Brushing off Vito’s words, I took Viktor’s keys when he held them out. 

“Why my car?” He sighed. 

“Why not? I remember plenty of years we raced our cars in the backyard.” I muttered. And he paused. 

“Alessio said you remember little.” He replied. 

“Things have been coming back slowly. And I would rather not have everyone knowing that.” I muttered, as I got into the car, Viktor getting into the passenger side. I started his car, and he hit the button for the garage. He looked down at my feet and sighed.

“Hold on.” 

“What?” 

“You can’t drive in bare feet, Ilya.” 

“I can so—-”

Viktor reached into the back, behind the seats, and produced a pair of flip-flops. I found that pretty amusing. I put them on my feet and pulled out of the garage. Matteo has also pulled out of the other garage, but was waiting for me to go first, most likely. I didn’t get it, but I drove past him and he followed me. 

“While we are in the car alone, Viktor, I want to tell you honestly that I want you to have the position of Don, with my blessing. After all, my parents raised you, and you’re older. That makes you the rightful heir.” 

“We both know that means nothing here. Biology rules, when it comes to who leads.”

“Well, not this time.” I muttered. 

Half an hour later, Vito and I were back in the house, in my bedroom. Matteo had taken him around the house on the path, put there many moons ago, when Viktor and I were teenagers. 

After the initial words exchanged between Viktor and me, we said nothing else. We just followed behind Matteo and Vito. Until Vito clearly had enough and made him pull back into the garage.

“We should head back soon.” Vito said, from where he sat on the corner of the bed, and it was the best thing I heard him say.

“Alright, I’ll get Matteo and let him know he can head out first—-”. Vito grabbed my wrist, and I turned back to look at him. 

“Matteo is coming with me in my car. Are you sure you’re capable of driving, and alone?” 

“Yeah, I should be ok, I don’t see why not.” I hummed. 

He looked like he almost didn’t believe me. But he didn’t push the issue. He just nodded and grabbed his keys from the pocket of the pants I wore yesterday. 

I got redressed into the clothing I arrived in, leaving the clothing from last night on the side of the basket in my room. Matteo had the same idea. He was redressed in the clothing from the night before, and was on the phone. Speaking with Caio, I could hear his accented voice from where I stood in the doorway. 

I felt Vito’s breath on the back of my neck and moved. He moved past me and cleared his throat before speaking to Matteo.

“Come on, it’s about time we head home.” 

“Alright, Ilya’s coming, right?” 

“Of course he is. This place isn’t his home.” Vito said. 

I followed behind them down the stairs, and Viktor was hovering around the front room. My car keys, and a few other things in his hands. 

“Ilya, do you have a moment?” 

“I suppose, I do.” I muttered. 

“I had more gas put in your car, and this is all your cards, credit, bank, the family bank—-. “

“Why do I need those?” 

“Your cards?”

“Yeah.” 

“You have money. I figured you would like to use it.” 

“Use it to pay Alessio for his continued care of me.” I said. 

“Are you sure?” 

“Absolutely.” 

“Alright. I’ll let him know you wanted it sent to him.” 

“Thanks.” I said, even as he gave me all the cards regardless, and my car keys. 

My parents came to the door, my mother holding a takeaway container. She looked at me, before she gave the container to Matteo, and took a moment to quietly tell Vito something. 

My father pulled me into a hug, not asking or even warning me. But it was a good feeling to have my father hug me. Not fearing me, like my mother still did. 

My mother looked me up and down. Before she spoke. “Don’t be a stranger, Ilya.” She placed a single kiss on my cheek. Before steeping back and watching me put my shoes on. 

“I am a stranger. I just happen to wear a familiar face.” 

With that, I left, joining Vito outside, where he was waiting with me. 

“Ilya, drive safe, obey the speed limits and—-” I cut Vito off with a sigh. 

“I know.” 

I headed to my car and jumped in, watching Vito leave with Matteo. I started the car and followed behind him. I paused at the end of the driveway. As I sat there, I calmed down a bit. Though it was like a drop in the ocean. Something was eating away at me inside, and I didn’t like the feeling. It was like a rat in a bucket, trying to chew its way out. 

Turning out of the driveway, Vito was gone, already on the highway. Blatantly speeding, I was trying to catch up. The highway was unsurprisingly busy, and I was stuck behind someone who didn’t seem to understand I was trying to pass them. 

As soon as a spot opened in the other lane, I signalled and merged into that lane, before speeding up and passing them. Even as I approached and passed Vito’s car a little while later. I didn’t slow down. Why should I? There was nothing he could do about my speeding right now, and when would I get to drive my car again, this free?

  I felt a rush of adrenaline as I watched Vito’s car grow smaller in the rearview mirror, mixed with the rest of the cars. I pushed the pedal further, feeling the engine roar as the speedometer climbed higher. Trees along the highway flew past in a blur.

My phone vibrated in my pocket continuously, and I didn’t have to even look at it to know that this was Vito. He was probably fuming about it, too. All the better to not pick up the phone and just deal with it when he came after me at the compound.

Pulling into the compound, and parked my car after dealing with the guards at the gates. My heart was pounding in my chest, and my hands were shaking. I could feel my face flush as my stomach twisted in knots. It filled me with a mix of fear, anger, and dread as I expected what was coming. Less than ten minutes later, Vito and Matteo pulled in, and I got out of the car, resting against the side of it. Vito got out and stepped around Matteo, who was trying to make peace.

“Give me your fucking keys, Ilya.” Vito demanded, the danger in his eyes shining, a dare there. A dare that told me to tell him to make me.

“No.” I replied, my voice strong and unwavering. “You’re not getting my keys.” To see him crack brought something up inside of me. Something I might once have compared to pleasure. As he pressed his body to mine, his chuckle sent a shiver down my spine and made my brain feel like it was buzzing. He took my keys in one hand and grabbed the back of my neck with the other. He shoved me into the house. Passing my keys off to Lev, who was watching the whole thing play out.

“See that Alessio gets these, and that Ilya’s car is stored properly?”

“Of course, when you’re done getting settled, see that you go see Alessio in the medical wing. Both of you.” Lev said.

Vito shoved me the entire way to his wing, his hand still on the back of my neck, and we lost Matteo as we passed his own wing. Vito let me go once he got inside the wing, and I could tell he was far from happy with the state of the place. Matteo and I had left it a mess.

“What a fucking mess.” He huffed. Before he turned back to me.

“Matteo and I should have cleaned this. I apologize.” I said. Meaning it, not just because we pissed him off.

“You’re right, you should have. But you didn’t, so I’ll deal with it.” Vito said, slamming closed the cupboard door as he went to get a trash bag. “Take my blanket and pillows back to the bed, and make it.” He said, his words not a suggestion, rather a demand.

“Alright.” I said, quickly gathering the blanket and pillows and rushing back to the bed. I began making it, doing my best to make it look as neat as possible. Vito watched me while I worked to get all the wrinkles out, before I turned and told him I was done. Just looking at the bed made me want a nap in the worst of ways.

Back out in the living room, Vito had fixed the couch and cleaned the messes up.

“I’m going to head down to the basement to have a nap. Tell Alessio I’ll come see him later.” I muttered before, darting away from Vito before he could react to my words. I reached the basement wing and hesitated to go inside.

Pushing open the door, I stepped into the darkness and closed the door behind me. Peeling off bits of clothing as I made my way to my bed and into my cold sheets.