Ash took my hand and gave it a squeeze before she raised her head and looked at the others with a sad smile. She was so fucking brave. So strong. But all of us had our limits and today, I was pretty sure she’d reached hers. So I was determined to make sure we didn’t talk about what was going to happen next for the rest of the meal. No, I’d give her what she wanted and that was to get to know her father. And perhaps try to make sure he actually liked the four of us. Because Xav was right. We might not ever be able to get married to Ash, but Viktor was her father and I guess in some ways, he’d gained four sons-in-law as well as a daughter, as batshit crazy as that sounded.
There was one thing I knew for certain. No matter what the future would bring, Ash was ours for the long haul. I could tell that by the way she looked at the four of us. So I was going to do my best to make sure it stayed that way.
For her.
And only for her.
Chapter 14
I got Viktor’s coat out of the cupboard for him and helped him into it. The rest of dinner had been spent with polite conversation and allowed me time to get to know him a little better. Eric had made me hot chocolate afterwards and it soothed my soul a little. The care and attention these men gave me had me realising how lucky I was they were in my life. It’s why I wanted to protect them any way I could. I meant what I’d said to Quinn. I couldn’t lose them.
“Thank you for a lovely evening,” Viktor said as I went to open the front door for him.
The boys had already said their goodbyes and had left me to do so alone.
“That’s okay, I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
“Spending time with you is always a joy, kotik.”
Emotion clogged in my throat. Knowing my father actually wanted to spend time with me made my chest grow tight. There were no ulterior motives behind his words. The way he smiled at me was genuine, his features so open to me.
“I hope we can do this again.”
“I would like that… Your men clearly care a great deal about you.”
I shifted on my feet.
“Um, yeah… about that…”
I wanted to be honest about my relationship with them but knowing where to even start had my stomach tightening into knots.
“You do not need to explain, kotik. I think I understand already.”
His smile was so kind, but it didn’t feel right to leave it on an assumption. And I’d never admitted it out loud to anyone else before.
“So it doesn’t bother you that I have four boyfriends?”
“Perhaps it would be more correct to say I respect your decision to be with them even if I do not understand it.”
I couldn’t help my lips curving upwards.
“I think I freaked them out by bringing you here. They weren’t expecting to meet their girlfriend’s dad.”
His eyes twinkled and it put me completely at ease.
“I do not think anything about our situation is quite normal, wouldn’t you say?”
I nodded. We stood there silently staring at each other for a moment before I opened the door. Then he looked at me again and I felt the urge to hug him. I’d just introduced my father who actually seemed to give a shit about me to the four men I was involved with and things hadn’t gone terribly. As if he sensed what I was thinking, he opened his arms for me. I took a hesitant step towards him followed by two more. When he embraced me, I felt the sudden urge to cry. All I’d ever wanted was a family who genuinely cared for and loved me. The acceptance I felt right here overwhelmed me.
He neither held me too gently or too tight, he was just firm. I pulled back before I did burst into happy tears. He reached up and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear before stroking my jaw softly.
“I’ll see you soon, kotik.”
“Okay, see you soon… Dad.”
I hadn’t meant for it to come out, but the way his eyes lit up when I said it had me holding back any words of regret. He waved to me after he descended the steps. I could see André waiting in the car outside the house. I watched him get in and the car pull away before I shut the front door and leant against it.
Holy shit, I just called him my dad. Does that mean I really think of him that way?
How could I not? He’d been so accepting of me. Yes, he might be a ruthless businessman, but behind closed doors, he was funny, smart and I felt at ease with him. I could see myself in his features and somehow, we had the same laugh even though I’d not known he existed for the first twenty-one years of my life.
Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I walked along the hallway and entered the living room again. The four of them had clearly been talking about me as their conversation stopped dead the moment I walked in. I looked between them, my heart racing at a million miles an hour. What were they going to say to me now we were alone and I’d forced them into meeting Viktor?
“Little girl.”
I put a hand up.
“Before you get angry with me, I know I should’ve told you. I know, and I hadn’t meant to invite him in. It was a spur of the moment thing when I was about to get out of the car. I’m so sorry. I’m really, really sorry. I wanted him to meet all of you because you’re important to me and so is he. And… I
