Page 42 of Savage Reign

SOFIYA

The cool water envelops me,muffling the world above as I glide beneath the pool’s surface.

When I come up for air, the gentle night breeze soothes my overheated skin. I swim to the edge, resting my forearms on the rough concrete while I catch my breath.

I’ve only been here a week, but days blur together without anything meaningful to fill them. No plans, no purpose, no way to communicate with the outside world. Sure, movies and television are options, but I can only stare at a screen for so many hours. I’ve also spent time reading, exploring, and picking up the piano again—something I haven’t touched in years, not since my mother forced lessons on me.

My fingers are rusty, but it’s something to do—a way to distract myself from my churning thoughts. I’ve spent countless hours concerned about Liza, for Daria and Alex unknowingly being watched by Nikolai’s men, but all that has gotten me nowhere. I’m no closer to a plan or finding a way to escape.

Every day that passes, my old life feels like it’s slipping away, and Nikolai is taking up more and more space in my brain. I’ve tried to keep my distance from him, which hasn’t been too hard, considering he’s barely been around lately. I thought time away would help, but it hasn’t.

I sigh and push off to float on my back, staring up at the stars. The sound of shuffling feet jolts me from my thoughts. I stand to find my guard, Emil, at the edge of the pool.

“Why didn’t you invite me for a swim?” There’s an amused look on his face, something I’m not entirely used to. I blink, caught off guard by this smiling version of him. Since I got here, he’s kept his distance—and when I do see him, he’s scrolling on his phone or smoking with the other guards. He seems pretty uninterested in the job, and I can’t blame him. There’s not much happening at the estate.

“Swim?” I let out a laugh, trying to lighten the mood. “Aren’t you supposed to be on duty?”

I drop my feet beneath me, submerging myself deeper. I feel exposed. The only swimsuit Eva lent me is a tiny white bikini that leaves little to the imagination.

His lips tip up at the corners. “No reason I can’t enjoy a swim while I’m on duty.”

Without Nikolai around, Emil doesn’t seem as tense. There’s almost something boyish about him when he’s not trying to appear so tough.

I must look confused because he gives a dry laugh, his fingers combing through his short hair. “I’m messing with you. But you should tell me when you leave the house.”

“Sorry, I didn’t know I was supposed to.”

“Your husband’s rules.” He shrugs. “I really don’t think there’s much of a chance of anything happening to you here.”

He drags a sun chair closer to the pool and sinks into it, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. He lights one with a flick of his lighter, exhaling a thin stream of smoke. Is he supposed to hang out for a chat? Samuil or any of my other guards would never do that. But maybe this is an opportunity to learn something about this place.

“You must be bored as shit, huh?” he says, taking a slow drag.

“I’m not sure if bored is the word.” I tread water. My arms move in slow, steady strokes. “It’s more like I feel stuck. Everyone else I went to school with is moving on to the next phase of their life, and I’m here… as collateral, without any real purpose.”

My thoughts drift to Alex and Daria. I wonder if Alex has moved to London yet, auditioning for West End shows, or if Daria has found a cozy little apartment in the Hollywood Hills. Does she have a sleek mini-convertible to zip around town, landing auditions for the next big production?

I want those things for my friends—I really do. But I can’t help feeling a pang of jealousy. They’re moving forward, chasing their dreams, while once again, my ties to the Syndicate keep me stuck in place, unable to live a normal life.

Then again, I’m the reason they have a guard shadowing their every move, ready to pounce if I step out of line. Maybe envy isn’t fair.

He watches me carefully, his expression unreadable. “I get it,” he says.

I pause, feeling like I’ve said too much to my guard. Damn. I must be lonelier here than I realized.

When I glance up at him, he’s still looking at me. He takes another slow drag from his cigarette, the smoke curling around him.

“I guess guard duty isn’t your idea of a good time?”

“It’s being stuck at the estate I’m not crazy about.” He rests an ankle on his opposite knee. “When Niko asked me to join his bratva, I was hoping to see some real action. Get my hands dirty, not sit around here. But orders are orders.”

I swim to the pool’s edge, propping my arms on the tiles. I didn’t expect Emil to be so forthcoming, but since he is, I might as well take advantage. “Wait—he brought you in? I thought most people worked their way up.”

His mouth flattens. “It was different for me. Niko and I grew up together. We lived in this rundown apartment block that smelled like piss and desperation. You learned to fight quickly, or you didn’t survive. Niko was the oldest and he fought for all of us. He wasn’t afraid of anyone—not the bigger kids, not the drunk adults, not even the gangsters hanging around outside. He stepped in, even if it meant getting knocked down himself. Especially by his mother.”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

His jaw tightens, and he flicks ash into the air. “We came from a rough world, Sofiya. Different from anything you’ve probably seen. And trust me, we didn’t grow up in a palace like this.” He holds his arms out wide, gesturing around us. “Their mom—like all our parents—was barely getting by, always drinking and using drugs. She was really rough on the boys, especially when she was high. Niko shielded Sergey from the worst of it. That’s who he’s always been. Hell, he even went to jail for that fucker.”

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