Page 216 of Gilded Cage (Kovalyov Bratva 1)

But something. Something real.

I have one last, hazy thought before my eyes close and I drift off into sleep: is something like that possible for a man like me?

58

Esme

Picacho Del Diablo, Mexico

“There it is!”

The porch of the lodge comes into view. Seconds later, the rest of the structure follows.

It’s a slope-roofed building with weathered wood siding. The chimney is leaning over at a precarious angle.

As we drive closer, I see how neglected it is. The structure looks sturdy, but it feels like there’s a layer of dust and mold that’s crept into the foundations.

When Artem parks, we get out of the car and look up at the lodge together.

“Doesn’t look very habitable, does it?” I say, biting my lip in dismay.

“Actually, I think it looks kinda perfect,” Artem tells me.

“Yeah?”

“You were right,” he nods. “This is the perfect place for us to lie low for a while. It’s off the beaten bath and there aren’t any major hiking trails that come this way.”

“There’s also poor cell phone reception,” I point out.

“We’ll manage. The village is only a thirty-minute walk down from here, and it’ll take half that time by car. We can get whatever food and supplies we need from there. And in the meantime, we can clean this place up a bit.”

I purse my lips and scan the surroundings.

The lodge has been built into a natural hill that overlooks the beautiful Baja California mountain range. Woods cluster almost right up to the front door, thick and lush.

It’s as picturesque as they come.

I feel a certain sense of peace overwhelm me. It feels good to get off the road and to know that we’ll be staying put.

For a while, at least.

“Come on,” Artem says. He takes my hand and leads me into the lodge.

He has to push the door hard, but it squeaks open eventually and we walk inside.

The space is large, with a kitchen built into one corner and a door leading to the bedroom on the opposite side. A couch has been covered over with plastic, behind which rests a table with three mismatched chairs.

I venture towards the bedroom while Artem checks out the fireplace. It’s only mildly cool at the moment, but I have a feeling the temperature will drop in the night, giving us an excuse to light it up.

The bedroom is small. A bed is pushed up against one wall and it even has a mattress, but it’s covered over with a thick film of dust.

Apart from that, it’s practically empty.

I walk further into the room and check out the brilliant view from the window just over the bed.

Snow-capped mountain range sprawling under an azure blue sky.

Breathtaking.

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