Page 35 of Born into Chaos

I think about leaving it at that, but it doesn’t seem right, so I quickly send another text.

Me:

Thank you for everything today, Sveta.

Sveta:

If you’re not careful, you’re going to owe me for life, Vitya. First, I saved your ass, and now I’m hiding a baby for you. I’m going to have to think of some way for you to pay me back.

My lip curls up in a smile because I can think of a lot of ways for me to make things even between us.

Me:

I’m sure you’ll think of something.

I toss the phone aside before I get my ass in trouble and volunteer to get on my knees and bury my head between her legs until she comes so many times she passes out.

With a groan, I run a hand through my hair and look over at Samantha. Sveta had been right. The name somehow suits her, and when her brown eyes find mine, she doesn’t look away. She keeps staring at me, and when I lightly tickle her tummy, I swear she gives me a small smile. My heart fucking melts at the sight of it.

“I’m in big trouble, Samantha.”

She flings her arms around before finding one of my fingersand grabbing onto it. Between her and Sveta, I feel like every wall I’ve ever put up around my heart is crumbling to dust.

Samantha and I spend another night of sporadic sleep, mixed with bottles and diaper changes, and when it’s finally time to get up, I have a newfound respect for mothers, because I don’t know how in the hell they do this night after night.

I’m not sure how I’m supposed to shower, so I end up bringing her into the bathroom with me. She’s buckled in her reclining seat, and I make sure the music is playing and that she’s completely safe before I turn her around so she’s facing the door.

“Sorry, little one, I can’t do this while you watch me.”

With her back to me, I hurry up and strip down and stand under the spray of water, hoping it’ll help wake me up. It doesn’t, and with a small baby in the bathroom with me, there’s no way in hell I can do my usual morning routine of jerking off to Sveta before I have to face her for the day. Resigning myself to the fact that I’m going to be tired and frustrated, I quickly wash up and get out. Once I’m dressed, I turn her around, and her brown eyes immediately lock onto me. She watches me as I finish getting ready, and as soon as I’m done, I carry her into the kitchen and get to work on her morning bottle. She just woke me up a couple of hours ago, but she’s obviously making up for all those lost calories, and there’s no way I’m going to make her wait to eat if she’s hungry. If I have it my way, she’ll never feel another pang of hunger ever again.

As soon as it’s ready, I sit with her on the couch and feed her while I mentally make a list of everything I need to pack. I’d usually just toss some clothes in a backpack and be done with it, but that’s not going to work for a baby.

“This is going to take a while,” I tell her while she drinks her breakfast and plays with my fingers. “You’re what they call high-maintenance, little one.”

She gives me a grunt and kicks her feet out. While she finishes her bottle, I tell her the plan.

“Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to finish your bottle,and then you’re going to fill your diaper, because we both know you can’t resist that one, and then I’m going to get you cleaned up and put you back in your seat. You’re going to take a nap like a good little girl, and I’m going to run upstairs to talk to Sveta’s dad.”

Even though I know she doesn’t understand me, I can’t help but add, “You’re going to be safe. I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Once the promise is out, I know it’s true. I’m going to find a way to keep this baby safe, no matter what. I just gave her my word, and whether or not she understands it doesn’t matter to me. I made a promise, and I intend to keep it.

Like clockwork, she finishes her bottle and then gives me a diaper to change while I burp her. Babies are a handful, but at least they’re predictable. I feel like a pro at this point, so it doesn’t take long before she’s in a clean diaper and sleeper and buckled into her favorite seat. I turn her music on and give her the pink pacifier she loves so much. While she gets sleepy, I set up the baby monitor and download the app. By the time she’s asleep, I’ve got it figured out, and her cute little face is filling the screen on my phone. I’ll be able to see her the whole time, but I still don’t like leaving her here alone. It makes me feel like I’m doing something wrong, although some might argue that carrying her upstairs into a Bratva boss’s house might not be the right thing either. Vitaly may be one tough motherfucker who’s killed more men than he probably remembers, but he would never hurt a child. She’s still safer down here, though, so that’s where her cute butt is staying.

I send a quick text to Sveta, letting her know I’m on my way up. I also send her a link to the app with my password so she can access it too, and then I give Samantha one last look to make sure she really is safe before locking my door and leaving. My ass is on the elevator in record time, and I have to remind myself to not act like I’m in a hurry. They’re used to me being quiet and alert, not antsy and preoccupied. I slip back into bodyguard mode right before the doors open and I step into their apartment. Svetlana is the first thing I see. She’s straight in front of me, resting a hip against the kitchen island and looking sexy ashell in a tight pair of jeans and green sweater. Her long hair is pulled back in some kind of braid, and she’s giving me a bored look as she picks at the food in front of her.

“Come on in, Vitya,” her dad hollers.

When I step into the kitchen, I see him at the stove. He’s frying sausage and already has a plate of pancakes stacked on the counter. Sveta reaches for another one and douses it in syrup like we have all the time in the world. She’s playing her part well.

“Hungry?” he asks me, but I shake my head no, sticking to our usual plan of me not eating here. After I decline breakfast, I wait for him to say whatever it is he feels he needs to say.

He takes his time, and my fingers itch to check my phone. Sveta, acting calm as can be, takes her phone out and casually scrolls through it as she eats. I can’t see her screen, but when her dad isn’t looking, she gives me a quick thumbs up to let me know Samantha is still sleeping peacefully below us. Some of the tension goes out of my shoulders, but then Vitaly sits down and looks over at his daughter.

“Sveta, can you pass me a knife from the drawer?”

She reaches over and opens the silverware drawer, immediately reaching for one of the steak knives.

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