Page 45 of The Bratva's Secret Baby
Damien put his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him. “It’s all right, malen'kaya roza. No one can hurt you anymore.” The warmth of his body pervaded me like a fire in the depths of winter, and his scent filled my nose with the comforting smell of home.
I embraced him and heard the wail of sirens in the distance. A heavy weight fell from my chest, and for the first time since Eric’s death, I felt real relief.
“You’re right, it's all over now.”
***
My eyes widened in awe as I entered the splendor of Damien’s mansion. The expanse of the mansion was picturesque, like something out of a fairy tale.
Sparkling chandeliers illuminated the foyer, casting an obscene amount of light on the grand staircase and arches that led to more rooms than I could count. Richly colored tapestries lined the walls, etched in meandered patterns like secrets waiting to be discovered.
Every inch of the gleaming floor spread out like an endless Isfahan silk tapestry, representing wealth and leisure.
Damien held Kaity in one hand and wrapped the other around me as he led us down the opulent hallway.
“Wow!” Kaity cooed, marveling at the splendor around us. “This looks like a palace,” she said giggling.
“Well, guess what, princess? This will be your new home from now on.”
Kaity covered her mouth as she gasped. “Does that mean I’m a princess now, Daddy?”
Damien nodded. “You’re a princess. You’ll always be Daddy’s princess.” He leaned closer to her and whispered, “Daddy will never allow anyone to hurt his princess.”
“I won’t let anyone hurt Daddy either,” Kaity whispered back.
It was one month since Kendrick tried to kill me, and one month since I found out the truth about Eric’s death. I curled up in my room for a week, thinking about all thewhat-ifsthat could’ve saved my brother.
What if I had never left him that evening?
What if he had never joined the police?
There were too manywhat-ifs and maybe Eric would still be alive if any of them had happened.
Fortunately, I had Kaity and Damien to be strong for. I’d absorbed all the pain I needed to, and I’d gotten back on my feet afterward.
Damien and I had told Kaity the truth, that Damien was her father. My little girl took the news so well that I didn’t think she would remember that there was a time when Damien was not a part of our lives.
Aside from their striking resemblance, Kaity and Damien had the best father-daughter chemistry I’d ever seen.
And I believed him when Damien said he would never let anyone hurt Kaity. He’d meant it, and I knew he would put his life on the line to protect our daughter if he had to.
“Right, Mommy?”
I turned my attention back to Kaity and Damien. I’d been so absorbed in my thoughts that I hadn’t heard them. “Sorry. Mommy didn’t hear you the first time, can you say that again?”
“I told Daddy I wanted a puppy.”
We strolled to a large patio, overlooking a variety of flora and a shimmering blue pool. Birch trees shaded the pathway, and a row of colorful flowers lined the steps leading to the wrought-iron gate.
Further away in the courtyard, black bistro tables and chairs were placed in the shade.One of the housekeepers stood at one of the bistro tables, petting a golden retriever.
“A dog!” Kaity yelled, wrestling to climb down from Damien’s body.
Damien chuckled. “Daddy bought you a dog, what do you say?”
She placed her tiny hands on either side of Damien’s head and kissed him on the forehead. “Thank you, Daddy.”
“You’re welcome, little princess.” He lowered her to the floor and watched proudly as she scurried off to play with the dog.