Page 217 of Gilded Cage (Kovalyov Bratva 1)

I look down at the scratchings on the windowpane. Wondering if Cesar had stood there at some point, admiring the view in the same way I’m doing now.

I turn to find Artem standing in the doorway. He seems to take up the entire space, making the lodge itself look small.

I go to him without thinking about it and wrap my arms around him. It’s strange how natural it feels to be in his arms now.

He kisses my head, another gesture that has become comforting and familiar to me.

“I need to scout the area,” he tells me. “And secure the perimeter of the property.”

I nod. “I’ll try and make this place livable while you’re out.”

He pulls away so he can look down at me. “I don’t want you doing too much,” he says. “You need to rest.”

I roll my eyes and walk back into the living room. “I’m perfectly capable of doing a little light spring cleaning, Artem.”

He sighs. “Is there ever gonna be a time when you just listen to me without arguing?”

I glare at him. “What do you think?”

He grins. “Fair enough. I’ll need to go into town to place a call to Cillian as well, but I shouldn’t be more than a few hours.”

“No worries. I have tons to do here to keep myself busy.”

He grimaces again. “Please don’t go overboard.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

He smiles and kisses me softly on the lips before heading back outside to the car. I follow along to help him unload all the supplies we’d bought on our way out of Joshua Tree.

Once the trunk is empty, Artem climbs into the driver’s seat and heads back down the rocky trail that leads back to civilization. I watch him go until the car turns to the left and disappears completely from view.

At the back of the lodge, I find a small shed with brooms and mops. They could use a clean themselves, so I hold them under running water from the tap out back until they look a little more presentable.

Artem and I had bought a bunch of cleaning supplies and detergents, so I get them all out and set to work inside the cabin first.

I fold a clean duster into a triangle and wrap it around my face like an old-timey bandit. Then I dust all the surfaces, which creates something of an indoor dust cloud that took several seconds to settle.

I swept the floor twice over to get out all the dirt and debris clinging to the crevices in the wooden floorboards.

And when that’s done, I go through the entire cabin with my mop.

By the time I finish, the place looks so much cleaner and brighter. My eyes dart around the space, now seeing all the possibilities to make it more personal and cozier.

I’ve just moved on to cleaning the stovetop when I hear the car pull up outside the cabin.

A few minutes later, Artem walks in with his arms full.

He stops short when he takes in the newly exorcised cabin and looks at me with raised eyebrows.

“So much for taking it easy, huh?”

“It looks better, doesn’t it?”

“It looks amazing,” he replies. “Have you rested at all since I left?”

“You’ve only been gone an hour,” I say with a shrug.

“I’ve been gone for three.”

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