Chapter 69 MICKY’S INFLUENCE
CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE
SAMANTHA’S POV
“Micky, stay in one place,” I said softly, trying to steady my voice as I adjusted the tiny buttons on her nightwear.
“I am,” she replied, though her giggles gave her away immediately.
I couldn’t help the faint smile that tugged at my lips. She was impossible to control, full of light and warmth, the kind that filled every corner of a room without trying. I envied that sometimes. How easy it was for her to exist without fear.
“Will you sleep with me tonight?” she asked suddenly, her big eyes locking onto mine with hopeful innocence.
My hands paused.
“I don’t know… if daddy allows it,” I answered carefully.
“I’m sure he will,” she said with so much certainty it made something twist inside me.
“I’ll ask him when he comes.”
Of course she would.
I nodded, though my mind was nowhere near the room anymore. It had been spinning all evening, caught in the web of everything Eliana had said. None of it sat right with me, yet somehow it made just enough sense to be dangerous.
It’s for the greater good.
That was what I kept telling myself. Over and over again.
Still, it didn’t quiet the unease crawling beneath my skin.
I forced myself to sit beside Micky, letting her pull me into her little world as she played with the edge of her blanket. I laughed when she laughed, nodded when she spoke, but it all felt distant, like I was watching myself from somewhere far away.
Then I heard it.
His Footsteps.
My body went rigid
I knew that walk. I would know it anywhere.
“Daddy is here!” Micky squealed, jumping off the bed in excitement.
My breath hitched.
I didn’t move. I couldn’t.
I just sat there, bracing myself for something I couldn’t even name.
The door opened, and the moment he stepped in, everything shifted.
Kane.
He didn’t see me first. He saw her.
His entire face softened instantly, like the weight of the world fell off his shoulders the moment his eyes landed on his daughter. He bent slightly as she ran into his arms, lifting her effortlessly as she wrapped herself around him.
And just like that, he was smiling.
And it had nothing to do with me.
Something sharp pressed into my chest.
I looked away quickly, hating the thought that followed.
He will never look at me like that.
Not even for a second.
I wasn’t part of his happiness. I never would be. If anything, I was a reminder. A shadow tied to a past he hadn’t healed from.
His late wife.
The woman I could never replace.
The realization settled heavily in my chest, but I swallowed it down. I had already made my decision.
I would never take this away from Micky.
Never.
His voice pulled me back.
I looked up, startled, only to find him watching me.
He tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. “You can go see Kate.”
My eyes widened a little.
Go?
So easily?
For a moment, I didn’t understand. Then it hit me.
He wanted me out.
Of course he did.
My fingers curled slightly at my sides as I stood, unsure of what I was supposed to feel. Relief? Embarrassment? Something else entirely?
But before I could say anything—
“Can Mama stay here?”
Everything stopped.
My head snapped toward Micky.
My heart slammed violently against my ribs.
Mama.
The word echoed in my ears, loud and dangerous.
I slowly lifted my gaze, meeting Kane’s eyes.
For a second, there was something there.
Disdain.
Then something softer.
Confusion. Maybe even admiration.
I couldn’t tell.
“No, Micky, I….” I started quickly, panic creeping into my voice.
I couldn’t let her say that. Couldn’t let her build something that wasn’t real.
“What do you want, love?” Kane asked gently, his attention already back on her.
“I want her to stay with me,” she said, pointing directly at me. “You and her… like one big family.”
I saw it then. The strain in Kane’s expression. The way his jaw tightened just slightly before he masked it.
But he still nodded.
“Okay.”
I blinked, caught off guard.
“Just for the time being, sir,” I added quickly, stepping in before things could spiral. “Till she falls asleep.”
He glanced at me briefly, then back at Micky.
“Come on,” he said, his tone softening again.
“Let me tuck you in. Had dinner?”
“Yes!” she chirped, grabbing both our hands like we belonged there.
Like this was normal.
Like this was real.
She dragged us toward the bed, her excitement contagious in a way that made it impossible to resist.
And before I knew it, I was lying beside her.
Beside him.
The space between us felt small and intimate
I could feel his presence even without looking.
The warmth of his body at the other end of the bed, steady and grounding in a way that made my thoughts scatter.
Micky nestled comfortably between us, her tiny hands gripping the fabric of my sleeve like she was afraid I might disappear.
Kane reached over, gently brushing her hair back.
“She’ll fall asleep soon,” he murmured.
I nodded, though I wasn’t sure he was even looking at me.
Silence settled over the room, soft and fragile.
I stared down at Micky, watching the way her breathing slowly evened out, her lashes resting against her cheeks as sleep claimed her.
My mind wandered to the man lying just a few inches away from me.To the way my body reacted every time he was close.
I hated it.
Hated how aware I was of him. Of the quiet strength in his presence. Of the way his voice lingered in my ears even after he stopped speaking.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. It is risky. It will get us killed.
I swallowed hard, shifting slightly as I considered sitting up. Leaving before things got worse.
Before I lost control of something I wasn’t even supposed to feel.
But then…
His hand moved and brushed against mine.
It was nothing.Just a light, accidental touch.
A sudden, electric spark shot through me, sharp and unexpected. My breath caught as I froze, my entire body reacting to something so small it shouldn’t have mattered.
I quickly pulled my hand back, my fingers curling into my palm as if that could erase the feeling.
as enough to terrify me.
Lying on the same bed with him, pretending like this was normal, like we weren’t standing on something fragile and dangerous.
I closed my eyes briefly, forcing myself to breathe.
I need to leave.
The thought came stronger this time.
Clearer.
Because staying… staying meant risking something I wasn’t ready to face.
I opened my eyes again, glancing down at Micky.
She was fully asleep now.
Slowly, carefully, I began to shift, trying not to wake her.
But before I could move too far…
“Stay.”
His voice was low.
But it stopped me instantly.
I turned my head slightly, my heart racing again.
He wasn’t looking at me.
His gaze was still on Micky.
“She just fell asleep,” he added.
It was a command
I settled back slowly, my body tense. In the presence of my oppressor. The one I'm developing feelings for.