I wondered what crossed her mind when our eyes met again after all these years. Because the first time I looked at her, I felt everything inside of me burning. It was then when I realized that no matter how much time passed, my heart would always skip at the sight of her and that terrified the shit out of me.

She walked into the ballroom taking my breath away. Her golden dress fit her body liked a glove bringing out her beautiful hazel eyes that I loved so much. The neckline of her dress dipped down so low leaving enough to the imaginations of all men, the sight of the swell of her breasts almost spilling out made my slacks tightened painfully, and hands clutching the glass trying to contain myself from pouncing on her or killed every men in this fucking room.

Her hair was the shade of a lighter brown, shiny as silk and I couldn't help but wanted to run my fingers through it liked I used to. I trailed my eyes down drinking in her fuller curves and the leg peaking out of the slit of her dress that seemed to be never ending. She was still the most beautiful woman in my eyes.

She was furious when she fought me. The rage glinting across her eyes, tears glistening threatened to pour out and her shaky hands as she throw her knives at me out of anger, I let her. She had a reason to be pissed but I had mine too and so we fought back and forth.

Hurting each other physically was a thousand times better than torturing our hearts. The fight between her and I was an anger releasing spar, we fought to get out the angers we held for the last four years.

Because in that moment anger was better than any other emotion, better than grief, than guilt.

I had her pressed to the wall with a knife slitting into her throat but all I could think about was finally having her in my arms again even under different circumstances. Her sweet scent filled up my nostrils and for once my heart was at peace. The feelings of her soft skin under me felt as amazing and as magical as I remembered, the sparks were still there and somehow that made me a whole lot better.

Better than I had ever been in the last four years.

The peace I was feeling was gone the moment her father walked in with my sister, unconscious. My heart stopped and breath hitched in my throat as all bad memories came rushing back in, remembering who she was.

I pushed her away liked her skin was burning me alive, liked I couldn't even stand the sight of her. She looked broken, shattered as I walked away. I had never believed that beauty could exist in self destruction but she was my living proof.

The looks in her eyes hunted me and I wanted nothing than to pull her into my arm telling her that all was fine everything was going to be okay, but my family needed me.

" Are you my daddy? " Madeline mumbled looking at me with her big eyes, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I scanned her face with a thumping heart, threatened to burst out of my chest. My eyes trained on her and solely her, she had my undivided attention at the moment and nothing beside her faded away into nothingness.

I bored my eyes into hers and I could see was myself. She was a complete resemblance of me with a hinge of her mother. She had my eyes, the same stormy grey but a shade lighter. Even a half blind man could tell we were related. How could I not noticed?

" Yes. I'm your father. " I smiled, caressing her cheek with the back of my palm.

My daughter. I had a daughter.

A three years old little girl who I didn't know existed until a few hours ago. The same little girl I met a week ago, I held her in my arms and kissed her face without knowing she was my flesh and blood.

She was so beautiful and so precious. I took one looks at her again the moment I realized she was my daughter and I knew she had my whole heart. I never knew I could love someone so fast and this much without even knowing them at all.

But, that one weekend I spent with her I was already a proud father.

" Are you going to leave us again? " she asked, eyes glistening with clear water.

Fuck. That hurt. I was a horrible father. I was barely a fucking father.

I broke my daughter's heart way before any boys had the chance to.

I could feel my heart breaking in half and self hatred creeping up my head, clouding my system. I hated myself for not being there. I hated me for missing out on the last years of her life. I hated myself for abandoning the two girls who were supposed to be my family.

The woman I loved and my daughter.

" I'm not leaving you. Not this time. Never again. " I said pulling her head into my chest before planting a light kiss in her hair.

" Do I get to call you daddy like all my friends call their dads? " she mumbled and my chest clenched in pain.

" Of course, baby. "

" Please don't leave me, Daddy. " she yawned rubbing her eyes with her little hand.

I could feel my eyes burning as I held in my tears. It was the best thing I heard in my life, her calling me her dad. Pride filled my chest, happiness warmth my heart, as chills creeped up my whole body. I could listen to that a trillion times over without getting sick of it.

" Go to sleep, princess. Daddy's here. "

I lowered my head and planted a light kiss on her head as I tightened my grip around her tiny body, wanting to hold her close to my heart and never let go.

And, just liked that she was the center of my universe. She was going to have me, until all the stars in the galaxy died, she would have me. I swore to love and to protect this little girl, forever.

Cross my heart and hope to die, mads.

" Get me the bastards who hurt my daughter and take care of Ana. Bring her home, to me. " I said into the phone.

I left her to fight her own battle, a war between her and her father. I didn't want to leave but she trusted me with our daughter's protection and Bella was injured, I had no choice. But, I knew she could handle herself just fine, she needed to end him by herself in order for her to finally start living.

The bastard was stupid to go up against the best assassin in her times. I just hoped she gave him what he deserved.

Ryan gave me a short will do, Don and the phone call ended.

I watched my daughter slept peacefully in my arms and everything still felt surreal to me but she was real. I had a daughter. A smart little girl who was beautiful as an angel and had the brain of a genius.

The jet landed in England a few hours later, father and mother rushed Bella to the hospital while Eden and I took my daughter home. Little mads was still asleep and she continued sleeping until we reached the estate. I carried her in my arms into the living room while Eden rushed past us to get his kits, to take a look at her wounds.

" Can I take a look at your wounds, pumpkin? " Eden asked dumping his first aid kit on the small table when he saw mads opening her eyes.

Madeline nodded her head shyly before holding out her arm for him to look at. I clenched my fist making my knuckles turned white and I could almost feel my vein snapping out.

There were cuts and purple bruises all over her arms, anger started building in my chest and I wanted nothing more than to rip the bastard who hurt her apart.

" Tell me if this hurts okay? " he smiled as he damped something on my daughter's wound.

This motherfucker couldn't care less when he was shoving his hand down my stomach and swirling it around to look for a bullet.

" Owwie. That hurt uncle Eden. " Madeline pouted, flinching away.

" I'm so sorry, pumpkin. It will only hurt a bit more okay? If you let me finish cleaning this up, I promise I will buy you an ice cream factory. " he smiled while blowing air on my daughter's wound.

All he gave me were cold glares when he treated me.

Watching Madeline wincing and whimpering while my brother treated her wounds was painful. I hugged her in my chest praying I could take all the pain away from her.

After Eden gave her some meds and water, she cuddled into my chest until she fell asleep while I stayed awake the whole night watching her fearing she might vanish from my arms and making up for all the cuddles I had missed.

" Is this star shaped sandwiches, Daddy? " Mads asked narrowing her eyes at the plate of breakfast Cora gave her.

" Yes, princess. You don't want sandwiches? "

" This is stupid. What happened to the crust? Why are you wasting food, Aunty Cora? " she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

My eyes widened in surprise, was it just me or did she looked exactly like her mother when she did that. Our little Madeline might inherited my features by she sure as hell got her attitude from Ana.

But, god fuck me because I fucking love it.

" I-I thought you might like it. " Cora stuttered pulling the strain of her hair behind her ears.

" There are little children dying out there, Aunty Cora. " Madeline narrowed her eyes at Cora, making everyone choked on their breathes.

" Mama said we shouldn't waste food. I'm so blessed and she will take all my chocolate away if I become a spoiled little brat. " my little girl shrugged before taking a napkin and put it on her laps.

Fuck. I could kiss the shit out of Anastasia right now for raising such child.

" She's definitely your daughter. " mother chuckled before drinking her water.

" Anastasia did an amazing job. " father nodded his head smiling at Madeline who was now occupied with her food.

" Please make more of her. " Eden said dapping his mouth with a napkin.

" Are you crazy? His kids might as well start an abomination and take over the world. " Elliot protested glaring at his twin brother.

" I just want mother to have more grandchildren so she wouldn't ask for one from me. " Eden shrugged.

" You should have some for her too, Elliot. " he continued before turning to his breakfast, leaving Elliot gaping in disbelief.

Eden and Elliot bickered back and forth the whole breakfast as always. And, by bickering I meant Elliot annoying the shits out of Eden while my littlest brother sat there praying he could just died to get out of the misery.

After breakfast we all moved to the living room, all wanting to spend more time with Madeline. Eden however had to leave for the hospital, claiming he had to take a looks at Bella himself and that we could never trust those doctors there beside him.

" Has your mother ever told you what your name meant, princess? " father asked with a smile on his face.

" Madeline for my mommy's mom. And, Rose for my daddy's mom. Mommy wants Maddie to be strong like them. " she clapped her hands, bouncing on my laps.

Mother's hand flew to her mouth as she tried to hold in her tears, definitely in awed with the new little addition of our family.

" I don't know what Salvatore meant though, papa. It's just there. " she shrugged making us all laughed.

I listened intensely to my daughter as she told me all about her farmhouse at Cambridge, the one across the street from ours, and I couldn't help but wanted to kick myself for not exploring. I would have met her then Madeline and I would have met under better circumstances, where her mother and I weren't drenched in blood.

" Madeline. " speaking of devil and my she devil shall appeared.

I snapped my head backwards to the sound of her sweet voice. And, she was there. Madeline jumped out of my laps and ran toward her mother, throwing both arms around her neck. Ana hugged her back instantly, burying her face into the nape of her neck and I could see silent tears fell down her eyes.

" We will give you three a moment. " Father patted my back and everyone was out of the room.

➺ ✿ ➻

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