THIN ICE |BOOK I |BWWM|

•ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 6•

•CARDIFF, UNITED KINGDOM•

Julia's POV

"We hottest in the world right now, just touched down in London town...." Nicolai stood hum-singing a few feet away as he danced around his Black Panther suitcase.

Me and a few others glanced at him as my muscles flexed to lift my overstuffed suitcase from the conveyer belt.

The wheels slammed to the ground as an arm grabbed Nicky from behind and flipped him into the air and over their shoulder. Nicky squealed as he saw the culprit's smiling face.

"Uncle Andres!!" Andres chuckled as Nicolai hugged his neck and planted a big kiss on his cheek.

Andres rubbed his back and cruised toward me.

"You sure know how to make an entrance huh?" I smirked and gave him a tight squeeze.

"Greek gods always know how to make their presence known." 

"That again..." -I pushed his shoulder weakly and rolled me and Nick's suitcases- "Where's the car?"

He nodded his head toward the automatic doors of the airport. Nicolai bounced over Andres' shoulder as we stepped out of the building meeting the crisp spring UK air. It reminded me of my time spent here as a kid. Faust, my mother's driver, stood patiently at the open door of her Prussian blue Tesla. My friend and I settled in as Nick pulled his Nintendo Switch from his cross-body bag.

As we drove off, the tires smoothy rolled us right into the mid-day traffic.

"Ugh, I should've asked Bianca to make me something." Andres groaned and threw his head against the head rest.

I pulled a half-eaten chocolate Poptart from my purse and handed it to Andres.

"Wow, all for me....thanks." He held his hand over his heart.

"Next time, I'll let you starve."

He broke a piece of the crust with his teeth and tilted his head, "I don't think your offer is gonna save me from starving, but grazie."

I smiled and dusted the clinging crumbs from the corner of his mouth, "You're welcome."

"I been meaning to ask you. I forgot last time. How're the sessions with that doctor going?" Andres combed through Nicky's chestnut curls and watched them bounce back into place. 

"They're not going anywhere. I stopped seeing Dr. Sullivan."

Andres cut his eyes at me and took another bite.

"Then what's my money been going to for the last eight months?"

"....car payments?" I turned my face to the window and brushed my hand across my mouth.

"CAR PAYMENTS?" Andres' head thrust forward as he squinted.

"What? The money is going to good use! Getting from Oakland to San Fran and back was getting harder without that car."

"The only thing getting harder seems to be your head! I told you the only way this works is if....?" Andres checked if Nicolai's ears were plugged.

I sighed, "I'm honest."

"So why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm always asking you for money, I just wanted to do something on my own for once."

"Look Julia, it's getting tough on our side, alright. We can't afford any screw ups. Got it?"

Andres' voice brushed harshly against my ears as I sunk into the leather upholstery and nodded.