Page 94 of Second Chance Daddy

Dante freezes, eyes locked on mine, his whole body coiled like he’s waiting for the ground to collapse beneath him.

His hand twitches, barely there. A question without words. Permission.

I nod and then look away before my daughter sees me cry.

29

DANTE

My hands shake as I look down at this tiny human who just claimed me with a single word. Jesus Christ. Even she saw it. Even my own kid spotted the truth that was staring us all in the face.

For the first time, it’s real. Aria and I both know we’re of one blood. I glance at Cassie, but she’s turned away with trembling shoulders.

“Come on, nugget,” I whisper, holding out my arms. “I’ll take you back to bed.”

Aria steps forward without hesitation, and I scoop her up. She melts into me, presses her face into my shoulder, and tangles sleepy fingers in my shirt. The word still echoes in my head—Daddy.

My throat burns as I tuck her into bed, pulling the blanket to her chin. I drop to one knee, eye level with my daughter, and gently brush curls from her face. “What woke you, sweetheart?”

“Will other bad daddy come get me?” she asks, wide-eyed.

“You’re safe,” I whisper in a rough voice, the anger seeping through me for what Gino did. To think he called himself a father. Even the devil himself would spit out the bastard from hell.

“I’m going to stay right here, okay, till you fall asleep.”

“Promise?”

“Always. I’m your one and only daddy now, and I’ll never make a promise I can’t keep.”

I sit there, watching as her breathing evens out. She must believe me, because within minutes, she’s asleep, without a care in the world, with her daddy watching over her.

When she’s asleep, I leave the room and walk straight to Cassie’s door. She’s pissed. Acting like I’m the monster in the story.

She fell for a killer? Maybe.

But she killed three goddamn years of my life keeping my kid from me.

I walk into her room without knocking, slam the door shut behind me, and whirl to face her.

She looks at me from where she’s standing by the window.

“What are you doing here?” She acts like I’m not wanted.

“You never even asked,” I growl, stepping closer. “Why I went back to Russia three years ago.”

“Good thing I didn’t ask.” She crosses her arms. “Because what good would it have done? Finding out you’re just another fucking monster?”

The fury claws up my throat.

I stalk closer, the air pulsing, our anger colliding like fire and gasoline.

“You think I’m the same as Gino?”

“Aren’t you?” she fires back, standing now, shoulders squared like she’s ready for war. “You killed him, Dante. You just admitted that. You’re Bratva royalty and have probably killed dozens of people.”

I hold her gaze. “What I hear is you saying that putting down a rabid dog who drugged our daughter makes me like the man who put his hands on you? Are you being serious, Cassie?”

“How does it matter what I think? It’s not like you’ll remember what I think two years down the line!” she roars back.