*edited*

Everleigh:

"Sergei Romanov"
Ash greeted him with a handshake than introduced me.
"This is Everleigh, my date for tonight."

I couldn't help but feel a little hurt by 'my date', well we aren't official, heck! I hardly know the guy but I just feel like I've known him forever.

The man also known as my godfather spoke up. In a thick Russian accent that I came accustomed to.

"Hello Mr Asher Mortimer," huh, so Asher is what Ash is short for, Interesting...

" And what a lovely young lady you have there by your side..." ok, now I am uncomfortable. He was eyeing me from top to bottom, analysing all my features.

He knows me like the back of his hand, I'm like a second daughter to him, he didn't only make deals with my dad, but he was/is (not sure anymore) my dad's best friend. I haven't spoken to him since the incident...

He still looked at me making small talk with Ash while I was just praying to be able to retreat to a hole and hide there.

The talk came back to me, I think Sergei is eager to get to know me better, and I think he already recognised me but, still needs the recognition.

"So Ms Everleigh...." he paused waiting for me to tell him my family name

"It's Graham. Everleigh Graham." I didn't dare to look him in the eye, my gaze held strong onto the floor.

"Ms Graham, where are you from? You don't sound American."
"You are right, I was Born in Britain, but grew up in Australia and then moved back to Britain in my early twenties.And now here I am."

I decided to answer truthfully, he nodded his head and started tapping on his glass that was in his right hand with his index finger. I was listening to the tapping and realised it was morse code. He had taught me that with Victoria ( his daughter, my best friend) when we were younger, so I decrypted it and he said "busted snowdrop".

Snowdrop is how my brother calls me and he does the same. It's because I was born on a snowy day of December.

I looked up at Ash who didn't seem to have understood why Sergei was tapping on his glass. I looked at him with pleading eyes trying to make him understand, that I didn't want him to tell Ash that we know each other.

After a couple minutes of small talk, Ash and I walked away bidding our goodbyes to Sergei as we walked off to see other people.

If I'm honest this was a very boring evening, I didn't say much I was just listening to Ash make business talk and talking numbers so I was calculating everything and thinking about the deals he could make to have a better profit on things. But I didn't say anything.

I have a degree in business management and accounting. So I know what he is talking about and I say, he is handling himself quite well.

All evening I have felt eyes on me and I know exactly who they belong to.

After what felt like the millionth person he spoke to, I decided to go to the loo and call Paul and/or Louis to ask them if all is good with Rose.

Ash gave me his phone since he took mine away and I walked towards the lady's restroom knowing that soon Sergei would follow because I knew that we had things to discuss.

I rang up Paul first and was waiting for him to pick up. And he did after 3 rings.
(P: Paul and E: Everleigh)

P: "Hey boss. What's up?"
He answered in a serious tone.
E: "hi Paul! It's Everleigh. "
I chirped
P:"Hey you! how's it going at the banquet?"
His voice became sweet when he realised it was me.
E: "boring, Ash is making deals and stuff and I'm just there as his arm candy...."
I trailed off. But was soon brought back by Paul's voice.
P: "don't worry Leigh, you are more than arm candy to him. Trust me, he has Never, and I mean Never seen him treat a girl like he does you and that little princess."
I smiled to myself thinking about the last few days that I've been spending with Ash and the boys.
P: "anyways, why did you call? Apart from listening to my beautiful voice."
I could hear the smirk in his tone.
E: "yeah, Ummm... how is Rose doing?"

P: "haha, she's doing fine, we put her to bed over an hour ago and she fell asleep straight away."

E: "that's good, she wasn't too much of a hassle? "

P: "Nah! A real angel, a bit fussy with food and man can that girl run! She has little legs! How can she do that?"
I was laughing at the other end, knowing full on how much of a fussy eater she is.
E: "all right then, thanks again for taking care of her. I don't know when we will be back though... "

P: "no worries babe, anyway I'll leave you to your evening and see you later. Bye!"

E: "Bye Paul and say hi and thank you to Louis too! Love you both bye! "

I hang up and was about to walk towards the bathroom but I was held back by an arm.

I turned around to meet with those deep blue eyes, and those eyes belong to the one and only Sergei Romanov.

"What do you want?" I whisper/ hissed.
"Now, that isn't a way to greet your godfather."

He pulled me into a hug that I returned. I must admit I missed him. He's like another father to me. He was always there.

I pulled away and looked him into the eyes.

"So, who were you talking to, and who is Rose?" He looked at me with a questioning look.

My face turned pale, he doesn't know that I was pregnant at the time of the accident. I started fiddling with my fingers.

"Snowdrop, tell me." He placed his hand on my shoulder.

"The man I was talking to was one of Asher's men. And Rose... Rose is my daughter..." I looked up at him, trying to see his reaction.

His face was blanc, eyes empty of emotion.

"Say something, pl-please."
I reached for his hand and took it in mine, giving it a squeeze.

"How old is she?"
I released a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"She's turning three in May."

"Who's the father?"
God, I knew that question was coming up. I hate that question. I feel so embarrassed.

"Ummm.... don't be mad. You remember the night of the international gang meeting..."

"Yes... what does it have to do with it?"

"Well... I got into a fight with Daddy, so I ran to the bar, got drunk out of my mind and met this guy, I think he was in one of the visiting gangs, and one thing led to another.... and I found out I was pregnant a few months later... I was just coming up to six months at the time of the accident..."

I couldn't face him. I looked towards my feet, well, the bottom of my dress that covered my feet.

I heard him take a loud breath. He took both my hands in his.

"Snowdrop, I didn't know. Your father never said anything when you left."

"I know he didn't say anything, it's shameful for him to have his only heir, the one to take over his empire being pregnant from a one night stand by a guy she doesn't even remember..."

It hurt, remembering all this and actually telling someone about all this, a person I consider family. Not even Dan knew the whole story.

" I'm sorry snowdrop. I could have helped." I could see the hurt in his eyes.
Deep down Sergei is a real teddy bear with great taste in vodka and head of the Russian mafia.

I cleared my throat wanting to get away from this conversation.

"I-i need to go back to Ash."
I gave him a small smile attempting to walk away, but Sergei's voice called out to me.

"Everleigh, does he treat you well?"

I nodded before giving my answer

"Yes, and he is the best with Rose. She even calls him 'daddy'." I gave a little chuckle and walked away again.

"I want to meet her, Rose, your daughter."
I nodded again and gave him a response

"I would like that, but Ash doesn't know who I am. He doesn't know I'm the daughter of Sean Graham, leader of the most dangerous gang in Australia and is world-renowned for its gun trade. Yeah maybe not right now, but Rose's birthday is the 13th of May. So if you want to see her then I would need to tell him Everything..."

I'm scared shitless, I really am. I'm so scared to tell him about me. But he has to know at some point.

"Well, tell him soon, I want to see the offspring of my snowdrop."

This time I really walked away. And once I spotted Ash he was talking to Ray and Carter. So I walked behind him placing my hand on the back of his neck trailing down to his shoulder and placing a kiss on his cheek.

I felt him tense at first but once he saw it was me, his arm snaked around my waist pulling me closer to him.

"So, how are the boys doing with the princess?" His smirk just makes me melt every time.

I smiled back at him
"They are doing good, Paul told me that she was in bed."

He nodded and told the guys to get the car because we were heading home.

Thank god for that! My feet are killing me in these heels!

Ash walked me to the car, opening the door for me, such a gentleman.

I didn't even feel myself close my eyes and before I knew it I was taken over by darkness, the car came to a stop and I felt two muscular arms take me in them.

I was put on a bed, and then I heard that familiar deep husky voice

"Goodnight angel."

I smiled as I was now sort of awake.

"Night handsome."

I sat up kissing him, and he immediately returned the kiss. I pulled away and stood up before it could go any further.

"I'm going to get out of this dress, take my makeup and shoes off."
"Okay angel."

And with that I walked into the bathroom and took everything off, there was one of Ash's button-up white shirts so I decided to have that a pyjama's.

I do tend to forget to get my stuff in the closet beforehand... oops? I came out with a clean face, my hair in a messy bun, with a couple buttons of the shirt undone only wearing my lace underwear underneath.

"Mmmm angel, you look sexy in my clothes." And there was Ash, laying on the bed, only in a pair of trackies, no top, messy hair, his beautiful blue eyes boring into mine, that smile of his and that body!

"Are you done staring baby?" He let out a deep chuckle.

"Ummm... I'll be off now!" I turned away to hide my blush and headed for the door. But before I could reach it a pair of arms came around my waist blocking me to his hard chest.

He leaned to my ear placing soft kisses on my neck.

"Where do you think you are going?"

"To the couch." I said in a 'duh' tone.

"Nah baby, you staying with me tonight."

I didn't even have time to protest that I was carried to the bed and was held by his strong arms tightly wrapped around me.

I gave up and snuggled up to his chest, pecking his lips before letting sleep take over me once more.

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