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We eat a quiet dinner together. Sarah’s occasional laughter fills the room as Zoe makes faces at her, and their adorable play helps ease my anxiety. It’s moments like these that remind me why I’ve kept my secrets and danced on the edge of this dangerous game.
It’s my job to protect Sarah from the hardships of this world for as long as I can, and I intend to do that to the best of my abilities. Never again will I fall prey to my baser desires. My first priority is to be a good mother. The rest can wait.
After dinner, I put Sarah to bed, tucking her in with a goodnight kiss and promising to read her favorite bedtime story tomorrow. As I sit by her bedside, watching her sleep peacefully, I love the way she effortlessly fills the holes in my heart, patching me up and giving me more than enough reason to keep going, even when I’m sad.
After she’s sound asleep, I slip from her room, turning off the light as I go.
I head to the kitchen, where I know Zoe will be waiting for me. She’s been my confidante throughout this ordeal, the only one who knows the truth about Sarah’s parentage and my tangled relationship with Maks. She might be the only person in this world who could possibly understand what I’m going through.
We sit at the kitchen table, sipping our coffees, a thick silence hanging between us. It’s somehow both reassuring and troubling, filled with unspoken thoughts and emotions as my friend waits for me to begin.
Finally, I break the silence. “Zoe, I think I’ve made a terrible mistake.”
As I meet her gaze, her eyes reflect the same worry that’s been gnawing at me all evening.
“A mistake with Maks?” she asks gently.
I nod, my throat constricting with the weight of my confession.
“What happened?”
“I’ve fallen for him even though I told him I could keep things casual. But somewhere along the way, I started reading too much into things. And yesterday... last night...” I sigh, covering my face with my hands as I voice the ugly truth. “I should have ended things sooner. I let it get out of hand. Honestly, I never should have agreed to the arrangement in the first place.”
“Oh, honey.” Zoe’s hand reaches across the table to hold mine. “You can’t blame yourself for falling for him. That happens to the best of us.”
“Yeah, well, it’s over now.” My voice cracks on the last word, and I swallow hard as I stare into my coffee mug.
“It’s probably for the best,” she says gently. “Did you... ever tell him about Sarah?”
I shake my head no. “I can’t decide whether I should feel awful about it or that I did the right thing.”
“You did what you thought was best to protect her,” Zoe says fiercely, her support and loyalty bolstering my spirits just a hair.
“Thanks.” Daring to meet her eyes once more, I give her a grateful smile.
She returns it, a hint of concern still lingering in her brown gaze. “Why did he come to the office today?”
Guilt twists my gut. “He came to tell me that I’m in danger. He wanted to take me somewhere safe because his enemies know who I am—know what I am to Maks—and they want to use me against him.”
“But you said it yourself. He doesn’t do attachment, so how do they think that’s going to work?” Zoe frowns.
I shrug miserably. “It doesn’t mean they won’t hurt me in the hopes that it might hurt him.”
“Maybe you should go to the police,” she suggests.
“And say what? I don’t know who these enemies are. I don’t know what they might try to do to me, or when.”
Zoe slumps. “Yeah, okay. I see your point.”
“My biggest fear is that you and Sarah could get caught in the crosshairs. I’m so sorry, Zoe. I never should have taken the risk.”
After a moment of silence, Zoe says, “Don’t be sorry. I was the one who encouraged you to have some fun. Neither of us would have guessed it could get so... complicated.” Zoe gives me a reassuring smile. “So, what kind of danger are we in, exactly?”
“I honestly don’t know. Maks just told me he got a threatening message saying that his enemies know who I am and where to find me.” My voice quavers, and I fall silent.
“And you didn’t accept your Russian lover’s protection? Why?”
I glance down the hall toward Sarah’s room. “I couldn’t be sure he would protect all of us,” I murmur.
