Page 90 of Nikola
“I can handle him.” I touched his cheek. “Trust me on this.”
Papa kissed my forehead. “You’re strong and fierce, like your mama, but it’s my job to protect you for as long as I live.”
“I know, Papa, but you don’t have to protect me from Nikola.”
He didn’t look convinced. “Where is the little shit?”
I threw him an annoyed look. “Papa, why are you not listening to me?”
Sasha pinned me with a stare. “So what do you recommend, Skye? We just let Nikola get away with everything?”
I pursed my lips. “Didn’t you get away with kidnapping Branka on her wedding day?”
He narrowed his eyes. “Not the same. Nikola needs to be taught a lesson.”
I stared between the two most wonderful fathers a girl could ask for. “If you hurt him, you hurt me.” They sighed and I took advantage, doubling down. “Let who I marry be my choice.”
“Why are you making this so difficult?” Papa said with a steely expression and Sasha eagerly agreed.
“You’re too strong for your own good,” Sasha said. “It must be the Russian in you.”
“It’s the Italian in her,” Papa countered.
I let out a frustrated groan. “It really doesn’t matter. It’s having you both as parents that made me independent and strong. Now, let’s stay focused. I need your promise that you won’t hurt Nikola, because I want to marry him.” I let my hard stare set in before I continued. “Do you hear me? Want. Iwantto marry him. He’s the only one for me.”
“Meaning?” Sasha grumbled, and I rolled my eyes.
I really couldn’t have been clearer.
“Meaning I want your word that you won’t hurt him and that you will give us your blessing.”
They shared a glance, but neither conceded.
“Seriously, you two?” My gaze darted between them. “Couldn’t you take this opportunity to join forces and get along? You seem to get along when you want to murder someone, or when you both signed the marriage agreement.”
Papa kissed my forehead with another sigh. “You’re right, princess.”
Sasha nodded. “Of course she is. And no matter what, you’ll always be our little girl, and we’ll kill anyone who hurts you.”
Papa raised an expectant eyebrow. “Even though that someone might be your nephew?”
Sasha nodded somberly. “Even so.”
Papa grinned. “Then let’s go hunting.”
I flew my hands up in the air exasperatedly, but they ignored me. Instead, they high-fived each other and left me staring after them with my mouth parted, shock filling every bone in my body.
Figured it would take some fucked-up scenario like this for the two of them to start getting along.
35
DANTE
My daughter was in love with a Russian!
I should have seen it coming, but I didn’t. My princess sidekick was growing up, and I couldn’t even make Nikola hurt because hurting him would mean hurting my daughter.
How in the fuck did this fuckup of a Thanksgiving holiday get worse than I could have possibly imagined?
