Page 27 of Mountain Daddy (Broken Boss Daddies #1)

LILLY

T he town shows up for Sugar and Spice. Not just shows up—they flood the place. Three days of cleaning, repainting, and refurnishing, and you'd hardly know someone tried to destroy my life here.

The reopening has turned into an impromptu street fair. Tables spill onto the sidewalk. Music floats through open doors. I watch it all like I'm dreaming, because none of it feels real.

Not the bakery rising from ashes.

Not the man passing donuts through the crowd.

Not the little boy who calls said man Dad.

“Need help with those?” Mrs. Chen asks, pointing to the tray of cupcakes I'm arranging.

“I've got it,” I say sweetly. She’s too old. The fact that she cares is more than my heart can handle.

The mayor's strung fairy lights across the street. Someone's brought a portable speaker that pumps out country songs. There's a table for face painting, and Chleo's already got a dragon painted across his cheek.

Nikolai crosses the bakery, sets down a tray of apple cider. His shoulders are tense. I notice he's always watching the street.

“You okay?” he asks, when I draw closer.

I nod. Lie. Don’t want him to know I’m always terrified. “Just overwhelming.”

His fingers brush mine as he takes the empty tray. My hand feels a buzz. God, I always miss him.

Even when he’s near, I miss him. His hands on my skin. His breath in places I won’t name.

“They love you,” he says, nodding toward the crowd. “All of them.”

He's right. The whole town came together to help rebuild.

Men with hammers.

Women with paintbrushes.

Teenagers with the cool factor.

Even the hardware store donated supplies. But none of them know what really happened. Who the sweet helpful man on my arm, the one with the piercing green eyes, really is.

Chleo races past, chasing a pack of local kids in a game of tag.

“Careful!” I call after him.

Nikolai's hand finds the small of my back. Steadying. “He's okay. I've got eyes on him.”

“I know.” I lean into his touch. “I just?—”

He squeezes my hip. “Trust me.”

And I do. That's the craziest part of all this. I trust this dangerous man completely. Trust him with my life. With my son's life.

The high school band starts playing something upbeat. People clear space for dancing. Nikolai's hand is still on my back, warm and solid, when Rosa appears beside us. A slight concussion but she insists she’s fit as a fiddle.

“Well, look at you two,” she says, eyebrows waggling. “Playing house already.”

My cheeks heat. “Rosa?—”

“Save it.” She waves me off. “Listen, I'll take Chleo tonight. Bring him to the cabin tomorrow.”

Nikolai's eyebrows rise slightly.

“You've been through hell,” Rosa continues. “Both of you. Take a night. Breathe.” She winks, entirely unsubtle. “Or don't breathe. Whatever works.”

“Rosa!” I hiss, mortified and grateful all at once.

“I'm just saying.” She shrugs. “That boy needs a father. And that father needs some alone time with his baby mama.”

Nikolai's laugh surprises me. Genuine. He likes my best friend and what more can a girl ask for?

“We appreciate it.”

“I know you do.” Rosa pats my arm. “I'll drop him off after lunch.”

She disappears into the crowd before I can properly thank her. Already calling Chleo's name. Already planning their sleepover.

“Guess we have the cabin to ourselves tonight,” Nikolai murmurs.

A shiver runs through me. The anticipation is sweet, sinful torture.

“Guess so.”

His eyes darken, and for a second, I forget where we are. Forget the crowd around us. Forget everything but the heat in his gaze.

“Mom!” Chleo's voice breaks the spell. “They're gonna do fireworks! Can I watch? Please?”

I blink, drag myself back to reality. “Sure, baby. Just stay with Rosa, okay?”

He nods, already racing back to where the other children gather. Rosa gives me a thumbs up from across the square.

“Come dance with me,” Nikolai says suddenly.

“What?”

“Dance.” He takes my hand. “One song.”

The band's playing something slow now. Couples sway together in the fading light. Mrs. Chen and her husband. The mayor and his wife. Teenagers pressed close, shy and awkward.

It seems impossible. Dancing in the middle of town with Nikolai Vetrov himself. My sin. My salvation. My damnation.

My love.

Nikolai's already leading me toward the makeshift dance floor.

His arms encircle my waist. Mine loop around his neck. We sway together, barely moving. His heartbeat strong against my chest.

“They're watching us,” I whisper.

“Let them.” His lips brush my temple. “Let them see.”

What would they see, these townspeople who've known me for years? Would they see a woman in love?

Probably just that.

Because it’s the truth.

Stars emerge overhead. Someone's lit candles on the tables, and they flicker like fireflies in the dark.

For a moment—just one moment—it feels like we could be normal. Like this could be our life. A bakery. A son. Dancing under the stars on a warm summer night.

“I saw your cousin,” Nikolai says, breaking the fantasy.

My body tenses. “Ivan?”

“He came to the cabin.”

“What did he want?”

Nikolai's jaw tightens. “To warn me. To tell me to leave town.”

The words hit like a physical blow. “He can't just?—”

“He's trying to protect you. Both of you.” Nikolai's hands tighten on my waist. “He thinks if I'm gone, the Kozlovs will leave you alone.”

My throat closes. “And what do you think?”

“I think they know about Chleo now. They know he's my son.” His voice drops lower. “I think they'll use him to get to me whether I'm here or not.”

The fear that's lived in my stomach for days twists tighter. “So what do we do?”

“We have options.”

“Like what?”

“I could go back to Chicago. Deal with them directly.”

“You mean kill them.”

He doesn't deny it. “Or I could run. New name. New city. Start over.”

Stay and fight.

Run and hide.

Neither feels right.

“Whatever you decide,” I say, “we stick together. All of us.”

His eyes widen slightly. “Lilly?—”

“I'm serious. If you leave, we leave with you.” I clutch the front of his shirt. “I'm done running from this. From you.”

“It's dangerous.”

“Life's dangerous enough as is.” I meet his gaze steadily. “Five years, Nikolai. Five years I've been raising our son alone. I'm not losing you now that we've found each other.”

The words hang between us.

The admission.

The choice.

“I love you,” I whisper. “I've loved you since that first night.”

His hand comes up. Cups my cheek. Thumb brushing my lower lip. “Say it again.”

“I love you.”

His kiss is gentle at first. Soft. Reverent. Like he's afraid I might shatter.

But I don't want gentle. Not tonight.

My fingers tangle in his hair. Pull him closer. Deeper. His groan is lost against my mouth as I press against him, shameless in a way I never thought I could be in public.

When we break apart, we're both breathing hard.

“I love you too,” he says roughly. “Both of you. More than I knew I could love anything.”

And God help me, but I believe him. Believe him with every cell in my body.

His mouth finds mine again. Hungrier this time. His hands slide lower, grip my hips with bruising force.

“If you keep kissing me like that,” I gasp against his lips, “people are going to talk.”

“Let them.” His teeth scrape my lower lip. “I don't care.”

“Nikolai—”

“I want to devour you right here,” he growls. “In front of everyone. Let them see who you belong to.”

Heat floods my body. Pools low in my belly. Between my legs. My cheeks flame at the image his words paint.

“I—we can't?—”

His laugh is dark. Wicked. He knows exactly what he's doing to me.

“Let's get out of here,” I whisper, grabbing his hand. “Now.”

We slip away like teenagers. Quiet. Furtive. Hearts racing with want and anticipation.

As we reach his car, I look back at the fair. At the bakery string with lights. At the town that came together to help us rebuild.

At Chleo, safe with Rosa.

For tonight, at least, we're safe.

For tonight, we can pretend this is our life.

For tonight, we can love each other without fear.

Tomorrow will bring danger. Decisions. The reality of who we are and what we face.

But tonight?

Tonight belongs to us.