His eyes flicked up. Silently promising retribution.
What could this man do that he hadn’t already done?
And did I truly want to know?
??????
Laughter and light intruded on my sleep. I tugged the covers over my face until I heard his whispering and Runa’s giggle. The man had kept me for most of the night. I rubbed my thumb against the rings and lowered the covers to find my angel dressed in a knitted onesie—warm enough for autumn, breathable natural yarn, someone had been shopping.
I sat up, ignoring my aching muscles, and raised my hands for her.
“Come here,lapochka,” I murmured with a bright smile.
He strode across the room, leaving the curtains open, and held her out to me.
I had heard them leave earlier but I couldn’t have moved even if I’d tried.
“Mama is finally awake,” he said, kissing the top of her head before he passed her over.
She clung to me for a few moments before she began to babble—probably telling me about her morning, or lodging a formal complaint about the lack of breasts during it. She nuzzled her face into my shoulder before swinging her head and considerable body weight toward her food source.
Vadim moved back. Only as far as his armchair.
He rarely missed a feed. At first I had assumed it was suspicion—keeping watch in case I tried something. Now I could see it clearly for what it was.
Obsession.
I glanced away, musing on the intensity of the eyes watching us, and decided his attention was split equally between the pair of us. In mere weeks Runa would begin sampling solid food and her need for me would lessen.
My grip around her back tightened. I kissed her little head and whispered to her—the sweet words I saved only for her, the ones that belonged to no one else in this room.
I wanted her to grow up independent. But the greedy mother in me wanted her to stay like this forever—small and warm and entirely mine to coddle.
He had honed in on my weakness.
But my time would come.
It always did.
Chapter 68
Vadim
Valentin kept his eyes on Runa as Konstantin cooed at her. Unfortunately my daughter found him highly amusing and that didn’t sit well with me. She stroked his beard and stared into his eyes with the same focused attention she gave me. I was about to retrieve her when Valentin spoke.
“I would make cute babies,” he said, his gaze lingering on Runa.
He had similar colouring to mine. Runa, however, had benefited from two sets of genes that made her considerably more appealing than either of us had any right to claim.
“No one would want a baby with you,” Ruslan mused.“They would never find your location to be able to conceive.”
He had a point.
“Unless I kept her in my basement.”
“Probably best to find a blind one,” Konstantin said, swinging Runa onto his hip.“Dual benefit—she can’t reveal your location and she doesn’t need to know how ugly you are.”
“Why does he need to be here?” Valentin demanded.
