Dangerous Husbands, Broken Wives [18+]

FORTY NINE: PARENTING LANDMINE

[IVAN]

"What is boarding school, papa?" Tati asks, breathless, as she comes running downstairs with her little yet energetic feet.

My eyes quickly find their way to Ana, who seems busy moving around the kitchen. She must have discussed the school matter with Ivan Jr., and my little mischievous daughter must have overheard.

I pull her up on my lap and kiss the top of her head. "It's a school, sweetheart, but where you also stay for the entire school term."

"So does that mean Ivan Jr. gets to live in the school?" She asks innocently, but I can guess there's something else going on and not just curiosity.

I put her on the table, facing me. "Not in the school, sweetheart, at the school. But yes, that's right."

Her eyes tear up. "Papa, I wanna go to the boarding school too. Please."

From my peripheral view, I notice Ana pausing and tensing up.

But let me be honest here. Tati's request really caught me off guard, just the same. Though it shouldn't have been as surprising. When I was younger, my little sister, Marina, used to cling to me just the same. She wanted to eat what I ate, go to places our father would take me, and hang out with the friends I was allowed to bring home. She wanted to experience everything I did. As a teenager craving a bit of privacy and control over my life, I found her stubborn and annoying. But now that we barely get to see each other, I miss those days for sure.

Marina used to look up to me, wanting to be part of my world. And now, watching the same innocence in my daughter's eyes, I can't help but feel a pang of nostalgia.

How long has it been since I last saw her? Perhaps a little visit is in order.

Tati starts to cry. "Papa, I wanna go to boarding school too. I wanna go with Ivan Jr."

My chest clenches at the sight of her tears and something inside me starts to panic. This is so weird. Except for Ana, I never had this urge to flip the world upside down so I could upturn her frown into a smile. I'm suddenly hit with emotions, I wasn't ready for, and it made me take a moment longer to gather my thoughts than it should have been.

Before I know it, Ana appears next to me. She pulls back a chair and takes a seat. She makes Tati face her, wiping her tears. "Why are you crying, baby? There's no need to cry."

"Mommy, I wanna go to the boarding school, too."

I catch myself before drifting again. "You can't go to the boarding school, sweetheart." My little daughter's cries stop, and silence follows right after. She bats her little eyes at me, making me wonder if this is all over. But I was wrong. Before I can stop it, she starts to cry harder and louder.

"Oh, boy!" I mumble to myself before feeling Ana's glare at me.

I turn to find her already annoyed at something I have done.

"What?" I ask her, but she only rolls her eyes, as if she's done with me.

She brings Tati's attention back to her. "We're just looking through the options right now, baby, nothing is decided. Junior is going nowhere right now."

"Wait," I'm so confused. "He isn't? I thought you said Junior liked the school."

Tati's cries grow only louder.

This time when Ana looks at me, she looks like she has murder on her mind.

I zip my lips up and let her handle the situation.

Looks like I've stepped into a parenting landmine. Time to exit gracefully.

Ana takes our crying and hiccupping daughter in her arms and paces with her in the hall, saying things that I can't even hear. Usually, I'm good with Tati. She likes to spend time with me. But I have no idea where I went wrong tonight. She never looked at me as if I was the monster taking away something special from her.

The feeling makes me uncomfortable. Her tears make my body ache.

I leave the two of them at home and step outside.

The chilly winter night feels like tiny pinpricks on my face. I exhale, watching my breath turn into white smoke.

I light a cigarette and take a drag. My phone rings just then. It's Dimitri.

"Just called to remind you about the arms meeting with the Morozov brothers," he says.

"I can't make it," I take another pull, letting the nicotine calm my nerves. "I'm taking Ana to Kazan."

There's a small pause on his end. "I'm guessing for the school."

"Da! Junior is of the right age. He should get admission easily with my influence."

"Of course, he will. You were one of the top students. They will crawl on their knees to have your prodigy."

I can't refute that. My son is young, but he's smarter and more mature than the kids of his age. He's exactly what a Volkov male is expected to be. "That's right. And if that's all, I would like you to handle the meeting on your own. Take someone with you to watch your back."

"I can take care of myself," he says gruffly.

"I'm sure, but a little backup is never a bad thing."

He grunts. "Fine, I'll take Alexei with me. He owes me a favor anyway."

"Good. Keep me posted on the meeting. I don't want any surprises." I say, ready to disconnect when his voice comes again.

"Does Ana know about the school?"

I frown and pause midway before taking another drag. I know where he's going with that question. The only problem is I'm not comfortable answering it. "That's not your concern. Mind your own fucking business."

"Sure," he says, sounding not one bit guilty. "But make sure to tell her before it's too late. "

I disconnect the call and toss the cigarette butt away before heading back inside. When I reach upstairs to check up on the kids, Ana is already putting Tati to sleep. I linger at the door for a brief moment, taking in the peaceful sight of our kids asleep.

I take a long look at Junior, wondering if he would resent me for making these decisions for him. But if my son is anything like me, he would want to be prepared and well-trained to protect his family—to take care of people he holds close.

As a father, this is the best thing I could ever give him.

An hour later, Ana comes to our bedroom and looks beyond exhausted. She spares me only a small glance before disappearing into the bathroom. I try to finish my work on the laptop, checking the files Igor sent me. By the time, Ana returns, I'm wrapping up everything.

"Is she going to hate me now?" I ask her, as I watch her move around the bed and pull her hair up. She's wearing a pair of a loose shirt and warm pyjamas. Nothing sexy but I still find myself growing hard.

She smiles tiredly, slipping under the warm comforter, a few tendrils of dark hair escaping the knot up in her head. "Don't think too much about it," she adjusts her pillow before lying down. "Just don't try to aggravate her next time. She doesn't have many friends, Ivan. You have to understand. Junior is not only her brother but her only friend. She's afraid to part with him."

I nod. That makes a lot of sense. "I didn't want to cause her any distress."

"I know you didn't," she says, and I find myself surprised by the strong conviction in her voice. "Just don't be so blunt next time. That's all."

I frown at the door. "I'm always careful. I don't know what happened. For a minute, I just forgot she's only five."

"You're not used to them," she yawns. "She's fine now. You can rest. Tomorrow is a big day."

It is. We're heading to Kazan so Ana can check out the school I picked for Junior.

Dimitri's words echo in my head. This is not something you should keep from your wife.

I try not to let his words bother me, but I'd be lying if I said that brute of a man wasn't right. I should probably let Ana know that the boarding school isn't just any school out there. It's special. Not only are the kids there from influential families, but they are also trained to become future assassins.