Page 37 of Lust and Honor

Lost in thought, I suddenly spot Maxim walking into the yard. God knows what’s wrong with me, but I blush like a stupid little girl and quickly sit beside Aurora before he catches me staring.

“Tea?” my daughter asks in that adorable voice of hers. I smile and nod.

The empty teapot is almost too heavy for her tiny hands as she carefully pours imaginary tea into the cups.

That’s when Maxim reaches us.

He’s wearing a gray collared shirt with the top buttons undone and the sleeves rolled to his elbows. Like always, perfectly dressed. Perfectly dangerous. One hand stays hidden behind his back.

The moment Aurora notices him staring, she puts the teapot down and presses herself against me.

The movement doesn’t escape Maxim’s attention, but he doesn’t react.

I gently stroke her hair. “Sweetheart, don’t you wanna say hi to Maxim?”

She clings tighter to me and shakes her head, though I still catch her sneaking little glances at him.

Maxim takes a slow breath before finally revealing what he hides behind his back.

A pink teddy bear with a rainbow stitched across its stomach.

Aurora’s eyes widen instantly. Excitement lights up her face as she slowly moves away from me, though she still doesn’t go near him.

Maxim crouches down in front of her and holds the bear out. “Wanna go buy kitchen toys for your new bear?”

Aurora grows a little bolder, reaches out, and takes the teddy bear, hugging it tightly to her chest.

Still shy, she asks in a quiet voice, “Can we get her a slide too?”

A faint smile pulls at the corner of Maxim’s mouth. “We can, little carrot.”

Then he stands and looks at me. “Get her ready. I’ll wait in the car.”

***

Less than an hour later, we’re inside a toy store filled with so many colorful toys that Aurora practically vibrates with excitement. She lets go of my hand and happily runs through the aisles. Maxim pushes the cart behind her, his entire attention fixed on his daughter.

It doesn’t matter what Aurora picks up. Maxim tosses everything into the cart without even checking it.

Seeing Aurora so happy makes me happy too. This is almost her first real toy store experience. During our time at the hotel, I never took her to one. Her toys were only the occasional gifts Emily bought her.

So I don’t stop her. I let her choose whatever she wants, only quietly putting back a few things I know she won’t actually use. Maxim glances at me but says nothing.

After he pays for the mountain of toys, I assume we’re done for the day. Instead, he takes us to an amusement park. Aurora plays so much that by the time night falls, she passes out in my arms from exhaustion.

Once we get back, I lay her gently in the big bed and go take a shower. While the water runs over me, my thoughts drift to Maxim. To how different he was today, how patient he’d been with Aurora. She’s still shy around him, but I can see her softening.

My heart clenches with a strange, heavy feeling. My daughter is starting to get attached to this man, and I have no idea what I’m supposed to feel about that.

I turn off the water, wrap a towel around my body, and another around my wet hair before stepping out of the bathroom.

Then I freeze.

Maxim has dragged an armchair close to the bed. He lounges there with his shirt completely unbuttoned, a bottle of liquor dangling loosely from one hand while he stares at Aurora sleeping peacefully in the bed.

He takes a sip without looking at me.

“How can something so small leave such a huge mark on a person?” he murmurs. “How can she take over your whole damn life without asking for a single thing?”