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She turns to me and holds up a baby doll in a pink dress. “Pretty.”
My shoulders slump. I sink onto the couch closest to her and drop the figure on the cushion next to me. “Yes, she is. Just like you.”
Daniela beams and points to me. “You.”
I force a smile and glance at the time on the corner of the television screen. “Are you tired, baby? You need a nap. We have a long day ahead of us.”
“No sleep. Play!”
“You can play later, but now you need to sleep. Just for a little while.”
Daniela’s big brown eyes shine with tears. “Dollies come?” Her voice cracks and I bite back a smile. This kid already knows how to play me like a freaking video game.
“Why don’t you pick your favorite and she can take a nap with you?”
The smile is back. She picks up one of the dolls.
I push myself to stand up and hold out a hand to Daniela. The baby doll hangs in her fingers as we walk back to the bedroom. I haven’t seen Danil since whatever the hell happened in the kitchen, and he should be very fucking glad because if I do see him, there’s a one hundred percent chance I will junk punch him.
We walk down the hallway. White-capped waves of the Atlantic crash against the sandy shore below, the water as turbulent as the emotions clawing at my insides.
The only reason why I don’t grab one of his stupid pieces and hurl it against a window is because I don’t want my daughter to see me lose my shit. I’ve always done my best to be strong for her, never crumbling because I know how important it is for a little girl to have faith in her mother. When things got bad at home after Tato died, I never let her see my fear or frustration.
I shoved a lot under the rug and held myself together so she would always feel comfortable and secure and protected.
There’s no way I’m going to let that arrogant jerkoff shatter her image of me.
I just won’t feed into the rage. I’d rather choke to death on it than give him any bit of power and control over me.
Fuck Danil Malikov.
I twist the handle on the door and push it open.
“Daddy,” Daniela squeals, running over to him.
When Danil twists in our direction, I don’t know who’s more shocked at Daniela’s outburst — me or him.
She runs over to him and waves the doll in front of his face. “My dollie.”
“Are you gonna take a nap with her now?” He waves his hand toward the Pack and Play he just assembled. “She looks tired.”
Daniela nods. “Sleepy time.”
I just stand in the doorway, watching but unable to process what’s happening in front of me. Danil grabs the comforter from the recliner and arranges it at the bottom of the Pack and Play. Then he grabs another blanket and sets it up to cover her and the doll.
She raises her arms toward him and he bends to lift her.
“Huggie!”
That’s when he smiles, the first genuine smile to ever lift his lips. And my traitorous pussy has the nerve to clench.
That bitch.
After he hugs Daniela, he lays her and the baby doll in the middle of the Pack and Play, then covers them both with the blanket. “I’ll make sure you have a really nice bed soon, okay?”
Daniela claps her hands and he backs away. I have to tug my hungry gaze from his ripped back and muscular legs. Does he have to walk around shirtless and in basketball shorts that hang low on his hips…low enough that I can trace that deep V with my tongue?
I press a hand to my forehead, perspiration beading along the back of my neck.
