by V. F. Mason
I'd endured a lot of fucked-up shit in my life.
Cells, raping, kidnapping, death even.
But never, ever was the pain in my heart as much as in the moment I understood my daughter hurt from the lack of a father figure in her life. Mostly, when I thought about the years I'd lost with my family, it was all about me: me missing the first years of my child, me missing Sapphire, me not being able to be with them. Fucking me all the time, and in that moment, it made me feel ashamed. Parenthood was about selflessness, not selfishness. Why did I never wonder what my little girl thought or felt? Especially around all those couples with full families.
Without thinking it through, I ended up kneeling in front of her as she raised her beautiful yet curious sapphire eyes to mine. "Hey, baby girl. How are you?" I spoke through the tightening in my throat, as my neck muscles strained from the tension running through me.
She blinked a few times then cocked her head to the side, studying me. "You brought me my puppy!" She poked her finger in my chest as her eyes lit up with happiness. "Thank you so much!" To my astonishment, she leaped into my arms, and I wondered if she was open like that with every man around her, which instantly made me want to kill someone. She leaned back and added, "I wanted to buy you a present, but Mama said we had to wait until tomorrow."
Slightly taken aback by her babble, considering she was sad just minutes ago, I clarified, "You asked your mom to buy a gift for me?"
She nodded eagerly. "As a thank you for the puppy." She placed her sand-covered hand on my cheek. "He's the best gift I got in forever."
Fuck, why the hell did a grown-ass man like me feel like crying? However, the joy that spread through me at her admission pushed back all other emotion. I cleared my throat. "No need to buy me anything, baby girl. I'm glad you like him."
She lifted her chin stubbornly. "I still want to get you a present." Her eyes scanned the yard for Sapphire. "Mama!" she shouted, and then her brows furrowed. Shit, she hadn't noticed Sapphire's absence before. "Where is Mama?"
Running my fingers through my hair in frustration, I answered, "She went out for a little bit."
Her lower lip wobbled as her eyes watered, and fear washed over me, crushing me. "Mama left me here alone?" she whispered, and now those tears were sliding down her cheeks in big droplets.
Fuck.
What do you do when your daughter cries? Considering I'd never been around kids, I had no fucking clue.
"You're not alone. You're with me," I replied fiercely, and she paused for a second, her tears stopping instantly.
"I want to go home." She put all her toys in the bucket, dusted her knees as she got up, and patted Lucky.
I had whiplash from Kristina's mood changes, so with no other choice, I just nodded. She raised her hands. "Can I ride on your shoulders?"
"Sure, baby girl, you can do whatever you want." I picked her up squealing, placed her on my shoulders as her small feet dangled on either side of my chest, and held her as I felt the bucket in her hand dig into my skull.
Out of nowhere, Rosa appeared in front of us, her mouth wide in a smile. "I was about to call for you." She winked at me and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Pete was a bit boring. What's up?"
"We're going home." I decided it was wiser not to comment on the guy and just be grateful for her not making a fuss about leaving the so-called "party," which in truth was a fucking chore.
Rosa took the toys from Kristina as I called to Greg, "I'm taking the girls home." He nodded and saluted me with his hand, although it wasn't hard to miss the smirk on his face. For some reason, he found it hilarious that I got stuck with three women to please.
"So, Kristina, why are your cheeks wet?" Rosa asked curiously, although worry flashed through her eyes.
"Mama wasn't here, so I was sad." Then she leaned down and cocked her head so her face would be next to mine. "Ice cream makes me happy," she said and gave me those puppy eyes that were about to water again. Rosa coughed, which sounded suspiciously like muffled laughter. "Can we go to Danny's and have ice cream, please?"
The last thing I wanted to do was go to yet another place and socialize with people. I'd had enough of it for today. But my girl had a craving for ice cream; what other choice was left?
I'd have to talk with Sapphire about this whole trusting-strangers-on-the-spot thing. As much as I enjoyed the openness of my kid, I didn't want anyone taking advantage of it.
That being said, it all hinged on her allowing me to be a part of my daughter's life.
Two Hours Later
Sapphire
Parking in the garage of my house, I rested my head on the steering wheel, bracing myself for the conversation to come. A text from Annie let me know Damian and the girls left the party, so they probably lounged at home.
I took the keys from the ignition, didn't bother checking my appearance, considering my hair and dress were still wet from the "swimming" my best friend provided for me, and slowly dragged my feet toward the house. As I opened the door, no voices echoed from inside. It dawned on me that no one was home. Looking through the window at Damian's house confirmed no one was there either. Although it was only seven o'clock, it didn't stop fear, worry, and anxiety from settling in the pit of my stomach as my heart hammered loudly in my chest.
Where the hell were they? What if something happened? What if S found out and—
"Stop!" My loud voice somewhat settled the darkness in my mind. Losing my shit over them not being home was stupid and crazy. I decided back at the beach to act differently, so I opened my cell and checked if I had any new text messages or calls after leaving the beach.
Some were from stupid salespeople who tried to give me something I had no need for, advertisements, one from my editor about the upcoming book, and finally the last one from an unknown number.
Kristina wanted an ice cream. Ended up going there and to the toy store. Should be home by eight. Don't worry.
I almost burst out laughing at the silliness of my earlier panic. Damian wouldn't have left me hanging. That thought stilled me for a moment as I allowed the knowledge to sink in. He wouldn't ever intentionally harm me; that had to count for something, right? With an hour to spare, I ran upstairs to take a shower and make myself presentable.
Damian
"Lucky, go do your business," I said sternly, as I prayed for more patience in my life. Rosa danced to some song called "Counting Stars" that she had on loudspeaker until I lost my patience and barked for her to put on headphones. Kristina's face and shirt were dirty with strawberry ice cream. She wore a big pink tiara that slid down her face, and she had some princess stick in her hand, or whatever the hell that shit was called. She bounced up and down, her face filled with happiness. Her ponytails had fallen a bit and she looked a mess.
The trip for an ice cream turned into one big getaway. As I discovered, Danny's was in the mall, so we had to drive there, but since I had no fucking car seat for my kid, I had to make the trip there first and buy it, return for the girls and the damned dog—because who could resist his sad expression, right? Nope, not the girls.
In the mall, of course we had to stop by the toy store, where Kristina spent forever choosing different kinds of toys, while Rosa participated in tea parties with some other kids like some inner Disney princess had awoken within her. After that, we finally had ice cream, followed by French fries, and one more ride in the kids' playground near the mall.
Having a kid was fucking exhausting, but at the same time, I never knew more happiness than seeing the shining eyes of my child who was enjoying herself—except those moments with Sapphire.
As we walked toward the house, Rosa's face turned serious as she poked her finger at me and sang, "Damian, dance!" And then with a smile, she danced, waving her hands above her head and shifting her hips from side to side as Kristina giggled and joined her, although she couldn't hear the music. Lucky happily ran through their legs, barking as though he was singing along. Was I in a fucking cartoon all of a sudde
n?
Into this picture, Sapphire opened the door, her hair in a perfect braid, as her black glasses slipped to the edge of her nose. She wore jean shorts and a T-shirt, which showed off her curves. I barely restrained myself from kissing those pink lips and forgetting for a moment about this whole madness.
Her mouth widened in a radiant smile as she watched the girls, and then she turned her gaze to me. "You bought her a tiara?"
Leaning on the doorjamb, I returned her smile with a chuckle. "And tons of other stuff. She ate ice cream."
She nodded. "I see the stains quite clearly." The girls noticed us, and with a gasp, Kristina darted to Sapphire, who picked her up just before she plastered herself all over her momma's knees.
Our baby wrapped her legs around Sapphire's waist. "Mama!" She squeezed her tight and I wanted so fucking badly to be part of their embrace. "You left, and I worried. But Henry"—the annoyance that rose inside me was almost impossible to hide because nothing in me felt good about my own child calling me by some fake name—"took me shopping and bought me lots of stuff."
Sapphire put her down and then urged her inside the house. "Honey, go brush your teeth, wash your face, and put on your pajamas, okay?" Kristina nodded, spun around to give me her attention, but before she could open her mouth, Sapphire interrupted, "Henry and Anita will stay a bit longer, so you'll get the chance to say goodbye." With that, our girl disappeared inside the house as my body tensed.
Did Sapphire have enough time to think? Or more importantly, what decision did she make? Rosa glanced between us then sighed dramatically. "Are you guys gonna fight or screw each other's brains out again? Because FYI, I'm not staying for that."
"We won't do either," my woman replied.
The savage part in me, the one who kidnapped her all those years ago, had the desire to do that again and prove that "screwing" was definitely on the agenda, but I calmed it down. She didn't need a Sociopath; she needed a husband and a father for her baby. "Rosa, there's carrot cake in the kitchen. Feel free to help yourself. I need a moment with Damian."
She blinked a few times in surprise then snatched Lucky up into her arms, murmuring, "Well, the lady sure as shit has mood swings going on. One second, she hates me, and the next invites me in. However, who says no to carrot cake? Not me, buddy, not me."
Sapphire closed the door, leaned back against it, and exhaled a heavy breath. "I'm sorry."
I did a double take at that, considering I had no fucking clue what she apologized for.
"Since the moment you showed up, I haven't exactly been acting like a rational human being. But to be fair, you didn't give me time to think either." She licked her lips, and my cock stirred; even such an innocent gesture fired my desire for her. "I shouldn't have kept you from Kristina, even if it was only for a day. You have a right to see your child, revenge plan or no revenge. She is yours as much as she is mine. Even if everything goes to shit—" Fear filled her eyes, but she quickly covered it. "Kristina and you have the right to a father-daughter bond. Truth be told, my own fears stopped me. You didn't deserve it."
"What are you saying?" I asked, my voice hoarse and low from the strength of my emotions.
She placed her hand on my chest where my heart beat loudly. "We need to tell our daughter the truth. Tonight. Right now. So you guys won't lose another second of your connection. All I could think about was that I had years with her, but denied you this right."
Without thinking of the consequences, I grabbed her by the nape and locked us in a passionate, open-mouth kiss. She groaned, and her hands fisted my shirt, bringing us even closer—if it was possible.
The kiss ended quickly. Breathing heavily, she replied, "I can't give the green light for us yet. That wasn't what I thought about today."
Giving her one more kiss, I rested my forehead on hers as our breaths mingled. "Thank you for granting me this." With one last peck on the lips, I let go of my woman and entered the house in sweet anticipation of claiming my child.
About fucking time.
Warehouse on the edge of the city, Moscow, Russia
The man on the floor groaned from the impact of the blow he received by my hand to his abdomen. The blood dripped from his nose and mouth, where my fists had connected a few seconds earlier. "Please, Pakhan. I wouldn't do it again," he begged, as he spat more blood on the floor and coughed violently. "I promise it was the last time." My shoe connected with his legs, making him cry out in pain.
"Конечно, это было в последний раз." At my confirmation of his statement, he raised his tear-filled eyes, and the familiar smell of urine filled the air. The fucker had pissed himself.
Disgust filled me at the sight of his wet pants. Why could none of them hold it in like a real man? I was embarrassed on their behalf.
"Дай мне второй шанс. Я зделаю все что ты попросишь."
My mouth lifted in a mocking smile. I leaned closer to his ear and whispered, "Even though the idea of you doing anything I ask is tempting, there are no second chances with me, Ivan."
"I have a family. They need a father." My head shifted toward Vitya who nodded, confirming the fucker's words.
Unfortunately for him, though, that changed nothing.
"They will be taken care of." I took the gun from my holster and pointed it right between his eyes.
He put his hands against each other, raising them to me, begging me one last time. "Пожалуйста Пахан."
For a second, I thought about his family and how they would no longer have him to take care of them. My mouth filled with acid, as disgust threatened to push up to the surface. Emotions were a weakness. The moment quickly passed, and I pulled the trigger. With a thud, his body hit the floor, putting an end to the situation.
My men stood around us, and at my curt nod, they spurred into action, searching his pockets and removing anything that had to do with his identity or Bratva. Once they were done, a little man in glasses came forward with a black suitcase. He smiled at me, as his white-gloved hands inspected the body. "Pakhan, you can go. It's my job from here."
He was the cleaner, after all. Whenever we needed to get rid of a body or anything else, he was the one to do it. Misha Sukin. You didn't want to cross this man on the street despite his fragile appearance. He knew the human body better than anyone. How to kill it, shred it, and dispose of it so no one would ever find it or recognize it. Cleaner was a person who made sure no traces of evidence were left at the crime scene, so cops could never connect anything to us.
Sick motherfucker, but what a gem for Bratva.
"Money will be transferred tonight." He nodded and gave me a disinfectant cloth to wipe off the traces of blood left on my hands.
Vitya, Anatolii, and I walked out of the warehouse where a black Range Rover waited for us.
"Find out everything you can about his family and give me the file. Talk with Yuri." Yuri was our Kaznachey. He collected from all the businesses run by Bratva, and he was in charge of spending it. His authority concerning money was only overridden by mine. "We need to set up an account for them."
Vitya raised his brow skeptically. "Really? The fucker sold drugs to kids. I don't think we owe his family anything," he stated with a harsh glare.
I put on my shades and snapped my fingers, indicating the conversation was over. He was my friend, but questioning my decisions in front of anyone? No one had such power, not even Vitya.
"I won't repeat myself, Vitya." I got in the car, drove off, and ignored the image of black, haunted eyes staring back at me.
Rosa wouldn't have been proud.
Too fucking bad. Rosa would have to get used to it.
"This hospital is the shiiit," Rosa squealed and bounced toward the flat screen TV inside the VIP private patient room. She jumped on the couch, grabbed the remote, and put on some shit with music that made my ears bleed.
Dr. Andrews raised his brow and then turned to me. "Does everything excite her?" I almost
laughed at his words, but my damn leg hurt so much I was afraid to make any unnecessary movements.
"Pretty much, yeah," I replied gruffly, as the nurse helped me place my leg on the prop, allowing it to be up in the air. Turned out, Rosa fixed my leg when it broke from the fall, but the bones didn't rebuild properly, resulting in my limping. Same shit with my arm. The orthopedic surgeon broke it again and bandaged it in a cast. The wound on my head wasn't really serious, and whatever Rosa had put on it worked enough to prevent infections. My chest had healed well after the bullet came out, but they explained the lack of my voice or at least why I couldn't really afford shouting anymore. The netting I was caught in had damaged some of my vocal cords, resulting in my voice being affected, especially as it wasn't treated immediately. At this point, they couldn't do anything with the scars either, but I didn’t care.
Relief washed over me, allowing me to take a deep breath. She gave me a cup with water and some painkillers, but I pushed them aside. Andrews' eyes narrowed. "Take the pills, Dominic. Your body can't be under stress all the time. I already have enough work with you as it is." I decided to enter the hospital under Dominic's identity, mainly because he had enough connections in the right places. Damian Scott was an introvert who rarely showed up anywhere; people knew next to nothing about him.
"Hey," Rosa exclaimed. "No offense, Doc, but I didn't have much training under my belt to do a better job."
Sometimes, I couldn't believe the transformation of the girl from the quiet healer to a never-shutting-up female. Her only excuse was her age. She was about to turn eighteen, but she needed to get serious and know the boundaries. Seemed like we needed to have a talk.
Andrews sent an annoyed look her way. "Young lady, please lose the attitude here." His eyes traveled back to me. "You want to be back on your feet? You follow my orders." Then his whispered words were meant for my ears only. "And between me and you? You'll be damn lucky to ever walk without a limp." With a nod to the nurse, he checked my vitals one last time and left the room.
