Page 130 of Sinful Games

?Clive Barker

Caia

"You said you'd be back today," I sighed, putting my son's little red car toy back in his hands as we played on the living room playmat.

The phone was blaring in the background, so I pushed it away a bit to avoid it deafening me. “Alexsei? Can you hear me?” I called out.

“Yes, sorry baby, I’ve got awful reception,” he said, sounding annoyed. “I’m really sorry,moya solnyshka, but I’ve gotta stay a few more days. Angelo needs me, and I owe him. I promise I’ll make it up to you both.”

I handed the toy car back to my son, but he threw it even farther and burst into tears. I put my phone on speaker mode and picked him up. His tiny body shook with sobs, his cries filling the room.

"It's okay, sweetheart," I murmured, trying to calm him. "Mommy's here." As I held Lukyan close, his tears soaked my shoulder, and I sighed, feeling defeated.

Great, now my new Prada shirt is heading for the wash.

“Caia, baby, I know you’re pissed—" Alexsei’s voice crackled through the phone.

I paced back and forth, my nerves fraying as I tried to calm my son.

"I’m not pissed, Alexsei, I’m overwhelmed!" I snapped, but Lukyan’s sudden loud scream made me flinch. Tears welled up in my eyes, reflecting his distress. "Sorry for screaming, baby," I whispered, stroking his back. Lukyan clung to me, his tiny hands gripping my skin as his cries softened to whimpers. "Shh, it’s okay, calm down."

"Caia—"

"I need help, Alexsei. I haven’t slept in three days. Lukyan’s teething, his fever’s all over the place, and I—" My voice broke, tears streaming down my face. "I need you," I whispered, the weight of exhaustion and worry hitting me hard.

The phone crackled, heightening my frustration as Alexsei’s voice cut in and out.

Fed up, I hung up and texted him I’d call later.

In moments like this, when my son was inconsolable and my patience was shot, I felt overwhelmed by failure and loneliness—a common struggle for many mothers. Not understanding what he needed, combined with sleepless nights andconstant responsibility, made me feel like I was failing as a mother.

As Lukyan cried in my arms, his distress magnified my doubts and insecurities. I questioned my ability to comfort him and handle parenthood. I felt like I was failing him. And when those thoughts surfaced, the only thing that could soothe me was my husband.

His absence made everything harder.

When Lukyan finally fell asleep on my shoulder, I sighed with relief and quietly moved to my bedroom. If he needed a nap, I deserved a break too.

Carefully laying him down on my bed, I watched him sleep, his small form peaceful. It was a brief but cherished respite. Crawling into bed beside him, I closed my eyes, grateful for this moment of calm amidst the chaos of motherhood.

"Thanks, Dve," I said, genuinely grateful as he brought the large cardboard box down to my red room downstairs.

Moments later, he joined me in my small office while I was checking my camera supplies. I had ordered quite a few items for my downstairs camera room, but they were all too heavy for me to handle alone. I had casually mentioned this to Valeria over the phone this morning, never expecting her to send Dve to help.

“Caia, I think we should talk about Valeria,” Dve said slowly, seeming wary of my reaction.

I avoided his eyes, still focused on my computer screen as he settled in front of me. “Valeria?” I furrowed my brows. “What’s wrong?”

“No, I meant—" he nervously scratched the back of his neck. “Look, I know Valeria is your friend?—”

"She’s like my sister," I cut in.

"Like your sister," he corrected himself. “And I just want you to know?—”

"Dve, promise me you'll never hurt Valeria," I interrupted, my tone serious as I turned to face him directly. "She's important to me. I need to know she's safe with you."

I couldn’t obsess over Valeria's safety more than I was already obsessing over my own or my baby’s. Valeria deserved to be treated well, especially after all she’s been through.

Dve nodded earnestly, his expression sincere. "I promise, Caia. I would never do anything to hurt. I love her.”

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