Page 83 of The Bratva's Nanny
The silver blade clanked on the ground, and he walked back to Benjamin and Lev, who didn’t so much as flinch, like he hadn’t just taken a man’s life.
He motioned to the old man with a bored wave of his hand. “Continue.”
While the conversation went on between the two men, a loud ringing erupted in my ears, and a wave of nausea washed over me.
Benjamin glanced at the body, looking slightly disturbed. “That’s why I want to get Polina out of this, away from all this violence and bloodshed. I want to give her a chance at a normal life.”
“You don’t get to fucking decide that!” Roman roared. His voice boomed on all the corners of the house. I had never seen him this upset. “Polina is my daughter. Mine! And no one can protect her better than me. You abandoned your own daughter. You have no right to claim you want to protect mine.”
The words stung, probably pierced the old man’s heart like a dagger, but he knew Roman spoke the truth, and it hurt.
But my head was spinning, and I turned pale.
On accident, I gazed at Finn’s lifeless body, and my eyes widened with horror.
I suppressed a gag.
I was going to vomit.
I really was going to vomit.
Quickly, unable to hold myself back, I turned and walked out of the room, leaving all the drama behind.
Chapter Twenty-Five – Roman
I couldn’t remember the last time I used the word ‘good influence’.
But then, I had to add that to my vocabulary after Saint Maria joined the bandwagon.
I sat at the edge of my bed, trying to decide whether I made a good decision or not. He seemed genuine, and she had good reasons.
Where I was concerned, Benjamin Quinn was long dead and buried, with a fucking tombstone in the most deserted part of the cemetery. I wanted nothing to do with him. I might not have been the best to judge, but he deserved the ‘Worst Father of The Year’ award. A fucking criminal who didn't deserve my forgiveness.
But Saint Maria always saw the good in almost everyone, and Benjamin Quinn happened to fall on her “Second Chance” list. She saw good intentions and a genuine desire to make amends. She convinced me to give him a chance, to let him be a part of Polina's life.
As I lay there, I realized that she was a special glue, the one who had brought us all together.
I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I needed to see her, to talk to her, to be near her. I felt a restlessness in my chest and this sense of urgency I couldn’t ignore.
Getting up, I walked to the door, my hand reaching for the handle. Just as I opened it, I saw her standing there in a black night robe, pink fluffy rabbit slippers, and a small smile on her face.
What were the chances?
I didn’t hide my smile. “Come in.”
I side-stepped, ushering her inside.
“Perfect timing,” I said, my eyes never leaving hers. “I was just thinking about you.”
She did a weird move with her eyebrow, looking neither pleased nor displeased. “Well, I’m hoping that whatever it is is linked to what you wanted to tell me back in the car. What was it?”
How did I think she was going to forget about that?
I opened my mouth to speak. And nothing came out. I wanted to tell her how I felt, how she had changed something inside of me, how I needed her. But the words got stuck in my throat, like a boulder trapped between two tiny buildings.
I saw the patience in her eyes, the willingness to listen. But…nothing.
Time ticked by, and the silence between us grew thicker. Her patience began to wear thin, and her eyes narrowed slightly.