She walked into the living room. It seemed like she had taken a shower and was wearing white long waist jeans with a black crop top. Her hair was down, resembling Barbie.

 Elena nudged me from the side and whispered with a grin, "Don't make it so obvious."

 I gave her a annoyed look. 

With a slightly sad expression, she said modestly, "Thank you again for everything."

 I wanted to drag her outside and interrogate her with questions. But I knew she wouldn't react to that. She had already behaved strangely at the hospital. I've turned the whole city upside down looking for James and sent my men searching for him in all the countries where I have power. It's as if he vanished into thin air. 

Elena stood up happily and pointed to her spot, "Sit here, Sofia! I don't want to sit next to my stinky brother!" 

She laughed heartily, and I rolled my eyes at Elena, but she winked at me. Sofia sat down next to me on the sofa. My heart started racing faster. Somehow, I thought her body warmth was rubbing off on me. 

Elena pouted in front of us as she sat next to Mom on the single sofas, "братррррр, when can I go out again?"

 I sighed irritably and said to her in Russian so Sofia wouldn't understand because she shouldn't be reminded of the situation, "Сколько раз мне приходится говорить тебе, что это пока невозможно, потому что это слишком опасно для тебя (How many times do I have to tell you that it's not possible for now because it's too dangerous for you, damn it)."

 I gave her a look to shut up now.

 "Я могу немного говорить по-русски" (I can speak a little Russian), Sofia said.

 I almost spit out my coffee that I had just taken a sip of and turned to Sofia in surprise, "You can speak Russian?!"

 She made a small gesture with two fingers, "a little." 

My mother asked surprised, "Are one of your parents Russian?"

 She shook her head, "No, no, I learned it in an extra course."

 I patted my chest because I was still coughing and then leaned back, "I'm impressed by you."

 She proudly patted her chest and laughed, "Да, конечно!" (Yes, of course!) 

I grinned and leaned back, putting an arm around her, "Прямо сейчас я так хочу тебя трахнуть, что ты больше не можешь ходить" (Right now, I want to fuck you so hard that you can't walk anymore). 

Elena almost choked on her drink and fell dramatically to the floor. 

My mother gasped and threw her slipper at me, "Ты говоришь это при мне?" (You say that in front of me?) 

Sofia looked at all of us confused. Her expression was so cute; if only she knew what I had just said, "What did he say?" 

I made a gesture to the two of them that I would slit their throats if they translated that.

Both of them sighed, "Oh, nothing."

 Sofia observed me with her gaze, and I looked back at her, shrugging. 

Elena then stood up and threw cards onto the table, "It's time to play BLUFF."

 I stood up immediately, "I'm not in the mood for these childish games." 

Elena was already dealing the cards on the table in front of us. 

Sofia sounded surprised, "Oh, it's too bad; it would be cool if you joined."

 I didn't want to let it happen, so I pretended to look at my phone intentionally, "Well, I don't have anything to do right now, so I guess I could play a round." 

My mother crossed her legs and said skeptically, "Of course, you're only playing because you have nothing else to do, right, Dante?" 

I sat back down and cleared my throat as Elena handed me the cards. 

I signaled to Sofia, "Come on, you lay down the first card." 

She laid down a card and said , "Three sixes." 

Then I laid down the cards, "Two fives." 

Elena laid down her cards, "One four," and Mother laid down her cards, being a terrible liar, "Three fives!"

 I looked at her, grinning, "Are you sure?"

 She nodded sincerely and buried her cards in her hand even more. I laid the card down and was shocked; she wasn't bluffing. 

Sofia burst into laughter, "You have to take the cards."

 I stuttered, "But— but no, that can't be!"

 Elena showed me her middle finger, "Shut up and take them, loser."

 If there was anything I hated as much as losing, it was losing. This couldn't be happening. I cleared my throat and leaned closer to the table, concentrating.

 Sofia laid down another card, "A two,"

 I then laid down "A king," 

Elena grinned maliciously and laid down her card, "A queen."

 I reacted, shouting, and stood up, pointing at her, "You're bluffing!" 

She scoffed. I turned her card; it was really a queen. I looked at Sofia, who turned as red as a tomato because she was suppressing her laughter, at Elena, who was laughing at me, and at my mother, who hid her grin behind the cards.

 I waved my arms, "No, you're cheating." 

Sofia pushed the pile of cards toward mine and placed a hand on my thigh, "It's okay to lose Dante , sit back down."

I sat down defeated.

 Sofia laid down another card, "A ten." 

This time, I laid down a five but said, "Two nines." 

She looked at me with raised eyebrows and turned my card, "CAUGHT."

 My mouth hung open.

 She used her hand to close my mouth and gave me an air kiss as a tease, "It's okay to lose, Dante." 

I looked at her in defeat and sat back down, shaking my head indignantly. 

We played for another hour. I lost every round. I covered my mouth with my hand, thoughtful and shocked. I, Dante, lost at cards.

I ran my fingers through my hair and exclaimed in disbelief, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" 

I stood up and paced back and forth in the living room frantically. 

Sofia laughed even more, "Awww, did you actually lose? The Dante who can do everything lost at cards!" 

I walked over to her, raised my finger as if to scold her, but she was laughing so beautifully that I couldn't say anything. I went to the dining table, poured myself a glass, and drank it all in one go. 

I got ready to leave the room, saying, "I'm out of here, I'm done with this crap." 

Elena called after me, "Have fun!" 

I went upstairs to the terrace and breathed in the fresh air. It hurt me. It hurt my damn ego. I cursed, "Какая игра-придурок!."

 I took out my pack of cigarettes, lit one, and took a drag. After a while, I started to calm down. Actually, it was fun. It had been a long time since I sat and communicated with people like that.

 I muttered to myself, "Oh, Sofia." 

Suddenly, a cheerful voice came from behind, "Hey, what about me?"

 I turned around with raised eyebrows, "Are you following me or something?" 

She shrugged, "Elena went to sleep, and your mom is knitting. I even tried to help her, but I messed it up."

 I grinned at her and moved closer so that we were only a few inches apart. I saw her pupils dilate. I brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

I leaned in close and whispered in her ear, "ты красивая" (you're beautiful). 

She grinned, her warm breath against my neck, and whispered back, "I understood that." 

I leaned back so I could see her face. Her big, hopeful eyes looked at me. Should I control myself? I threw my cigarette on the ground and put my hand around her neck, forcing her to follow my lead, pressing her against the wall. I grinned at her and stroked her cheek with my hand. She grinned cheekily. I gave up on controlling myself. I'd been holding back long enough.

 I whispered in her ear, "all or nothing," and kissed her.

She responded to the kiss, and my hands moved to her hips, but I was careful of the wound and pressed her closer to me. Her hands touched my face. The kiss became slowly more aggressive. I wanted her. I wanted her everywhere. I wanted to devour her, to feel her. There was a chair to lie her down and guided her there while we were still kissing. I laid her on it and positioned myself over her. Her lipstick was smudged.