Page 54 of Caught By the Bratva Boss

He looked down at his son’s eager, grinning face and nodded. “Yes, but please don’t go far, and keep your phone on you. Security will keep a distance, but they will be watching.”

I frowned. “It’s just ice cream, Daniil. What do you think is going to happen?” Shaking my head, I forced myself to smile. “I would never let anything happen to him, Daniil. You know that.”

At least I hoped he knew that.

Daniil’s face softened. Stepping into my space, he cupped my face between his hands and brushed his lips against mine. “I know that. But he is my son, and I have so many enemies. I worry about something happening to him.” Another kiss. “I worry about something happening to you as well.”

I grinned against his lips.

“If you need to go anywhere, come back and take my car. It’s safe, and the roads are icy. I don’t want you in a cab.” He was cute when he was worried, but it really was unnecessary. Except I knew his wife had died in a car crash. Daniil had every reason to be worried.

Reaching up on tiptoes I pressed my lips to his, ignoring Anya’s smirk. “We won’t need to drive anywhere. I’ll just be down the block.”

Kissing him out in public felt weird but kind of natural, like I didn’t mind anymore if people knew about us. But then again, our arrangement hadn’t purely business for a while.

Sliding Timofey’s gloves and hat back on, I led him out into the busy New York street. Hand in hand, we wandered down the block. Timothy laughed every time I slipped on a patch of ice.

It didn’t take us long to find the ice cream place I had been thinking of, and surprisingly, there was a long line even though the weather was atrocious. More than one person turned to look at us when we joined the line. I tightened my grip on the little boy’s hand. A prickle of unease tingled up my spine.

“Stay close to me,” I whispered. “Don’t wander off.”

He nodded like he felt it, too. I glanced behind me, hoping to see the security detail that Daniil had promised would be following us, and came back blank. There was no one behind me.

There was no looming threat either. No one was looking at us anymore. It was just my imagination.

“So what—“ I paused, the hairs on the back of my neck standing to attention.

“Fancy seeing you here.”

The voice was instantly recognizable and very, very unwelcome. Pulling on Timothy’s hand to tuck him into my side, I half turned to face Greg.

“What are you doing here?” My hand shook around Timothy’s.

Greg shrugged. “This is my favourite place, and the cold helps,“ he motioned to his badly bruised face. Both eyes were blackish-purple, and his lip was swollen.

Daniil had done that. I looked away quickly.

“It wasn’t like I was following you or anything,” he added quickly in a tone that told me he was lying.

“Hey.” Greg’s voice turned friendly and fake as he crouched down. “And who do we have here?”

I wanted to scream at Timothy not to answer, but before I could, he spoke. “I am Timothy Popov,” Timothy said in a very serious voice and held out his hand, the perfect little copy of his father.

Greg’s eyes darted up to me. “He has a son? Did you know?” He turned his attention back down to the little boy. “You look just like your dad.”

“What happened to your face?” Timothy asked with childlike innocence.

“Your father,” Greg said. “Your father did this. Did you know he’s a fucking monster?”

There was so much anger in his voice that I tried to push Timothy behind me.

“My papa is kind. He is kind, isn’t he, Lily?” He turned his tear-filled eyes in my direction.

“Of course he is. Stop this, Greg,” I ordered. “Timothy doesn’t need to hear this.”

“Of course.” He continued to stare at the little boy, and I couldn’t read his expression. I just knew I didn’t like it. “I know the owner. What do you say I get you a special bowl of ice cream just for you? Let’s go and see.” He held out his hand, and before I could tighten my grip even more, Timothy took it.

“Don’t—“ I rushed to grab hold of the little boy, but someone got there quicker, moving so fast he was a blur. Danill grabbed Greg’s shoulder and spun him around, sending him crashing into the arms of one of his men.