Page 32 of Caught By the Bratva Boss

“Where have you been?” I asked, trying to keep my voice icy.

Daniil smiled, a very knowing smile. “Why, Miss Ridegway, anyone would think you missed me?“ He murmured against my ear.

“I haven’t.” I lied

“Don’t worry, I more than plan to make it up to you now. Come and meet some people.” He held out a hand, and I let him lead me towards the dining room. All the happiness I had been feeling evaporated the moment I saw who sat inside, the same beautiful blonde as before, and on her lap a little boy who had to be Daniil’s son. Both were smiling at me.

Guilt crawled up my spine. Why was she smiling like that when I was sleeping with her husband? Surely she had just heard us in the hallway.

“Hi,” I whispered, my voice cracking.

“Hi,” she gushed, her voice as sweet as her face was. My frown and worry deepened. What the hell was Daniil playing at? “Ive heard so much about you. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Ridgway.” She held out a hand, the huge diamond on her ring finger glittered, and I had to tear my eye away from it. “Or can I call you Lily?”

I threw a glance at Daniil, who just looked amused by the whole situation.

Just what kind of sick situation did they have here? Probably the same kind I had. It wasn’t like I was single either, so I couldn’t really judge.

“You can call me Lily,” I said in a croaky voice. I couldn’t help it. My eyes kept darting down to the ring on her finger.

“That’s good. I’m Anya. I think we are going to be great friends, don’t you?”

Across from her, with a little boy squirming on his lap, Daniil said, “Don’t start, Anya.”

She giggled. “Ignore him. You should join us for dinner.

This time, when I looked at Daniil, the smile on his face was gone. He nodded his head once. “You heard Anya, sit down. We are having Timothy’s favorite tonight to welcome him home.”

Home? The little boy looked like an angel, but was he really coming to live here? At the same time I was here, and his father was, well, it just didn’t seem like a good environment for a kid.

“I don’t want to interrupt a family,” I began to say.

Daniil cut me off. “Join us,” he barked gruffly.

Nervously, I pulled out one of the mahogany chairs at the far end of the table, as far away from the little family group as possible, and settled into it. The moment I did it was like I wasn’t there at all. Daniil and Anya went about talking. Laughing and smiling at each other. Mostly, the conversions were about the boy, but sometimes they reminisced about trips they had taken in the past and balls and parties they had gone to.

I had been forced to sit with them, but they excluded me completely. It was mesmerizing to watch the way Daniil softened around his family. There was a smile fixed permanently to his face and light dancing in his usually dark eyes. It was almost like he was a whole different person.

He loved them, I realized with a start. This wasn’t some sham arranged marriage. He actually adored them both. I could see it in the way he hung on every word. Jealousy rippled through me. What was I doing here? He had everything he clearly wanted. What did he need me for?

The dinner that was served was breaded chicken shaped like dinosaurs with fries. When it was placed in front of me, I stared at it for a full five seconds before smiling.

“I wanted beef Wellington,” Anya said from the other end of the table. “It’s my favorite. But Daniil” she playfully swatted his arm. “Always lets Timothy choose the first night, and it’s always the same. Do you like beef Wellington?”

“Yeah, sure,” I said quickly. “But I like this, too.” I added a smile towards the little boy who was watching me intently. In the entire time I had been sitting with them, he hadn’t said one word to me. He just stared. “I like your hair,” he said finally.

“Thank you.”

“Like fire,” he stated and went back to eating.

Daniil and Anya shared a startled look that I didn’t understand.

“Timothy is shy. He doesn’t talk to many people,” Anya said softly. “He must like you.” She threw a glance at Daniil, who was staring at his plate like it was the most interesting thing in the world. “Do you see how much he likes her, Daniil?”

“I see,” he answered gruffly.

“Do you want children one day, Lily?” Daniil asked.

I did a double-take. “Um, yeah, maybe one day,” I muttered. “When I’m older and more settled. My schedule doesn’t allow much time for that right now.” I bit my lip. My cheeks were turning red.