"Hospital has security cameras. Nurses saw everything. And I'll testify under oath that she tried to assault me in front of Mila." I take his hand, squeezing. "She's done, Sergei. She just doesn't know it yet."
He nods slowly, then moves to Mila's bedside. He lifts her hand to kiss her knuckles. "How are you feeling,ptichka?"
"Better now." She reaches for him with her other hand, pulling him down for a hug. "Papa, can Izzy stay with me? All night?"
"Of course she can." He looks at me over his daughter's head. "She's not going anywhere."
"Neither are you," I tell him.
"No," he agrees. "Neither am I."
We settle in—Sergei in the chair on one side, me on the other, Mila between us hooked up to monitors that beep reassurance. The doctors haven't found a cause yet. They're running more tests. Something about unusual markers they want to investigate further.
Unusual markers.
The phrase sits heavy in my chest, connecting to fears I can't quite name. Matthew's reach. His willingness to hurt anyone to get to me. His total lack of limits.
Would he poison a child?
Three months ago, I would have said no. Now, I'm not sure about anything.
I watch Mila drift toward sleep, her small hand still clasped in mine, her father's voice low and soothing, as he tells her a story about wolves and princesses who protect each other from dragons.
Whatever made her sick—whether it's random chance or something more sinister—changes nothing about what I know now.
She's mine.
And anyone who threatens her will learn exactly what happens when you come for The Wolf's family.
"Hey." Sergei's voice pulls me from dark thoughts. He's watching me across the bed, eyes soft despite the hard set of his jaw. "You okay?"
"No." I don't bother lying. "But I will be."
"Thank you," he says quietly. "For loving her."
The words land like a blow to the chest. Because he's right. Somewhere between burnt cookies and blood in toilets, between legal battles and hospital beds, I started loving this child like she was mine.
"Easy," I tell him, voice breaking. "She's easy to love."
His smile is small, sad, fierce. "So are you,kotyonok. So are you."
Mila's breathing evens out between us. Sleep finally taking her somewhere safe.
We sit there in the darkness—her father and me—watching over her together.
A family forged from fake marriage and real blood.
Strange how the best things find you when you're not looking.
18
Sergei
"She's asleep."
Izzy's voice is soft from where she's standing at the kitchen sink, staring out at the dark backyard like the answers to the universe are hiding in the shadows.
"Good." I close the distance between us, my footsteps quiet on the hardwood. "The doctor said she'll be okay. Just a severe reaction to something she ate. They're running more tests to figure out what."
