Chapter Twenty-Nine

Ilya

I stood on the daisy-shaped welcome mat and stared at the blue door. On the other side of that door were Brooke and Karina. My woman and my child. I wanted to be on the other side of the door, yet I hesitated. Everything I needed and wanted in my life was in there and I couldn't lift my hand and knock.

A laugh sounded to my left where Dmitri stood with a shocked yet slightly amused grin on his face.

"What is so fucking funny?"

"You," he said with a shrug. "You're nervous. A seven-year-old girl has you shaking in your expensive loafers."

"She's not just a seven-year-old girl," I replied through clenched teeth. "She's my little girl, Dmitri. My daughter, and I haven't been present for one fucking day of her life." What if she hated me for being gone? Worse, what if she couldn't forgive me?

Dmitri nodded as if he could read my thoughts, and then readjusted the bags in his hands to free one hand and knock on the door. "Brooke is a good woman, and she wants the best for her. She will make sure the little girl doesn't hate you."

Before I could ask Dmitri how he knew that, how he could speak with such certainty, the door opened and there was Brooke. She was beautiful even with damp hair and no makeup. She wore hot pink leggings and an oversized t-shirt. Her feet were bare, and her face was pale, her expression haunted. "Brooke. Hi."

"Ilya." It was just my name, but I swore I heard a hint of relief, possibly even happiness to see me. "You're here."

"I am. I told you I wasn't going anywhere. We just had some business to take care of."

She smiled at Dmitri before taking a step back and waved us inside. "Hi, Dmitri."

"Hey, Brooke. How is the little one?"

"She just woke up," Brooke answered with a smile. "She's in the kitchen with everyone else."

Dmitri walked that way, giving us some needed privacy.

"Are you coming inside?" Her question was hesitant, and uncertainty swam in her eyes.

"Yes." I stepped over the threshold, like it was a gateway to another life, and once inside I took one of her hands, tugging her to the living room. It didn't offer much privacy from the happy chatter in the kitchen, but it was enough for now. We sat and I faced her, taking her other hand because I needed the connection. "I'm sorry for the way everything went down yesterday, Brooke."

"No more apologies. It happened and you handled it, Ilya. Let's just move forward."

That was unexpected. "Are you sure? I have prepared a really good apology."

She smiled sweetly and shook her head. "I'm sure. Neither of us can keep living in the past. You're here now and that's what matters."

"I'm glad to hear you say that." I brought one hand to my lips and brushed a kiss across her knuckles before doing the same with the other hand. "Because I love you. My feelings for you never went away, and seeing you again, being with you and getting to know again has only confirmed what I knew that morning in the conference room. I love you."

"You love me?" The words came out choppy and breathless, her tone filled with disbelief.

"Hell yes, I love you, and I want to be with you. No one but you, Brooke. I want us to build a life together with our daughter, maybe a few more kids when you're ready." The idea of being with Brooke every day and every night made me smile brighter. "I'll be at your side every step of the way, watching you grow round with our babies. Satisfying your every craving. Your every desire."

Heat flamed in her eyes as well as her cheeks. "Are you sure, Ilya? Things like what we've just been through can create false bonds."

I laughed. "I felt this way before all this happened, Brooke. Why do you think I made sure we had our Friday meetings? I knew you hated me and I was convinced that if only we could spend more time together then you'd stop hating me and remember what we had back in college."

Tears turned her eyes glassy, and she looked away. "Ilya, please."

Her reaction gave me great hope. She didn't recoil or outright reject me, in fact my words impacted her. They touched her heart. "Just think about it. And when you're ready, all I want to know is that you love me too." I kissed her mouth, soft and sweet, before my tongue slipped between her lips. The kiss was as hot and her hands fisted in my hair as she pulled me closer, silently begging me to deepen the kiss.

When she pulled back, a breathless smile lit up her beautiful face.

"I'm not going on anywhere."

Brooke stared at me for an extended moment before a smile lit her face and she stood. "Stay here."

I watched the swing of her ass in those pink leggings as she walked away and disappeared into the kitchen.

She returned less than a minute later with Karina's small hand in hers, smiling down at the little girl who chatted sweetly as they walked. "Karina, there's someone I want you to meet."

The little girl turned to me, and for the first time I was able to study her. She had blond hair the same shade as mine, and those eyes, they were just as Oleg had called them. Kuznetsov blue. Royal blue around the pupil with swirls of different shades of blue in the iris. Her lips were all Brooke, full and pink, tipped into a slightly amused smile. "You're the man."

I smiled. "I am the man. My name is Ilya."

"Hi, Ill-ya! I'm Karina and I like dancing, puzzles, and video games. I like your hair." When she smiled, her nose tipped up just like my mother's. And mine.

I realized in that moment I was clueless when it came to children. "I like pizza, books, and your mom."

She gasped and turned a smile up to Brooke. "Is Ill-ya your boyfriend, Mommy?" She turned back to me with a mischievous grin. "Mommy never has a boyfriend."

An amused chuckle escaped. "Is that right?"

Karina nodded in that exaggerated way that children tended to do. "It is."

"Okay," Brooke groaned, and took the seat beside me, pulling Karina close. "I have something I want to tell you."

It was fascinating watching them together. Karina placed her hands on Brooke's cheeks, a small frown marring her face. "What's wrong, Mommy?"

"Nothing, baby. Everything is good. All things considered," she murmured. "It's about Ilya. He is…" She sucked in a deep breath, closing her eyes. When they opened, it seemed as though a calm had settled over her. "Ilya is your daddy."

Her blue eyes went wide as she studied Brooke's face before those identical eyes swung to me. "My…my d-d-daddy?"

"That's right. Your daddy. How do you feel about that?"

Our daughter continued to stare, wide-eyed.

"I told you I would see if I could find him," Brooke said.

Karina nibbled on her bottom lip the same way Brooke did when she was nervous or unsure. "I thought you were lost," she said, then nibbled her lip again. "Do you want to be my daddy?"

My heart hammered against my chest. "More than anything in this whole world."

Her smile came slowly, but it was bright and innocent. "Okay."

I sat a little taller. "Okay, then."

"Where have you been?" Her brows furrowed, but she wasn't frowning. It appeared to be curiosity, and I knew my answer mattered to my daughter. A lot.