Ruthless Daddies (Reverse Harem Daddies)

15. Alice

15

ALICE

T he air in the foyer crackles with tension as Nikolai stands just inside the door, his broad frame blocking the way like a wall of barely contained fury. The dim light glints off the bandages on his arm, but his injury does nothing to soften the sharpness of his glare. His eyes flicker between Dmitri and me, his jaw tightening with every second.

For a brief moment, the only sound is the faint creak of Dmitri’s leather jacket as he tosses it onto the couch, completely unbothered.

“You two look cozy,” Nikolai says, his voice cold and cutting. It’s not a question.

Dmitri doesn’t miss a beat, his grin spreading. “You know me, always happy to lend a hand. Anton couldn’t make it, so I figured I’d step in.”

Nikolai frowned. “I could have helped.”

“You are injured, not exactly available to do chauffeur duties,” Dmitri replies, his tone maddeningly casual as he shrugs out of his jacket. “Figured I’d handle it. Besides, Anton asked me, not you.”

“Since when do you take requests from Anton?” Nikolai snaps, stepping closer. His eyes flick briefly to me, then back to Dmitri. “And for her, no less?”

“She’s standing right here,” I say, raising an eyebrow.

Nikolai doesn’t even blink. “That’s not the point.”

“Oh, but it is,” Dmitri cuts in, grinning as he leans casually against the banister. “Anton’s scared of you. I’m not. So, he called me. Problem solved.”

“You didn’t solve anything,” Nikolai growls, his voice rising slightly. “You made it worse.”

“By picking her up?” Dmitri chuckles, his smirk widening. “Relax, big brother. Are you even hearing yourself? She survived. Thrived, even. Didn’t you, Alice?”

All their attention suddenly shifts to me, and I blink, thrown into the middle of their sibling war zone. “Uh…I mean, I didn’t die, so there’s that?” I offer weakly, which only seems to make Nikolai’s scowl deepen.

I’m not even sure what’s happening here. Are they fighting over…me? No, that’s not possible.

“That’s not the point,” Nikolai repeats, his voice taut with irritation. “She’s not your responsibility.”

“She’s not yours either,” Dmitri shoots back, the grin dropping from his face. His eyes gleam with something sharper now, something colder. “Or are you going to keep pretending she’s just the nanny?”

The air shifts, Nikolai’s jaw clenching so tightly I’m surprised it doesn’t snap. “Dmitri,” he says, his voice low and warning.

“What?” Dmitri says, shrugging again, though his posture is anything but relaxed now. “Just calling it like I see it.”

“Okay, that’s enough,” I interject, stepping between them before Nikolai can throw the punch I see brewing in his eyes. I raise my hands, palms out, trying to calm the storm. “You two need to cool it. Right now.”

“He started it,” Dmitri mutters under his breath, but the corner of his mouth quirks up, like he’s enjoying pushing Nikolai’s buttons.

“You’re acting like children,” I say, glancing between them. “Both of you. Can we just…not do this right now?”

Both of them ignore me.

“You’re reckless, Dmitri. She’s not part of your games.”

“Games?” Dmitri scoffs, his smirk slipping into something sharper. “The only game here is you pretending you can control everything. News flash, not everything revolves around you.”

“Enough!” I step between them, my hands raised, my voice louder than I intended. “Both of you, stop it. This isn’t helping.”

They both fall silent, though Nikolai’s glare remains locked on Dmitri, who doesn’t look the least bit apologetic.

I turn to Nikolai first, my voice softening. “I appreciate your concern, but Dmitri didn’t do anything wrong. He was just helping.”

“Helping,” Nikolai mutters, his tone dripping with disbelief. “Dmitri doesn’t ‘just help.’ He has a reason for everything he does.”

“True,” Dmitri quips from behind me, and I whip around to glare at him.

“Not helping,” I hiss under my breath before turning back to Nikolai. “Look, I’m fine, okay? There’s no reason to?—”

“To trust him?” Nikolai cuts in, his voice sharper now. “Because I don’t.”

“Well, maybe you should,” Dmitri says, stepping forward, his casual demeanor slipping as his gaze hardens. “Because while you were busy sulking at home, I was making sure she got back safely.”

“You—” Nikolai’s voice rises, his face flushing as he takes another step toward Dmitri.

Before he can say anything else, I place a hand on his uninjured arm, drawing his attention back to me. “Nikolai,” I say softly, my voice steady despite the tension simmering between them. “It’s over. I’m here. I’m safe. That’s what matters.”

For a moment, he looks at me, his expression softening just slightly, and I think he might let it go. But then Dmitri, ever the instigator, chuckles behind me.

“What’s the real issue here ? ” Dmitri asks, his voice laced with amusement. “That I picked her up, or that you didn’t?”

I’m actually confused. This has to be a fever dream.

“It’s you.”

“Me,” Dmitri echoes, pushing off the banister to stand toe to toe with Nikolai. “I’m standing right here, brat. Say it to my face.”

“I’m saying you don’t belong anywhere near her,” Nikolai says, his voice low but lethal.

“Interesting,” Dmitri says, tilting his head. “Because it looks like she was just fine with me being near her.”

“Oh my God,” I mutter, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Will you guys please stop?”

Both of them turn to look at me.

“I can’t believe I’m stuck in the middle of this.”

Dmitri’s smirk returns, and he leans in slightly, his voice dropping to a teasing drawl. “Middle isn’t such a bad place to be, is it, Parker?”

“Dmitri!” Nikolai roars, and I throw my hands up in exasperation, stepping back as they face off. “Don’t be disrespectful to her.”

“It’s not my fault your mind is always in the gutter,” Dmitri shoots back.

The ridiculousness of it all would almost be funny—if it weren’t so utterly infuriating.

“Stop it, both of you,” I say, trying to sound more authoritative than I feel. “This isn’t helping.”

They both look at me, their gazes burning, but it’s Nikolai who speaks first. “You don’t know him like I do,” he says, his voice clipped. “He’s not?—”

“Not what?” Dmitri interrupts, stepping closer. “Say it, Nikolai. I dare you.”

I can see the fire building between them, the tension ready to snap, and I panic. “Enough!” I shout, my voice louder than I intended. “This isn’t about who’s right or wrong. It’s about getting home. And guess what? I’m here. Safe. So maybe stop acting like children for five seconds.”

The silence that follows is deafening. Dmitri’s lips twitch, like he’s fighting back a laugh, and Nikolai’s jaw tightens even further, the frustration rolling off him in waves.

“Fine,” Nikolai mutters, his voice low. “But this isn’t over.”

Dmitri grins again, stepping back toward the stairs. “It never is.” He shoots me a quick wink. “Goodnight, Parker.”

As he disappears up the stairs, I turn back to Nikolai, my chest tight with a mix of anger and confusion. “You didn’t have to go after him like that,” I say quietly.

“He’s reckless,” Nikolai says, his voice soft but firm. “And you don’t see it because you don’t know him.”

“Maybe,” I say, meeting his gaze. “But that doesn’t mean you get to treat me like I don’t have a say in my own life.”

For a moment, Nikolai looks like he wants to argue, but instead, he just exhales sharply, shaking his head. “Go to bed, Alice. It’s late.”

He turns and walks away before I can respond, leaving me standing there. Where’s this hot and cold behavior coming from? They aren’t jealous now, are they?

The playroom is quiet except for the soft rustle of toys being moved around and the occasional creak of the old rocking chair in the corner. Luka sits by the window, his small back hunched, fiddling with a toy car but not really playing with it. Mila is perched on the couch, hugging a stuffed rabbit tightly to her chest, her big eyes watching me like she’s waiting for something I’m not sure I can give.

The park incident has left a mark, and I hate that I can’t do anything about it.

Luka’s little fingers grip the toy car tightly as he stares out the window. I sigh, my chest aching for him. I can’t even imagine how terrifying it must have been, how helpless he must have felt.

“It’s okay to be scared,” I say, my voice soothing. “What happened at the park—it was really scary. But you’re safe now. I promise.”

Luka’s lips press into a thin line, his shoulders stiff as he keeps his gaze firmly on the glass. I want to reach him, to pull him out of whatever dark place he’s retreated to, but I don’t know how.

“Alice?” Mila’s small voice breaks the silence, drawing my attention.

I turn to her, and my heart twists at the worry etched into her face. She’s holding the rabbit so tightly now that its ears are bent at odd angles.

“Yes, Mila?” I ask gently, moving to sit beside her on the couch.

“Are people going to hurt us?” she whispers, her voice trembling. “Like they hurt Mom?”

The question hits me like a punch to the gut, and for a moment, I can’t breathe. I glance at Luka, but he doesn’t react, his little hands still gripping the toy car like it’s his anchor.

“Why do you say that, sweetie?” I ask.

Mila hesitates, her small fingers brushing over the rabbit’s fur. “Because…because there was a man,” she says finally, her words halting, as if she’s piecing the memory together. “He used to follow Mom. I saw him. All the time.”

My stomach tightens. “A man?” I repeat, my heart racing. “What kind of man?”

She shrugs, her little shoulders rising and falling. “I don’t know. He was just there. Sometimes when we went to the park, or when she picked us up from school. I told her, but she said not to worry. He was kind of scary and he would raise his voice at her sometimes.”

I swallow hard, trying to process her words. Mila was only four when Elena died. Could her memory really be that clear? Or is this just the lingering fear from everything that’s happened?

“Mila,” I say carefully, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Are you sure? Are you sure you saw someone following your mom?”

She nods solemnly, her eyes wide. “He had a cap and sunnies so I couldn’t see his eyes,” she adds, her voice quiet. “But when he smiled, it was not like a nice smile.”

I don’t know what to say. My mind is spinning, trying to piece together what this could mean, but nothing makes sense. Could it be true? Could someone have been following Elena before her death? And if so, why?

“Thank you for telling me,” I say finally, pulling Mila into a gentle hug. “You’re so brave, Mila. And I promise, no one is going to hurt you or Luka. Not while I’m here.”

She nods against my shoulder, but her small body still trembles slightly, and I hold her tighter, wishing I could shield her from the world. Luka shifts slightly by the window, his little hands relaxing their grip on the toy car, and I take that as a small victory.

But Mila’s words stay with me, a seed of doubt and fear taking root in my chest. If there’s any truth to what she’s saying, then Elena’s death might not have been an accident. And if that’s the case…what does it mean for all of us?

I wander down the hall, my steps slow and aimless as I try to make sense of it. Could she be right? Or is it just a child’s fragmented memory of a tragedy too big to fully grasp? Either way, it gnaws at me, twisting my stomach into knots.

I’m so lost in thought that I don’t notice Sergei until I nearly run straight into him.

“Whoa!” I say, stepping back quickly. “Sorry, I?—”

For a moment, I can’t move. He’s just standing there, his large frame blocking the hallway like a wall of muscle, his dark eyes fixed on me with an expression I can’t quite read. My heart stutters in my chest, a sliver of unease slipping down my spine.

“Excuse me,” I murmur, trying to sidestep him, but he doesn’t move.

He doesn’t say anything either, just watches me with that same blank expression. I feel my pulse quicken, my hands tightening into fists at my sides as I force myself to hold his gaze.

“Miss Parker,” he finally says, his voice low, smooth. There’s something in his tone that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up, though I can’t quite place why.

“I—um, I need to go,” I say quickly, my voice faltering.

Just as I’m about to sidestep him, I catch sight of Nikolai at the end of the hall. Relief washes over me like a tidal wave, and I call out to him without thinking. “Nikolai!”

He turns, his expression impatient at first, but the annoyance fades as his gaze lands on me. A smile tugs at the corners of his mouth, brightening his face as he strides toward me.

“Alice,” he says, his tone softening as he stops a few feet away. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I say quickly, glancing back over my shoulder. Sergei is still there, watching us, but after a moment, he turns and walks away without a word.

“I just…wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Sure,” he says, motioning for me to walk with him. “About what?”

I hesitate, glancing back down the hallway where Sergei disappeared, but the feeling lingers, the sense that he’s still watching me somehow. I push it aside, focusing on Nikolai as we walk toward the lounge.

“It’s about Mila and Luka,” I say finally.

Nikolai frowns slightly, his shoulders straightening as he nods. “What about them?”

I take a deep breath, trying to phrase it carefully. “I was just wondering…after their mom passed, did they…did they see anyone? A counselor or therapist, maybe?”

His expression darkens, his jaw tightening as he looks away briefly. “No,” he says finally, his voice clipped. “They didn’t need that.”

“Nikolai,” I say gently, reaching out to touch his arm. He doesn’t pull away, but his muscles are tense under my fingers. “They’ve been through a lot. And after what happened at the park, I think?—”

“They don’t need strangers digging into their heads,” he interrupts, his voice sharp. “They’re fine.”

I hesitate, my hand dropping back to my side. “Mila isn’t fine,” I say softly. “Neither is Luka. They’re scared, Nikolai. They’re holding it all in, and it’s going to come out eventually, whether they want it to or not.”

He exhales sharply, running a hand through his hair. “You think I don’t know that?” he mutters, his voice quieter now, almost pained.

I take a step closer, lowering my voice. “Then let me help,” I say. “Let someone help. It doesn’t have to be me, but it has to be someone.”

He doesn’t respond right away, his gaze fixed on the floor. For a moment, I think I’ve overstepped, pushed too far. But then he looks at me in a way that both scares and thrills me.

“Everything alright here?” Dmitri’s voice cuts through the moment, smooth and laced with a hint of mockery. He strolls into the hallway like he owns the place, his sharp blue eyes flicking between Nikolai and me.

Nikolai tenses immediately, his jaw tightening as his brother approaches. “What do you want, Dmitri?” he snaps, his voice sharper than usual.

“Relax,” Dmitri says, holding up his hands in mock surrender, though the smirk on his face ruins any attempt at innocence. “I was just checking in. Didn’t realize I was interrupting something.”

“You’re not,” I say quickly, but my voice lacks conviction, and both brothers pick up on it instantly. Dmitri’s smirk widens, while Nikolai’s scowl deepens.

“Good,” Dmitri says, leaning casually against the doorframe. “Because I’d hate to think I was intruding on…whatever this is.”

“Not that it’s any of your business,” Nikolai says.

Dmitri narrows his eyes. “No need to get territorial.”

“You always seem to be ‘passing through’ when you’re not wanted,” Nikolai snaps, stepping closer, his jaw tight.

“And you always seem to be overcompensating,” Dmitri retorts, leaning casually against the wall, his smirk unshakable. “Trying to play the noble protector. How’s that working out for you?”

“Get out,” Nikolai growls, his voice low and threatening.

“Make me,” Dmitri shoots back, his tone challenging.

I step between them before the situation escalates into something physical. “That’s enough,” I say sharply, my voice cutting through their bickering.

They both turn to look at me, their eyes filled with frustration and confusion.

“This is ridiculous,” I continue, crossing my arms over my chest. “You’re both acting like children, and it’s becoming a hindrance to my work. My job is to take care of Luka and Mila—not to referee whatever this is.”

“Then stay out of it,” Nikolai says, his eyes narrowing.

“Hard to stay out of something when it’s happening in every hallway I walk down,” I snap back, glaring at him before turning to Dmitri. “And you—you’re not helping.”

Dmitri’s smirk falters slightly, replaced by something that almost looks like guilt. “Hey, I’m not the one?—”

“Enough!” I interrupt, throwing up my hands. “If you two want to settle this, fine. But we’re going to do it differently. Follow me.”

I don’t give them a chance to argue, turning on my heel and marching down the hallway toward my room.

When I reach my door, I open it and step inside, leaving it ajar as I wait for them to follow.

They exchange glances, their expressions ranging from confusion to suspicion, but they step inside nonetheless, the door clicking shut behind them.

“What exactly is this?” Dmitri asks, his tone wary but curious.

I take a deep breath, steadying myself before turning to face them. “If you’re both so determined to fight over…whatever this is, then let’s settle it once and for all.”

Nikolai raises an eyebrow, his arms crossed. “And how exactly do you propose we do that?”

My heart is pounding, but I keep my voice steady as I look them both in the eye. “I want you both to kiss me.”