Page 75 of Bratva and Betrayal: Kirill

It would destroy both of us.

Those were the decisions I made twenty-four hours ago. That now feels like a lifetime ago. Right now, they look so comfortable together. Sandrine isn’t spiraling. She only looks terrified of me.

“See?” Violet says proudly, looking up at Sandrine. “I told you Mommy was well enough to play with me.”

Sandrine cracks a faint smile, tucking a strand of hair behind Violet’s ear with an instinct so natural it nearly brings me to my knees.

“I am,” she says, glancing back at me, and then down at Violet. “I’m home, sweetie.”

Christ, her version of motherhood was buried beneath the amnesia. I heard Lourdes tell her, the mind forgets, but the heart doesn’t.

And muscles always remember. Right now. A particular muscle of mine is reacting to seeing Sandrine back where she belongs.

That realization wrecks me. It’s with terrifying clarity that I realize I already lost this fight. Not the war on the streets. Not the Bratva war I’m raging in other cities. An emotional one. I can’t keep them apart now. Not after seeing this. Not after watching how my daughter is so happy in her mother’s arms.

The hard thump of hurried footsteps over thick carpet breaks the silence. The nanny rushes into the parlor, looking breathless and pale. The second she sees Violet, relief floods her face.

“There you are,” Nadia blurts out, her frightened gaze landing on me.

I hate that look. It’s almost painful to witness. Only my enemies should look at me like that. Seeing it on someone Violet trusts sickens me.

“I was in the laundry room,” she explains.

“It’s fine,” I say flatly with a reassuring nod.

“Violet, you need to finish your snack.” Nadia holds out her hand for my daughter.

She groans dramatically and throws herself against Sandrine’s stomach. “But we’re playing.”

“What game?” I ask, curious.

“Find me, find me,” my daughter chirps.

The words hollow me out. That’s our game.

Let Daddy find you. Daddy will always find you.

Now she’s playing it with Sandrine. Jealousy flashes through me so unexpectedly it almost pisses me off. But this is what I wanted. I wanted my wife home. For my daughter to have her mother back. I just didn’t realize it would feel so complicated, mixed in with what I need from Sandrine as my wife.

In my bed.

And not just to give me more children. To please me and spread her legs to let me please her.

“Snack time, Violet.” The nanny inches closer carefully, unsure who is actually in charge. “And then we’ll read.”

“Nooo.” My daughter presses tighter against Sandrine. “I want to stay with Mommy.”

My jaw tightens. This is exactly what I was trying to avoid.

I step forward, crouching in front of Violet until we’re eye level. “Solnyshko, you do as you’re told. Nothing’s changed. Your mommy isn’t going anywhere. She’s home.”

“But—”

“No arguments.”

She pouts and folds her arms. Under any other circumstance, I probably would have caved. Violet gets away with far more than she should because I decided a long time ago there is very little in this world I would deny her.

Before I can say anything else, Sandrine speaks. “We can play again tomorrow. If your father says it’s okay.”