Page 62 of Sinful Union

She nods. “Alright. She’s going to have a million questions.” A small smile tugs at her lips. “She always does.”

“She’s sharp. I’m really glad that I get to be a part of this.”

Kat’s eyes soften. She reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. “So am I.”

I sit for a long moment after she leaves, listening to the faint echoes of Ana’s excited chatter upstairs.My daughter. The weight of the words settles over me, foreign yet grounding. A fierce, unfamiliar kind of protectiveness grips my chest—something I’ve only felt for Kat before.

I won’t let anyone hurt them, no matter who it is or what it takes. I shove the thought down, keeping it close to the surface.

There’s work to be done.

Chapter 28

Kat

Ana bounces up the stairs, her excitement barely contained as she reaches the second floor.

“Which one is mine?” she asks impatiently.

I gesture down the hallway. “Come see.”

She grabs Camille’s hand again and practically drags her along, her little legs working double time trying to keep up with Camille’s long strides. When we reach the room Pavel suggested, I push open the door, stepping aside so she can take it all in.

The moment Ana sees it, she gasps. “Whoa.”

The space is airy and bright, the large windows allowing natural light to pour in. The view is amazing, the towers of Midtown peeking up from behind the city in the distance.

Ana beelines for the windows. “I can see everything!”

Camille chuckles, resting a hand on Ana’s shoulder. “It is quite a view.”

“We’ll have it decorated however you want. And Uncle Vlad is going to make sure all your toys and things are brought here later today. Do you like it?”

Ana spins around, a big, beaming smile taking up her entire face. “I love it.” She hops onto the bed, bouncing once before flopping onto her back with a satisfied sigh. “It’s so comfy.”

I laugh. “Good, because you’re going to be spending a lot of time here.”

She shoots up onto her elbows, suddenly serious. “Do I really get to stay here forever?”

My breath catches. There’s so much she doesn’t know, so much we haven’t told her yet. “For as long as you want, sweetheart.”

That seems to be enough for now.

Camille watches her fondly before giving me a knowing look. “You did well.”

I exhale, relieved. “I hope so.” I nod toward the hallway. “Come on, let’s go see your room.”

Camille follows me to the room next door. I take in her reaction carefully as she surveys the space. The moment she spots the reading nook—a cozy alcove with built-in shelves and a deep window seat—her eyes light up. “This is…” she trails off, stepping farther inside. “It’s lovely.”

“You like it?”

She runs her fingers along the shelves before turning toward the ensuite. The moment she peeks inside, I hear her gasp. “That tub,” she muses. “I might never leave.”

I smirk. “That was the idea.”

Camille turns to me, appreciation softening her usually composed features. “Thank you, Kat, truly.”

I give her a warm hug. She deserves it. “You’ve taken care of Ana for a long time. It’s the least we can do.”

---