After I cleared my throat, I called out to her. “Okay, I’m awake too, baby girl.”
I blinked, willing away the disappointment that I wouldn’t get to make Sergei come with me.
And as Maisie opened the door and smiled at me, I sighed with a secret bit of relief that I was spared from having to think right now. I was saved from having to war with the desire and love for the man I was convinced I shouldn’t want.
I don’t want to play games. Not with myself or him.
“Come here,” I told Maisie gently, letting her crawl onto the bed to snuggle with me.
Seeing her approach, I knew that I had to be certain about my actions and intentions where she was concerned too. If I couldn’t shed this guiltiness over wanting Fitz’s killer, I wasn’t prepared to begin introducing the idea that we could be a family with the dangerous but loving man hiding in my bathroom.
Talking to Maisie lulled her to get sleepy, and with my hand stroking her hair back, she was asleep in no time. I cleared my throat gently, and Sergei came out of the bathroom.
He smiled at us on the bed as he walked up to kiss the top of her head, then mine. Affection and love shone in his stormy blue eyes, but as he left the room, I couldn’t help but suspect his small smile was strained.
Like he anticipated that we’d never be able to be a family unit at all.
31
SERGEI
The new year approached, and it was hard for me not to view the turnover of one calendar year into another without optimism.
“You don’t have to come,” Roman said as we discussed the plans for the last night of the year.
Normally, we’d all convene at the property close to Times Square to celebrate. This time, things were different. Claire was pregnant. Mikhail was married. And I had Natalie and Maisie at home. It was easy to see how we were still the same old Orlov Family, an organization full of strong men, but we were also becoming more familial, if that made sense.
“I’ll let Natalie decide,” I told my brother.
We were undecided about attending the party so far. Maisie was super excited to be included in the big ball drop—not having to watch it on TV. She and Anya were already planning their outfits.
Natalie seemed eager for the chance to experience something new. She wasn’t much of a partier, more of a shy homebody, which I happened to adore about her. But I had a hunch she was lured into doing something different. She’d told me about how Fitz always had his traditions, little things they did at home like the unique dinner and games they played. Perhaps her eagerness to get dressed up and go out with me was her conscious effort to break away from the old.
I’d told her it was up to her. I’d be happy to stay in with her and Maisie while my family headed out. Yet, I didn’t want her to think I was butting in on any old traditions she saw with the holiday.
“We should go,” she said before licking her lips. “It’s probably safer, everyone together rather than split up, right?”
I nodded, but my gaze lowered to her backside as she began to pull her dress on.
“Sergei?”
I kicked the door to her room shut and stalked toward her.
“Sergei!” She giggled, shaking her head at my reflection in the mirror.
I was already getting my dick out, advancing on her and pushing her panties and the dress off to her knees. “How about a quickie? Last one of the year.”
She sighed, arching her back and thrusting her ass toward me. “Does that mean you won’t want quickies in the next year?”
I’m going to want it all.
Every day of every year.
The words stayed in my throat, though, and I delivered on my promise for speed, fucking her hard and fast from behind as we both watched ourselves in the mirror.
We were only twenty minutes late to get to the party, and that coincidence of timing was the start of the end.
After we pulled up to the private entrance, I helped Natalie out.
