tickling, she continued to giggle, "Enzo... stop... it’s both so good and I’m so ticklish, don’t do it!" Her hips were trying to escape left and right in bed, but I had fixed her under me.

"M.I.R. supplementary item: If your lover is giggling while having an orgasm, making fun of her is a legal right," I said while grinning. I started moving my hand harder and faster. "Let’s see, these laughs will turn into a scream in a moment."

"You’re a piece of shit!" Jaz said breathlessly, but at the same time, she closed her legs to put more pressure on my hands. I didn't care about her being ticklish; the target of my fingers was clear until those tremors stopped.

"I am," I said and leaned over her lips and drowned those giggles with my kisses. "Now get ready to go numb."

Jaz, while writhing in bed from pleasure, was trying to cope with her uncontrollable giggles. She tried to hold my hand, but the electric current created by my fingers was practically locking her.

"Enzo... Stop, I’m serious!" she said breathlessly, while laughing until tears came from her eyes. "I’m saying I’m ticklish! Do it like... Press harder, don’t fool around with your fingertips! I beg you, do it properly."

I slowed my movements for a moment and looked at her from above with that famous Moretti grin. She looked so beautiful with her messed-up hair and reddened face that I was barely holding myself to continue this “torture.”

"So you’re begging?" I said, deliberately lowering my voice and pulling it to a more muffled tone. "Since you want it so much, so be it, Monroe. You were making the rules, weren't you?"

I placed my palm completely over her clitoris and cut the tickling contact of my fingertips and applied pressure with all my weight. This time, instead of circular, I started crushing with wider and more determined movements. Jaz’s giggling state suddenly stopped; it left its place to a deep, bass moan coming from her throat.

"Hah..." she said, while her body was sticking to the bed. "This is... it."

"Has your ticklishness passed, baby?" I whispered, opening her leg further to the side with my other hand and fixing my tempo. "Or do you need to ‘beg’ a little more?"

Jaz couldn't answer. She only pressed her head into the pillow and closed her eyes. That intense pressure and slow but effective friction under my palm had taken her out of the ticklishness threshold and put her completely into the cloud of pleasure. While I was slightly bending my fingers inside, I continued to press that sensitive point with my palm.

"Slower..." Jaz muttered, sinking her nails into the sheet. "Never stop, Enzo."

I didn't break her heart. I wasn't even hearing the sound of the movie anymore; I was only following Jaz’s changing breathing and the heartbeat accelerating under my palm.

When I suddenly pulled my hand away and leaned back on the bed, Jaz looked at me with her eyes bulging as if she had suffered the world’s greatest injustice. Those deep moans from a moment ago had been cut like a knife, leaving its place to an expression as if saying “are you joking?”

"Enzo! What are you doing?" she snapped, while pouting her lower lip forward and crossing her arms over her chest. She was really pouting like a child whose favorite toy had been taken away.

"Well, didn't we say we were tired? Wouldn't our bodies rest?" I said, trying to hide my grin. "M.I.R. supplementary item: If the chef decides to rest, the kitchen is closed, Monroe."

"You’re a piece of shit, really a total piece of shit," she muttered, but even that pouting state of hers was so cute that I couldn't help myself and pulled her under the duvet, next to me.

In that dark and hot world of the duvet, we tangled with each other. Even though Jaz continued to pretend as if she were still a bit offended and tried to nudge me with her elbow, she finally gave up and buried her nose in my neck. Under the duvet, our feet were getting tangled in each other, our hands were continuing to bother each other with furtive touches. A little scuffle that started with Jaz pressing her cold feet against my legs and startling me turned into a love ball continuing with muffled laughs and kisses under the duvet.

"Okay, okay... I surrender," Jaz said, while settling on my chest breathlessly. That intense passion from a moment ago now left its place to the most peaceful tiredness in the world.

I passed one hand through her hair, I started massaging her hair roots slowly with my fingers. Jaz’s breath was getting heavier, those last crumbs of tension in her body were disappearing. Although the lights of the movie on television were leaking from the edges of the duvet, now neither the image nor the sound had any importance.

"Good night, Volpicina," I whispered, planting a tiny kiss on her temple.

Jaz could only reply with a sleepy murmur and fixed her head right over my heart, the place where she was safest. Within a few minutes, her breathing regulated. I turned off the television and watched my lover sleeping on my chest. She looked so peaceful… As I watched her breathing, I was getting sleepy too. Just as I was about to close my eyes, I heard a sound.

“Meow…”

Fuck… Jaz’s cat, Noche… Judging by the scratching sounds coming from the door of Jaz’s bathroom, she must have locked her little kitten in there. She was right; children shouldn't watch the intimate moments of their parents. However, if she heard the sounds, she had most likely been traumatized.

I slowly laid Jaz down on the pillow. I put on my underwear and headed toward the bathroom. I opened the door slowly. As soon as I opened the door, I felt a hot fur ball at my feet. Noche was rubbing against me with her pitch-black fur. She was still so small. I slowly picked her up from the ground and pressed her to my chest. She started purring while I was scratching under her neck. If I didn't know that she was too small for a collar yet, I would have immediately gone and bought her a collar worthy of princesses like her. Of course, Jaz would choose, but I would buy it. I don’t like Jaz spending her own money while I’m here. Maybe it’s because of the male ego, I don’t know, but it felt wrong to me.

“Do you need to go to the toilet?” I whispered but then remembered that Noche’s litter was already in the bathroom like all her other things.

“Then it’s sleep time,” I said and returned to the bed with Noche in my arms, with silent steps. The kitten, who saw her mother, immediately snuggled into her chest. When I lay down next to them, she stretched her little body thoroughly and opened her belly. I laughed silently through my nose. I lay sideways and looked at the closed eyes of my lover and the kitten who had placed her head between her breasts. I thought I was the only person authorized to do that. I knew it was ridiculous to be jealous of a cat, but what could I do? Though I had already leveled up in jealousy. When I entered Jaz’s house at nights with my “Ardore” identity and slept with her and made her fall in love with me, I had been jealous of the girl from myself. But you have to give me credit too, it wasn't me she was in love with, it was Ardore. And that had driven me crazy. Now I was really jealous again. I planted a kiss on both my lover and her cat and closed my eyes.

While my consciousness was slowly sinking into the darkness between Noche’s purring and Jaz’s peaceful breaths, the endless silence of the mansion had wrapped us. The noise of Manhattan couldn't reach here; this enormous property outside the city had left the night completely to us. However, this peace left its place to a big noise with the first lights of the morning. I opened my eyes with a loud door sound echoing in the room. Before I could even understand what was happening, Yura burst in like a hurricane, and right behind her was Kai with his usual dull expression. While Noche jumped down from the bed with fear and ran into the bathroom, Jaz and I, in a state of confusion, half-naked and tangled with each other, sat up.

At that moment, Kai covered one of his hands over Yura’s eyes with a professional reflex, and shielded his other hand over his own eyes. Yura, with a muffled voice from behind Kai’s palm, said, "Sorry... I thought you would be dressed," but there was no tone in her voice that would make her take a step back.

Jaz, with her messed-up hair and a sleepy but extremely grumpy voice, snapped: "What do you want at this crack of dawn?!"

Yura took down Kai’s hand and shouted impatiently: "Jaz, how could you forget?! Today is the day!"

Jaz was still under the influence of sleep, looked with a frown. "What day is today?!"

Yura couldn't take it anymore, opened her eyes wide and yelled: "The day Jackson returns!"

At that moment, the air in the room froze. Jaz literally remained frozen. Because of the tiredness of yesterday’s night and that intense passion, she had forgotten everything, the whole world completely. "Fuck," she whispered and checked the time on the nightstand. Time was running out. Jaz turned to Kai and shouted, "Get out!" Kai said, "With pleasure," and left the room without even turning his back.

Jaz jumped out of bed in a panic. As for me, on the contrary, I got up with an opposite calmness and started pulling on my sweatpants. Jaz hurriedly put on her jersey shorts, but she couldn't find that gray oversize T-shirt of mine from yesterday. Yura, most likely, threw the T-shirt she found on the ground while going upstairs to Jaz. Jaz grabbed the T-shirt and passed it over her head, quickly combed her hair, and started running downstairs in a huff. She wasn't even in a condition to realize that the T-shirt on her was inside out and the seams were left outside.

When we went down to the wide living room of the mansion, Dmitri and Tianna were waiting for us. When Dmitri saw this state of Jaz, he opened his mouth and tried to tease her, and Jaz blocked his words by shaking her finger toward him: "This is not the time, Volkov."

We quickly stepped out of the massive entrance door of the mansion. While the morning coolness coming from that wooded terrain outside Manhattan was hitting our faces, Jaz started to stand and wait in front of the door. Her body was taut like a bow, her hands were trembling. I went next to her and put my hand on her waist, I wanted to support her, but Jaz rejected me only with her glances; there was no room for any consolation right now. There were only two possibilities: Either Jax would return inside a coffin or alive.

Yura touched Jaz’s shoulder. Her eyes were also filled with anxiety; after all, he was a childhood friend and the person she valued most at one time.

After a while, a black SUV appeared in the long driveway of the mansion. As the car approached, Jaz’s breath stopped. The SUV stopped slowly in front of us and its back door opened. As soon as the door opened, a Golden Retriever jumped out joyfully. Jax’s dog, Lucky.

Jaz, running while sobbing, hugged the dog and started kissing it. "Lucky... My beautiful boy..." she said, but her eyes were in the car. Jackson wasn't there. The car looked empty. Jaz buried herself in the dog’s neck and started crying. "Lucky... Where is Jackson?"

Of course, there was no answer from the dog. While Jaz had collapsed to where she was, hugging the dog and crying, a piece of me broke off. Just as I was going to go next to her and lift her up from the ground, the driver’s door of the car slowly opened.

From the car, a boy, showing the same age as us, 19, with short wavy brown hair and light skin, got out. He was tall, he was the same height as me; he was wearing a baggy T-shirt and shorts. He took the Ray-Ban sunglasses from his eyes and attached them to the collar of his T-shirt.

He walked with slow steps and stood above Jaz who was crying. A crooked, familiar grin, which we always saw in Dmitri, appeared on his face.

"I didn't know you loved me this much, sister," he said with his calm voice.

When Jaz lifted her head, the world stopped at that moment.