I glanced at Maisie in the bed, sleeping peacefully.
Roman cleared his throat quietly. “Would you like to stay in here with her? I can grab some blankets for you. Whatever would… help.”
I faced him and let out a deep sigh. Being up all night and fearing what those men wanted messed with my equilibrium. I was so exhausted that hating Sergei was too much to consider. “Thank you.”
As soon as he came back with pillows and a throw, I climbed into bed and snuggled my daughter.
In the morning, she was gone.
I sat up and panicked until I heard her talking in the other room. Her bedroom door was open, and her voice carried in clearly while Sergei ate breakfast with her. Mikhail’s voice reached me too.
“What?” Mikhail joked. “Are you really telling me that Sergei’s pancakes taste better thanmine?”
Maisie giggled.
I sat up more and hugged my knees at the idea that a Mafia boss was doing something as sweet and basic as making pancakes for my daughter. These contradictions made no sense.
Mobsters were criminals. They killed. They lived with their own sense of law and order.
Sergei got my husband killed.
But he also saved me.
Mikhail was probably at fault for so many crimes.
Yet he was standing in the kitchen making pancakes for my daughter.
I sighed, rubbing my eyes. Struggling to reconcile that the man who saved me was also the one who took my husband from me, I suffered through a twisted heartache and spiking heat of fury.
How was I supposed to move forward with this?
How was I expected to accept this and forgive?
How can I ever trust my own judgment where he is concerned?
Sitting on Maisie’s bed, I listened in as the men talked with Maisie. They were discussing pancake toppings. Then it sounded like Maisie was showing off a coloring book.
At no time did they bring up Fitz. Or that I took Maisie from here to escape last night. Not a single mention of dead men or guns came up either. I realized they were just being there for her, preoccupying her, and I hated that I wanted to feel grateful.
If you hadn’t tried to leave last night, none of that would’ve happened, though.
I cringed, burying my head against my knees as Maisie said she was going to watch her favorite movie.
“She doesn’t seem traumatized,” Mikhail mentioned once it sounded like Maisie was gone.
“No,” Sergie replied, “but that doesn’t mean she couldn’t be hiding it.”
“True.” Mikhail cleared his throat, sounding exhausted. “When Claire is back in town, she can talk to her too, in case there is any worry about her repressing anything.”
I furrowed my brow, hating that it sounded like others were deciding something for my child without my input. But this was Claire. She was too sweet, and she was a doctor. Mikhail was only offering the help, not forcing anything.
“What are your intentions toward them now?” he asked Sergei. “I can see how fond you are of the girl. I see how she accepts you in her life. But Natalie…”
I narrowed my eyes, listening and waiting for Sergei’s reply.
“I think with time, she’ll adjust. Again.”
The fuck?
