Page 70 of Flawless

“You mean so much to me, estrelinha,” I say, kissing the top of her head and releasing her.

We both walk to the steps leading to the deck and sit down on the bottom one.

“Well, Papai, your little star, as you call me, is growing up, and you can’t shelter me forever.”

“For as long as I can, I will.”

“You can shelter me from anyone knowing who I am, but you can’t hide from me the things that are happening all around me.”

“I think all that just got washed away today. I saw that guy snapping your pictures. It won’t take long before he figures out who I am. When he does, he’ll piece it all together. I have no idea what stories he’ll create from that,” I sigh wearily.

“Well, maybe you should get with Dani, and the two of you can figure out a plan of action. Avó always says that two heads are better than one,” she says wisely of my mother.

“They are, but I think maybe we should take some time and breathe before we come back together.”

“I think she’s blaming herself for this, Papai.”

Nodding, I say, “I know.” Quietly, I’ve been blaming her, too, and I know that it isn’t her fault.

“I love my room,” she says softly.

I smile and say nothing in return.

“Well, Velhote, I’m going back inside to change and head down to the beach if that’s okay with you,” she says, patting me on the shoulder.

Laughing, I reply, “Oh, I’m an old man now?”

Shrugging, she says, “Time happens to us all.”

“It’s fine for you to go to the beach, but you don’t have anything to change into.”

“I’m wearing my swimsuit underneath my clothes, Papai, because I knew that’s the first place I wanted to go when I learned that the cottage was on the beach.”

“You need some clothes. I didn’t get a chance to get your things from your mother. I’ll text her to see if she’s still in town and if we can meet up,” I say, texting Larisa.

I shake my head and watch my daughter bound up the three stairs onto the deck and disappear behind closed doors.

I sit on the deck for several minutes still calming my anger over what happened. My phone buzzes, and I see that it’s Larisa.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Yes, no thanks to your new girlfriend. Zenon, what was that? Is that what my daughter will have to deal with for the next few weeks?”

“First, I told you that Dani is just my friend. If she would change her mind about me and her misgivings about our past, she would be so much more than that,” I grind out. “Second, you know what that was. He is an asshole looking to make a few bucks off what he thinks might be a hot story. Third, no,ourdaughter won’t be dealing with that for the rest of the summer.

“We couldn’t have predicted that it would happen. If I had been thinking about it, I probably would have chosen a moreprivate location than downtown Charleston on a Saturday in the summer. I’m not that familiar with the place, but from everything that I’ve read, the market is a very popular place, as is the fountain. That was a one-off. You know that happened to her before when she was with me,” I say, not wanting to admit that it had everything to do with Dani then, too.

“I want daily check-ins, Zenon. And I’d better not see my daughter’s face on any social media sites. We’ve done a wonderful job of keeping her protected. I don’t want that to stop. My father would not be happy about that,” she says.

“I don’t owe you or your father shit, Larisa. My only concern is my daughter. The fact that your father is the head of the Bratva has nothing to do with me. If any one of his enemies comes after my daughter because of who he is, then I will deal with him directly. That has nothing to do with Dani!”

“It has everything to do with her. She’s the one who brought the paparazzi out and caused him to take pictures of my child!”

“Whatever,” I seethe. “Listen, I didn’t ask you to call to argue with you. I asked you to call because Zee Zee needs her things.”

“I’ve already dropped the car off at the rental agency at the airport, Zenon. I’ve checked her luggage in along with mine. You’ll have to figure something out!”

Larisa ends the call before I can respond.

---