Page 114 of Mountain Daddy

School drop-offs.

Teaching him to ride a bike.

Normal things.

Things I never thought I'd have. Things I never thought I'd want.

But I want them. Want them with an intensity that rivals anything I've ever felt.

When we pull up to the cabin, twilight has fallen. The porch light is on. Warm. Welcoming.

I carry Chleo from the car. His head heavy on my shoulder.

That's when I see him.

A figure on the porch. Male. Tall. Familiar.

Ivan.

Lilly's cousin. Bratva ink hidden beneath his collar.

My body tenses. Immediately on alert. Every protective instinct flaring to life.

Ivan's hands are empty. Visible. A deliberate choice to appear non-threatening.

Lilly appears in the doorway behind him. Her face tight with worry.

“Nikolai,” she says, voice carefully controlled. “Ivan has something to tell us.”

I shift Chleo higher on my shoulder. Keep my free hand loose. Ready.

“I'm not here to cause trouble,” Ivan says. “I'm here to warn you.”

My grip tightens on Chleo. Protective. Fierce.

“Why should I trust you?” I ask.

“Because I love my cousin,” he says simply. “And that boy she's been raising alone.”

The quiet simplicity of it rings true. But trust doesn't come easily to men like me.

“Come inside,” Lilly says, stepping forward. “Both of you.”

I hesitate. Weighing risks. Calculating threats.

Chleo stirs against my shoulder. Murmurs something in his sleep.

And suddenly, I know what matters most.

Keeping him safe.

Keeping her safe.

Whatever it takes.

I follow Lilly inside, carrying my sleeping son.

The game has changed. The stakes have risen.

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