Page 32 of Sexting the Silverfox Daddy

Cassie

I sat on the edge of the bed, hugging my knees, hands shaking so bad I thought they'd break. My world was crumbling, piece by piece, and I was powerless to stop it.

My father.

The man who stayed up all night when I was sick, who taught me to play the violin with endless patience, who'd stroke my hair and whisper, "Everything's gonna be okay" when I cried.

He was killed by Gennady's father.

The man I loved, the father of the child growing inside me, was the son of the bastard who took my dad away.

Tears poured out, and I clamped a hand over my mouth to muffle the sobs. My chest felt like it was being carved out with a dull knife, every breath a jagged stab of pain.

I thought of those nights in Gennady's arms, falling asleep to his heartbeat. His gentle kisses on my forehead, his whispered "I love you". The way his green eyes softened made my heart race.

Those feelings were real. I knew they were real. And that made this hurt so much worse.

If he was a monster, if his love was fake, it'd be easier. But it wasn't. He loved me, and I loved him. Even now, knowing the truth, I still loved him.

That love made me sick, made me feel like a traitor. How could I love the man whose family destroyed mine? How could my heart still ache for him, even after this?

My hand drifted to my stomach, where our baby was growing. Half me, half him.

"God," I groaned, tears blurring everything. "What do I do?"

I loved this child, already so fiercely, even though it wasn't born yet. But thinking of its father, it tore me in two.

I loved Gennady. God help me, I did. Even with this blood-soaked truth between us, I loved him like a madwoman. And that love was killing me.

I stood, legs wobbling, nearly collapsing. I stumbled to the dresser mirror. The woman staring back was a ghost—pale as death, eyes swollen, dark hair a tangled mess. I looked like I'd been through hell for days.

I couldn't stay here.

Not because I stopped loving him, but because I loved him too much. This love would destroy me, drive me insane.

I had to leave. Not to hurt him, not to punish him, but to save myself. To save our baby.

I grabbed the suitcase, yanking clothes from the closet. Each piece carried memories of him, each one a twist of the knife in my chest. This white blouse—I wore it the first time we met. This black evening gown—he'd looked at me like I was a goddess. This necklace…

My hand froze on the rose pendant, white gold glinting under the light. "My rose," he'd called me, his voice warm, possessive.

I ran my fingers over the rose's edges, tears spilling again. I wanted to throw it across the room, but I couldn't. Keeping it hurt too much, but letting it go hurt more. I buried it deep in the suitcase, out of sight.

Twenty minutes later, I dragged the suitcase to the door, my hand trembling on the knob. Once I walked out, there was no coming back.

Once I left him, he was gone for good.

But I had to. For me. For the baby. For all of us.

I took a shaky breath and opened the door.

Voices drifted from the living room—Gennady's voice, low and rough, hit me like a shockwave. My heart jumped, that instinctive pull toward him, but pain crashed in right after.

I reached the top of the stairs, dragging the suitcase, and their conversation stopped dead. I saw him.

He stood by the window, back to me, broad shoulders tense. At the sound of my steps, he turned. Our eyes locked.

My heart nearly stopped. He was still so damn handsome, so magnetic. his green eyes held pain, desperation, and that familiar tenderness. My body screamed to run to him, to fall into his arms, to tell him it didn't matter…

But I couldn't.

I wouldn't.

"Cassie." His voice was hoarse, raw with a vulnerability I'd never heard before.

It nearly broke me. I bit my lip, fighting not to cry. "I'm leaving," I said, my voice shaking despite my effort to sound steady.

Ginnie rose from the couch, her smile smug, victorious. Seeing her brought it all back—her words, the truth that shattered my world.

"Cassie, you finally figured it out," she said, her voice dripping with glee. "I knew you were a smart girl."

She stepped toward me, her eyes glinting with malice. "Gennady needs a woman who gets his world, not some naive little girl. You should be glad you learned the truth in time."

"Ginnie." Gennady's voice was a warning growl, his eyes never leaving mine. "Shut up."

"Why?" She spun to him, smirking. "Did I say something wrong? She deserves to know who she's been sleeping with."

Her words were knives, each one sinking deeper. "Tell me, Cassie," she said, her voice venomous, "what's it like, knowing the man you've been screwing every night is the son of the guy who killed your dad?"

The words sliced into me. I looked at Gennady, his face pale, his eyes drowning in pain.

"Enough!" he roared, storming toward Ginnie. "I warned you!"

He stepped between us, shielding me, like he was still trying to protect me, even now.

That gesture made my heart twist. He was still the man who'd fight the world for me, who'd put himself between me and danger.

But it only made this hurt worse.

"Gennady." My voice broke. "Don't."

He turned to me, his eyes so full of pain it stole my breath. "Cassie, please." His voice trembled. "Give me a chance to explain. Don't go."

I looked at him, the man I loved. I wanted to forgive him, to erase everything, to fall back into his arms. But I couldn't.

"Explain what?" Tears streamed down my face. "How your father killed mine? How you could love the daughter of the man he murdered?"

"I didn't know!" His voice was raw with desperation. "I didn't know it was your father! I knew nothing!"

"But you saw it!" I was nearly screaming, my voice breaking. "You saw a father's life taken!"

"Yes!" he admitted, his eyes brimming with agony. "I saw it! I've lived with that guilt every day! But Cassie, I love you! I love you more than my own life!"

His words shattered me. I felt his sincerity, his pain, and it made everything so much harder, so much worse.

"I know," I whispered, tears falling endlessly. "I know you love me. That's why this hurts so much."

I dragged the suitcase toward the door, each step carving a fresh wound in my heart.

"Cassie, don't go!" he shouted, his voice thick with desperation. "We can fix this! We can—"

"Some things can't be fixed," I said, stopping but not turning back, afraid I'd lose my nerve if I saw his face. "Some wounds are too deep to heal."

My voice cracked. "I love you, Gennady. I still love you. That's why I have to go. This love—it'll destroy me. It'll destroy—"

I almost said our child, but I caught myself. "Both of us," I finished.

I opened the door, and Chicago's November wind hit me like a slap.

"Goodbye, my love," I whispered, more to myself than him. "Goodbye."

I climbed into the car, glancing in the rearview mirror. He stood in the doorway, not chasing me, his eyes full of despair. My heart broke into a million pieces.

"Where to, miss?" the driver asked.

"Airport," I said, my voice trembling.

The car pulled away, his figure shrinking in the distance. My hand rested on my stomach, tears falling like rain.

"I'm sorry, baby," I thought. "Mommy has to take you away."

I closed my eyes, letting the tears flow.

Gennady

Watching Cassie disappear through the door felt like my soul was being ripped out and dragged along with her.

Go after her!

A voice in my head screamed, urging me to run, to hold her, to beg on my knees, even if she cursed me, hit me, hated me forever. I had to try.

But I didn't move.

Chasing her would only hurt her more.

The cold distance between us these past days, the sharp, wounded look in her eyes—it was nothing compared to the blood of her father, a stain my family left that tainted every moment we'd shared. Every time she looked at me, she'd see her father's killer.

How could I put her through that?

"Smart move," Ginnie's voice cut through, smug and triumphant. "Looks like the cold-blooded mob boss finally figured out his priorities." She leaned into the last words, gloating.

I clenched my fists, knuckles popping, nails biting into my palms until blood seeped out. The physical pain was nothing compared to the gaping, raw hole in my chest.

"Good," I said, turning to her, barely holding back the urge to strangle her. "You got what you wanted. Now," I pointed to the door, each word sharp as ice, "I've got bigger shit to deal with. Get out."

Ginnie's smile widened, unfazed. "Of course, darling," she purred, drawing out the words with smug delight. "But don't forget, we've got plenty of 'sweet' details to sort out. Wedding date, venue, guest list… I want it big, Gennady. The kind that makes Chicago stop and stare."

"Get out of my sight," I said, my voice dropping to a deadly low, my eyes burning with unfiltered murder. "Now. Right fucking now."

Her smile faltered, just a fraction, catching the raw killing intent in my gaze. But she kept up her victorious act. "Fine, looks like you need some… alone time to process."

She grabbed her purse and sauntered to the door, pausing to toss one last venomous jab. "But don't forget, Gennady—time's ticking. Your little princess can't wait forever."

The door clicked shut, and the room fell into a suffocating silence.

I couldn't hold it together anymore. My fist slammed into the wall, blood smearing from my knuckles, but the pain was nothing. Cassie was gone.

And I couldn't even chase her, couldn't beg her to stay, because she was right—I was her enemy, the son of her father's killer.

I collapsed onto the couch, hands covering my face. Tears burned my eyes, but I forced them back. I didn't deserve to cry. My family's blood was tainted with murder, and my existence was a living reminder of her loss.

But that didn't stop the pain.

My chest felt hollowed out, every breath a struggle. I saw her smile, felt her warmth in my arms, heard the love in her voice when she said my name…

Gone. All of it.

I grabbed my phone, hands shaking, and dialed Dimitri.

"Get our best guys," I said, my voice rough. "Twenty-four-seven protection on Cassie. She can't know. Never let her spot them."

"Got it, Boss, but—" Dimitri hesitated. "Cassie's heading downtown. Looks like… she's going to the airport."

The airport. She was really leaving. Leaving Chicago, my reach, my world. Gone for good.

"Follow her, wherever she goes!" I said, my voice breaking with desperation. "Keep her safe!"

"Boss, you okay?"

Okay? How the fuck could I be okay? I'd just lost the woman I loved.

"I'm fine," I lied. "Speed up the Marco hits. I want this over fast."

I hung up, alone in the living room, the silence crushing me. Maybe this was my punishment. My family's sins, my burden. I'd lost Cassie, lost love, lost everything good in my life.

But at least she'd be safe. Free from me, from this dark world.

That was the only comfort I had left, the only reason to keep breathing.

I'd protect her from the shadows, make sure she was safe, but I'd never show my face again. I wouldn't be the reminder of her pain.

It was the last gift I could give her.

Time dragged on, lost in a haze, until my phone buzzed, pulling me out of the abyss.

"Boss?" Dimitri's voice was cautious. "Got an update. Cassie's at the airport, booking a ticket. Red-eye to L.A. tonight."

Los Angeles. She was going to her mom. Far from Chicago's blood and chaos. Good. She'd be safe there, for now.

"Good," I said, forcing myself to sit up, my voice slipping back into the cold, controlled tone of the mob boss.

But inside, I was burning, molten rage and pain.

"Make sure she gets on that plane safely.

And," my eyes sharpened, my voice deadly, "tell all the crews to gear up.

The intel's confirmed. I want Marco's name wiped from Chicago in a week. "

"Got it, Boss. One more thing," Dimitri said, pausing. "Miss Ginnie says she needs a black card for… wedding prep."

My fist clenched, my voice ice-cold, straight from hell. "Give it to her. Whatever she wants from now on, agree. Don't bother me with it."

Dimitri hung up, and I lost it, smashing a glass, shards flying. Ginnie—that greedy, venomous snake who'd ruined everything.

She thought she'd won.

She had no idea I'd already dug her grave in my mind.

This game would end soon. All debts would be settled.

And I'd make sure everyone who hurt Cassie paid the price.

Even me.