Chapter 204 I Can't Promise You That (CALIA)

Chapter 204 I Can't Promise You That (CALIA)
I couldn't sleep. My eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, thinking about my conversation with Elion at the dining table.
Can I trust Elion?
I lay on my side, watching Lea sleep. Her arms were wrapped around the bunny. I gently stroked the top of her head. Looking at her was like watching Elion sleep. They really do look alike.
There was a knock on my bedroom door. I got out of bed and opened it. Elion was standing in my doorway in just his sweatpants.
"What are you—"
He suddenly kissed me. I was too shocked to process everything. Elion pushed me into the bedroom and slammed the door shut with his heel. His lips pressed against mine, tempting me to move with him. But then I pushed his chest away.
"Stop it. What are you doing?"
"Kissing you."
He pressed his hips against mine, while my palms pushed against his chest to create some space.
"No. We can't do this. Lea is here."
He smirked.
"What did you think we were going to do, hmm?"
Heat rose to my cheeks. He was teasing me.
"Relax, Calia. I’m not going to do anything to you tonight."
"Then what do you want? You just showed up at my door and kissed me. Such a noble man."
"I just want to sleep. I can't sleep."
"You want to sleep here?"
"Yes."
"And Lea?"
"She can sleep between us. I promise I won't wake her up."
I was certain Elion wouldn't disturb her. He slept so peacefully. He didn't snore or move at all while he slept.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked, tilting my chin up.
"Nothing. You look tired," I said, touching his warm cheek—my human furnace.
"I am."
"Get into bed."
He smiled—a genuine smile, not a smirk.
"Wow, you're smiling."
"Is that weird?"
"Not at all. You look even more handsome when you smile."
"I only smile for you."
He took my hand and kissed my fingers. My heart warmed at his sweet gesture. After four years of living a tough life, my feminine side was melting because of Elion.
"I missed you so much."
"Me too."
Elion carried me to the bed, our eyes locked on each other. I wrapped my arms around his neck, not wanting the moment to end too soon.
"This will be our first time sleeping in the same bed with Lea."
"She looks so cute."
"She is. She’s the cutest baby I’ve ever seen."
We lay facing each other with Lea between us. Elion placed his palm on Lea’s stomach, and I rested mine over his.
"I used to doubt you could be a good father, given your reputation, but seeing how you interact with Lea has dispelled all my doubts. You’re a great father. It comes naturally to you."
"I didn't know I could do it, either. Lea taught me how to be a real father."
"But you weren't nervous at all. I was so nervous when I first became a mother."
"Was your pregnancy difficult?"
"Actually, it was an easy pregnancy because Lea wasn't a fussy baby. My only issue was feeling nauseous whenever I smelled your cologne, but once I moved to Amsterdam, I was fine."
"I used to think you hated me so much that the mere thought of being near me disgusted you."
"I don't know why my body reacted that way, either. But look at her now—Lea looks more like you than me. I was actually a bit annoyed when I first saw her. I was the one who carried her for nearly nine months and gave birth to her, yet she looked more like you."
"Because she’s my daughter. But she’s tough, just like you."
"She has to be tough, because she's a mafia boss’s daughter," I smiled.
"How was the delivery? Was there anyone with you?"
"No, I was alone. It happened two weeks earlier than expected, too. I had just stepped out of a café after buying a bagel when my water suddenly broke. People called an ambulance. I went through the labor all by myself."
"I thought that motherfucker was with you."
I glared at him.
"His name is Dimitry."
"I don't care."
"No, he wasn't in Amsterdam at the time. He was in Russia for two years, caring for his sick mother. And when I gave birth, Dimitry had just lost his mother. So, he was grieving and making funeral arrangements."
"Good. I couldn't imagine the first person my daughter saw after coming into the world being that man."
"Why do you hate Dimitry so much? He never did anything bad. In fact, he’s helped me a lot over the years."
"Just as loving someone doesn't require a reason, hating someone doesn't need one either."
"You're being irrational."
"Anything involving you and Lea makes perfect sense to me."
"Well, you’ve heard my story, now it’s your turn."
"What do you want to know? I think you already know what happened to me."
"I’m not going to ask about your flings. How is your relationship with your mother these days?"
"Cold. She’s come here a few times with her daughter. She insists on us being a family, but you know I don't need them."
"Don't say that. They’re your family. She’s Lea’s grandmother."
I squeezed his hand.
"Lea doesn't have a grandmother, and I want her to have one."
"She'd be fine without a grandmother."
"No, having a family would make her feel whole and loved."
"She gets enough love from her parents."
"Elion..."
"Don't push me, Calia. I just want to enjoy this time with the two of you."
The night was too precious to be ruined by an argument, so I dropped the topic. But deep down, I was determined to slowly change Elion for the better. Good things can't happen overnight.
"Alright. And what about your business?"
"You’ve never been interested in my business dealings before."
"And I still am. But we have Lea now. I don't want to put her in danger. Seeing her dying in the hospital once was enough. It broke my heart."
"You don't need to worry. I've changed the rules of the game. Over the last four years, I've tried making more friends instead of enemies."
"Good. Isn't that nice?"
"I don't exactly enjoy it, but at least they don't mess with my businesses the way Arthur did."
"Speaking of Arthur, what happened to his remaining men?"
"Some joined my team, others died."
"You killed them?"
I glanced worriedly at Lea, as if she might hear, even though she was actually fast asleep.
"They were defectors. I couldn't let them live, or they would have caused trouble for me."
"Could you avoid killing anyone else after this?"
"I can't promise you that."
"Not even for Lea's sake?"
"I won't do anything terrible in front of her. I promise."
I smiled. That was better than nothing. Elion was a man of his word, so I was relieved he’d made that promise.
I yawned widely and hurriedly covered my mouth with my palm.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to be rude."
"It's normal. Go to sleep."
"Good night."
Elion held my hand just as I was about to pull it away. I smiled and closed my eyes.