Sofía Volkov. The cause of restless nights, longing stares, wandering thoughts, distracting fantasies, the list goes on.
I stare at her walking to the bar. Her silky long black hair swaying with her steps. She looks back at me and I tilt my head to the side and raise my glass to her. She responds with a nod and a flirty smile.
My little Precious has a crush. That's a shame, she'll get her heart broken from reality.
I lean over the railing from the second floor. It allows me to see the whole club- including Sofia.
This year the Volkov's are hosting for thanksgiving. They've had this huge beach house in Palm Springs and that's where we're staying. One whole week, all of us stuck in the same building. Right now we all thought it would do some good for a little partying even though half of us are jet lagged- well aunt Jules, uncle Josh, Ethan, Dahlia and Sofia thought so. The rest of us not so much. But then again you don't deny 3 women in this family at the same time. So here we are. With Sofia wearing just the right dress to make her curves apparent while being somewhat family friendly.
She orders her drink and a few minutes later the bartender gives it to her. Something seems off though- he had a mischievious grin. After she takes a single sip it's like she's taken ten shots of tequila. Her legs start visibly shaking and it doesn't take a genius to figure what just happened. Anger pulses through my blood but I keep it in check- atleast until I'm done saving the Precious.
I climb down the stairs, making sure to never loose track of her. She's heading my way- good girl.
We meet at the bottom of the stairs.
"I-I don't feel so good." She slurs. She practically passes out right then and there.
Her eyes look into mine, full of desperation and helplessness.
"Precious I need you to follow me okay." I whisper in her ear. Fucking hell I haven't talked to anyone in so long. My voice sounds raspy, probably from all those years without practice.
She looks back up at me in total shock. "Holy mother of everything chocolate. Did you just talk?" She asks. I realize she's in no condition to have common sense since she's looking at a normal table like it's a Time Machine.
"What is that?" She asks pointing to the table.
I scoop her up bridal style and she shrieks before melting in my arms. Her hands wrap around my neck and she stuffs her face in my suit.
"Loré I wanna go home."she says, though it's a bit muffled since her face is still pressed to my chest. I walk out the club and call the valet and he pulls my car around.
"I know sweetheart. Just hold on." I lay her down in the passenger seat of my car and buckle her in. God she's beautiful.
"Mhm mphm" an incoherent mumble comes out her mouth.
"What was that?" I softly ask.
"You have a nice voice. You...should speak...more." She takes pauses in between while closing her eyes. Her eyes open again and they are covered in pure lust. Oh fuck no.
I close the door for her and go in the drivers seat.
"Do you remember what you ordered?" I ask, putting the address on maps.
"Mmm sprite? Maybe lemonade? Ooh with a lot of vodka." She closes her eyes again with a content smile.
I'm doomed.
"Call your dad or anyone, tell them what happened." I tell her.
"Let's call...Camila." I snatch the phone out of her hands before she answers, driving with one hand.
"No. If you call Camila she'll tell dahlia. And if dahlia knows she's gonna stress about it." I tell her.
"Okay then you call someone." She responds in a sassy tone. She crosses her arms and crosses her legs away from me.
I call uncle Alex. He answers on the first ring. "Sofia? Little sunshine? Where are you?! I can't find you?!" He asks clearly stressed.
I pass the phone back to Sofia. She eyes me but takes it anyway.
"I'm with Loré. He thinks the bartender put something in my drink. He wants you to find out what. Oh my god is that an arcade!" She says the last sentence as if she's an excited kid. How the fuck did she know?
"Are you okay little sunshine?"
"Mhm. Dad please tell Loré to take me to the arcade. He just drove past it." She complains with an adorable pout. She passes the phone back to me.
"Don't take her to the arcade. Get her home. Make sure she eats something and drinks a lot of water. Get her to bed. I'll call you back." Sofia hears what her dad says and genuinely looks like she's about to cry.
"Bye" he finally says before hanging up.
"How come you talked to me but not my dad?" She asks.
"How come you knew what I wanted from your dad?" I deflect. Because to be honest I don't know either.
"I don't know, I just had a feeling." She says while staring out the window.
The light turns red and turns back to me.
"Why did you help me?" She asks.
"Because you needed help."
"Right." She turns back but I see a tear slowly go down her face. She always had something where she would cry to fucking easily.
I softly turn her head to face me with my fingers. I gently wipe away the tear and kiss where it had once been.
"Wh-what are you doing?" She stutters
"I don't know anymore." I whisper to myself. I look back at the road and the rest of the drive is silent.
We're almost there and I stretch my arm out. Physical touch has never been my favorite. The only hugs I give are to my mother and from time to time Dahlia. But unlike me Sofia needs physical touch to function. I've been watching her from the corner of my eye struggling not to touch me.
She softly smiles and starts playing with my hands. I thought it would feel wrong but for some reason she's the exception to my uncomfortableness towards touch. I've never enjoyed any of the hugs I gave to my mom and sister. I suffered through because I knew that it would make them happy. But for some reason Sofias touch is something I want more of as she intertwines our fingers together.
"We're here." I say.
"I know." She softly whispers.
I look back at her to see her tracing my features with her lust filled eyes.
"Sofia, Precious. Don't look at me like that." I respond while taking out a cigarette from my back pocket. I find a lighter in the compartment and light my cigarette.
She eyes the cigarette and turns her attention back to me.
"You shouldn't smoke." She says getting out of the car.
"Your right." I get out the car and we make eye contact over the roof of the car.
"I know." She whispers again. She goes to walk to the front door but almost falls after a few steps. I quickly catch her.
"You should be more careful Precious." I say.
She shifts herself out of my arms and, successfully, walks to the front door.
She sighs loudly before turning back to me.
"Do you have the keys?"
"Everyone got keys. Where are yours?" I ask.
"I left them inside the house. Thought I wouldn't need them tonight."
"Shame."
I sit down on the front steps that lead to the doors and she sits next to me.
"How come you decided today was a good day to start talking?" She softly asks. Her fingers fiddling with her rings.
"You needed reassurance my eyes couldn't give."
She scoffs. "So am I the only one?"
"What?"
"Am I the only one who's heard your voice in...8 whole years?"
"Yes. Your too precious not to be treated differently."
She blushes, a lot. She lowers her head so her hair is covering her face. She suddenly looks back up at me in shock.
"I left my wallet!" She says. Her eyes are widened with panic. "God how could I be so stupid. Who forgets there fucking wallet at a club. I have a purse for a reason." She mumbles all that.
"Relax Precious. I'll just let your parents know to pick it up."
Just when I finish my sentence the 3 other cars pull up the big driveway.
Uncle Alex comes running out. "Sofia? You okay?" His voice is filled with concern. Sofia looks taken back for a moment but just nods.
"I wanna sleep." She softly whispers. His attention goes towards me and I can tell he's pissed.
"I told you to get her to bed. What the fuck is she doing out here." Instead of responding I just stare him down.
"Dad it's not his fault, he didn't have his keys either." Sofia says exhaustion clear in her voice.
I scoop her up when I notice my dad holding the door for my mom.
I walk through right after her as Sofia is basically already asleep.
My dad stops me. "We need to talk when your done." He warns me. I know I'm in trouble, I just don't know what the fuck for. I just nod and continue bringing Sofia to her room.
I tuck her in as I go to the connected bathroom to find some makeup remover. She didn't look like she was wearing makeup but just in case.
I bring the makeup wipes with me to her bed. Gently taking off the makeup with the wipes. When I look back at the dirty wipe to see the only trace of makeup is her red lipstick and mascara.
I throw it away in the bin under her desk. I'm not one for snooping but she has a journal wide open to a poem. I read it and realize she wrote it. My precious is a fucking poet.
Why don't I know this?
She stirs in her sleep making me look back at her.
"L-Lorenzo" she calls out.
"Yes, Precious?" I answer but she doesn't reply. I come closer to see she's still sleeping.