Ultimate Vengeance (Wanted Men Book 4)(74)

Sacha was trying not to smile. “She’s…a funny bird.”

“Where’s my little bird?”

“Um.” She moved between him and the bedroom, and he could have sworn she now had stars glittering in her eyes at his reference to their daughter. Could she sense his impatience? “Would you like me to bring her out? Or do you want to go inside? I will bring you to her if you would like. Or you can go on your own…?”

He reached out and put a stop to her ring twisting before she skinned her finger. “You can bring me to her.”

“Okay. Alekzander, I want you to know—”

“Don’t. Not now. Let me at least see her, for Christ’s sake.”

“Oh, yes, of course. Come.”

He looked into the room when Sacha opened the door. His heart pounded.

A nursery. Pinks and purples, clouds and angels, a rocking chair, crib, a small table. There were fuzzy blankets, a squat lamp, and stacks of neatly folded laundry on the corner of the dresser. A single bed along the wall, unmade and cozy looking. A coffee cup was on the table with an open book beside it.

The room was full of life. A quiet, private, beautiful life.

His gaze landed on the wall above the crib. And stayed there. The name, made from pink stickers in the shape of a rainbow and surrounded by smiling suns and moons, knifed him directly in the heart.

Alekzandra.

“Was she with you today? Outside?”

Sacha turned. Her fist was pressed against her mouth. She was trying not to cry as she nodded, her eyes full of apology.

How could he not have known he was inches from his child? How could he not have felt a connection to the baby that had been wrapped in the pink blanket Sacha had adjusted one time too many? Why had the nervous actions not registered?

Because I was too distracted by the one who stood there, doing whatever she could to hide my daughter from me.

He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. He held onto the knob, his extremities stinging as adrenaline leaked into his system. His knees went weak. He looked to the crib. Couldn’t see anything yet, but a barrage of feelings smoked him where he stood. So much shock and wonder. A joy the likes of which he’d never known. Excitement. Pride.

Fear.

And fury. White hot and debilitating. He grew dizzy as betrayal devoured him again, bringing with it a reminder of all he’d missed thus far. Of all he could never, ever get back.

The softness of Sacha’s hand registered when it slipped into his. She tugged him forward, and they crossed the softly lit room together.

Alek couldn’t help but wonder if his daughter, Alekzandra, might instinctively know him. Would she feel some sort of connection to him?

He sidled up to the crib and felt vines of the softest, strongest connect wrap around his heart and squeeze until the organ barely functioned. A tiny blonde baby. Sleeping so peacefully.

Jesus…

His lungs sucked in a hard breath all on their own as he tried to swallow and couldn’t. Through blurry eyes, he watched Sacha reached down and lift his daughter.

“Lekzi, your papa is here to meet you,” she whispered with a catch in her voice.

Alek accepted her light weight, wrapping her in his arms as he drew her against his chest. Without knowing why, he brought her right under his chin so he could inhale…a scent so pure and unique he knew it belonged to his child alone. Too bad he didn’t get much of it before his ability to breathe deserted him.

If she woke, would she cry in fear at the sight of her father’s face? Would his child’s instincts go off in warning, telling her he was there to harm her? When in reality, all he would ever do for the rest of his life was love and shelter her? Their relationship was only seconds old, but Alek knew he would be her champion until the day he died.

And because nothing could change the fact that she’d given this to him when she could have made an entirely different decision regarding her pregnancy, he reached out and drew Sacha in with a light touch on the back of her head. He buried his face in her hair, closing his eyes when her arms slipped around his waist. It took a moment before he could speak.

“Thank you. For her…for her name…” He breathed for a second. “Thank you for this extraordinary gift.”

She nodded but didn’t say anything as she hugged him and their daughter. After a long minute of her stroking his back, patting every so often as if she was trying to comfort him, she drew away.

“I will give you some time with her.”

Once the distraction of her mother was gone, Alek focused completely on the feel of the treasure in his arms and tears finally fell onto his cheeks. He wouldn’t have cared if their entire organization was witness to his emotions. He was meeting his baby girl for the first time, and he was completely overwhelmed.