Page 43 of Watch Me, Daddy

My sister was going to be pissed. My brothers weren’t going to be particularly happy either. They’d defend me to the death, but I wouldn’t allow them that. I wouldn’t put their lives at risk. I’d pay whatever price Maxim demanded, no matter the cost. This had been my decision and mine alone.

“And what do you suggest we do now?” I asked, my voice carefully neutral but laced with an underlying threat.

“Marriage, Aidan,” he replied, his tone carrying a note of finality. “Marry Irina, and we’ll form a pact that will protect her. You’ll take care of her, and I’ll ensure the Morozov name stands behind you. Make this a one-night stand and refuse to take her as your wife, however, and your family and mine will go to war.”

Maxim’s smile tightened, his eyes glinting with a calculated spark. My mind raced, the weight of his proposition settling over me like a heavy shroud. A war between our families would bring destruction, chaos, and death. I didn’t want that.

As I gazed into Maxim’s unwavering eyes, I saw the weight of his own choices, his own sacrifices, etched into his features. He was a father who would do whatever it took to shield his daughter from harm, even if it meant pushing her into a union she might not have chosen for herself. I took a moment to absorb his proposal, the magnitude of its implications settling on my shoulders.

“You’re asking me to marry your daughter, like it’s a business transaction?”

“I’m asking you to make a choice. Embrace the responsibility that comes with it. Protect her, care for her. In return, you’ll have the loyalty and support of the Morozov family,” he replied. His gaze never wavered.

My thoughts whirled around in my head, a tumultuous blend of apprehension and longing. The fierce protectiveness I felt for Irina had evolved into something more profound, a connection that defied the boundaries of reason. The possessive instinct, the primal need for her to belong to me, was a force I couldn’t ignore.

It really wasn’t any decision at all. Irina was mine. I was going to keep her forever and make her my wife.

“I want you to know that I care about Irina deeply. I would never do anything to hurt her.” I met his gaze, determined to match his intensity amidst the breathtaking backdrop.

“She’s been through a lot, growing up without her mother,” he continued, his voice softer now, tinged with a father’s concern. “She’s fragile, even if she tries to hide it. I won’t let anyone take advantage of her.”

My own gaze turned to the lake, its shimmering expanse seemingly holding secrets of its own. “I would never take advantage of her,” I replied firmly. “Irina is strong, and I respect her more than anything.”

Maxim’s expression softened slightly, revealing a flicker of understanding beneath his wariness. “I’ve seen the way she looks at you,” he finally said, his voice a mixture of caution and vulnerability. “She’s falling for you.”

“And I’m falling for her, too,” I admitted. “I can’t deny that.”

“Irina deserves happiness, Aidan,” he said, his voice carrying the weight of a father’s hope. “But if you hurt her, I won’t hesitate to make you pay.”

“I would never hurt her, Mr. Morozov. I want to make her happy, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to prove that to you.”

Maxim’s gaze held mine for a long moment, a silent understanding passing between us.

“You better,” he finally said, his voice softer now, almost resigned. “Because if you truly care about her, you’ll take care of her and protect her at all costs.”

“I give you my word, Mr. Morozov. I’ll marry her and protect her with everything I have.”

I extended my hand, and after a moment’s hesitation, he shook it, sealing our pact amidst the tranquility of the morning.

It was done. Irina was to be my bride.

As I turned away from Maxim, my heart pounding with the weight of the decision I had just made, I caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of my eye. Glancing back, my gaze met Irina’s from the window. Her emerald eyes held a mix of emotions—curiosity, uncertainty, and a glimmer of hope.

I knew I had to be the one to tell her, to reassure her that despite the circumstances, I was choosing this path willingly, because my feelings for her were real.

She needed to know that I wasn’t just choosing marriage as a business transaction and because her father demanded it.

I was choosing her.

CHAPTER15

Irina

Peering through the cabin window, my heart raced like a wild stallion as I watched the intense exchange between my father and Aidan. An uneasy feeling knotted in the pit of my stomach. I couldn’t make out the words they exchanged, but the tension was palpable even from a distance.

Had my father figured out that Aidan and I had been together? Had he read the signs written all over my face, or had I said something that alluded to the budding relationship between us? I couldn’t know for certain, at least not until I could get Aidan alone.

As my father and Aidan shook hands, a sense of foreboding settled over me like a heavy fog. The brief clasp of their hands held an unspoken agreement. I felt a mixture of apprehension and curiosity, wondering what was decided, and if it involved me.

---