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She shakes her head, steadying herself with a sharp exhale. “The only person’s permission you needed was Mom’s. And apparently, she gave it to you a long time ago.”
Silence descends over the meal, and I officially regret the puttanesca.
Forget emotional manipulation. It’s time for reckless honesty.
“I visited Dominik today.”
“Oh, yeah?” She reaches for her water. “Who knew that under that gruff, bodyguard exterior lived such a soft-hearted papa bear? Misha’s one lucky kid.”
“Watching him has made me realize how badly I let you down—you and Nina, both.”
Laila’s fork clatters against her plate. She scrambles to pick it back up quickly. “Arsen?—”
“Just let me get this out.” If I don’t, there’s a chance I won’t get another opportunity. “I disappeared when you needed me most, and I know I screwed up. I need you to know that I’m sorry. I should’ve been there to help when Nina was a newborn. I should’ve driven you both home from the hospital and changed a zillion diapers. I should’ve been there to be sleep-deprived and exhausted and blissed out on new baby smell. I should have held your hand and supported you, and I’m sorry I didn’t. I’ll regret it forever.”
She stares down at her half-eaten plate of pasta and nods numbly. “I appreciate you saying that.”
“I’m going to do better from now on, Laila. I’m going to be here.”
She raises her eyes to mine. Something defiant flashes across them, turning those blue irises to ice. “That’s a big promise, Arsen.”
“I know.”
“You’ve made promises to me before.”
“I know that, too.” Her hand is resting on the table, inches from mine, and I can’t help myself: I reach across the gap, squeezing her fingers. “Do you believe me?”
“I want to.” She bites her bottom lip. “I really do, Arsen. But this isn’t just about me. This is about Nina. I believe you want to do better, but if you don’t, she is the one who gets hurt. And I’m not willing to take a chance on that unless I’m positive I can trust you.” She slides her hand away and stands up. “Thanks for dinner. But it’s time for Nina to go to bed.”
She pulls Nina from her highchair and carries her upstairs.
And I’m left feeling… like that could’ve been worse.
It wasn’t a roaring success, seeing as how Laila isn’t in my lap, letting me do unspeakable things to her under the table. But she didn’t dump my plate over my head, either.
Laila didn’t say she wasn’t willing to trust me, but she needs to be sure. So I’ll make her sure.
I pull out my phone and make a call. Miguel answers on the first ring. “Mr. Adamov!” he says brightly.
He has good reason to be so chipper. Any call from me is usually accompanied by a handsome paycheck for the realtor.
“Miguel, I have a job for you.”
28
LAILA
My eyes flick from the clock to the door. Every so often, I catch Nina looking that way, too.
“He’ll be here soon,” I coo, poking the perfect dimple in her little cheek. “Daddy is going to be so excited to see you.”
But not as excited as Mommy will be to see Daddy.
At first, I tried to deny the flutter in my stomach when Arsen walked through the door. Or the way I would come home from my classes and go straight to the kitchen, looking for Arsen at the stove, hoping to find him and Nina there waiting for me.
One pot of puttanesca and I’m putty in the man’s hands. I’d be ashamed of myself if it wasn’t so predictable.
I’d also be ashamed if Arsen hadn’t been so predictable.
