I must look like shit in my PJs and makeup-free face, but my appearance is the last thing on my mind these days.
Rai intertwines her hand with mine and leads me downstairs. Papa’s guard stares at me funny and I chalk it up to my unflattering appearance.
When Rai opens the door, however, the reason behind everyone’s reaction materializes in front of me.
On Papa’s right, the place that’s reserved for Vlad, sits the last person I expected to ever be invited to our dining table.
He’s wearing a sharp brown suit that brings out the intense hazel color of his eyes with that golden ring I’ve been dreaming about lately.
It hasn’t been long since I last saw him, but he looks a bit different—broader, sharper, and with a face that’s oozing masculinity and charm.
Maturity, too, I realize. In the span of a week, he seems to have aged and become wiser. Or maybe I’m the one who has.
“Knox,” I whisper, unable to believe my eyes.
His lips pull in that charismatic smile that I could never resist. “Hey, beautiful.”
I stare between him and Papa, then at Rai, secretly blaming her for not making me a bit more presentable when she knew who was here.
“What are you doing here?” I ask Knox but stare at Papa, a bit scared that he’ll order his senior guard, who stands behind him like a wall, to off Knox.
“Sergei invited me.”
I nearly choke on my own spit. Did he just say Papa invited him? Also, please tell me he didn’t just call him by his first name. Only the leaders of the Bratva are allowed to do that and never to his face.
Jeez, even Rai’s husband, a complete rebel, has never done it.
My attention flies to Papa, expecting him to shoot Knox, but he remains in his element, not even looking offended.
“You invited him?” I whisper.
“Yes. He’s a business partner now.”
I’m unable to process that, so I just stare, dumbfounded. Does this mean Papa accepts him?
“And?” Knox asks with a mischievous grin.
“A possible son-in-law,” Papa says.
“Hey, not “possible.” Definite. You’re the one who said I’ll have to marry into your family.”
Papa clears his throat and Rai chuckles by my side.
They…didn’t just say what I think they said, right?
I don’t get a chance to process it further before Papa stands up and heads toward me, his guard in tow behind him.
When he’s within touching distance, he reaches a hand out and pats my head. And for just a second, I feel like that little girl again, the one who came out from beneath the table when he killed my stepfather. He patted my head then, too, before offering me his hand, and even though it was bloody, I took it.
Because he’s my father.
No matter how monstrous the world views him, he’ll always be the god who saved me from a life of abuse.
“You deserve much more than I can offer you, Nastyusha,” he tells me. “But if he hurts you in any way, I’ll make a lesson out of him.”
“Papa…” I choke on my tears, then take his free hand and kiss its back. “Thank you. Thank you.”
He strokes my hair for a few more seconds, then releases me and leaves with his guard. Rai winks at me before she jogs after him. “Wait for me.”
Papa grabs her by the arm. “No running or you’ll hurt the baby.”
She grins at that and I smile a little, but it soon falls when I feel hot breaths at my neck.
I abruptly turn around and my air gets caught in my throat when I’m face to face with those golden hazel eyes.
He reaches around me and closes the door. I swear I can hear its resounding sound in my chest.
“Miss me, beautiful?”
“What happened?” It’s hard to breathe let alone speak when his body is a few inches from mine and his warmth is flooding me. “How come Papa agreed?”
“I’ve been meeting with him ever since the first time he caught me coming out of your room. It took a lot of convincing, but he was being difficult about something we both wanted. He knows you’re better off away from his world and that I’m the one who can offer you that life. So he suggested we get married.”
“Y-you don’t have to do that just for Papa. I can speak to him—”
“What are you talking about? You think I wouldn’t want to marry you?”
My lips part and I fumble for words. “You want to?”
“What type of question is that? Of course, I want to. We might have started with my fucking your brains out, but over time, you became the woman I can’t imagine my life without. You became my woman, Anastasia, and I intend to keep you.”