“Yep. He was even sweating.”
She’d leaned forward as if telling me a secret. At that point, I couldn’t stop from falling into a fit of laughter, which prompted her to mimic my actions.
“I can’t leave you two alone for a few hours.” His deep baritone had the same dazzling effect. Every nerve ending was on fire. Every wild pulse of my heart was because he’d returned.
“Daddy!”
“I think that’s enough, my darling little girl.” Sasha swept Nina into his arms, spinning her over his head before tickling her tummy. She giggled the entire time, her face lit up from just having her daddy home.
“Daddy. Do you love Lainey, because she’s in love with you?”
“Is that so?” He lifted his gaze, his eyes immediately shifting from sheer delight in teasing his daughter to something much darker and more carnal.
“Yep. She told me. That means you are getting married. Right?”
We just looked at each other, testing the waters, which was crazy. Completely certifiable.
Maybe he was a gangster, a big, bad Bratva man. Maybe he’d done some terrible things in his past as he’d tried to tell me without graphic details.
Maybe he’d broken several laws. Maybe I should be afraid of him.
None of that mattered when I saw the way he was with his daughter and with me.
He wasn’t just a hero in my mind.
Nor was he just my lover.
He was the powerful man I was falling in love with.
CHAPTER 18
Lainey
“What’swith all the other bags?” I asked innocently enough after Nina had secured herself in the room with several of her birthday presents.
“Just a few things I picked up for you.” He gave me a look and crowded my space.
“You don’t like my clothes?”
“Oh, I love them, although I must admit I prefer you without clothes.”
I glanced over his shoulder toward the door. Nina had gone off to call Emily to tell her about the gifts. Or maybe that her daddy was getting married.
Another laugh bubbled to the surface.
“I don’t think it would be appropriate right now. Do you?”
“About as appropriate as you discussing me behind my back with my daughter.” He cupped my face and as soon as he did, I noticed his knuckles were swollen.
“What happened?” I gripped his hand, easing it down. “You’re hurt. You’re bruised.” I knew exactly what the bruisesmeant. “You’ve been in a fight or your beat the crap out of the intruder.”
“How do you know so much about fights? Your use of baseball bats?”
“Very funny. My brothers used to get into fights all the time. What did you do to him?”
“Put the fear of God into him. Don’t worry, little butterfly. He’s very much alive.”
“Did you learn anything?”
