“Hi.”
“Hiiii.” She dragged it out, almost slapping me in the face with her excitement.
We had been at it for about thirty minutes, and she was still stuck on “Hi.” I wasn’t complaining one fucking bit. At least she was talking to me and not crying her heart out.
After I spent almost two days trying to gain her trust, she finally felt comfortable enough to let me hold her while her mother wasn’t in the same room.
Mission accomplished.
Her Royal Highness was now on Uncle Viktor’s side. Fuck yeah!
Let’s do some dirty dancing in our heads, shall we?
“Is she still playing the Hi game with you?”
Ayla walked into the room. She smiled, her eyes going straight to her daughter. Maila bounced on my lap at the sight of her mother.
I grabbed hold of her when she tried to reach out to Ayla. “Careful there,” I mumbled. Her tiny body was held close to my chest for a second, breathing in her sweet baby scent before handing her over to Ayla.
Not before I caught Ayla’s scent on Maila. It was mixed with the baby smell, and I closed my eyes, holding this moment close to my chest.
“I have to put her to bed,” Ayla muttered. “Is it okay if I take her away?”
I nodded with a tight smile. “Yeah. She seems a little worn out. Wouldn’t want the potato to lose her beauty sleep.”
Ayla laughed while rocking Maila in her arms. The little one was already yawning before cuddling closer to her mother’s chest.
“Are you ever going to stop calling her that, Viktor? I can imagine her wanting to rip your hair off when she’s fifteen and you’re still calling her potato,” she said quietly.
“Never. She is forever my potato Princess.” I winked before standing up. I wrapped them both in my arms, holding them in my embrace before letting them go, far too quickly for my liking.
I tried to clear the stupid fucking thoughts from my head—the ones that whispered in my ears like the Devil they were. Always taunting me. Pulling and pushing me in the wrong fucking direction.
Every time, I had to fight the urge to succumb to the Devil’s taunting. I could feel the tip of its tongue flicking against my ear, whispering, laughing.
I stared at Ayla and she gave me a sweet smile, oblivious to the effect she had on me. Clearing my throat, I glanced at the open doors. “I have to go. Alessio called for a meeting,” I finally said.
She nodded mutely, her eyes now on Maila. A sign of dismissal. Taking a deep breath, and with a final look toward the woman who had been haunting me for months, I walked away.
It was the best I could do. Walk away. Walk in the opposite direction because she was already taken. A wife and a mother.
A heavy heart was hard to bear, but in my situation, it meant nothing, because I couldn’t let my heart control my actions. My mind and my dick were in my favour right now.
And I needed to fuck someone—fuck Ayla out of my system.
Find a new tight pussy and a new obsession.
Maybe I’ll fuck a redhead this time. Or a blondie. Whoever is willing.
The doors to Alessio’s office were open, and I walked inside before closing them behind me.
Everyone was there, including the mafia daddies. Oh, how fucking sweet. I rolled my eyes at the look they gave me.
“Happy to see me, Father dearest?” I asked with raised eyebrows. “Surprised I’m still alive? I should be thanking for you for that, by the way.”
He shook his head before leveling me with a glare. I didn’t give a fuck. I was in this stupid, fucked-up mess because of him.
Because he couldn’t keep his dick away from a willing pussy.
I paused at the thought. Oh well, like father, like son. Fuck my life.
“Are you ever going to let this go?” he asked, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.
I shrugged at the question. “Let it go? Ha. Maybe in a few hundred…years? Give or take.”
“Viktor—” Lyov started, but Alessio cut him off.
“Don’t start, old man. You’re just as guilty.”
“It seems you two have forgotten who Isaak and I are. You might be the Boss now, Alessio. But that doesn’t mean I’m powerless. You make it so fucking difficult not to blow your brains out,” Lyov hissed.
And the glaring contest has started. A—fucking—gain.
“And make Maila fatherless? Ayla a widow?” Alessio asked, just chilling in his chair like his father didn’t just threaten him. Oh, you know. Just the daily life of the Ivanshov family.
Lyov’s mouth snapped shut, and Alessio held back a smirk. “I didn’t think so.”
“Why do you two make everything so difficult? Why go against us on every step?” Isaak muttered. “We’re trying to help!”
“You have helped enough, Isaak,” I quickly cut in.