Page 25 of Secret Bratva Baby
The safehouse is a fraction of the size of my mansion, and I’m agitated and claustrophobic being locked up in here all day. It doesn’t help at all that she’s constantly around me.
Her beautiful face watching me, those gorgeous ocean-blue eyes, and her willowy curves. The sweet scent of her skin and the way every movement she makes is enticing to me. I’m losing my mind in steady increments.
I need to get away from her, but there’s nowhere to escape.
Walking away from the living room, I head towards a little sunroom, situated near the back of the house, where I might find some solitude.
I pick up one of the books sitting on a small coffee table next to the single armchair by the window. I sink into the chair. Leaning back, I let out a loud groan, trying to release some frustration.
I open the book and stare blankly at the words written in black ink across the cream-white pages.
I stare until they blur.
Who am I kidding? I’m not in the mood to read now.
“I want story time,” a bubbly, excited little voice comes running towards me.
I turn to find Lily standing next to my chair, her tiny fingers gripping the arm. “Story,” she says again, grinning and pointing at the book.
“Hey, you, this book isn’t for—"
My words cut off as she giggles and squishes her way onto my lap, taking her time to crawl over me until she’s fully comfortable, with her back resting against my chest and her legs curled up beneath her.
“Dragons,” she says, pointing at the book.
“You like dragons?” I muse, opening the book again and clearing my throat. I don’t know why it’s entertaining to me that she likes dragons, but I can come up with a dragon story—how hard can it be?
“Alright, once upon a time, in a land far, far away from here, there was a little girl who lived in the forest.”
Lily wiggles excitedly.
“Dragons, pink ones,” she says.
“Okay, okay, we’re getting to that part,” I grin.
I turn the page, pretending to read from the book.
“This little girl was prettier than any little girl who ever lived on planet Earth. And her favorite color was pink.”
“Yes,” she shouts, clapping her hands.
“You’re very energetic for story time. I thought this was supposed to calm you down?”
She shakes her head, her little blonde curls bobbing about her face.
“Okay. The pink dragon. Where were we? Okay. The little girl lived in the forest. She had a tiny house that her friends, the pixies, had built in the trees for her. She was safe there, and it was beautiful, surrounded by lush green leaves, and all of the forest animals would come and visit her.”
I turn the page again, and Lily waits patiently.
“One day, the little girl was out walking by the river and she saw something moving just beneath the water. It was pink. It moved fast under the surface of the water.”
“Dragons,” Lily shouts.
“It was…” I pause for dramatic effect. “A dragon.” I laugh.
Lilly points to the book, tracing her finger over the words.
I watch her, my heart wanting to wrap around her, to keep her safe from everything. I brush her curls from her eyes, wondering why I feel so connected to her. Again, I think about how much she looks like her mother.
