Page 237 of Tempted By her Daddies

“I’m so sorry.” Her heart broke for that little boy. “What happened?”

“My grandfather shot them all. And then himself. He had seen things and heard voices for a long time. They must have gotten to him. They were all dead, all gone.”

“Oh, Alexei. That won’t happen to me.”

He moved his head, giving her a fierce look. “You do not know that!”

No, she guessed not.

“I will do my best to protect myself.”

“You will not need to. I will protect you.”

She cupped his face. “And you do an amazing job. But I have to have some freedom. I will do my best never to leave without telling you, though.”

“You will tell me about all outings you have planned. You will not take public transport. Where possible, one of us will go with you. If you have to go alone . . . which I doubt will ever happen, you will allow me to track your phone and keep in constant contact.”

“All right.” She’d have promised him almost anything in that moment.

“And never again will you live in filth.”

“It wasn’t filth.”

“It was,” he spat out. “The orphanage was like that. Cold, damp, and miserable. I promised myself that I would neverlive somewhere like that again. That my family certainly never would. I do not like that you were living there.”

“I’m not there anymore,” she said, finally understanding. “You went to an orphanage after your family died?”

She hated pretending not to know about this. But it might help him talk.

“There was no one else. The orphanage was a terrible place. Filled with despair. No one cared for us there and we had nothing of our own. I rarely grow attached to anyone, because I know I will have to keep them safe. But when they are mine, they stay mine. And I will protect them with my life.”

She wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight. She understood him better now.

Her MGB.

Her Papa.

“What do you need?” she asked.

“I need to hold you. To give you angel kisses. To keep you close. Don’t ever leave me.”

She held him tighter. She wanted to promise him that she wouldn’t leave him.

But she didn’t want to break a promise.

37

Salem woke up to find a naked Russian standing over the bed.

Why?

Why him?

“No,” he whispered.

“I want to sleep with her.”

Tamsyn stirred. Fuck. They were going to wake her up. Salem slid from the bed and pushed at Alexei. Salem was aware that the big brute only moved because he wanted to, though.

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