Chapter Twenty-seven Jennifer
Chapter Twenty-seven
Jennifer
The soft clink of coffee cups breaks the stillness of the Volkov mansion’s living room. The space feels calm, almost intimate, with only the distant creak of the old wooden floors hinting at the world beyond these walls.
Moonlight filters through the tall windows, casting a cool, silvery glow over the table between us, where our half-empty cups rest. Katya and I sit across from each other on two small sofas, our half-empty cups forgotten as our conversation deepens.
Katya tilts her head. “You like him,” she observes, her eyes fixed on me, waiting for a reaction.
I gulp, my throat tightening. She’s not wrong, but… “Well, yeah. He’s... physically appealing. And he makes me feel protected in this environment, for sure. But it’s not enough to say I want a relationship with him. I—” I pause, my voice growing tight.
Before I can stop myself—before I can remind myself that opening up to Katya with my past might be a mistake—I continue.
“My last relationship didn’t end well. When I told my ex I was pregnant with Mary... he just left me. Disappeared. No goodbye. Nothing.”
Katya reaches over, giving my hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze. “But Daniel’s different, isn’t he? You told me how he got Mary that stuffed animal—he treats her well. I think he likes both you and Mary. He treats her better than her biological father ever did.” Her eyes soften with a knowing look.
I sigh, my chest feeling a little lighter at her warmth.
“See,” Katya continues, “you don’t have to jump into anything, Jenny. But maybe, when things calm down—even if they never fully do—you could try going on a few dates. See where it leads. Or…” She smirks slightly. “You could keep it sexual and... well, also see where it leads. I don’t discriminate.”
I chuckle softly, grateful for her honesty. “You’re right. It’s only been, what? A month since we’ve met? I should take my time, shouldn’t I?”
She nods approvingly.
A smile tugs at my lips. “Thank you. For the advice. For listening. I think… once this situation is over, whatever it is— I’ll have a real talk with him. I don’t think he can focus on me right now. With all this stress on his mind.”
Katya grins, her eyes glinting with amusement. “Please do. From what I understood, your first ‘talk’ didn’t involve a lot of talking, after all.”
I giggle. She’s not wrong. Not even a little.
“I’ll try to focus on the talking part,” I tease, shaking my head. “But God, he’s just too hot to resist, you know?” I gasp, sitting up suddenly. “Do you know how hot my body felt when he was speeding on his Harley?”
Katya bursts into laughter, the sound warm and genuine. “Oh my God, I can imagine.”
“Honestly,” I tease, “I wanted him to give me a baby.”
She raises a brow, grinning wickedly. “Jenny, by any chance, are you ovulating right now?”
“Could be the case,” I reply with a grin. “Or I might be into biker men. Is that a kink?”
We both dissolve into laughter.
God, I love how easy it is to talk to her—how freely I can speak about my body, my feelings and my true thoughts without judgment. I'd be terrified to have this conversation with a man.
Well, maybe with Daniel it could feel freeing as well... but I’m not so sure.
I truly wish I can find out soon. I want to know so much more about him, it hurts to know he’s too busy to focus on me.
Fuck. Is this how my daughter felt? For years?
Am I a terrible mother?
Our laughter fades slowly, and Katya’s expression grows more serious. Oh no. What now?
“Jenny… Did you tell Daniel?”
“Told him what?” I ask, though I already know where this is going.
“About your ex?”
My breath hitches. “No,” I admit softly. “But… he knows I’m single. I’m sure he’s already guessed why Mary’s dad isn’t around.”
Katya hums thoughtfully. “I get it. But... I feel like Daniel’s the kind of guy who’d kidnap and kill Mary’s father if he ever found him. So if you ever want revenge, you should totally know where to go.”
She says it playfully, but the idea strikes something deep within me.
Would he?
Would Daniel do something like that?
I mean… He’s the Don of the Caruso family. Torturing and killing a man are probably one of his favorite tasks. But… would he care enough to do it for me? For Mary?
Would he be so angry that Mary’s father abandoned us that he’d kill him for it?
The thought lingers longer than it should before I shake it off.
“I don’t think it’s necessary to tell him,” I mumble. “He already has enough on his plate. I don’t need to add more.”
Katya’s expression softens. “Maybe. But one day, if he asks… you should tell him. Don’t lie to him. Lying to him would be the worst. Be loyal to him and his family, and I’m sure Daniel will take good care of you and your little girl.”
I nod slowly. “He already does.” The thought makes my chest warm up.
No man—not even my ex—has ever taken care of me the way Daniel does. He knows how to help me, how to protect me, how to make me feel safe... and how to make me want to get on my knees.
Or maybe… I’ve just never dated a man who looks as good as he does. Because damn, he could be a model if he wasn’t a criminal.
God, body—stop it. I know I’m ovulating, but can you chill? I’ll have to survive the ride home with him somehow.
The sound of a door shutting and footsteps approaching pulls me from my thoughts.
Daniel.
It’s a surreal feeling—liking him, trusting him. It’s scary, after what happened with my ex. But I like it. I think I might like him.
“Hello there, ladies,” Yuri greets, settling beside his wife and kissing her softly on her cheek.
I smile again, my heart light as I think about Katya’s trust in me.
She told me first about her pregnancy. The fact that she shared something so personal with me makes me feel truly appreciated.
I cherish that feeling.
I love that I can socialize without worrying about Mary. She’s always my priority—I spend 80% of my time with her, Victoria, and Lilia nowadays. My world revolves around her, and it always will.
She’s my only daughter, after all. My only family.
Being a part of the Caruso family is something I appreciate, but Mary and I, well, we’re our own family, still.
“Did you have a good time?” Daniel’s voice is warm as he comes up behind the sofa, his large hand resting on my shoulder.
I look up, meeting his dark, soulful eyes. My smile softens instantly.
“Yes, mas—” Oh fuck. “Daniel.”
His lips twitch in amusement. Oh, he knows. He knows exactly what I almost said. It’s become a habit—one I’ve never slipped up on in front of others. Until now.
Holy fuck. I exhale shakily. That would’ve been mortifying.
“That’s nice,” he murmurs, bending down, his gaze falling to my lips before he presses a soft, slow kiss to them.
A sigh escapes me—a soft, involuntary moan lost in the warmth of his lips.
God. Yuri and Katya are watching. I should be embarrassed, but all I can think about is how badly I want to straddle him and ride him right here.
Yep. Ovulating. Definitely ovulating.
His lips brush against mine once more, his voice a whisper. “Ready to go home?”
I nod, barely able to breathe. “Yes, master,” I whisper—so low it’s almost inaudible.
But it’s not.
The instant blush creeping over my cheeks makes it painfully obvious what I just called him.
Katya smirks knowingly over her coffee cup. Oh, she heard that.
God, help me.