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Fuck!

I recalled that night. I almost debated being in Nikolai’s bed at all, but my desire for him won out. At least I’d been wearing my nightgown then. Nikolai had used it as something of a gag when I was loud and I’d pulled it back down to sleep a little with him.

“Paloma was up, though, and when she saw me in the hallway, she said she was scared too!”

Nikolai glanced at me. “Huh. Imagine that.”

Brady nodded. “Uh-huh. So she said she’d tuck me back in bed and that would make her feel better too.”

Busted.

Not by him but her, too.

I was still gripped by the panic of his seeing me in bed now, with Nikolai, to fully think of something to say.

What was on the tip of my tongue was a question. A scolding—for Nikolai.

Why didn’t you lock the door!

“Mama, why are you sleeping over with Mr. Volkov?” he asked.

My cheeks were on fire. I swallowed hard, but Nikolai took over. He leaned against me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders—no longer hiding that we were more than… more than whatever mutual relationship Brady imagined.

“Is it all right with you if she does?” he asked him.

Brady shrugged. A slow smile lifted his lips. “Of course. It makes you look like a mama and daddy.”

Oh, God…

I wasn’t sure if I could laugh or cringe.

“Like how Mr. Volkov and Ms. Elena are,” he added. “And Mr. Volkov and Ms. Carina. And⁠—”

Nikolai held up his hand. “That’s a lot of Mr. Volkovs.” He turned to face me. “You’ve really ingrained it in him to be so formal and polite.”

I gave him a small smile.

“Do you want to be mama and daddy with my mama?” he asked, his little voice so innocent and hopeful.

“I want to be a part of this family no matter what I’m called,” Nikolai said.

Brady grinned wider, taking that answer with glee. “Can I call you Daddy?” he asked.

I panicked again. This was coming so soon after Nikolai talked about doubting himself or us or whatever he’d gotten in his mind last night. I didn’t want to pressure him and push him. We could scare him off. Because in the back of my mind, I was fully aware of that little nagging thought of how he used to be such a player. A womanizer. Never settling down. A tiny part of me feared that he could want that life again. Even though he never acted like he wanted to be free to have options, he had once been like that.

But people change.

You know that.

You have changed.

“You can call me whatever you think makes the most sense,” Nikolai answered casually.

Wait. What? What does that mean?

“Brady!” Paloma’s shouts came from beyond the door left ajar. “Brady? Brady, where are— Oh, no.” She was there, bursting into the room. Her eyes opened wide as she saw us on the bed, Brady perched at the foot of it. When he turned to face her, she lost the cringe and smiled. “Well, there you are. I didn’t realize we’d be playing hide and seek this early.” She tacked on an awkward laugh, going to him and beckoning him to go with her. “How about we go get breakfast and let Mr. Volkov and your mama, uh, sleep in if they want?” Ushering him out of the room, she paused at the door. “Maybe they can sleep in and remember to lock the door…”

Her voice trailed off as they headed down the hallway.